TRPs and the death of the classic TV drama

The 80s may one day be regarded as the golden age of Indian TV, but for now, all that’s left of our classic dramas are memories

Thirty-eight years ago, on September 17, 1972, viewers in America settled down to watch the first episode of what would become one of the most-popular TV serials in US television history, with more than 105 million viewers. M*A*S*H  — a war satire, about a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea - ran for 11 years, and paved the way for other shows that dared to question society, human ethos, and the debacle of war.

But Indian TV, too, had its share of thought-provoking, path-breaking serials like Humlog, Nukkad, Mr Yogi and Rajni, to name a few. In the days when Doordarshan was the only source of entertainment, families would gather in living rooms across the city and watch serials that depicted real people and real issues. This was the time before saas-bahu dramas flooded the many channels.

Karan Razdan wrote for, and acted in, the serial Rajni (1985) — the late Priya Tendulkar played the role of Rajni, a woman who was not afraid to fight for her rights, whatever the odds — says, "In those days, serials worked on the basic instincts of the audience, like anger, happiness, jealousy, etc. We made an extra effort to make people aware of their rights. These days, television channels follow set formulae that have already been proven successful."

But serials like Rajni exist only in public memory. According to Jaspal Bhatti who directed Flop Show (1989) — a series of 10 episodes that used satire to talk about issues like corruption — lack of experimentation is the reason why we don't see such serials anymore. "I think the people have become more TRP driven. We have stopped experimenting; it's herd mentality. And you have to remember, that Doordarshan, apart from entertaining the audience, had a responsibility — it had to impart a social message," he says.

Those were the days when the words 'Reality TV' had not yet entered mainstream consciousness. The audience was more than happy to watch serials that showed real life in all its trivial glory and, well, moral gore. One classic example was Wagle Ki Duniya (1988). Directed by Ravi Oja, it focused on the life of the common man, Wagle. Each episode followed the travails and apprehensions of Wagle and his family - and had all of India nodding and laughing in empathy.

In Bhatti's opinion, it's doubtful whether the new generation of Indians raised on drama, reality TV and soaps, will ever see serials like these. "Channel heads say that the audience wants to see a certain kind of serial, and that's that," he says. But even audiences today don't want to be reminded about real life, preferring to lose themselves in a fantasy world. And that's something Indian television in the 70s and 80s did not really cater to.

Kanwaljit Singh, who played the role of Satbir (Vrishbhan's illegitimate son) in the cult television serial Buniyaad (1986) that focused on the 1947 Parition and life after it, says, "Earlier, people did what they believed in. As Doordarshan had a monopoly in those days, there was no competition factor. People were open to experimentation because of the lack of competition. These days, any idea that clicks is copied by everyone."

While social issues were the order of the day, serials like the highly entertaining Mr Yogi (1989) were also equally popular. Here, the narrator, Sutradhar (Om Puri) followed the misadventures of Yogesh Ishwarlal Patel (played by the late Mohan Gokhale), who was in search of the perfect wife.

Says director Ketan Mehta: "I found it a very fascinating story. And don't forget, those television serials called for a certain amount of creative freedom."

But if TRP ratings are to go by, these serials don't have a place in 21st Century India. "I grew up watching those serials; I still watch TV, and I love the new shows, too. They wouldn't have worked in 80s India, but I doubt whether the likes of Buniyaad or Nukkad (1986) will have traction with the audience today," says Kinjal Shah, a 33-year-old homemaker.

Nukkad for instance, brought to light the struggles of the city youth in pre-liberal India. The characters would meet every evening at the street corner (nukkad) to discuss their life stories. But today's urban youth no longer meets his friends at the street corner. You'll find him hanging out at the local coffee shop, with a cellphone in hand, hoping to catch the latest reality show that's airing on prime-time TV.
p_sugandha@dnaindia.net