Bring it on, anything sells !

Recently, I was introduced by one of my roommates' an Indian TV series called 'Sach ka Samna" - its another reality show on the block wherein participants are asked a set of questions [???]:

• Have you ever visited a prostitute?
• Have you had a child out of wedlock?
• Would you sleep with another man if your husband wouldn’t know?
• Have you ever peed in a swimming pool?

(deadly private and embarrassing - all of us have something to hide kinds), and are connected to a lie detector and as the title goes they are confronting the truth by accepting or denying the questions. And the result is the usual " sansani " (though translated as breaking, it has its essence in Hindi ). TRPs that are far from the average. If the saying that TV and movies are an index of society stands good, are these recent reality shows that are vulgar, disgusting and cheap the index of our societal preferences? Man, Almighty save the moral fabric of our society (Though few people might have problem with this statement - spare this for arguments). Whats happening to the cultural taste of Indians? (Though i usually TRY to stick to the principle of: To each his own -the repercussions of this ethical depletion in masses is i think, not acceptable)

There was a time in the Indian television where one could sit with family and watch sitcoms (malgudi days, Dekh bhai dekh, zamana badal gaya hai) together - they were the true representative of the average family net, light uncheesy humor in the air that lighted the peoples stress without offending any ones soul.

But then in the late 1990s the boom of multichannel world syndrome hit the Indian television and down the drain went with it the standards and ethics of it. The television took a 180 degree turn. No more middle class families, normal looking faces or day today activities - the time for some dramas of high profile lifestyles, multimillionaires (hence could afford plastic surgery every 6 months) people who dont cook in their houses and sleep with tons of makeup on their faces, where in the children of family can roam around in dainty clothes yet the mothers of the family has to abide by the cultural bindings of sari, pativratha patnis doing prayers for her husbands, yet a man can sleep with many women and bring home children ( lost and found unit). I just cant help but mention the complete white and black shades of characters - The evil always the wicked, more sophisticated( in clothes, wacky makeup and very characteristic bindis and istyle) and the Godly good (humble, persevering, patient to the wicked yet fighting for the truth and getting killed every 6 months). Though many directors and producers rushed towards these type of sagas that emptied the streets of India from 9 - 11 everyday in the night, the one person that tops the list is Ekta Kapoor. I so thank Lord that shes not a political figure. Many of the viewers said that she had done alot on the women issues prachar ( awareness). Think again, Did She ? She was the one who highlighted that a dark woman cant survive, students who come from small towns or chawls to study always land up marrying the rich guy throwing away their careers and dreams, all woman are born idiots to always give Agni parikshas irrespective. These sickening ideologies have crept to such an extend in the emotionally foolish Indians that people give ads in matrimony that they want a bahu like parvati and the prices of the same bangles that vendors were selling for past 200 yrs cost Rs. 100-300 more being tagged as Parvathis or Tuslis bangles. Though I really dont have a liking Ekta kapoor for all above, I duly respect her for Entrepreneur skills. Shes proven cent percent one of my Father's much quoted saying

" Jab Tak Bewakhoof Zinda Hai, Akhal mand bhooka nahi mar sakta " ( I dunno how to translate this - any idiom of similar context that reader noe plz add on!)