Melodrama overdose

Perhaps there is not a single household left today in Bangladesh where at least one female member is not engrossed with soppy TV serials and their melodrama. Be it Hindi or their more popular West Bengal variations, if the script contains the chronicles of a troubled marriage, the ladies are in on it to sympathise with all their hearts. Noble women! 

You may have denied your addiction, stridently, in front of your husbands until now but at the back of your mind you know how immoral you are being! 

The addiction to serials began 20 years ago with the advent of cable TV. Bangladeshi women particularly found the serials alluring because of their few yet relatable aspects, especially with their own lives. Typical mother-in-law and daughter-in-law strained relationships are shown with cynical twists in the plot. From these serials it can be derived that politics in the home arena are no less enjoyable, and vicious, than fight scenes on the war fronts. 

Most mothers-in-law are shown as shady characters while the daughters are almost indistinguishable saints. Mid-way through most of the Hindi serials, the husband of the main character or the 'bahu' disappears, only to return later, mysteriously, with an outlandish explanation such as abduction, amnesia, or a terrible affair gone wrong. 

Amazingly, the hired helps around the house are no less attached to these sentimental serials, perhaps even more than their respective employers. It's common knowledge that in most cases before joining a residence for work, they demand few things besides salary and upkeep and YES! TV time! 

They demand a disturbance free time, everyday, to watch their favourite serials. Any change on that note is unacceptable; so you either let them watch their TV serials or you work on your own. 

What is more interesting is that the domestic help, who usually come from the remotest part of the country, understand Hindi spectacularly well. If Hindi could reach the depth of our hearts so easily just because of the serials, then it is probably time to popularise our own Bangladeshi serials with the exaggerated storylines, 'add-on' ear-splitting sound effects and bizarre costume jewellery.

Reading this material one might come to the conclusion that I might be an anti-Hindi-serial type of person. The truth would be quite the contrary; I like the serials and their typical showdowns and I particularly love seeing all the good looking women and men, wearing their gorgeous saris and sherwanis, even in their beds and taking naps with their entire make-up on. 

Poor or rich, uneducated or educated, it binds us all women-folk together and it does so with the best of intention. I do not think I have the courage to ask my mother to change the channel while she watches her favourite serial on Zee Bangla. She might decide to disown me!

The men might feel a little left out because I have not mentioned them yet. But I always save the best for the last.  No matter how much, 'the gentlemen' may try to deny watching these serials, most of them usually know the entire story by heart. How are the two possible at the same time? That denial's veracity is anybody's guess.

So there is no shame in accepting the fact that these serials are simply addictive. Plus, the age old proverb "if you cannot beat them, join them" helps to clarify the mass boarding of the serial fans train. So if 'lady love' is watching, and daughters are watching, and the remote control entirely under their management, you are pretty much left with no choice but to watch it as well. 

So join in boldly and group along with your sons. Here's to happy TV hours! 

Photo: Collected