Be it about singing, dancing or any other genre, reality shows have always raised doubts about how genuine they, and the emotions they serenade, are. A new show on Life Ok delves into the reality behind reality shows, though in the fiction garb. NEHA VERMA travelled to Mumbai for the launch of this different show. A report
Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Ranvijay Singh, Ayushmaan Khurana, Abhijeet Sawant, Shakti Mohan, Dharmesh and Kamal Khan ' these are some names which have left a mark on public memory. Tagged as the Indian Idol, India's best dancing superstar, Roadie or the voice of the nation ' they have climbed the ladder of success and popularity, courtesy reality shows.
It's been 17 years since the first reality show came on Indian television, starting off with the ace singing show Sa Re Ga Ma. Since then, there have been a number of reality shows like Indian Idol, Dance India Dance, MTV Roadies, India's Got Talent and many more, giving young talent a ready platform. But since then there has also been a brewing debate ' how real are these reality shows?
Do reality shows exploit the hunger of a person to be recognised? Do they explore talent, based on aggression or strength, based on the ability to create drama? Are producers looking for real talent or just the participants who can raise their TRPs? Do participants need to hone negative qualities and thrive on a fairy tale like reality, gripped by peer pressure in the blind pursuit of fame and money? Is talent enough to win these competitions? Do family equations change after a child brings in the prize money? Are contestants from humble backgrounds preferred owing to their lack of opportunities? Are contestants mere puppets in the mad race for TRPs?
To answer these questions, Life OK which claims to have reached out to 80 crore viewers in just three months of inception, is coming up with its new fiction show Aasman Se Aagey. The show will unveil both sides of talent reality shows ' glamour that's only onscreen and manipulations which dominate the backstage. "The show is based on the theme of talent reality shows. It is for today's youth who have become super ambitious to get fame. These people stand in long queues for days to get that one chance. We are trying to show them both the sides of these shows. We are not making a statement that they should participate or not participate, only trying to tell them that they should be aware of the various aspects of being a part of this glamourous business," says Ajit Thakur, General Manager, Life OK.
Aasmaan Se Aagey revolves around Meenaxi, a talented dancer who works as a sweeper in a mall. She has big dreams and wants to become a star. Like many others, she also tries her luck through an audition for a dance reality show. What happens to her is what the show is all about. "I am playing Meenaxi who wants to become a big dancer and owing to the kind of family she comes from, it's only through a talent hunt that she can find a way to live her dreams," Ojaswi Oberoi tells you. Meenaxi's journey spans from being a struggler to a troubled person consumed by fame and glamour.
There are many who would relate to Meenaxi. "I find my story very similar to Meenaxi's. It's always difficult to reach the top. There will be a point when you will have to choose between an easy shortcut and a difficult long route. Some speed breakers would come, but one should tread with dignity. People will always try to manipulate, but it's your choice to accept or not," says Rakhi Sawant, the Bollywood actor who has been part of several reality shows on TV.
Sawant is disappointed to have never won a reality show. "I have never won a reality show and would just reach the runners-up position. I feel bad because things are manipulated at times," she admits.
Talking about the humble background acting as an advantage, the first Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant insists he won not because of his background but because of his talent. "I come from a humble background and I could have never made it so big without this platform. It was my need to win more than my want," Abhijeet tells you.
The show Aasmaan... has three actors playing reality show judges ' Apoorva Agnihotri aka Producer DC, Manini Mishra as Manini De and Rajiv Khera as Sanam, the controversial man in a woman's garb. These actors have themselves been at the receiving end of manipulations in reality shows. "My wife Shilpa and I have been the contestants on Nach Baliye Season 2. We were eliminated the day we gave our best performance. Everyone was shocked. There are manipulations on shows," Agnihotri reveals. Manini who was a co-contestant felt disturbed when she was eliminated. "I kept thinking what went wrong and how," she says. With such true to life stories, the show will go on air from April 23.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/others/small-screen/59443-reality-in-fiction.html
Damn interesting article, hope what is written about Meenaxi will not come true so somewhere DC might feel guilty is all I can feel.
