Confusion hi confusion hai, in TV that is

TV continues to be the biggest puzzle (even a Rubik cube is child’s play compared to it). For someone like me who has seen the small screen evolve and grow into the giant it is today I am yet to put a finger on its pulse. I am unable to fathom how it clicks, what makes it click and why it clicks. Having said this I am trying to unravel some of the mysteries of the small screen. Recently, two new shows launched on two different channels. National Bingo Night on Colors and Rahul Dulhania Le Jaayega on NDTV Imagine. Bingo has Abhishek Bachchan hosting it and the other show has 15 girls vying to be Mrs Rahul Mahajan. They are at two different time slots with completely different content. But both are doing well for their respective channels. Let’s try and understand why… Now why would one watch Bingo? It’s kind of the good old Housie you played in picnics or in a society get-together. They launched the show by bringing in the host’s Pa to ‘bless’ the son and later continued to draw viewers by bringing in the likes of Karan Johar ,SRK, Vidya Balan,etc. In the first week after its launch the channel was thumping its chest with the initial ratings. Apparently Pappu had passed and attracted many eyeballs than SRK , Salman and Akshay when they had first debuted on TV. So what has worked –the surname, the Bachchan charm, the celebrity guests or the game? Or everything? Confused? That’television. On the other hand there is Rahul Mahajan who has gone all out to share the most private moment of his life (it’s a different thing, that’s Rahul private life anyways makes for good public consumption). The guy who has been in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons is wooed by 15 girls one of whom will ultimately marry him. Yes,unlike Rakhi Sawant , he claims he will marry one of them and as for the girls, they don’t look like they care about his murky past. What is bewildering is why would viewers want to see wannabe look-alikes of each other suck up to a loser like Mahajan? One cannot watch it beyond 10 minutes. How can anyone watch semi-clad girls trying to seduce a heavily pan-caked Mahajan? But yes, viewers are slamming the show (follow the Tweets) but tuning into it too! Confused? That’s television. Sigh! I am unable to fathom why a rich Thakur who has a good looking wife would fall head over heels in love with a poverty stricken young girl? So much so that he wastes all his time scheming to bed her. And are all the servants in his haveli so na?ve that they would drink an entire bottle of liquor at their master’s behest! And are all wives so blind that they can’t see what their husbands are up to under their nose? Seriously sick stuff but well accepted by the TV viewers. Bairi Piya is the No. 5 show on Colors and both Balaji and the channel are preening about this one. After booting out almost all K-serials why is this show accepted remains a mystery. Confused? That's television. And coming to yet another riddle titled Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli ! Once again, it’s about a very rich family living in a ‘gold’ mansion. Ousted from their ancestral home the family takes refuge in a trusted aide’s house. The husband continues to wear clothes that can put a groom to shame and if his wife sold even a few of those ornaments that she wears in each scene they could probably buy a small house instead of living in someone else’s home. Confused? That's television. Before I sign off I have to warn viewers on what they will be subjected to tonight on yet another top grosser. This one is on top of this 'confusing' heap and 'originates' from the numero uno soap factory- Balaji Telefilms. Tonight on Zee's Pavitra Rishta fans of the show will see a temple priest reprimanding the female lead about not wearing sindoor and mangalsutra when coming to the temple! If you have digested this bit there is more...he goes on to offer some sindoor to the man accompanying her and asks him to fill it in the girl's hair! Confused? That's television. But that’s the ‘idiot’ box for you where you may not get all your answers but it still assures you that all ‘izz’ well. Read more...