Iron hand strikes again
RESHMA S KULKARNI
|
India’s first woman police officer and Magsaysay Award winner, Dr. Kiran Bedi on her role as arbitrator on Star Plus’ “Aap Ki Kachehri”.
|
New innings: Kiran Bedi in her small screen avatar.
After an abrupt closure of the eight-year long “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi”, Star Plus and Siddartha Basu’s Synergy Adlabs breezed in with “Aap Ki Kachehri-Kiran Ke Saath”. A first-of-its-kind show on Indian televisi
on that offers open hearings of civil disputes and a compassionate, yet firm and lawful, mediation and arbitration, it is novel for many reasons, one being the telly-debut of Dr. Kiran Bedi.
Speaking about what brought about this stint, the media-savvy Dr. Bedi says, “I say what I feel and love doing; so am on a lookout for any possible platform that will put across my point correctly, for the larger good of society. Television is a potent medium and when I was approached by Siddartha Basu to be an arbitrator for civil cases via ‘Aap Ki Kachehri’, I saw an opportunity using my experience and education to forge relations and bond with generations and society at large to achieve harmony. Also, I’m always up for trying something new and TV was an unexplored medium, so I thought, why not?”
Format and her role
Ask her about the need to don the war paint and she exults, “Kyun nahi? That won’t be a deterrent. But, as of now, I’m appearing on the show as I am.” Well, if that translates as Dr. Bedi appearing as the stern, formidable ex-police officer that she is, won’t the participants be too awed to talk? Dr. Bedi agrees, with a laugh, saying “Yes there are occasions when the complainants get tongue-tied on seeing me; but it’s more out of respect than preconceived notions about my personality. But once the initial reserve melts, they warm up to me, addressing me as didi, sahebji...”
Elaborating about the format of the programme and her role, Dr. Bedi explains “Aap Ki Kachehri is a forum for those who have unresolved grievances and who believe that this forum can help them in some way. The cases need to be strictly of a civil nature; no criminal case is entertained. We avoid cases that are already sub-judice and, most of all, we accept the cases only if the complainants agree to abide by the jury’s decision. My role begins with reading in thorough detail about every case approved by the research team and Star Plus. I, along with the counsellors, watch the videos where both the complainants put forth their side of the story; and we thrash out the nuances of each case. After this comes the actual filming where, in each episode, I handle a new case. The nature of the cases varies: a woman brutalised by her mother-in-law for being childless; two sisters battling over the will of a dead man: one his wife and the other, his mistress; a harassed wife bringing her insensitive husband to the Kachehri to fight for her rights for the future of their child. I seek to deal with the disputes as a questioner, counsellor, mediator and arbiter, all rolled into one, in a compassionate way yet based on the firm foundations of law, rights and social equity.”
The show has replaced the iconic “KSBKBT”; how will it stand the test of being measured against such a mammoth predecessor. “I think it has already passed the test with flying colours; going by the immense viewership and positive response we’ve been getting since it began” avers Dr. Bedi. “But soap operas will always have an audience because the Indian viewer is hooked to emotional drama. ‘Aap Ki Kachehri’ combines the spice of a fictitious emotional drama and the awe of the gruesome reality behind the life-stories of the participants. It is a bold step in introducing content that is unique, courageous and appealing as well as educative to all. It is emotion through reason (not vice versa) and appeals both to the head and the heart. In fact, the number of participants and the large number of viewers shows that today’s people are a bold lot who want their voice to be heard instead of stifled!”
Today’s woman
Elaborating more on this aspect, Dr. Bedi continues, “That’s one of the prime differences I see especially in the women of today vis-À-vis their counterparts 20 years back. Today’s woman is educated or at least skilful enough to earn her own money. Yet she gives into her parents’ wishes when it comes to marriage sacrificing her economic independence. Later if she feels stifled due to this, she does not hesitate to ask her parents to help her but she is rational enough to want to save her marriage. Thus it is a good blend of tradition and modernity, dependence and independence as opposed to the regressive extremes of the yore. Today’s woman knows what she wants, knows how to get it and is practical enough to weigh whether what she wants is a healthy mix.”
Well, that’s her new stint; but one can’t resist asking if she misses her policing? “No; this is also policing and in a legal ambit but just that the drab room has been replaced with a slick one, with a camera added for company!”
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
