Hum sath sath hain: Lado -TOI article

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It's Family Day today. And who better than the 'Great Indian Telly Parivaar' to epitomise the greatness of Indian family traditions and values

 

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We may be crying from rooftops that 'Indian television has gone through a change', but what remains a constant is the presence of the big fat parivaar on each and every channel. The Indian family has over the years helped rake in the moolah for producers and fill the coffers of the channels while propelling them successfully to top slot. Big starcast, lavish sets and women in ghoonghat helped lend the shows respectability. No reality shows for us please, we are parivaarwale. Here's a glimps of the great Indian telly parivaar where it's all about loving your family.

Joined at the hip: From Maa-babuji, chacha-chaachi, buaji to cousins and maids, the Indian parivaar on TV is wholesome, reminiscent on yesteryears joint family syndrome. While ladies are happy playing homemakers, the men are mostly out of the scene (at work dummies). The kids play around the house and pickle making sessions are a must almost every week. If that's not enough people, then every month there is a new addition to the family in the form of a far off relative conveniently put there as the new nemesis and mischief-maker. Go, keep count.

Generation no gap: How old was Baa really when Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi wrapped up? Our guess is around 250-years-old. And if you thought that has changed, take one good look around. Most shows on TV today have an elderly family patriarch or matriarch. One of the prime focuses of many telly parivaars is that at least four generations live under one roof. The Daadaji is still robust while Daadiji still has the energy and knack to play mischief-maker.

Swishing silks: It's so difficult to keep count of the women in shows these days. All they do is walk around in swishing silks, dripping diamonds and gold. Career be damned. Office? What's that? A part of their everyday routine is: cook, conspire against nave family members, make pickles, fawn over son or daughter. Did we leave out anything?

Old formulae, new setting : Rich urban households with overly made-up scheming vamps are not the thing of the past. The only thing changed is the setting. Instead of urban rich households, you have rich homes in rural backdrops where multiple marriages and extra marital affairs still rule (Agle Janam, Naa Aana iss Des Meri ... Laado to name a few). The scripting gimmicks and crude special effects have not disappeared either.

Star: Usually in a joint family on telly there is always one daughter or son who is the apple of the family's eye. Members fret and fawn over him/her. The members of the family even take it upon themselves to get involved in the protagonists life, giving him/her no breathing space at all. Be it marriage or even conception, the family has a say in every matter. And why not? After all this is just one of the ways of providing high drama in out great Indian family sagas.