Here is a story in Wall Street Journal (July 6th, 2012) on the TV show hosted by Amir Khan.
Aamir Khan, the New Hero of Indian Television - WSJ.com
My personal view on the show (I watched one show on the internet--dubbed in Thamizh) is given belwo.. I guess the show is in Hindi but dubbed in different regional languages.
To me the show concentrates on social ills and social injustice. The audience is more like those of Oprah show. Educated Indians are already aware of such issues. What is the point in preaching to the converted? Those who are young and who have an awareness of the issues are not going to perpetrate such injustice. Those who do perpetrate are not going to redeem themselves. Only when that generation disappears perhaps the ills will get cured.
Couple of more points.
1. On the topic of declaring sexual orientation by a youngster to his/her parents.
Everybody is a product of their environment--the way they grew up and were influenced. So it is equally cruel to think for a youngster to declare his/her sexual orientation to their parents and expect instantaneous whole-hearted endorsement. For exampla, in India in brahmin households if the girl loves a man from another state person who speaks a different language and wants to marry him they would not sanction it and not even attend the wedding. It happened in a family known to me where the daughter (a Thamizh girl) married a Gujerati in Mumbai years ago. The parents vowed to disown her and did so for a couple of years. But after a baby was born to the daughter the parents had a change of mind and everything was forgotten and reunion ensued. So there is a shock and reconciliation. Just like you say insensitivity on the part of the parents, one has to be in the shoes of the parents to know how they feel offended despite the culture that prevailed at home when the kid was growing up.
2. On the utility of such shows.
I am referring to the education level of the audience who participate in the live shows. These people are activists and they know very well about these social issues. The other media has lots and lots of such stories. For example years ago I wrote an article in chennaionline.com about female infanticide and feticide and several NGOs took it upon themselves to pitch in by helping the people involved. I wrote about their work in the article. My point is these shows are just peripheral events and sometimes indulged in for personal glory. The audience are Oprah-isk in affluence to be able to spend time and effort to participate in these shows. Bringing one or two instances to the show is not going to cut mustard. Do they do anything more afterwarrds in their neighborhood to set up volunteer organizations to help the victims? Talk is cheap. If the show encourages such events that is what is needed. The revenues from the show should be given to NGOs with specific mission to address specific issues. The show host should do it just for the honor and should not be remunerated at all. We need to know that fact. I understand contributions pour in and money goes to charitable institutions. Transparency is needed---first of all on the remuneration paid to the host.
There is more to it than this. No time to go into all that.
Aamir Khan, the New Hero of Indian Television - WSJ.com
My personal view on the show (I watched one show on the internet--dubbed in Thamizh) is given belwo.. I guess the show is in Hindi but dubbed in different regional languages.
To me the show concentrates on social ills and social injustice. The audience is more like those of Oprah show. Educated Indians are already aware of such issues. What is the point in preaching to the converted? Those who are young and who have an awareness of the issues are not going to perpetrate such injustice. Those who do perpetrate are not going to redeem themselves. Only when that generation disappears perhaps the ills will get cured.
Couple of more points.
1. On the topic of declaring sexual orientation by a youngster to his/her parents.
Everybody is a product of their environment--the way they grew up and were influenced. So it is equally cruel to think for a youngster to declare his/her sexual orientation to their parents and expect instantaneous whole-hearted endorsement. For exampla, in India in brahmin households if the girl loves a man from another state person who speaks a different language and wants to marry him they would not sanction it and not even attend the wedding. It happened in a family known to me where the daughter (a Thamizh girl) married a Gujerati in Mumbai years ago. The parents vowed to disown her and did so for a couple of years. But after a baby was born to the daughter the parents had a change of mind and everything was forgotten and reunion ensued. So there is a shock and reconciliation. Just like you say insensitivity on the part of the parents, one has to be in the shoes of the parents to know how they feel offended despite the culture that prevailed at home when the kid was growing up.
2. On the utility of such shows.
I am referring to the education level of the audience who participate in the live shows. These people are activists and they know very well about these social issues. The other media has lots and lots of such stories. For example years ago I wrote an article in chennaionline.com about female infanticide and feticide and several NGOs took it upon themselves to pitch in by helping the people involved. I wrote about their work in the article. My point is these shows are just peripheral events and sometimes indulged in for personal glory. The audience are Oprah-isk in affluence to be able to spend time and effort to participate in these shows. Bringing one or two instances to the show is not going to cut mustard. Do they do anything more afterwarrds in their neighborhood to set up volunteer organizations to help the victims? Talk is cheap. If the show encourages such events that is what is needed. The revenues from the show should be given to NGOs with specific mission to address specific issues. The show host should do it just for the honor and should not be remunerated at all. We need to know that fact. I understand contributions pour in and money goes to charitable institutions. Transparency is needed---first of all on the remuneration paid to the host.
There is more to it than this. No time to go into all that.
