Post the five year leap in Bade
Acche Lagte Hai, Priya (Sakshi Tanwar), a single mother
is managing a book store, Indira Sharma (Rati Pandey) in Hitler Didi
runs a travel agency, Kritika Kamra is a doctor in Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, Krishna
in Afsar Bitiya is a Block Development Officer, Pratigya (Pooja Gor),
though married to an illiterate
guy, is being encouraged to become a lawyer in Mann Ki
Awaaz Pratigya, Mrs Vyas
(Akanksha Singh), a
mother of two in Na
Bole Tum Na Maine
Kuch Kaha has just
turned a journalist,
Kavita Kaushik is
popular for her cop
act in FIR and young
Sia (Abigail Jain) in
Hum Se Hai Liife is aspiring to be a boxer!
Clearly, female protagonists on TV are moving
beyond kitchen politics,
striving to carve an identity of their own —
juggling between home and career, they mirror the life of a contemporary Indian
woman.
Sakshi, who as the iconic Parvati
was in the forefront of the saas
bahu sagas in Kahaani Ghar
Ghar Kii attributes it to serials
and characters becoming real
and progressive. "Parvati and
Priya are as different as chalk
and cheese. If the two come faceto-face they will completely
disapprove of each other,"
laughs Sakshi.
Ila Bedi, who is
scripting Hitler Didi,
feels that the transformation was inevitable.
"Even in small towns,
women are handling
homes and careers and
it's about time TV reflected that change," she says.
Though producer Rajan Shahi agrees
that women are no longer steeped in kitchen
politics, he argues that it's the stereotypes
that still garner more eyeballs. "It was a
huge gamble to base Kuch Toh Log Kahege in
the medical profession with the protagonists
as doctors. Though several women are working, serials depicting it are not favoured.
Viewers prefer the home space," he maintains. But Kritika herself is glad that a
woman is no longer just a 'Mrs so and so'
and has an identity of her own. "It's fun to be
able to play the role of a working woman, wife, daughter, intern — all in one character! And
the identity is so strong that
when I meet fans they call me Dr Nidhi,"
smiles Kritika.
Pratigya's Pooja Gor is happy that she is
able to play a role which doesn't show her
wearing glittering jewellery and heavy saris.
"My character, aspiring to be a lawyer,
shows that today's women are as competitive
as men," she avers.
With TV getting real, it shouldn't be long
before working women take centre-stage in
serials.
