Sach ka Saamna-Is it really that big a deal????

PS: I write this at the top,defying convention..I AM A HARDCORE PESSIMIST..All the views are kept with this attitude in mind and mostly give only one side.

In a democracy Who decides morality, who decides what is right and wrong?? We might think it is us, the common people who do it via the voting system but do we really??? Its almost as if voting once every 5 years absolves us from the blame of what happens to the country during that tenure.

During Arjun Singh’s tenure when the Reservation bill was passed, in spite of all the furore made and the protests (violent and non-violent),bhook hadtals, peaceful marches and processions only 1 fact came to light – we really could do nothing once they decided to pass it in spite of all the blood spilt and lives lost.

After that the movement just fizzled out-just like that. So much so that when there was a law passed about raising the bar of the creamy layer from 2 lacs to 4.5 lacs many people had no idea and it passed.[YFE had organized an e-petition. I was the 819^th person to sign it…and this was 2 months back…a long time after it passed. Also if u have no idea what YFE is..2 words-“Knuckle-Head”]

I digress. (I attribute it to no writing after I got out of school-I’ll save this one for another day).

There’s this show on TV making headlines…Its infamous claim to fame is that it made the news even before it started on the controversy between Vinod Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar. After that all the floodgates opened and I somehow catch it on the news everyday or if not everyday every second day at least.Turn on the news channel and youll see ‘clips’ from the show where the participant wired up to this polygraph thingie and all theyre supposed to do is tell the truth…21 questions will earn you 1 crore Rs. and you walk out a filthy rich man/woman or any other kind(I think they had a couple of the other catergories too but im not really a follower and I really am too lazy to find it out).

Yes..I’m talkin about the infamous ‘Sach ka Saamna’. I used to watch ‘ The Moment of Truth’ and it seems our hindi counterpart is “inspired” from that. (“Inspired” is a lovely word used in the media industry to well,basically copy the entire format- the same sets, the same seat, down to the same color when the buzzer in it rings. They were mightily inspired I tell you :P .At least they didn’t just translate the name of the show.)

The uproar that is being created is because :- It is against “Indian Culture.”

So what does the average Indian do-well, what can he do??? He lays down spread-eagled on the couch, watching,enjoying and savouring every bit of the show and criticizing it as soon as it ends (I somehow ‘know’ many of these people).

Turns out that our watch’dogs’ are there to protect us. Like messiahs they jump to action-ready to take on anyone or anything that is remotely ‘corrupting’ our culture. So the issue is taken to the parliament and is hotly debated upon ( The fact that our valuable money is being used to discuss THIS issue of ‘paramount importance’ over education, poverty, border security, corruption, nuclear armed neighbours ,26/11 and KASAV somehow escaped their minds.)

SP’s Kamal Akhtar first raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha , saying contestants were being asked “obscene questions” about their personal lives in front of their family members. The show was against “Indian culture”

This is where I got confused(PARADOX anyone??)…So just because they were saying the ‘truth’,that is against Indian culture…but wait,that would mean that ‘lying’ is Indian culture??..but wait..That doesn’t make any sense,does it..it is’nt what the ‘father of the nation’ Gandhi said...so maybe he was wrong or the times have changed (Dunno,have they???)…or maybe these guys are wrong(are they??)…Maybe Indian culture has changed and now its ok to lie???(Na,that just sounds weak in my head…what am I thinking???). Please enlighten me..Someone!!!

I happened to catch a debate on the TV about this show where they had a couple of these MP’s and a couple of B-list celebs.

One of these MP’s-I have no idea what his name was but he was giving his views..So this guy, in a crisp white kurta pyjama, kaala tikka on his forehead, seasoned politician I think..somehow the others never got to speak…or even when they did this guy provided the background commentary. It was plain hilarious -basically according to him whatever has happened in the past its ok and allowed (wtf) and deserves to stay there(wtf x 2)..theres no need to bring it up after that and spoil yours or anyone’s future .. And its ok to have committed crimes as long as they were in the past(because you were young and ignorant-his words) but not ok to admit them (WTF-major one)

[Incidentally on being asked whether he had any relationships before his marriage he declined to answer,on being asked further if he had would he have admitted it to his wife if he had,he declined again. Somehow we can’t question his ‘morality’ but he has the right to set morality for Indians and question theirs.]

This show, even though courting controversy has done 1 good thing – exposing India for the hollowed, hypocritical, voyeuristic society paying scant regard to the truth even while maintaining a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude towards the west .What is remarkable about this show is that it has average people..the middle class…they could be my neighbours,yours, or even the average guy walking on the road or even the guy sitting next to you.

So When did saying the truth become a problem?? Possibly when it exposes the society for what it is.And because people can’t handle it. Shashi Tharoor’s words come to mind “India is not an under-developed country. It is an over-developed country in an advanced state of decay” (somehow that made sense to me,others might disagree)

In a recently filed petition against this show, the Delhi high court said “If you don’t like it,switch your TV off”

I have a New found respect and immense admiration for the Delhi HC for showing so much maturity,after 377 and this-both of which I support. Following is an excrept

“You are asking us to entertain an area which deals with perceptions and opinions. Further, morality yardsticks are to be decided by the government. We cannot decide the issue,” the judges told the counsel for petitioners, former Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh.

While repeatedly directing the petitioners to take the issue to the legislature and executive, the court was scathing on lawmakers.

“I am not sure whether the show has brought out the truth of many people but it is certain that it has brought out the hypocrisy of various ministers and parliamentarians,” Justice Shah said. ((these judges sure know how to kick ass :P :P)

He made the comment in reference to the repeated flip-flops by MPs over broadcasting bills and endless debates over self-regulation of TV channels in both Houses. “We have seen numerous debates on self-regulation and what not over the broadcasting rules, though leading to nothing,” Justice Shah said.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

There is a term which is used to possibly explain why this show has generated such colossal TRP’s.Its called SchadenFruede and basically it means “largely unanticipated delight in the suffering of another which is cognized as trivial and/or appropriate.”

In layman language it just means that people get delighted in watching other people suffer.The fact is that this show pander to a voyeuristic audience. However, in this case it is not that we, the audience, want to watch contestants admit to doing terrible things, rather we want to watch them destroy their relationships, hurt their close ones, offend their friends, risk their careers—we want to see how far people will go.

In the end a small and possibly the most important point.Our country was based on an ideal derived from 2 words – “Satyamev Jayte”. Somehow we were always told that truth will always prevail. It is at times like these that you really wonder-Have we really lost our way???Have we really taken the path we wanted to???

The answer I believe can be answered by you and you only. My answer is evident.

PS: I’d love to know what you think just to know where the average Indian stands on this.