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Why do makers of TV shows showcase only love triangles and forced marriages?
While we like to believe that we live in a progressive society, television audiences are only provided with toxic content involving love triangles and forced marriages. Is there a dearth of original ideas?
Television medium continues to rule the hearts of viewers. Even with the fast-paced growth of OTT, television remains the center stage of entertainment. While a movie entertains viewers for three hours, TV shows do so regularly, often for years.
I agree that the medium has a lot of pressure in terms of producing content daily. However, it seems like the makers are only playing along with one or two tried and tested concepts for their television shows. As an ardent follower of television for years, I've noticed that we are made to consume almost the same content in different packaging.
Forced/unwilling marriages dominate most of the TV shows of today's time
The concept of leads unwillingly getting married to each other for some reason has been a trend on TV, dominating most shows. The hero and heroine share a tiff and dislike each other, but they're bound to marry either because of societal or family pressure. The duo enters into a namesake marriage, and slowly romance builds between them. Eventually, they fall in love. This is the plot twist of most current TV shows like Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Imlie, Jhanak, Kumkum Bhagya (Rajvansh and Poorvi), and Suhagan, among others.
Have a look at the recent video of Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin-
Love triangles in TV shows
While the earlier trend in TV shows involved plastic surgery and reincarnation, these days we often encounter love triangles. While some blend well into the story of TV shows, others look extremely forced and unnecessary. I believe that when makers don't have anything new to write, they introduce a third-wheel character. The lead hero's best friend from childhood, whom he never mentioned over the years, makes a grand entry and leaves the heroine jealous. Suddenly, the heroine who paid no heed to her partner becomes insecure, and bam! She realizes that she loves him! I mean, come on, this is overdone on television!
Many TV shows start with a love triangle wherein the third wheel is just bait to add spice to the story.
Accidents and tragedies in TV shows
I believe when makers are caught in a situation where they can't think of a proper closure to characters and wrap up the story before the leap, a major tragedy awaits the viewers. Virat and Sai (Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin) died in a bomb blast. Abhimanyu and Abhir (Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai) died in a landslide while Tejo and Fateh (Udaariyaan) died in a car accident. After these tragedies, the said shows took generation leaps.
Generation leaps in TV shows
Makers' last resort to save any show is to introduce a generation leap and revamp the show. However, the revamp is usually only in terms of getting new actors and a few changes here and there; the rest remains the same. In Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, it seems like only the actors have changed, the story is exactly the same. Sai was a rebel who unwillingly got married into the renowned Chavan family. Sai took a stand for herself and always gave it back to Bhavani. Many years later, after the generation leap, Sai's daughter Savi is seen as a straightforward individual who got married to Ishaan because of her sister's last wish. She is always at loggerheads with Surekha Bhosale.
I believe there should have been more changes to the basic story of the show, considering it is widely watched by viewers.
Separation of main leads before leap
Another tried and tested twist of TV showmakers is to separate the main leads before heading into generation leaps (that is, if the previous actors are fine to age onscreen and play parents to the new generation). Writers smartly separate the leads before leaping and play along for months in finally making them meet each other. One of the leads believes that the other one is dead, not trying to find out the truth. When they meet, there is a full treatment including the round trolley shots, the heavy breeze (sometimes rain), and the high-beat track like "Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu" playing in the background. The screen would freeze the moment the song reaches "Namastaste Namoh Namah."
We all love a good drama on TV, but a bit of creativity wouldn't hurt. Anyway, I gotta go catch up on these shows now. And between you and me, I have a sneaking suspicion of what lies ahead in the plotlines (wink).
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