Most of you would agree that quality of television programming has fallen immensely over the years. It seems like we are running out of ideas. The huge hit in the name of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi that started way back in 2000, was initially a great show but as years passed, Ekta Kapoor actually didn’t know what to do about it. She and her team were absolutely clueless as to how to take it forward. Hence her out – of the –box thinking made the protagonist die and then reappear and literally everyone in the ‘Viraani khandaan’ except a limited few, didn’t have an extra marital affair. So, do the producers of the show not know that such things profoundly affect the thought processes of the younger generation? Do they not realise that by portraying such stories they are spoiling the fabric of the society?

Indian television has seen classic days with sitcoms like Dekh Bhai Dekh, Tu Tu Main Main, Antakshari etc but this new genre of reality TV seems to have seeped in deep, despite the harm it is unconsciously causing the society. Just yesterday I saw something called Emotional Atyachaar and was left absolutely disturbed by the time the episode ended. Can’t really understand why people say and do things that can be so obscene on camera. In fact, another very popular show toes the same line. ‘Roadies’ doesn’t have a single sentence that does not have the censor beep, since people excessively use abusive language.

There was a time when Music television (MTV) and Channel V were my favourite choices. There was a time when they actually played good music (more international than national desi), without many commercials and the experience of their top 10 countdown was actually satisfying and holistic. Today, you try and tune in to any of these channels and all that you get to see is some reality show, girls half naked trying to impress men who use filthy language all the time and have nothing to do with chivalry. And please consider yourself lucky if you happen to watch an episode that is fresh because more than half the times when you tune in, the repeat telecast is all that the channel has to offer.

What seems to be the most tragic is the fact that we Indians just simply don’t want to use our own brains. Everything that we do is adopted from the Western world. Be it Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire), Indian Idol (American Idol), Emotional Atyachaar (Cheaters), Big Boss (Big Brother) etc, we have copied all possible formats. We have nothing to flaunt that is of our own until unless you consider the controversial ‘Rakhi Sawant ka Swayamvar’ as India’s pride and want to take credit for the same.

What is saddening is the fact that so much money gets blown on such shows. So much money, energy and resources are used to produce something that is copied and something that is not even entertaining. And if this isn’t enough, then we have criminals coming on television who will be selecting brides for themselves (remember Rahul Mahajan)!

The need of the hour is that we revive our thought process and maybe initiate a separate trend of programming that the Western world gets inspired by. We need to reset our priorities. Television show producers need to understand the huge responsibility that rests on their shoulders to educate the masses since it is one of the greatest platforms to trigger and ignite the minds of the young and old, rich and the poor.