Points of View: Are GECs a Reformed Lot Now?

Lately, television viewers have seen a spate of shows dealing with social issues. Are general entertainment channels eyeing ratings, or is this a 'movement'?

Vivek Bahl, senior creative director, STAR Plus

I would say that I am disappointed by how the premise and issue have been dealt with in a show like Balika Vadhu, for instance. While it has great characters and storytelling, somewhere, the writers and the channel have forgotten that it's still a child-bride who is caught in a situation, where she's been forced to give up her parents' house and live the life of a housewife. Instead, she is shown easily slipping into the role of a 'bahu', cooking for and serving people… happy to see her parents once in a while.

It goes completely against what the show set out to say. It is almost as if the strong premise was used to sell the show only. That is something we at STAR would never allow our shows to get into.

Sevanti Ninan, editor, thehoot.org

Some of the programmes, which have debuted with a strong social message, appear to have become regular soap operas over a period of time. The channel and the production house, in their bid to sustain viewer interest, introduce various formulaic elements with lots of twists and turns. A case in point is Colors' Na Aana Is Desh Laado, where the young crusader marries into the family of the woman who promotes foeticide.

After watching 'saas-bahu' dramas for close to a decade, the audience was ready for a change. Society, too, is increasingly open to more inclusive themes. Uttaran, for instance, is about the sharp class divide within every Indian home.

Even a few years back, serials such as Saat Phere -- Saloni Ka Safar on Zee TV delved into the stigma of dark skin in the marriage market. Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin was a hit, when it began portraying a regular middle-class family. For two decades, Doordarshan raised developmental issues with shows such as Hum Log.

Pintoo Guha, producer, Film Farm (producer of serial, Uttaran, for Colors)

In the past, too, we have had shows focussing on girls (daughters), for instance. Ghar Ek Sapna on Sahara One and Ghar Ki Laxmi Betiyaan on Zee TV were stories of joys, failures and hardships faced by girls.

As TV expands beyond Tier I and Tier II cities, plots have become more realistic. They showcase issues that resonate with small-town viewers. That's why we get to see relatable characters who, for instance, are seen engaged in money-talk revolving around Rs 5-25 lakh instead of Rs 2,500-Rs 5,000 crore.

Realism has seeped into most of the shows, because stakeholders have to include cultural nuances appealing to small-town viewers, in order to keep them glued to the channel. It does not matter whether a serial is child, women or grandparent centric. The plot has to be interesting. But how many social issues can the industry dish out in its attempt to attract and sustain viewers' interest?

(Points of View (POV) is a regular column which carries opinions of industry professionals on a current topic of discussion in the advertising, media and marketing industry.)