8/2/2019 A Reality Checks

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the advantage of touching an instantchord with the viewers for it is them thatthe shows are celebrating. Better still,everyones clapping as they ring up theTRPs too. So times have changed and

the buzzword today on TV is reality.Television programme producers see avast opportunity in India for them. With theunprecedented success of programmeslike Kaun Banega Crorepati on Star Plusand Indian Idol people's participation hasproved to generate tremendous publicinterest and of course TV ad revenue.

Reality is interactiveThe best thing about a reality show isthat it is real, it is interactive: the viewerscan decide who will be an Indian Idol orany other winner. Reality shows makethe dreams of millions of Indians cometrue. The public relate to the characterswho appear on the shows, and thismakes the shows more meaningfulthan any tearjerker film. These money-spinners can be in the form of quizshows, panel shows, and celebrityguest shows, anything which gives theaudience the power to decide the nextmove and also be a part of the show.

There have been shows like Khulja Sim Sim, a remake of the Americanshow, Let's Make A Deal . Here theviewer could play and participate in theshow. The same was also the case ofKismey Kitnaa Hain Dum, a remakeof the famous British hit, Night Fever .It featured a karaoke contest whereviewers could sing along.

Viewers like sharing the trials andtribulations of the participants. PerhapsIndian Idol based on American Idol reallyset the audiences adrenaline flowing.A cleverly planned screenplay, whichempowered the audience to select theirpersonal favourites made it click.

Gen XMost viewers will vouch for MTV Roadies officially being the first reality show tele-cast on Indian Television. It has been thelongest running reality show on IndianTelevision. But then 10 years back howmany watched MTV Roadies, and even ifthere were any it was a certain section of

ay back in 1993 whenZee TV came up with

Antakshari, it was such anovel idea. And viewers

lapped it up. Entertainmenton television, till then, was the job of theactors. Aam janta having fun on the boxand providing the same to millions l ikethem in their drawing rooms seemedsuch wonderful entertainment. Andeven now, if you tell an Antakshari fanthat it was but a reality show, he wouldalmost doubt you. Such is the pleasureof a first experience! But in 2009,even a kid in a cable TV householdwould be able to tell you what theterm meant. He might even be able togive a few names who were on TV tochase their dreams. So understandably,this year particularly saw a volley ofreality shows all across TV channels,with a wide spectrum of themes frommusic, dancing, acting, business ideas,modelling, humour, veejaying, generalknowledge, et al. Be it Indian Idol 2,Fame Gurukul, SuperSinger, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge, Super Sale, Dial One, Business Bazigar, Pogo Amazing Kids Hunt, Hungama Captains, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, MTV Roadies, Kaboom, Get Gorgeous, Dance Dance, Kaun Banega Crorepati , Nach Balliye... the list seems endless this year.

Suddenly, the smiles and tears, the

fulfilment or rejection of the aspirationsof the man or woman on the streethave become the main means of massentertainment on the Indian tube. Somuch so, they are now inching into thespace of family dramas, otherwise aprominent fixed feature across thesechannels. They are siphoning off ahuge chunk of advertisement revenuetoo. Reality TV has the largest TRP onIndian television now and has remodelledTV programmes. Several factors worktowards the success of these shows. Thebehind-the-scenes and the on screenreal-life drama, is the main attraction andmakes it an easy format to follow.

Indians are emotional people and so,loud drama, rona-dhona, gale-lagana comes so easily to us. All one needs todo is to keep the camera rolling. Besideshaving a popular medium to give youthat one-minute of fame, be it throughfailure or success is what everyone ishungry for and cant get enough of evenif humiliation comes with it.

So, does that mean it is the end of thestory for family dramas on Indian massentertainment channels? Reality TV has

A Reality Chepeople termed as "GEN X" who wait. Even today it caters only to an auence mostly in the age group of 20-years, whereas the Indian Idol out and out copy of the hugely succ

ful American Idol caters to massesclasses alike. In fact it had the entirnation glued to the television screenwhen they saw participants from gehouseholds taking centre stage. Thicoupled with famous celebrities actas judges added flavour that was thneed of the hour. Backstage happenbehind the scenes were shown for thfirst time. Criticism, favours, argand awards were publicly viewed anhelped the show garner high TRP'sdominated other shows till the end season. The success ensured that thewinners became household names athe show continued every season.

Soon after a list of shows on simlines followed on different televisiochannels but all failed to create the and success that the initial edition hBut the trend has continued. UK's bgest reality show Big Brother haShetty an Indian actress come out awinner. No sooner, a show related totheme with more or less the same naBigg Boss showed up at home. Thshow featured some small time televactors and struggling aspirants all cpeting against each other for the pri

Currently, reality shows are eithebased on talent searches that includesinging and dancing contests, comedshows, game shows and in-house shoPrizes and rewards are discussed andsued publicly. These shows are publidue to the drama and scene they crealike controversial kisses, slaps, fightskisses amongst participants. News Cnels particularly highlight these incidthereby boosting the shows TRP's.

However, the latest reality show

is hogging the limelight is that of RSawant and of her finding a suitablmatch There have been lakhs of entfor the show because just being onthe show will garner one a lot of meattention. One does hope that realitshows like these would not be too vand dent Indian tradition and cultur

Suddenly, the smiles and tears, the fulfilment or rejection of the aspirations of the man or womanon the street have become the main means of mass entertainment on the Indian tube.

Reality shows today have replaced soaps and havebecome a household name in India.

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