Unrealistic reality

Every weekend night is family time with everyone tuning in to their favourite shows of diverse genres; comedy, singing, dancing etc. We get to hear different sounds from houses. At one end we can listen to the melodious voices and rendition of songs. At the other end, we can listen to peppy beats and loud laughing noises. This is the extent to which the reality shows are loved by people.

Due to the existing pandemic situation, the screen time of viewers has increased exponentially from the yesteryears; they are on a spree and  are watching shows across different platforms. This has contributed towards the skyrocketing popularity of reality shows.

What exactly these reality shows are and how they are different from daily soaps? A reality show is something which is designed for entertainment with bits and pieces of messages conveyed through small acts. The main aim of a reality show is to bring people out of their worldly tensions and make them a part of their world.

Few reality shows provide a platform for the economically backward sections of the society while few reality shows make you aware about the threats persistent in the society. Few highlight real life issues beautifully through sketches while few truly move your hearts and you end up donating for a good cause. The ways in which people connect to these shows are different, but the purpose is same.

Times have changed and so have the methods of presenting things. Lavish sets, designer dresses and heavy loads of makeup are being added into these shows. Long breaks and lame jokes make people really irritated. The hideous laugh and clap tracks added for every silly thing makes the audience bored.

This raised a question in my mind. Why do we unnecessarily have to complicate something very simple? Why do we need to specifically add in the 'money factor' in such shows? The answer is T.R.P i.e Television Rating Point.

What is TRP? It is an indicator; it helps us to find out how many households watch a particular programme. This word has driven channels crazy; there is a cut-throat competition among channels as to who will come first in the race. For this reason, production houses get ready to do anything- paying crores of rupees to the hosts and judges, scripting jokes to such an extent that it starts appearing fake and adding in commercial elements to make the show more spicy and 'masaledar'.

( An interesting point to note here. It is not only the commercial TV channels rooting for highest TRP and methods to mint money; it is even the TV news channels also! Shocking, but surprisingly true. Bribery and threats are being given to people to watch a particular channel. Seriously??  How low can these people stoop down shamelessly?😤)

Now-a-days, sadly, comedy is presenting vulgarity, dance is presenting gymnastics and singing is presenting  everything else other than that. Reality shows show the whole nine yards other than the main point. For example, in a singing show you will have dance, sorrow stories after every five minutes and even a fake marriage between two people!

Look at the extent to which everything has fallen. Gone are the days when we could genuinely laugh, cry and express happiness. Every single thing is scripted; what the contestants have to speak, to who would be the winner, everything! People are told when to laugh and at times, the audience doesn't even understand the joke! That's how bad the shows have become.

Remember, you can never make a perfect reality show if you focus on things far from real. You can never succeed if you forget what your purpose is. You can earn the first spot in TRP, but you can never stay in people's hearts as the most-loved show. Instead you will be branded 'overrated'.

 So are olden day shows the best? They also weren't that perfect. Things were scripted then too. But, there was a touch of originality. How bad a show may be, the attempt to refine it was genuine. Actors put in their life and soul; tried their level best to elevate their performances to the top-notch. They were simple and natural. This is what is missing in today's shows. Adding pompousness will never make a show memorable- know that.

 But, there is an advantage now. Comparing from the past, there has been a huge increase in the talented individuals across the country. Also, there is an increase in the shows to showcase their talent; something which was not there before. There is a real tough competition among people, and they are coming forward without any fear- which is a very good sign. 

As I dug deeper into this issue, I found out something else too. Psychology says that man is a tamed beast; he enjoys watching others in problems and fights between people. Due to that sole reason reality shows make scripted fights! Also, unwanted sound effects, camera zooming in and out every second builds in the fear and tension thus making them over-excited. 

This situation is existent even in TV serials too- the melodramatic  'saas-bahu', over-the-top makeup and jewellery, the cunning villians, the silly ideas and the intense music for foolish reasons.

I understood one thing. People watch reality shows for those few moments of good singing, dancing and comedic gags. Everyone does get sick of a few things, but they watch it only for the performances. Shows that were enjoyed and watched fully are now being despised for the exaggerated things depicted.

The next question that arises here is- can reality shows become realistic?  Sadly, it is a big NO. It is a natural human tendency to act before the camera; to wear a fake mask when everyone is around. So, how much ever one tries to bring out true feelings, there will be a bit of acting with it- we have to accept it.

The penultimate question now is- should we watch reality shows or completely stop it? The decision is entirely yours. If you don't want to watch it, good. But if you watch it, know the difference between true and false. Don't get carried away by the content. Most importantly, don't start dreaming of some impossible things. If you do so, you will fall into the trap laid by such shows.

The main purpose of such shows is to make you ambitious; to make you yearn for the non-existent glamorous world. Know where to stop. Don't become an addict- because once it happens, you can never become your old self.

The message I want to convey through this blog is - you become what you watch. Don't watch too much of violence and become heartless. At the same time don't watch too much of heart-wrenching stories and become very sensitive. Strike a balance between both.

You never know whose face is behind the mask. Similarly, you never know the things done behind the scenes to make on screen look bright. We will never know the original face behind the tons of makeup done. So, get one thing imprinted in your mind:

TV reality is NOT practical life. It is the perfect example of 'UNREALISTIC REALITY'.

 

                                                                                  - Anusha Sridhar