From helicopter mom to best friend, TV is getting high on all hues of modern mothers. SANGEETA YADAV delves into the trend with actors and producers who tell her the secret of the success of such shows
They are outgoing, stylish, progressive, independent and masters in managing work and home. Modern mothers on TV are ruling the roost with showmakers highlighting super moms and their parenting issues. After the huge success of Parvarrish Season 1, DJ’s Creative Unit is back with Season 2 on Sony Entertainment TV. The sequence delves on contemporary parenting and learning from children.
The story revolves around Khurana and Gupta households with two mothers of different characteristics bringing up children their own way. Where Gautami Kapoor as Simran Gupta is overprotective of her daughter and a helicopter mom, Surinder Khurana, played by Sangeeta Ghosh is a friendly mom with no mistrust issues. “I play a Punjabi mother from Amritsar who shifts base to Delhi for better opportunities for her children. She isn’t very well educated but whatever little she has studied, she’s been brilliant at it. She got married at a very early age to a man of her choice. She is the kind of mother who gives her children a lot of hope, courage and support,” Ghosh tells you.
Apart from parenting, the story also chirps about two women sharing a great friendship. “There is a layer where old friends come together irrespective of their different cultural backgrounds and perspectives. The show strikes a bond between older and younger generations,” Ghosh says, adding that her character reminds her of her mother and mother-in-law.
“like Surinder, my mom gave me a lot of independence which, in turn, made me a responsible person. She always encouraged me to do new things in life. She never questioned me on my choice of clothes. Even if my father didn’t like short skirts, she would tell me it’s ok. My mom-in-law is much like that — traditional yet modern,” Ghosh says.
Besides Parvarrish, another show making some noise about parenting is Yeh Hai Mohabbatein where Ishita who runs her own dental clinic and takes care of the whole family, shares a great bond with her step-daughter Ruhi. Post a leap on Rajan Shahi’s show, Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, the story centers around how Akshara and Naitik bring up their teenaged children and deal with issues related to love, work and values.
“Throughout the show, the core story has been family values and relationships. Post the March leap, the focus shifted to tackling teenagers and their issues of love, studies, work, peer pressure in a realistic and logical manner. Adolescence is a crucial phase for children as they embark on a journey to a successful career. The show focuses on today’s times and how we are adapting to socio-economic and technological changes,” producer Shahi says.
The previous season of Parvarrish turned out as a huge hit as it was contemporary and sent out a strong message. “The show added value to TV viewing with the audience learning different ways of dealing with their children. With Season 2, you’ll get to see how these two families deal with child expectations and how parents learn from children,” producer Tony Singh tells you.
Ghosh, meanwhile, says that the reason why parenting shows work is because “real” women who are strong and progressive are showcased. “Unlike other shows where you get to see women busy in kitchen politics and struggling in their own lives,Parvarrish portrays progressive women. Everybody wants to see real women and mothers who are not in the kitchen all the time but are ambitious go-getters, smart and have a good sense of humour,” she adds.