When I used to go to college I always used to wonder why my mothers and aunts were so fond of daily soaps. When ever I used go across the TV I can only see either some major crying or some weirdly made up lady acting the vamp mother/mother-in-law/step mother/ sis-in-law etc etc whose main aim in life seemed to make many others around them miserable. I mean who wears that kind of makeup and torn blouses ...phew!
Then there were a few where the female protagonist would go to some absurd lengths to take care of her handicapped father, jobless brother, neurotic sister and puts her future on trade for their happiness. The only good thing that would happen after every centurion of episodes is that finally the vamps/villains are exposed or the downtrodden legally and lawfully find prosperity or all those "galat aarops" (misunderstandings ) against the lady are gone or she rightfully turns back and fights.
Not only do Indian women like all this.... I mean they patiently wait for a hundred episodes to see that woman fight back, justice served etc etc. I would roll my eyes the moment my mother would delightedly come to tell me how Parvati answered back or Tulsi was right etc.
After a decade, I dont feel ashamed to admit that I am a buff of these myself, may be not those heavily zaried bunglow living rich people ones, but some for sure. Today it makes me feel homely. When I watch something about college/ hyderabad/ India in general it reminds me of home, friends, happiness, independence, family....I can go on...
What I have understood is that these hundreds of women watch these things crazily because these are representations of themselves, their rituals, their style of dressing, their family structure, but more then anything I am thinking they are watching these out of revenge.
It is like a hidden pleasure that they get when they find how these women turn back when pushed to a corner. I think the multitude of women are not appreciating what is happening on screen, because it is a representation of what is happening in their life but more because of what is NOT HAPPENING in their lives but they would love to do it if by some miraculous way they can know what will be the reaction to the action that they will take.
I often watch a lady watching these confrontational or solution episodes and see that smirk on their faces, that contentment, that mental hi-fi that they give, the kudos that they give the heroine as though she is a part of them.
If a any villain/vamp is getting back...I think this is what that lady is thinking....(this may need some exclusive Hyderabadiness ..sorry)...
.....abba ippudu dorikavu raa naa kodaka...danchai vaadini......pelli chesukunnappudu enni matladaadu...pillani ichchina taruvata...entha mental torture peduthunnadu....kummeyali ilanti vaadini....
....manchi pani chesavu....ni amma .....tirigi chaachi kottu inkoka rendu ivvu... oorukunte alage chestaru...veededo pedda khiladi laaga tappulu enchu tunnadu....
.....ammayya...cupboard open chesadu policodu ippudu athagaru jailuke..yessss.....
.......Enti raa thokka lo nuvvu nannu bedirinchedi....naake nuvvu voddu po ra...em peekukuntavo peekuko ... po ra rei....
These women audience meet in the corridors and parks and discuss this and feel the adrenalin rush as though they achieved something.
If anybody thinks that just because our mothers/sisters/girlfriends are nice , docile, home loving and cant think in this language they have a second thought coming.When we women get down to maintaining a certain discipline at home and teaching what is right and wrong to the kids , what is our family in front of relations and friends, we project ourselves in a certain outlook and doesnt mean we cant think rough!!
The difference between the protagonist and the housewife is that the housewives' thoughts will never come to her lips. The day her thoughts touch her lips and her hand turns to give back what she got it means she has lost all respect for the person whom she had put on a pedestal for taking care of her and her life be it father/mother/ mother-in-law/husband...anyone... and then.... the house will separate from the wife.
Make no mistake that any downtrodden - poor, enslaved, ill-treated man or woman has an issue with physical strength. Many times they are the ones who do the hard labour, lift weights, shoulder loads of physical and mental burdens are far more stronger than they are taken for.
I am wondering if these serials can unite all these people to really think for themselves....I dont think any political party has put its thought over what kind of revolution can be created. And interestingly these serials and their audience have manged to transcend the borders of villages, states, even nations.
So, remind me again...why do we rate people watching discovery channel and BBC "inti" and the soap watchers as "senti" .
Actually ...... not long before I used to be a part of the earlier planet and have to take this opportunity to apologize to a friend who would think up some amazing tales to make sure he gives us the slip to watch his favorite soap!!
Then there were a few where the female protagonist would go to some absurd lengths to take care of her handicapped father, jobless brother, neurotic sister and puts her future on trade for their happiness. The only good thing that would happen after every centurion of episodes is that finally the vamps/villains are exposed or the downtrodden legally and lawfully find prosperity or all those "galat aarops" (misunderstandings ) against the lady are gone or she rightfully turns back and fights.
Not only do Indian women like all this.... I mean they patiently wait for a hundred episodes to see that woman fight back, justice served etc etc. I would roll my eyes the moment my mother would delightedly come to tell me how Parvati answered back or Tulsi was right etc.
After a decade, I dont feel ashamed to admit that I am a buff of these myself, may be not those heavily zaried bunglow living rich people ones, but some for sure. Today it makes me feel homely. When I watch something about college/ hyderabad/ India in general it reminds me of home, friends, happiness, independence, family....I can go on...
What I have understood is that these hundreds of women watch these things crazily because these are representations of themselves, their rituals, their style of dressing, their family structure, but more then anything I am thinking they are watching these out of revenge.
It is like a hidden pleasure that they get when they find how these women turn back when pushed to a corner. I think the multitude of women are not appreciating what is happening on screen, because it is a representation of what is happening in their life but more because of what is NOT HAPPENING in their lives but they would love to do it if by some miraculous way they can know what will be the reaction to the action that they will take.
I often watch a lady watching these confrontational or solution episodes and see that smirk on their faces, that contentment, that mental hi-fi that they give, the kudos that they give the heroine as though she is a part of them.
If a any villain/vamp is getting back...I think this is what that lady is thinking....(this may need some exclusive Hyderabadiness ..sorry)...
.....abba ippudu dorikavu raa naa kodaka...danchai vaadini......pelli chesukunnappudu enni matladaadu...pillani ichchina taruvata...entha mental torture peduthunnadu....kummeyali ilanti vaadini....
....manchi pani chesavu....ni amma .....tirigi chaachi kottu inkoka rendu ivvu... oorukunte alage chestaru...veededo pedda khiladi laaga tappulu enchu tunnadu....
.....ammayya...cupboard open chesadu policodu ippudu athagaru jailuke..yessss.....
.......Enti raa thokka lo nuvvu nannu bedirinchedi....naake nuvvu voddu po ra...em peekukuntavo peekuko ... po ra rei....
These women audience meet in the corridors and parks and discuss this and feel the adrenalin rush as though they achieved something.
If anybody thinks that just because our mothers/sisters/girlfriends are nice , docile, home loving and cant think in this language they have a second thought coming.When we women get down to maintaining a certain discipline at home and teaching what is right and wrong to the kids , what is our family in front of relations and friends, we project ourselves in a certain outlook and doesnt mean we cant think rough!!
The difference between the protagonist and the housewife is that the housewives' thoughts will never come to her lips. The day her thoughts touch her lips and her hand turns to give back what she got it means she has lost all respect for the person whom she had put on a pedestal for taking care of her and her life be it father/mother/ mother-in-law/husband...anyone... and then.... the house will separate from the wife.
Make no mistake that any downtrodden - poor, enslaved, ill-treated man or woman has an issue with physical strength. Many times they are the ones who do the hard labour, lift weights, shoulder loads of physical and mental burdens are far more stronger than they are taken for.
I am wondering if these serials can unite all these people to really think for themselves....I dont think any political party has put its thought over what kind of revolution can be created. And interestingly these serials and their audience have manged to transcend the borders of villages, states, even nations.
So, remind me again...why do we rate people watching discovery channel and BBC "inti" and the soap watchers as "senti" .
Actually ...... not long before I used to be a part of the earlier planet and have to take this opportunity to apologize to a friend who would think up some amazing tales to make sure he gives us the slip to watch his favorite soap!!
1 comment:
I totally understand the accept the fact that housewives relate to what happens in the soaps. That is the prime reason why soaps exist on television with such high ratings. More, no soap is completely written before the beginning of shooting. I am positive that the soap makers are listening to their audiences.
I did not understand the part "When we women get down to maintaining a certain discipline at home and teaching what is right and wrong to the kids , what is our family in front of relations and friends, we project ourselves in a certain outlook."
Are you trying to say, women are not doing the right thing? Or that women are being forced to do the wrong thing? Or they are doing a right thing by projecting a certain outlook and not meaning it?
Media has played a very important role in the past, especially with relation to women.
http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/05oct14/edit.htm#4
is a very nice article about women and media.
I am sure the new soaps on the block are playing a silent but very important part.
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