A Chat with Nishita Rajesh who has worked with multiple corporates on regressive portrayal of women in Indian Television
And I am very happy that you have agreed to be part of this swell cast to share your views on how Indian TV is promoting regressive content. So let us start the discussion with my first question as why do you think that we have moved ahead as a nation? Today, Indian women are working and they are performing multi springs. Irrespective of that, why is Indian television stuck in 18th century? Do you feel it is happening? Do you feel the content of Indian television is regressing?
Nishitha Rajesh
@Athena2023 · 2:35
And I am sometimes apparent shocked to see the content which they gave out. And I don't know what is the criteria for this and why are they doing this. As a country, as a world we are progressing so much but still Indian television has been stuck there always. Like I have watched a few Pakistani shows even there also they have very orthodox content also at some shows. But they don't show such regressive contents. They have a mix of comedy
They show the journey not just for a female lead, they show it for a male lead. Also how the man also go through the cycles in the society to emerge victorious and how both of them try to build a progressive society with human values. But when it comes to our side, it's a sad state of affairs. So now, coming to the next question, we have been talking about the regressive content
Nishitha Rajesh
@Athena2023 · 4:59
But I've heard that each and every episode of theirs they have really good theme and they have something some message to the society and then also they had something and regarding the shows which and regarding the shows which you talk like DIY yes, I have watched here and there you are right. I think the Malayala version of that was much better because I have seen my in laws watching them that show on and off when I visit them there. At least I've seen that lady going over to do her
But when I see the comments in social media, I feel like where the younger generation are going, because the way they trash the female lead of the show, it's very evident that they don't understand the story. They are not looking at the story from a holistic point, they are just looking at her as a medium for the pleasure of the lead valley, to be frank or her purity is measured in terms of physical purity
Nishitha Rajesh
@Athena2023 · 3:35
I know, but people down south who watch such things on the show, for them it is a new thing, it's a new window to see such culture and such tradition and such rituals being performed. DKP showed it really beautiful. I have not watched the second and the season and the third one which is going, I'm still not watching. So yes, some production houses can do a good job
If they get attracted using the salary sets and all, as you said, they forget the story and somehow that culture is thriving. So the last question of this interviews AMAs an audience. What would you suggest to the listeners to do so that we get some progressive content in ITV? What are your suggestions? Like what can audience do? Because since the TV system is heavily TRP based, is there any point which the audience can do to change the system?
Nishitha Rajesh
@Athena2023 · 4:59
In fact, each and every character in that show had its own journey, had its own redemption and the main protagonists and both the female protagonists, the mother also have a beautifully written characters. I was really very attached to that show because the journey was written so well. The male lead had its own flaws but he had his own gene. He realized his flaws where he went wrong and even the female lead very strong woman. But she had also her own flaws
Nishitha Rajesh
@Athena2023 · 4:14
At 08:00 the show starts, I have to take my remote decision. It's not possible that day. So I watch it on OTT. I watched shows on OTT and since OTT is there, people are more into their mobile screens now, so they can watch in all the live streaming or all the online platforms, because these shows are telecasted in the morning
Audience have the ultimate power to show some strength, to ensure such regressive ideas gets removed from our living rooms. Thank you. I will move, probably come up with a second part of the series with some other TV viewer to discuss more on this aspect. Thank you for listening to me