Reality television has found success because it appeals to people’s voyeuristic nature. That’s really not tough to figure out. But there are some facts that our politicians need to deal with before they point a finger at a show like Sach Ka Saamna. And here are those facts:
· Indians are a lot more voyeuristic than our Western counterparts. The westerners are more individualistic, they find it relatively easy to not be bothered about what’s happening in their neighbor’s house (yet a show like “A Moment Of Truth” does well in their market). Indians have never been like that; from our neighbors to our uncles to our bosses to our bais, we are constantly on the lookout for gossips and scandals; for an insight into their world. It stems from the fact that we are a more collectivist race; hence we’ll always seem more interested in what’s happening around us, it comes naturally to people who live and thrive in groups. So it shouldn’t come as a complete surprise that Sach Ka Saamna is doing so well. It’s the ultimate form of voyeurism we can hope for: a direct window into a person’s most intimate memories. The TVRs of shows like Big Boss and even Iss Jungle….provided pointers to this trend. So in reality, the show is not divorced from but reflects a very true version of Indian culture.
· The very basis of “voyeuristic intention” is that it’s meant to be controversial and gossipy. No one’s interested in knowing what you and your husband had for lunch. But the fact that the husband has a roving eye or the wife is having an affair on the side is something that Indians (housewives and men alike) can spends days on end discussing.
· Because voyeurism is about human behavior, there can really be no censorship on that. While censorship can be forced on graphic/extreme display of emotion (although that too is uncalled for), it cannot be forced on voyeuristic intention and on a person’s individual choice to share his life with the world. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice and there really cannot be any censorship on a person, can there?
· Finally politicians should be the last ones complaining about moral policing. They wouldn’t survive a single question on the show. Inspite of being the epitomes of voyeurism (not only do they have a roving eye, they use the info they gather to create or destroy people’s image), they find the show demeaning and against Indian culture. If anything at all, the show captures a very real facet of a typical Indian behavior.
· Politicians are worried about the fact that reality television has gotten into ordinary people’s bedrooms. They are also probably worried about the fact that issues such such as homosexuality, extra marital affairs, child abuse, etc may get discussed with amore liberty because of a show like Sach Ka Saamna. On a more selfish level, with celebs like Kambli coming on the show, the worry may be that inadequacies of the system may come out into the open. After all, guess what demons may come out of the wood work if a single politician sits on that seat…
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