The advent of satellite television saw the mushrooming of a number of private entertainment channels. And with that Indians were introduced to daily soaps. Homemakers, who had few sources of entertainment after completing daily household chores, were hooked to the saas bahu sagas, many of them from Ekta Kapoor’s production house. Be it in a remote corner of Odisha or the big cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, homemakers would ensure that they finished their work by 9 pm so that they could catch their favourite show.
By the early 2000s, soap operas, set against the backdrop of family feud and politics, and complications in human relationships, with the cast mouthing emotionally charged dialogues, had captivated the imagination of the entire nation. Homemakers certainly were their biggest patrons. Cut to 2019, and soap operas are fast losing their appeal to stand-up comedy and reality shows. Orissa POST spoke to a few women on their changing viewing tastes.
“Today, daily soaps have become very predictable and boring. Watching some of the sad sequences along with family members can be very emotionally draining,” says Madhusmita Bisoi, a homemaker.
She feels comedy shows are gaining popularity because they are light entertainment. “After a hectic day, everyone wants to watch something refreshing. Daily soaps at times become quite depressing because of their storyline,” she says, adding that some irrational people also start emulating the lifestyle and get up of the characters, ignoring the underlying message behind the soaps.
Anurupa Routray, a homemaker from Cuttack, who considers television as a medium for relaxation, is an ardent fan of reality shows. “Social dramas, which were once a big hit, are somehow losing their appeal. There are so many soaps running on different channels. Most of them are a representation of lives in different communities, about the predicaments of people belonging to different parts of the country. The effort is noble but to keep track of the storyline, one has to watch every episode which is difficult,” she says.
Instead, Anurupa feels reality shows and talent hunt contests like Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa are far more appealing as they don’t come with this minus point. “Even if you miss an episode or two, it doesn’t matter. Also, you do not always have to sit in front of the television set. You can simply increase the volume and keep listening to the performances, while doing some other work,” she adds.
Arundhati Rout, a homemaker form Bhubaneswar, feels times are changing and today people are busier than they used to be a decade ago. “There is a huge difference between our times and that of our children. Earlier, daily soaps had storylines that helped us understand the generation gap with our children. Those shows helped bridge that gap. But now the shows have nothing new to offer. Such families exist only in shows and not in reality,” says Arundhati, who prefers watching stand-up comedy shows as they act as stress busters. They lift the mood of the entire family, she says.
Sasmita Sahoo from Cuttack has long given up on daily soaps. Instead, she finds cookery shows more entertaining, as she also gets to learn a lot of new dishes. “Cookery shows are no less interesting than daily soaps. Nowadays, watching daily soaps with younger members of the family at times can become uncomfortable, as they show unnecessary romantic scenes. My daughter once came up with certain questions after watching a show, which made me uncomfortable. So, watching cookery and talent hunt shows are always a safer option. These shows also help in motivating the competitor in your children,” says Sasmita.
SOYONG, OP