Ready for a slice of reality? - article

The recently released Rani Mukerji-Vidya Balan starrer No One Killed Jessica, inspired by the Jessica Lall murder case in Delhi, has set a trend in the industry. And now television seems to be catching on showing a slice of reality as well.

Sukesh Motwani, fiction head of a channel, insists that the response to shows like Gita (about a woman who misuses the law of section 498 that allows a woman to get her in-laws arrested for harassment without evidence), or Dil Se Diya Vachan (about a rape victim) is only one of the many factors to air such shows. "Whether or not the TRPs shoot up, there are certain stories that need to be told," says Sukesh.

Another show, the Ashutosh Rana-Sonali Kulkarni starrer Kaali, seems to have sought inspiration from a molestation case that had made headlines a few years back. Even though the channel insists this is not the case, sources say that this is not a new phenomenon. "This way the channel will be absolved of any disparities in the future. But then it's justified if a channel says that a particular show can't be isolated to one infamous incident itself," says the source.

Ashvini Yardi, programming head of another channel that airs shows like Rishton Se Badi Pratha (inspired by honour killing incidents), Phulwa (about an 11-year-old girl who becomes a dacoit in the Chambal ravines) and Mukti Bandhan (supposedly based on Dhirubhai Ambani's life), also agrees that there has been an increase in real-life inspired shows on the Indian TV.

"People love to watch soaps that represent human emotions at their best. The soap should be entertaining with a crisp, relatable storyline. We also make it a point to revamp or adapt the same as per our viewers' sensitivities," says Ashvini.

Creative director of Phulwa, Siddharth Tewary, sums up the trend, "The public prefers such shows over regular soaps that harp on kitchen politics. These are shows that people like to look up to and seek inspiration from in their personal crisis period."