HOW REAL ARE REALITY SHOWS ?

  By Nilima Majumdar  


T V programmes are the major sources of entertainment today for the ordinary public. Their priority revolves around the TV shows. They love to cry or laugh with the characters played in TV soaps. At the beginning of TV culture there was a time when programmes, like Ramayana and Mahabharata, on the shows used to decide the daily chores of the viewers with outside engagements and appointments. Such was the status of the TV shows and its popularity.
Nowadays, reality TV shows form a major part of the TV programmes. Almost every channel is running a “ Reality “ TV programme of different nature. Sometimes it is a music programme at other times it is a dance programme, drama competition or laughter show etc. So far as I recall , it started with Sa Re Ga Ma programme produced by Gajendra Singh of Zee fame. It was a talent searching musical programme from across the country. Nowadays, it seems the programmes are open to foreign nationals of Indian origin too. This is a welcome development on the part of TV producers to give opportunities to Indians living abroad to display their talents in this medium. It is a fantastic forum for upcoming youths not only to show their talents but also to get a strong foothold in their own field of interest. Reputed and knowledgeable judges are there to guide them, to correct them with their right judgement and also to encourage them with their valuable advice. Sometimes they provide opportunities to the budding artistes to get an entry into forthcoming TV serials or even in films as playback singers . But beyond that do the judges have any role in the whole Reality TV shows of may be singing or dancing. As judges, they are more like puppets – frustrated, fuming and helpless. Other than throwing up their hands in frustration they do not have any power to utilize their vast knowledge to decide on the winner. 
Who then are authorized to decide the fate of the best performer of the show ? Is it the ordinary viewer ? May be some of them are well versed with the knots and notes of the programme but the vast majority of the viewers have very little knowledge about the correct notes, correct wording, and the tone and tunes of the best musicians of tomorrow. Same applies with other Reality shows of dance and drama. Yet they are authorized to judge the performers and the channels are accepting them as the best judges of India. It is so frustrating for the judges as well as for the participants. Sometimes, the judges are so unhappy with these types of proceedings, they openly voice their opinions violently, yet the show goes on. Anchors look like fools. Judges look like puppets in this show business. It is more like a business than like a professionally conducted talent search where real and deserving talents don’t come on the forefronts but the business. It is a huge business for the producers, mobile and telephone providers , operators of TV channels and advertisers. Crores of rupees are involved in this business as the fate of the artiste is decide by ‘smses’, “phone calls” , “e mails “, et al. One person is entitled to send as many responses as he/she wants . So it is totally dependant upon the personal likes and dislikes of the voter. It does not need any professional skill in this matter. The irony is that sometimes “ good “ and “hep” looks garner huge votes and real talent lags behind. At times, musical finery is totally ignored and good catchy and loud music gets preferred. Correct pronunciation of the word is equally important in music which, in many cases, get totally ignored. Yet they are getting recognition from the voters. Many a times, the sms senders vote on the basis of region and profession and do gross injustice to the more talented ones. This is really a shame. When the huge responsibility is given to a person, he or she must be above parochial politics in voting. Often persons from some states try to push their “ candidate “ to the forefront by organizing mass ‘smses’. In a recent Reality show , the most deserving participant fell prey to such practices. So the whole programme is very unpredictable. Even the judges are totally in the dark as to who will be the ultimate winner. I personally feel that such an act on behalf of the TV channel is an act of insult to the judges. Week after week judges are seen participating in such shows ignoring their otherwise busy schedule, spending quality time with the programme, judging the programmes, sometimes picking up a verbal duel with their co-judges because of differences in opinion, but in the end they do not have the authority to select the best performer. Ironically it is the ignorant viewer who is the decider of the fate of the best performer because they are contributing hugely to the business of the channels through their responses.
In the field of talent search, business should take a back seat. Performing art is a rare quality of talent. It is not everybody’s cup of tea. It should be respected and should not be mingled with any kind of business. By this haphazard business, one tends to spoil the career of the best performer of tomorrow for which the whole purpose of the show is lost. One has several other business opportunities. Please spare this talent hunting programme with which the name and fame of the country is associated. Besides, in India, there is no shortage of deserving talent to judge such programmes professionally. Please do not nominate a dancer to judge a music programme or just a pretty face for a similar occasion. Though the Reality shows are the exclusive business of the respective channels but they do not have the right to do the business haphazardly. They should respect the sentiments of the judges and, above all, the participants and public.