Serial Killer

Look at the type of programs we have these days in TV. I have never been interested in any kind of soap operas ever, which have now hijacked our TV channels for the last may be 8 years or so. Gone are the days when we used to have some innocent(e.g "Nukkad") and meaningful("Kirdaar","Mirza Ghalib") serials. Even the so called soap operas of those days like "Hum log", "Buniyaad" were well made and had some values and were not eternally long like "Junoon" or "Kyonki Saas bhi kabhi bahu thi" and there were no last minute additions for things like valentine's day etc. It clearly shows that people don't have a script or even an idea where the story should head. It seems it is just on the spur of the moment that the director decides what is it that he/she wants to show in the next episode. We used to have just two channels 15 years back but we I think had some quality programs.

Now every channel seems to be churning out similar kind of serials whether it is "Kyonki Saas bhi kabhi bahu thi" or "Jassi Jaisi koi nahi" or "Kkusum". I am in no way saying that we should go back to those old days, infact we should change with times and should try and learn from our mistakes and should come up with new stories and issues to talk about. I would rather say we should become technically more sound in making T.V serials or even movies. These days it seems it is just a question of money all the way. Person having more money wins. Everything now depends on the TRP ratings and the glamour content. Every thing on T.V now caters to the urban market.

Isn't it the duty of the regulator(Prasar Bharti ) and the country as a whole to offer programs which are entertaining/thought provoking. At the same time it should not become autocratic. We as a nation would have to grow in our thinking. Crap begets crap or as they say in a techy language garbage in garbage out. Please don't mistake me that I am against entertainment programs. I am very much for different kinds of programs but my only concern is the quality.

It seems like a blind race amongst different channels. One wants to out do the other. I am not ready to agree that we have shortage of good thinkers in India then why is it that we are not able to come up with good stories. Should everything boil down to money? We should be driven by quality and not quantity. People can make money by making good entertainers or issue based programs also. People do like to watch good movies if they are made and also appreciate them. We should increase our bars for quality not choose best of the worst.

For not having good programs, should we criticize people who make it or who see it? Should people stop watching such programs like a mass boycott so that people making it have no incentive to produce them anymore? So if that is the case then it is clear that people have not yet shunned such programs and that they have the right to watch what they think is good, like a true democracy. In that case I should not even be writing about it. But this is just my opinion......