After generation leaps, it’s time for sequels to issue-based serials like lado 2 and Tu Sooraj Mai Saanjh Piyaji. SANGEETA YADAV talks to ‘Ammaji’ Meghna Malik about the trend
Be it Balika Vadhu, Naa Aana Iss Desh Meri lado, Diya Aur Baati Hum, Uttaran or Udaan, TV shows reflecting the society and its issues have often caught the attention of people across the world. Such serials have had a long run on television with multiple generation leaps and replacement of old cast. This year, the new tend has been return of such serials in their repeat seasons.
After Diya Aur Baati Hum went off-air after a successful run of more than five years with 1487 episodes, the fans took to the social media to express their unhappiness. Be it women empowerment, fighting evils of the society like crime, terrorism, or showcasing daily struggles of every housewife aspiring to pursue her dream, the story of Sandhiya and Sooraj Rathi connected with the audience on a different ground altogether.
little did the audience know that the story would get a comeback on popular demand. The sequel of this popular show is titled Tu Sooraj Mai Saanjh Piya Ji featuring the life of Kanak, the daughter of Sooraj and Sandhya and her relationship with Bhabho and Uma Shankar.
Now all eyes are on lado: Virpur Ki Mardani which is the sequel of Na Aana Is Desh lado. It takes off with Ammaji at the helm, now bringing up her grand- daughters played by Avika Gor and Palak Jain. laado will dwell on some current societal issues the modern population is struggling with. Through Ammaji’s campaigns, the serial will look for a solution to such issues.
Making a comeback as Ammaji, Meghna Malik opines that the show is the second chapter of the cult show Naa Aana Iss Desh Meri lado. “This show is very close to my heart. Whatever I am and the love, respect and accolades that I have received so far is because of Naa Aana Iss Desh Meri lado. Now we are back with its sequel with the same excitement with which we worked together as a team and achieved success. It will be interesting to see how Ammaji transformed from being a negative to a positive person. She is representing progressive and evolved women. She is coming back to defend women whose voices remained unheard and have been unaware of their rights,” Malik says.
Portraying the iconic character of Ammaji for three years left a a big impact on her and spurred her growth as a person and an actor. “Playing Ammaji made me more confident. This is one of the most interestingly written and executed woman characters on television. Despite the fact that Ammaji was then portrayed as a victim of a mindset, she was a woman with all the power and courage that is ften associated with men. She was decisive and dabang and a woman of action,” Malik says.
The powerful role also resonated with a lot of people in the public. “Since we were telling the story of female foeticide and infanticide, I had this fear that those who don’t believe in what we were showing might send hate messages and attack me. But surprisingly nothing of that sort happened. People related to the power this woman wielded either through her horse riding or fighting with lathi or guns. What more could I have asked as an actorIJ I met one of the panchayat heads and many Sindhi women who said that ‘apki jaisi bilkul dabang Ammaji hamara gao mein hai.’ Some young girls said that their parents had allowed them to follow their dreams after seeing the serial. Women of 60 plus walked up to me and said ‘hamara mann toh bada kerta hai apke jaise kerne ka per himmat nahi ho pati’,” Malik explains.
Many believe that the success of such issue-based TV shows depends largely on how well the subject is portrayed by the actors and the story is executed on the small screen but bringing a change in society through a show would be too much to expect. “TV is meant to entertain. If you are expecting that there will be a great change and reform in society through daily soap, you are mistaken. Television needs to evolve. Even if we show progressive stories, execution is something that makes it look regressive. We need to tell shorter stories with progressive content and organic execution. TV is caught between the audience and the TRP. I wish we are able to tell the story of today’s women who are not clad in jewellery and make-up and come closer to being more realistic by showing stories of professional women trying to make a living. I hope it starts happening with lado 2,” Malik says.