The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Are women nonstop-soap onlookers?

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Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Are women nonstop-soap onlookers?

A life devoid of ‘small screen’ is almost unimaginable today, as television media has entered into nook and corner of our lives.

Be it a festival day or any holiday, a simple formula for enjoyment is a hangout with our TV set.

Especially the dining time cannot go without watching the sweetheart ‘idiot’ box.

It is the mirror that brings before our eyes what the world is. For homemakers, this is the major means through which they look at the world. That too, mega soaps are said to have snatched women’s precious hours.

It is presumed to be deciding the psyche of the women folks. An analysis in this respect becomes essential at this point of time.

The judgment made about women in general in connection with teleserials has to be subjected to dissection as it indirectly stamps the personality of women.

Serial killers

“Let me say one substantial point. Last year, I went to Britain leaving behind India and my TV watching habit. After a long stay for ten months over there, I came back last week. When I switched on the box there flashed the same old soap that was running even before my exit from India.

But see my intelligence just in a single episode, I understood the one year storyline” ridicules an aspiring young woman, Ms.Shanthana.

All time favourite

“I really cannot imagine a world without teleserials. We recently constructed our house in which I specifically told that the kitchen of our home should be designed in such a way, that I can do all my cooking while watching my favourite mega serials” voiced Ms.Padhmavathi. She justifies her taste for soaps as, “teleserials are giving importance to women. Most of the dramas are female centric. So I enjoy watching them, but I am not influenced by the illusions they try to impose.”

A Glimpse

“In early times when cable channels were introduced, we got glued to soaps.

But now, in a single glance you could understand what it is all about. So, I keep surfing to hundreds of channels, within the time of a single episode” laughs Ms.Revathi, a middle aged homemaker.

“A working woman is the one who is an employee round the clock. After my office hour my only relaxation is the supper hour which I cannot afford for tears.

Sober soaps are boredom, so I watch along with my children youthful chat shows, gags and comic shows to refresh my body and mind” mocked Ms.Meera.

Ms.Malathi expressed her view, that household work is not such an easy job. Women have multiple roles to be played efficiently at home. Actually they have no time to stand and stare at the TV programmes.

Most of the time homemakers have to provide snacks and all kinds of eatables to their men folks who spend their familial hours by enjoying all sorts of television programmes including soaps.

It is obvious that TV is a gadget that is almost inseparable from today’s lives.

But there are two major differences between cinema theatre and home TV sets. In cinema theatres, the viewers are carried away by the mega screen.

The audiences are under the total control of the visual treat and thereby images get internalized.

Whereas in viewing television at homes, there are lots of distractions going around, so it cannot completely mesmerize the audience and decide their thinking pattern.

Therefore stamping women as teleserial mongers is an inappropriate comment made by superficial persons.

Woman by the end of her hectic day is viewing the small screen as minimum relaxation. And she is definitely not influenced by its simpleton programmes. Revisiting the day to day lives of our women reveals us this unknown side.

M. Susithra

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