From Sandhiya of Diya Aur Bati Hum to Sonali Bendre of Ajeeb Daastan Hai Yeh and Shamata Achan of Everest, these actresses have given an insight into the struggles of today’s modern-day woman in pursuit of her dreams. SANGEETA YADAV speaks with showmakers and actors who opine that such shows are a welcome move on the small screen
Television shows in India are always woman-centric. This is because the majority of viewers are women. So while saas-bahu drama may still dominate the small screen, there are a few shows that talk about woman empowerment. Serials like Service Wali Bahu and Hello Pratibha talk about how women are doing the balancing act. From being treated like a doormat to making their own identity, these shows send a message to the women — a woman can have an identity of her own.
“A mother and a housewife sacrifices so much for the family. She leaves her home, quits her job, stays at home and makes sure that everybody in the family is comfortable. What does she get in returnIJ Disrespect, no love or care. Hello Pratibha is the story of one such woman who puts the family above all despite being treated badly by them and urges the female viewers to not neglect their self-respect and create their identity by pursuing their passion,” Benny Sharma who plays Pratibha in the serial tells you.
like every aspiring actor who comes from small town to the Mumbai to become a star, Dream Girl on life OK is about lakshmi (Nikita Dutta) who aspires to be a star. Million Dollar Girl (Channel V) is based on the life of successful fashion designer Avanti (Shatmin Kazi) who narrates her journey from Benaras to Paris. Another show Swim Team which is all set to go on air from March 9 at 7pm, on Channel V, is about women swimmers who reach the top despite all obstacles.
The reason why there are so many shows that talk about woman empowerment is because there is urgent need to change the mindset. Gajra Kottary, producer of Balika Vadhu and TV critic tells you that there is need for role models and TV’s inspiring heroines urges the viewers to move ahead in life.
“It’s a healthy trend which has emerged out of social reality because girls in middle class families have started thinking in a mature manner. They don’t want to be burden on their husbands and make all the sacrifices in life. They do want to have a good family life but they also want their own identity and become competent and strong in everything. To break up the clouds of negativity around us, we need realistic success stories that sends across a message,” Kottary tells you.
Kritika Sengar who is plays Payal Rai in Service Wali Bahu opines that portraying an aspiring character on TV is a responsible and demanding job. “It takes a lot of hard work to do justice with the character and if the show doesn’t click with the audience, they can any moment switch the channel. The message that the serial is trying to send needs to reach the viewers loud and clear,” Sengar says.
In order to play a role model requires certain degree of seriousness and hard work. Deepika Sharmaaka Sandhiya of Diya Aur Badi Hum tells you that that be able to inspire others through your character which doesn’t look fake and disconnected, you have to live it 24/7.
“You’ve to use a lot of brain to portray the character of an IPS officer. I’ve to be conscious of not doing something on-screen and in real life which will hurt the sentiments of the people. When I go for an event or public places, I need to dress in a certain manner and conduct myself befitting a police officer,” she says.
Having portrayed Gehna in Balika Vadhu and now Urmi in Doli Armaano Ki, Neha Marda tells you that the character she essays has helped her grown as a person. “I’ve realised the importance of being a woman. There is a lot of clarity in my life now. I’m becoming more responsible. I’m given the responsibility to educate women through the show and make them understand where they stand. There is an adage: ‘Ganga bhi tu, Durga bhi tu, Saraswati bhi tu, lakshmi bhi tu. It is time that women realised their importance in the society,” Marda says.
Sketching an aspiring character and creating plot around it a is very challenging job. “The biggest is not to steer people in the wrong direction but to change their mindset. If there is an 18-year-old girl who is watching and forming an opinion and there is also her 70-plus grandmother who is watching the show and forming another opinion. If at the end of the day, the serial is sending two conflicting messages, people will stop watching the show. So as a writer, one has keep in mind every one and ensure that there is only one message that is being sent,” Kottary says.