The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

Saat Phere and Kasamh Se are among the present day drama serials of ZEE TV. They are now-a-days shown in Bangladesh - 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. A brief examination of those serials against the backdrop of a variety of developments at local, national, global and other levels would reveal - relative to time, space and other variables, though - several things. A few of them have been presented below - not in the order of priority or importance, per se.

1. Saat Phere and Kasamh Se are light dramas with a variety of marketing and other agendas - crafted or promoted or both by all concerned, either deliberately or otherwise. Sarees, ornaments and shoes that are used by for example, actresses (I mean, actresses of above dramas) during various episodes of those dramas are being reproduced at varying market rates for consumptions by various markets and market segments in India, per se. Interesting though, those products are now-a-days attracting - in varying degrees - Bangladeshis and others - visiting Kolkata and other places of India. It is likely the marketers of above products are at present attempting to sustain and promote inter alia a solid market for those products by attracting at least initially the fans of drama serials, among others. Perhaps, a good example of what I would call media-market plus market-media diplomacy.

2. The nature and the scope of lessons and best practices that could be derived from above drama serials are not - on an average basis and in pertinent areas - conducive, at this point in time, to promoting in societies: rational behaviors; an acceptable level of objectivity and realism; the rule of law with a tolerable face; a reasonable amount of respect for the law of land; anti-terrorism; anti-extremism (so many religious functions); and contemporary visions of India; to mention a few.

3. The drama serials have been suffering from say, poverty of new ideas as the turn of drama events over a period of time has so far unfolded inter alia striking similarities between Saat Phere and Kasamh Se in relevant areas. The bottom line is: the serials are - in certain respects - entertaining but they lack a critical mass of constructive messages for promoting the future of India and the world at large via the domain of electronic entertainments through the 21st century.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah and Main Kab Saas Banoongi are among the present day comedy serials of SAB TV of Sony. They are, among other things and in many respects, interesting, full of fun, and lesson bearing - in particular, Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah. It will not be out of place to mention here: the story; the performance of actors and actresses; the direction; the production; and the end product at the user end; all pertaining to Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah have - so far - tended to suggest, in an average sense and as appropriate, number of things.

For example: the comedy serial is a product that has been designed to satisfy a variety of market needs and expectations (used in a wider sense) - an intelligent, balanced and conscious effort, indeed; the comedy serial is a product that represents a good mixture of say, ground realities and fantasies in pertinent areas; the comedy serial is a product that is sensitive, in a diplomatic fashion, to social problems and limitations - both existing and evolving; the comedy serial is a product that is aware of its moral, ethical and social responsibilities, and the comedy serial is a product that is responsive - to an extent - to overall wellbeing of societies. Well done! Keep up the good work.

Specially speaking, the performance of for example, Jetha's father has so far been found to be of a high average standard - Jetha's wife has at times found to be overacting a little bit, though.

It is expected Mr. Taarak Mehta, the writer of the serial will step up further efforts towards transforming his product into a window of opportunities for reforms - covering a wider and diversified areas such as human rights, secular rights, poor people's rights, right to life, disparities, deprivations, elimination of wastage, equity and equality - at various societal and other levels in India and the world at large. It is also expected the Sony including its able teams will help enable concerned societies and others to benefit from the end product of for example, Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah in a more meaningful, useful and diversified fashion than that at present - through the foreseeable future.

I wrote previously in the newspapers about the BBC's comedy serial - Keeping up appearances. It appears to me the serial is one of the best products of BBC. One of the reasons for that is: the serial is nearer to a number of common traits of human beings and societies of human beings, among other things.

The serial is, on one hand, reasonably filled up with for example, fun. It, on the other hand, attempts to creating inter alia opportunities for self-reflection and through that self-correction - among the serial viewers and others. Now that BBC entertainment is currently operational in Bangladesh, it is the expected the people will be able to watch - Keeping up appearances - in the country at the soonest.

The last word: let us ensure a maximum utilization of the power of art and culture via ICT and other relevant technologies in pursuits of for example, promoting civilization renewals through the future.