Much has been written and debated about the current crop of Indian TV Reality shows. The general opinion seems to be on the negative side. I daresay that those of us who do take vicarious, voyeuristic pleasures watching such shows are disinclined to come out in the open and support it. The multifarious arguments against the shows include stuff like they are rigged, they are against Indian ethos, the producers discover new abyss to increase TRPs \u2013 all valid if somewhat emotional argument. My retort is simple \u2013 there is a wonderful gadget which comes along with every TV called the Remote. If you find a show or a newscast offensive, change channels. Isn\u2019t it hypocritical that the shows with the most vociferous opposition seem to garner the highest TRPs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like any 46 year old father, I used to frown upon my teenage brats watching MTV Roadies. This was until the jungle bug hit me \u2013 yes, I am referring to the latest show on Sony \u2013 Is Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao. I was aware of the fact that it\u2019s a straight lift off from a Star TV English show. But I tune in regularly at 10 PM since I am partial to Fiza, one of the contestants. At 46, wives develope a passive acceptance for their husbands\u2019 proclivity to ogle, so she also joins in and it became a sort of family watching time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0Having made my confession, I would like to comment on the positives of the show and these are probably valid for other reality shows as well. The plus point of the show is that it telecasts all the manipulations, alliance forming, backstabbing and bitching amongst the participants in its naked glory. And the harsh fact is that these manipulations for advantage and power are a part of everyone\u2019s real life. By exposing my brats to the same in reel life where one can watch the cause \u2013 effect relationship in the relative comfort of the drawing room, I am confident that I am accelerating their growth in life. Understanding the ways of their world will help them succeed in their adult life. I am not debating on morality here. The bitter fact is that the Machiavellian machinations do exist in real life and if the child gets vicarious lessons about it, it\u2019s beneficial for him\/her. I did not make the world or the society we live in neither do I have any control over its unwritten rules. And if a Reality show helps my children learn these rules earlier on and in comparative safety of the drawing room, I guess it\u2019s welcome. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"