There are closet-gays and closet-bisexuals, but I am a closet-saas bahu addict. No, don’t look so shocked. I swear on my Gucci-loving, All things western-worshipping self that I am a huge fan of these mindless shows that offer me full-on entertainment. Do you remember the extreme embarrassment when your folks caught you watching porn?
There are closet-gays and closet-bisexuals, but I am a closet-saas bahu addict. No, don’t look so shocked. I swear on my Gucci-loving, All things western-worshipping self that I am a huge fan of these mindless shows that offer me full-on entertainment. Do you remember the extreme embarrassment when your folks caught you watching porn? Well, getting caught watching daily soaps takes embarrassment to another level altogether. But all this notwithstanding, I do enjoy my daily fix of prime time shows that are so low on logic that I feel extremely smart watching them.
My boyfriend, soon to be my husband, was initially shocked and kind of on the verge of breaking up with me due to this ‘habit’, but once he realised what pleasure I got in watching these shows, he understood that India was still not ready for a TV revolution. We love our extended families, the over-the-top bindis, the colorful saris, the ‘soutan’ element and of course, scheming mothers-in-law. So, are we really ready for a revolution on TV that brings us good content and intelligent stuff? Judging by the TRPs, no, we are not. Even after I got late in wishing my boyfriend on his birthday, because I was too busy watching the climax of my favourite show or all those days I have cancelled my friends’ plans because my favourite serial was going to have new twists, I have not felt ashamed or bad. Because I am the kind that likes to unwind with a bunch of losers on TV who are as crazy as I am. Because I seek drama and joy, passion and fiction. I know none of these things will ever happen in my life or anybody’s that I know of.
Even my most ‘drama-loving’ friend has not had as many ups and downs as the protagonists of daily shows. What’s the harm in indulging in some trivial fun during dinner? Does gossiping about such shows make me an aunty? No. I know a lot of other closet-soap addicts like me. We mingle with the ‘right’ crowd and are prim and ‘propah’ otherwise, but when we are home, we are your average Indian, who is looking for entertainment, entertainment and entertainment.
And who are you aiming this revolution at? How many popular western shows have had any hold on Indian TV? You many say I am the reason India is not progressing and good shows are not coming our way. But, dear readers, I am but one person out of the billion isn’t it? If so many of you are watching intelligent shows, why are the TRPs less than negligible? Let’s not forget that housewives make up for the major chunk of our audience and they can’t be expected to watch a quiz show as opposed to a cooking show or myriad other sari-parading saas-bahu shows. Theorists may remark that if good content is given to them, they will automatically switch to it…I don’t think so! No self-respecting housewife will watch an Indian-ized American show instead of a show that’s closer to her roots, culture and background.
We just have to find people who accept us (the closet-types, you know) for what we are. Or there is always the ‘punar-janam’. Ha!
