TV Shows that come with soul-satisfying episodes and inspire us to do something good for the society runs out of life pretty quick even though it is a bundle of delight for mind and soul. When you want to relax and switch on your TV set, it is always heart-warming to see something motivating and inspiring on the screen, but channels fighting for TRPs will certainly disagree.
Amid all the disarray in the society, we invariably complain about how humans have lost humanity and have become self-centered. Most of us use ‘busy’ as an excuse to not get involved in social issues but there are selfless people who work for the welfare of people not for money but simply out of compassion. Isn’t this is something that makes us humane in the first place?
Aaj Ki Raat Hain Zindagi
Does anybody remember a little show called Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi? I call it little due to its brief run. However, it was by no means a “little” show. On the contrary, the idea was one of the noblest and admirable one for a TV show. But due to the lack of viewership, it didn’t get the opportunity to see the light of another season and was wrapped up just in thirteen episodes.
It was the Indian version of the British Television Series: Tonight’s The Night. The British version lived for three seasons of 22 episodes each. The concept of Aaj Ki Raat was to celebrate the unsung heroes of India- the people who took it upon themselves to live for others.
KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati)
The season 10 of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ came up with a tagline- Kab Tak Rokoge? (How long will you stop?) this year. Most of the contestants participating in the show are shown to be struggling to sustain life in one way or another. While some lived in grinding circumstances and yet thrived, others are seen laboring through life and yet haven’t given up on hope.
The special Friday-night episodes are all about changemakers talking and spreading awareness about everything we are not aware of. These Good Samaritans help the people from a disadvantaged background and offering them a new lease of life. Therefore, as the show got wrapped up and made me a little more woke than previously I was, it left me wondering why people don’t prefer to watch these shows over made-up reality shows?
Satyameva Jayate
Another popular show that focussed on social change was Satyameva Jayate which brought into spotlight issues like abortion, dowry, bigotry, racism, LGBTQ identity crisis, education gap, environmental issues and what not! It not only made us aware of the problems but also solutions to deal with them in the best possible way. Ordinary people with extraordinary stories were something that kept the viewers glued to their seats. Even though the first season was broadcasted across 165 countries, the show ended with a short season 4 that consisted of only 6 episodes.
While TV channels are fighting for TRPs, content-driven shows have taken a back seat. In case we are not too busy watching creativity-lacking fiction, we end up switching to made-up reality shows where almost everything is staged up.
While in a reality show we have a bunch of strangers living together in a house and secure their position to win, has an audience for themselves, but what is dangerous is the quality of behavior or response to communication it creates in the mind of viewers who watch them day after day. Faking emotions, losing control and staged relationships is not something people look forward to or strive for, but knowingly unknowingly many take interest in watching them. No harm, if you are aware of its pros and cons.
Shows like this create a pseudo-reality around us and it takes us miles away from reality and what is happening in our society.
This reminds me of “Gandagi Ko saaf karne ke liye gandagi mein utarna parta hain” (which translates in English as – to clean the filth you have to get into the filth)- a dialogue from Anil Kapoor starrer movie Nayak.
Be it a dating show, music show or any made-up reality shows- you don’t have to eat everything served on your plate, one can always choose what is right for themselves.
Be the change you want to see is the solution to all the troubles you see around yourselves. Inspiration is everywhere and all we need to do is find them and channel it in our own way to do good for everyone and everything around us.
Of course, there is no harm in enjoying TV shows- be it inspirational reality shows or made-up reality shows, for variety is the spice of life, but should that stop us from acknowledging the unsung heroes who are beyond inspirational and are making this world a better place to live in?