Sunday, October 23, 2005
CAN
you name the presiding deity of the small screen? It may also be called the God
of Mindless Soaps, but is better known as the TRP (acronym for Target Audience
Gross Rating Points). Yes, TRP decides the fate of all television shows, and no
television channel or producer dare defy it.
Priyamvada
Vir Pratap Singh (Sarrkkar, Zee TV, 8.30 pm, Monday to Friday) is the Chief
Minister of Vishal Pradesh. She has been temporarily unseated as she’s to clear
herself of the charges of murdering her husband. That’s not the only problem.
Her sister-in-law Bharati, the stand-in CM, conspires against her to usurp
power. Then there’s Bhagwat, the diabolical opposition leader, who’s stranger
to morality and decency, and a natural ally of Bharati. Naturally one expects a
high-voltage political drama with intense ideological clashes. What unfolds on
the small screen is just another variant of family melodrama.
The
very word politics makes one think of intrigue. There are, among other types,
family politics, office politics and political politics—wherein horse trading,
backstabbing and wheeling-dealing are the norm. Of course, there’s a hubby too,
a moron who just can’t understand what’s happening around him; as a variation
he might be a philanderer with the other woman tucked away in another part of
the town. The other woman wants to replace the wife, and adds to the confusion
already confounded by the script-writer.
No
matter what the subject and the setting of a serial it ends up following a
predictable pattern. Sarrkkar
is no different. It’s supposed to be a political drama, but presently looks
more like a family soap, with politics merely providing a backdrop to the petty
games that have become staple ‘entertainment’.
There’s
Urvashi, Priyamvada’s elder bahu getting drunk and drenched in tears because her
hubby, Kunal, was once in love with Yana. The ambitious younger bahu Shweta’s
scheming mother ensures Urvashi’s fall from grace. Yana, the journalist and
Kunal’s old flame, wants to replace Urvashi, and sets about inveigling
Priyamvada. Bhagwat, in cahoots with Bharati, plays dirty games to rub
Priyamvada’s nose in the mud. Her quick-tempered younger son Karan believes in
resolving all problems through violence while her rebellious daughter Kritika
falls to Bhagwat’s machinations and opposes her own mother in the elections.
Competent acting is the only saving grace of Sarrkkar with Divya Shah nee Seth
dominating the show.
Hackneyed
dialogues, humdrum scenarios and hamming have become salient features of most
of the stuff being churned out. Why something different can’t be presented?
Politics also stands for governance, management of a political party and
participating in the legislative proceedings where there’s enough scope for
drama. But we hardly get to see such cerebral stuff. At least we can have a middle-brow
problem that would polarise various dramatis personae.
For
example, the CM of Vishal Pradesh ought to be facing her political rivals both
in the legislature and the hustings on issues confronting the state—something that’s
barely mentioned in the narrative. A problem involving social-moral dilemma
could confront the protagonists leading to a crisis situation in the state
legislature or, at least, the cabinet; presently the crisis looms thanks to
attempts at horse-trading.
Votaries
of free market economy may please note, free interaction between demand and
supply does not always promote quality. If the contents on our small screen are
any indication, quite the reverse is equally possible. All private channels
come up with slick serials – production values wise – but the contents are all
fluff and waffle. But this is the stuff that our middleclasses lap up day after
day, serial after moronic serial. So, why should producers complain? It’s easy
money for script writers, actors, directors et al.
Call
of cash
THE
hold that TRPs have on the content of a production becomes evident on Kaun
Banega Crorepati. Bollywood rules supreme, with Amitabh Bachchan leading the
procession. Other stars who’ve featured in the quiz show so far, to serve some
charitable cause, are Saif Ali Khan, Priety Zinta, Kajol and Ajay Devgan. They
have won sackloads of the moolah to be used for a good cause. At least, now we
know that, despite relatively easy format for them, our film stars are not
really a collection of dumb dolls and half-witted hunks. For ordinary
participants too the questions are generally easy in the beginning – ensuring
that no participant returns empty handed. Rs. 20, 000/- is the minimum that
even a perfunctorily informed person can make on this show. Big B is more
outgoing in the KBC2 than in its earlier version. He cracks jokes, teases the
participants and generally horses around to the delight of all. Since he is a
superstar Big B gets better of the exchanges. But one teenager had him stumped
when she said that if he proposed she’d say yes, although she knows fully well
that ‘Jayaji’ is his wife. During the entire show one saw the loquacious
chchora from the banks of Ganga verry verry careful with his words and gestures
while interacting with the teeny-bopper. Good for TRPs, no?
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