1. Page1 Feminine Narratives in Hindi serials Author: Shreyanka Basu April 2012 Have you been watching TV? What are some of your favorite serials? I was just channel hopping a few days back and here is something that struck me with content on Hindi general entertainment channels such as Star, Colors, Zee and Sony. The content on air currently appears to reflect some subtle cues of change in what is popularly referred to as Indian values. So what do some of the key female narratives indicate?

2. Page2 In Sasural Genda Phool on Star Plus Suhana the key protagonist starts out by being a spoilt brat and for a fairly long time stays that way even in her marital home.Her in laws are by and large indulgent of her behavior though they do take the effort to make her realize her follies. What stands out about the situation is the fact that theacceptance of the individual comes before the demands of the marital role are fulfilled. This is almost path breaking in the Indian context. Her in laws behavior towards their daughter in law reflect a changing trend of parents almost nurturing their sons spouses especially in urban India and probably also hoping that someone does the same with their own daughters. Over time we find Suhana integrating more into the Kashyap family and growing into her marital roles. But the story does not end there. In fact it almost takes on a new start and Suhana ends up actually working as a protagonist in a tele- serial! Not only does this bahu of the Kashyap family goes for 3. Page3 shootings and extended hours she also has an agent in her brother in law and full family support for her profession. Priya from Bade Ache Lagte Hain is a woman in her mid-thirties when she marries Ram in what is a marriage of compromise for starters. The two go on to discover their feelings for each other eventually. The current track in the program deals with the issue of late parenthood as Rams granny now demands a grandchild. It is becoming increasingly true of urban working women to marry late and postpone having children well into their thirties. In a first of sorts on Indian television recently an episode of the serial was focused on the consummation of the marriage of Priya and Ram. The episode narrative focused on some very strong expressions of love by the woman and that too not in the usual shy and docile manner but in a state of anger and aggression, something that actually has no other parallel in the narrative of Hindi GEC content. Incidentally the lady who plays the role of Priya in this show used to play the role of the dutiful daughter in law Parvati who epitomized the ideal women who was almost in the serial Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani. It is interesting to note that in her second outing Sakshi has chosen to play a role more in line with todays urban woman. On being asked how much she identifies with the character in an interview to India Today magazine Sakshi mentioned I play Priya who is in her early thirties and unmarried. Priya believes in being independent. It is pretty much the same situation as mine as far as being independent. 4. Page4 In Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha on Colors we find Mrs. Megha Vyas who is a widow working as a writer in a womens magazine and trying to create a better future for her children. She overcomes her own inhibitions about stepping out to work with the strong support of her upright father in law. This new found narrative of close bonding between father in law and daughter in law is also echoed in Diya aur Bati Hum where Sandhya shares a warm rapport with her jovial but slightly lazy father in law. The bonding in these instances is more at a personal level than at the level of the roles each individual plays within the family. Like any working mother Megha tries her best to juggle both worlds but at times the demands of her work are such that she has to compromise on the home front. Thus she is quasi absent from the kitchen and is often shown as being late for family functions. What is interesting is that while Mrs. Vyas is absent her home is still shown as running by and large in an organized fashion, although there is a constant stream of jibes from her petulant sister in law. The idea of the mother becoming the provider may not be very new but the fact that her home is not falling apart in her absence reflects a new found maturity around the concepts of the womans role at home. From a womans perspective the idea of managing households as opposed to doing things by her is gradually beginning to crystallize in the urban context. Pratigya the lead in the serial by her namesake takes on her in laws and opposes regressive customs and behavior but still retains her virtues as the dutiful daughter in law by taking her in laws to her own home when their elder son throws them out of the house. At one point she starts writing for a magazine to give voice to her inner expressions. In spite of being the daughter in law in a very patriarchal household she holds on to her progressive thoughts and does not hesitate to convey the same as and when the situation demands. Her relationship with her spouse Krishna is based on a strong friendship and often her husband supports her and not his own family. 5. Page5 Anandi in Balika Vadhu is another example of a leading protagonist pushing the envelope further. She gets dumped by Jagya but does not spend the rest of her life in self-pity. Her life is far from over post her abandonment. Her in laws including the feisty dadisa (granny in law) also supports her decision to study further. Thus Anandi not only picks up the threads of her life but also goes on to become the head of her village. Her father in law even goes to the extent of cutting all his ties with his son for abandoning Anandi. It appears that slowly but surely the portrayals of Indian women on Hindi GECs is moving towards a more realistic paradigm, These women do play their expected role but also ensure that they do not do so at the cost of their individuality. They are not molded in black or white. Instead they tell that there are many shades of grey.