Broadcast Journalism: Soap Operas: Notes: Second Year Students

Unit 1: Soap Operas: Disclaimer: The note/s given below is/ are a compilation of information taken from various sources. The references to the sources are provided at the end. The views expressed in the note/s are those of the concerned student/s/ intern/s. The blogger or the compiler will not be responsible in any manner whatsoever regarding the authenticity of the information provided in the note/s.

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Soap Opera

Index:

• Introduction
• History of soap opera 
• The golden age
• History of Indian soap opera 
• Hum Log
• How did it started
• Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
• Characteristics of soap opera
• Melodrama 
• Cliffhangers 
• Complex relationship 
• Social Cause
• Modern takes on soap opera
• Key Elements of soap opera 
• Impact on the society 
• Sensationalism
• Audience on soap operas
• Ministry of Broadcasting about soap operas
• How soap opera changing the world
• Social media engagement 
• Television award shows
• Techniques of writing 
• Regulated in terms of content
• Soap operas in developing country
• Conclusion 

 

Introduction-

 

A soap opera is a television or radio drama series dealing with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters. These serialised shows are known for their intricate plots, frequent cliffhangers, and a focus on emotional relationships and domestic situations. Significantly, the term 'soap opera' originated from the early sponsors and producers of the serialised dramas being soap manufacturers.

 

A soap opera's storylines usually span several weeks or months, with each episode building on the previous one. The episodic format and long story arcs allow for complex character development.

 

Soap operas generally feature a diverse cast of characters in ongoing relationships that evolve over time. While some storylines may center around a particular family, others focus on romantic relationships, business dealings, or a wide range of other topics.

 

Soap Opera Defined By- 

 

• Melodrama
• Cliffhangers
• Complex Relationships
• Social cause

 

History of Soap Opera- 

 

The soap opera is arguably the most unique contribution that broadcasting has made to the art of storytelling. Other serialised forms had existed before, including the novel, the comic strip, and the B movie, but none allowed stories of the length and density of the soap opera to play out over generations in real time. The Guiding Light (CBS, 1952–present), which began on radio in 1937 and continues on television to this day, is without question the longest formal narrative in human history.

The earliest radio soap operas were aired during the evening and included a range of genres for the whole family, from comedy to drama. It soon became clear to advertisers, however, that this form held great potential as a daytime genre aimed directly at women. By the 1930s, the name “soap opera” had stuck as a description of these programs which carried so many commercials for household products. By the 1940s, over 70 serials were on daytime radio schedules.

It was inevitable that the genre would move to television. The earliest network TV soap, Faraway Hill (DuMont, 1946), started on prime time, but with the appearance of A Woman to Remember, the move was on. Hawkins Falls (NBC, 1951–1955), which also began as an evening series, moved to daytime in 1951, where it stayed for four years. Search for Tomorrow(CBS/NBC, 1951–1986) was introduced that same year, and it remained on the air for 35 years.

Soap operas trace their origins back to the 1930s radio broadcasts, where the innovative storytelling format was initially employed to promote soap products to housewives, which led to the name 'soap opera'. 

One of the earliest soap operas on television was Guiding Light, which debuted as a radio drama in 1937 and later transitioned to television in the 1950s.

 

The Golden Age 

 

The 1980s are widely regarded as the 'Golden Age' of soap operas, with immensely popular shows like General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, and “The Young and the Restless” American Television soap opera reigning over daytime television. These captivating series captivated audiences with their intricately woven plots, opulent lifestyles, and daring storylines that pushed the boundaries of societal norms.

 

History of Indian Soap Opera- 

 

Indian soap operas or Indian serials are soap operas written, produced, filmed in India, with characters played by Indians with episodes broadcast on Indian television.

 

 Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–08) became the first Indian television drama to cross 1000 episodes in the history Indian Television thus entering the Limca Book of Records.^[4] Char Divas Sasuche (Marathi) (2001–13) was the first Indian series to cross 2,000 and 3,000 episodes, also entering in Limca Book of Records, which concluded with 3,200 episodes. The Telugu series Abhishekam (2008–22) was the first Indian series with 4,000 episodes and concluded on 1 February 2022. 

 

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai is the longest running Hindi serial in the history of Indian television with 2400+ episodes as of 5th June 2017 (2009 - still running). Balika Vadhu is the second longest Hindi serial with 2245 episodes (2008-2016). 

Indian series are made in almost all of the major languages in India, though many also contain a mix of the predominant language and English. Indian dramas are also broadcast in other parts of South Asia, the Caribbean, Southeast Central Asia , Western Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, North Africa, Southeast Africa, and Francophone Africa. 

Common languages serials made in are Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Odia, Telugu, and Malayalam.

Indian soap operas are also broadcast in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and francophone Africa.

 

Hum Log

 

India's first soap opera was Hum Log, which concluded with 154 episodes. It is an Indian television soap opera and also the first serial drama series in Hindi. It began telecast on Doordarshan, India's national network on 7 July 1984, then the only television channel of India. It is the story of an Indian middle-class family of the 1980s and their daily struggles and aspirations. It was the longest running serial in the history of Indian television at the time it ended. It had an audience of 60 million Every episode was about 25 minutes long, and the last episode was about 55 minutes. At the end of every episode, veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar would discuss the ongoing story and situations with the audience using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, he would introduce the actors who played characters in the serial and end his monologue with the Indian language versions of the words "Hum Log."

 

Written by Manohar Shyam Joshi and directed by Vasudev Kumar, the soap opera revolved around the lives of a middle-class Indian family, and perhaps, this central theme is what allowed the show to gain its mass traction of around 50 million viewers. The protagonists included Basesar Ram, who was married to Bhagwanti, and they parented Badki, Chutki, Lalloo, Majhli, and Nanhe. 

It has all the makings of a typical Indian family and explains why so many people would drop their daily routines and sit themselves in front of their televisions as the show aired. Circumstances of confusion surrounding education, finances, relationships, and more were regularly explored. In 1984, the idea of nuclear families was just starting to come about, but the existence of joint families and their complexities was very much relatable.

 

Hum Log challenged societal pressures at a time when it was considered unacceptable to even discuss them at dinner tables. It showed a Hindu girl in love with a Muslim man and expressed the wishes of an individual to marry a woman from a lower caste. In a way, it is perhaps one of the only tools at the time that had the ability to remotely normalise these then-controversial aspects of society.

 

In fact, it can also be said that Hum Log is still relevant. Middle-class families that aspire to be upper-class, with their complex personalities make up for a large chunk of the Indian population. The social issues the show touched upon are rampant even today. We may have made some progress, but the first Indian TV show, quite interestingly, mirrors the society of 2021 too.

 

HOW DID IT START- MEXICO - SS GILL- SECRETARY I&B- 

 

In 1984, Doordarshan had begun airing India’s first and longest running soap, Hum Log. The serial was started at the initiative of the then Information and Broadcasting secretary, S. S. Gill.

In 1983 an Indian team led by Gill had visited Mexico to study the pro-development soaps of Miguel Sabido. These soaps were different from the regular commercial soaps aired on American television in the sense that they combined entertainment with specific messages to promote some aspect of development.

On his return, Gill commissioned a private producer, Shobha Doctor, to create a series that would combine a storyline with progressive messages on family planning, the status of women and so on and Hum Log was born.

The first few episodes, in the best traditions of Indian television, were didactic and preachy. There was a demand to take the serial off the air. But Gill conducted a review and changes were made emphasising the story. And soon, Hum Log was climbing the charts. The success of the serial indicated the existence of a huge market for well-made indigenous programmes. And the government’s decision to go commercial laid the foundations for a new software industry.

 

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi –

 

It is an Hindi language’s soap opera  that aired from 3 July 2000 to 6 November 2008 on Star Plus.. The show was co-produced by Shova Kapor  and Ekta Kapoor under their banner of Balaji Telefilms.  

 

Ekta Kapoor’s  Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–08) became the first Indian television drama to cross 1000 episodes in the history Indian Television thus entering the Limca Book of Records, and completed its run with 1833 episodes.

 

Characteristics of Soap Operas

 

As we research deeper into the captivating world of soap operas, it's pivotal to understand the distinct attributes that define this genre. 

 

These characteristics not only distinguish soap operas from other television genres but also contribute to their enduring popularity. In the following section, we'll explore these defining characteristics that make soap operas a uniquely engaging form of serialised storytelling.

 

Melodrama

 

One defining characteristic of soap operas is their melodramatic nature. The conflicts that unfold in these shows are often exaggerated, with emotions running high and tensions reaching their peak. 

 

It is this melodrama, exaggeration and intensity that contributes to the overall drama and appeal of the storylines, captivating viewers and keeping them hooked episode after episode.

 

Cliffhangers

 

Soap operas, beloved for their addictive storylines and dramatic twists, are notorious for their suspenseful cliffhangers. As each episode nears its end, viewers are left on the edge of their seats, captivated by a carefully crafted moment of intrigue or surprise.

 

These captivating cliffhangers are meticulously designed to leave audiences eagerly anticipating the next thrilling instalment, as they anxiously ponder the fates of their beloved characters and the unfolding plot.

 

Complex Relationships

 

Relationships play a pivotal role in the captivating world of soap operas. These beloved dramas are known for exploring a myriad of themes, including passionate love stories, heart-wrenching betrayals, and gripping family conflicts. With their intricate plot-lines and deeply intertwined characters, soap operas continue to enthral audiences around the globe.

 

Social cause

 Soap Opera has the power to influence conceptions of identity. Stories reshape social values and create genuine long-term behaviour responses – they are a powerful medium for social change. Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique inspired the second-wave feminist movement in the 1960s, one that changed women’s working conditions, family life and sexuality.  When Tom Hanks gave a human face to HIV victims and homosexuality in the film Philadelphia, he encouraged for the first time public discussion and empathy. This is the power of soap opera and it can be applied in the development sector.

When it comes to changing attitudes, behaviours, knowledge and perception for sensitive issues (such as family planning, HIV/AIDs and domestic abuse in conservative societies), the application of Entertainment-Education becomes an innovative, effective and almost necessary solution. Using the power of soap opera, E-E employs radio, television, music and theatre for behaviour change in communities.

“Hum Log” was focussed on issues such as women's fertility and status in a combination of education and entertainment television programming. It's objective was to cover many social issues of India in an attempt to influence attitudes and behaviours. Findings are paralleled with experiences in Latin America and the United States. About 10% of India's 800 million people owned televisions in 1987 following enormous expansion in the 1980's. This project focussed on tapping this potential for development communication. Recognising the value of the Mexican telenovela experience for other regions of the developing world, Population Communications International coordinated the introduction of the Sabido methodology to India in this long-running pro-social serial. Hum Log, which featured educational messages about family life and family planning, was reported to be enormously popular with its audience. Attracting ratings of over 90% at its peak, this serial broadcast in Hindi set a record for television ratings in India.

 

Modern Takes on Soap Operas

 

In the modern era, soap operas have evolved to reflect changing societal norms and values. Shows like The Bold and the Beautiful and Grey's Anatomy take the traditional soap opera format and weave in contemporary issues, such as relationships, diversity, and ethical dilemmas.

 

Key elements of Soap Opera 

 

SET DESIGN  SCRIPT –

 Set design uses a variety of different mediums to convey a designers artistic visions before the actual set is constructed. A design model is a three dimensional, highly detailed presentation depictions a smaller scaled version of the set.

The five categories included in set design are line, mass, composition, texture, and colour. Set design also includes deciding between realistic and non realistic design, as well as deciding on aesthetic choices.

Set design can be used for many different things, including setting the locale and time period of production, providing a design consistent with the production’s director’s vision and providing physical elements of the actors to interact with, which heightens the Reality of production. 

 

SOUND- 

A soap opera can have beautiful visuals, but to really immerse the audience in the drama, it has to have good sound. The sounds of film and television productions include anything from snappy lines of dialogue to soaring film scores to a careful mixture of in-scene music and sound effects. That mixture is called sound design.

Sound design is the craft of creating an overall sonic palette for a piece of art, especially media like film, TV shows, live theatre, commercials, and podcasts. It can also apply to multimedia visual art forms (video art) and even music recordings that incorporate ambient sounds or sound effects. 

A soap opera has many shows and episodes that return to the same location time and again. As a result, a TV sound designer might design a core template for scenes shot in those locations so they can create consistency from one episode to the next.

Sound design often involves music in soap opera and original music created specifically for the project. This music can appear in a drama  scene as sound heard by the characters, such as music from a radio or a song a character sings. It can also be underscore, which is textural music that the audience hears but the characters don’t.

 

Features of Soap Opera

 

There are several unique features of the soap opera genre. Its most distinguishing feature is that they never begin and are never-ending. They are made up of continuing stories with plot-lines that compete against one another and often overlap as one storyline generally leads into another preventing any clear resolution. Unlike any other genre on television the soap opera is extremely slow paced as it can take months before a storyline climaxes. This is a characteristic that is used to help audiences to understand and keep up with the plot while continuing with the other activities of their lives, such as housework, school, and paid work. Soap operas are driven by dialogue not action. Like its radio predecessors, television soap opera stories are told through conversations not through the physical portrayal of events.

 

Births, weddings and death are three crucial events that occur in soap operas and are central to all storylines. Romance is the cornerstone of all soap operas as they traces through the ups and downs of the personal relationships of the characters and tap into the emotions of their audience.

 

Cliffhangers are the feature of soap operas that draws its audience in everyday. Leaving the audience hanging at the end of an episode is a ploy that is used to get the audience member to tune into the next episode to see what happens next.

 

Impact on the society - 

 

Soap operas have influenced society by reflecting and shaping cultural norms and values. These programs often tackle social issues such as race, gender, sexuality, and class and can provide a platform for exploring and debating these topics. By presenting these issues in a dramatic and relatable way, soap operas can help to raise awareness and promote understanding of important social issues. For example, the popular soap opera "All My Children" - American television series, featured the first on-screen lesbian relationship in television history and has been credited with helping to normalise LGBTQ relationships in the media.

 

This groundbreaking moment was significant because it marked a shift in cultural norms and values toward greater acceptance and understanding of same-sex relationships. Prior to this, LGBTQ relationships were often portrayed negatively or stereotypically in the media or were not depicted at all.

 

Another example of how soap operas have changed cultural norms is through their portrayal of women. Many soap operas feature strong and independent female characters who are successful in their careers and personal lives. This can help to challenge traditional gender roles and promote the idea that women are capable of achieving anything they set their minds to.

 

In addition, soap operas have also explored themes such as domestic violence and addiction, which can help raise awareness and promote understanding of these important social issues. However, it is important to note that soap operas are also often criticised for portraying women as overly sexualised or dependent on men and promoting an idealised and often unrealistic standard of beauty. This can reinforce negative stereotypes and create unrealistic expectations about relationships and personal appearance.

 

Sensationalism - 

 

One way in which soap operas have gained popularity is through the use of sensationalism. Sensationalism refers to using shocking or attention-grabbing tactics to attract and retain an audience. In soap operas, this often takes the form of over-the-top plot twists, shocking reveals, or dramatic confrontations. These elements can be highly entertaining and help to keep viewers engaged and invested in the storylines. However, there are also potential drawbacks to sensationalism in soap operas and how it has affected society. Some of them are listed and later expanded below−

 

Some critics argue that this programming can contribute to a distorted view of reality and reinforce negative stereotypes. For example, soap operas are often criticised for portraying women as dependent on men and promoting an idealised and often unrealistic standard of beauty. These portrayals can have a negative impact on society by reinforcing gender stereotypes and contributing to unhealthy body image standards. In addition, sensationalism in soap operas can detract from more nuanced or realistic storylines and character development and may prioritise shock value over quality storytelling. This can lead to a lack of depth in the portrayal of social issues and a reduction in the potential for these programs to be a meaningful platform for exploring and debating important topics.

 

.Audience and Soap Operas 

 

Soaps in general have a predominantly female audience, although prime-time soaps such as Dallas (U.S), Bade Acche lagte hain (BALH) are aimed at a wider audience, and in fact at least 30% of the audiences for this soap are male. According to Ang, in Dallas the main interest for men was in business relations-and problem and the power and wealth shown, whereas women were more often interested in the family issues and love affairs. In the case of BALH, it is clear that the programs meant something different for female viewers compared with male viewers.

The audience for soaps does include men sometimes but some theorists argue that the gender of the viewer is 'inscribed' in the programs so the soaps address women in particular. Soaps appeal to those who value the personal and domestic word. Dorothy Hobson argues that women typically use soaps asa way of talking indirectly about their own attitudes and behaviour. There is no doubt that viewing and talking with family and friends about soap operas is experienced by many women as a pleasurable-experience, and the dismissal of the worth of the genre by many commentators, including some feminists critical of gender stereotyping, is open to the charge of cultural elitism. Some feminist theorists have argued that soap operas spring from a feminine aesthetic, in contrast to most prime-time television.

 

Ministry of Broadcasting about Soap Opera-  

 

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is one of the vital Ministries that represent the face of the government in reaching out to the masses. The Ministry is entrusted with the task of disseminating information about government policies, schemes and programmes through the different medium of mass communication covering radio, television, press, social media, printed publicity like booklets; posters, outdoor publicity including through traditional modes of communication such as dance, drama, folk recitals, puppet shows etc. The Ministry is also the focal point as regards policy matters related to private broadcasting sector, administering of the public broadcasting service- Prasar Bharati, multi-media advertising and publicity of the policies and programmes of the Union Government, film promotion and certification and regulation of print media.

On the public service broadcasting sphere, the Ministry overviews matters relating to All India Radio and Doordarshan through the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India Act),1990 which includes regulation of the use of All India Radio and Doordarshan by recognised national and regional political parties during elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and procedure to be followed by the official electronic media during periods of national mourning on the demise of a high dignitary.

Despite stiff competition from SVOD services, India thrives as one of the largest pay TV markets in the world. In fact, the adoption of smart TVs in several households has allowed for a hybrid TV-viewing experience by connecting to the internet for streaming content as well as tuning into pay TV channels. 

General entertainment content (GEC) refers to entertainment content that includes dramas, soap operas, game shows, and reality shows on Indian television. Television consumption has become synonymous with this genre with Indian viewers spending the most amount of time watching GEC channels.

 

How Soap Opera Change the World- 

Soap operas aren't often celebrated for contributing to the good of society. Whether it's the materialism of Dallas or the idle gossip of Neighbours, they are better known for being shallow and addictive than for bringing about social change.

But around the world the genre has succeeded in providing "educational entertainment" - a blend of public service messages and melodrama that has enraptured millions of viewers.

Here are some of the things soaps have achieved- 

1. Growing Food- It was in 1951 that BBC radio and the Ministry of Agriculture created The Archers, an "everyday story of country folk", which encouraged farmers to try new techniques to increase productivity in the years after WWII.

 

2. Getting People Sewing - In 1969, the rags-to-riches story of a domestic employee who made her fortune through her skills with a sewing machine provided the template for an entertainment education revolution. THIS IS HOW the first Indian soap opera Hum LOG STARTED.

 

3. Teaching Adults to read - studying the Simplemente Maria phenomenon. He had written several popular soaps for a major Mexican broadcaster but was frustrated with the vacuous content. He drew up a methodology that writers could use to create drama series that would be both popular and educational.

In 1975, half of Mexico's workforce was illiterate and though the government had initiated a public adult literacy programme, it had a low take up. Sabido created a series called Ven Congo, in which an elderly man graduated from literacy class and in an emotional scene read a letter from his daughter for the first time.

 

4. Marriage for love- In 1984, Sabido was invited to India by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to work on the first serial drama series on the subcontinent. He created Hum Log, a series that took on big issues such as caste harmony and empowerment of women - and drew a regular viewing audience of more than 50 million.

One of the characters, a girl from a Hindu family, falls in love with a Muslim detective, and another wants to marry a woman from a lower caste.

 

5. Girls' Right- poor people didn't own television sets, so PCI Media Impact soon realised it could reach more people through radio. In 2002 it created a radio drama called Taru, set in the Indian state of Bihar, which challenged the preferential treatment of boys over girls.

 

6. Gay tolerance - In 1989, the British soap Eastenders aired the first gay kiss on British television, prompting one British newspaper to run the headline "Filth! Get This Off Our Screens". Actor Michael Cashman received a brick through his window.

 

7. Sexual Health- A number of soaps in East Africa have challenged taboos by discussing sexual health issues.

A series in Sudan told of the agony of a girl who underwent female genital mutilation, and the problems it created for her. Between 2004 and 2006, when the programme was on air, polls suggested growing opposition to the practice.

 

Social MediaEngagement

In recent years, soaps have also begun using social media to engage with their audiences andkeep them  iiinvested in the show. This can include live-tweeting during episodes, hosting Q&A sessions with cast members, and sharing behind-the-scenes content. Soaps use serialized storytelling, character-development, drama, cliffhangers, and social media engagement to keep their audiences engaged and invested in the show. These strategies help to create a loyal and dedicated following and have contributed the enduring-popularity of soap operas.

TelevisionAward Shows

In India, another technique used by television shows to generate hype around themselves is through award shows. Television award shows are ceremonies that recognise and honour outstanding-achievements in television. These award shows are typically televised events that featured carpets, celebrity presenters, and musical performances, and they are often highly anticipated by both industry professionals and the general public. These award shows are often highly publicised events that generate a lot of buzz and media attention. They are a chance for industry professionals to come together and celebrate their achievements, and they also provide a platform for promoting new and upcoming television shows and programs

Techniques ofWriting

A journalism student should be aware that writing for television necessitates the ability to strike a balance between images and words. The style and requirements of the script are determined ahead of time based on the format. The screenplay for a soap opera is finalised word for word before the filming. A soap opera screenplay, for example, will have practically all of the conversations and other details pre-determined and finalised. Before you write your thoughts on paper, look at the photos and log the bytes so you know precisely what and where to utilise them. Logging entails watching the full recording and taking detailed notes on the sentences. This aids in determining the length of the tale, ensures accurate editing and aids in the location of shots and lines during post-production. Logging is also tied to proper video storage and labeling. Because TV newsrooms are increasingly digital, logging assists in maintaining the precise phrases in the memory-box.

 

Soap Opera Should to be regulated in terms of content? -  

The regulation of content in soap operas, including the number of episodes per season or the total number of episodes, is a matter of subjective perspective and cultural norms. Different countries and regions may have different approaches to regulating television content, including soap operas.

Some arguments in favour of regulating soap operas' content or episode numbers include:

1. Quality control: Limiting the number of episodes per season or setting a maximum total number of episodes could encourage producers to focus on creating higher-quality content, ensuring that each episode contributes meaningfully to the overall storyline.

2. Viewer fatigue: Soap operas with a high number of episodes per season or a long-running duration may risk exhausting the audience's interest. Limiting the number of episodes could help maintain viewer engagement and prevent storylines from becoming repetitive or dragging on for too long.

3. Production challenges: Producing a large number of episodes within a short time frame can be demanding for the cast and crew. Setting limits may help alleviate the pressures associated with creating a large volume of content.

On the other hand, arguments against strict regulation of soap operas' content or episode numbers include:

1. Creative freedom: Restricting the number of episodes may limit the creative freedom of writers, producers, and actors. Some storylines may require more time to develop fully, and imposing arbitrary limits could hinder the artistic vision of the creators.

2. Viewer demand: Soap operas, by their nature, often have a dedicated fan base that appreciates the ongoing and long-term storytelling. Imposing limits on the number of episodes could disappoint fans who enjoy the continuous narrative and may result in a decline in viewership.

3. Market considerations: Soap operas are produced as a form of entertainment and are subject to market forces. If viewers continue to tune in and the demand is high, networks and producers may be inclined to continue producing a larger number of episodes.

Ultimately, the decision to regulate soap operas' content or episode numbers is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural norms, audience preferences, and industry practices. Different countries and broadcasting authorities may have their own guidelines or regulations in place to ensure that television content, including soap operas, adheres to certain standards.

 

SOAPOPERASINDEVELOPINGCOUNTRIES

Soap- operas are proving to be especially influential in developing countries. They can improve maritalcommunication,advise people on HIVand AIDS prevention,and counsel childrenabout how to getalong with their parents. Researchers in Ohio University, in their study of a radio soap-opera broadcast in India suggest the programs can carry effective educational messages and change mass behaviour. According to Arvind Singhal, “if the message is appropriate and the problem is common, you reach a large number of people with this-communication”.Soaps -operas needn’t be perceived-as a mindless genre.Viewers have an ongoing relationship with characters, so they become an important part of their daily life. His studies have also drawn from the social learning theory, which suggests that human beings don't always learn directly from the humans, but learn from observing characters in mass media .Evidence was seen where a radio soap -opera was used in Northern India-where .population problems were increasing and soap operas changed the perspectives of people on a number of issues. Researchers at University of Mexico and Ohio University analysed feedback to the themes in "Tinka Tinka Sukh " .(Happiness lies inSmall Things ).It was a 104 episode program broadcast in 1996 over 27 radio stations to an estimated tens of millions of listeners in the Hindi speaking region. Topics included community pride, equal treatment of boys and girls, marital issues, empowerment of women, educating women and many other gender themes. Nearly 150,000 letters were received; including a letter signed by an entire village that noted the soap opera encouraged better treatment of women and increased school attendance amongchildren in the village.

Conclusion 

Soap operas have significantly impacted society and are a popular form of entertainment. While these programs can provide a platform for exploring important social issues and reflecting cultural norms and values, they can also reinforce negative stereotypes and contribute to unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, the influence of soap operas on society will depend on the specific storylines and themes being explored and how they are presented to viewers.

Tanzida Parvez Oishe

Journalism Department, 1031, 2nd year

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TABLE OF CONTENT

• Introduction
• History
• Soap Operas: Description
• Audience and Soap Operas
• Indian Soap Operas
• Characteristics
• Portrayal of Men and Women
• Impact of Soap Operas
• Soap Operas in Developing Countries
• Conclusion: The future of Soap Opera
• Strategies Used by Soap Operas to Retain Audiences

Introduction

Soap operas have a reputation for being melodramatic and highly emotionally volatile, yet they are the top contenders for popularity in the television industry. It is fascinating to observe how television has seemingly taken over the preferences of a certain subset of a population and gained a stronghold on its audience. Ideas for soap operas come from our everyday lives, history, mythology, current societal issues, or pure fiction. It might also revolve around an event that occurs on a specific day. However, it is the role of the television writer to ensure that the idea, having begun in this manner, is transformed into something dramatic and captivating and contains people that appear to be derived from real life.

History

Soap operas are daytime serials with a dramatic content aimed primarily at a female audience. The soap opera emerged in the US radio industry of the early 1930s when the advertising agencies of the soap, toiletry, and foodstuff industries took on the role of developing programs that could attract a female audience. When the last daytime serials left radio in the early 1960s, they were already an established form of television programming and advertisers continued to produce soap operas after the transition to television. The central elements of the serials’ content usually gravitate towards issues such as love, family, intimate relationships and other domestic concerns. Nevertheless, the genre has been characterized by a process of diversification, in which family conflicts are colored by social and political issues. ‘Telenovela’ is a term used throughout Latin America to designate the melodramatic serials that became the most popular programs of the television industries of the region, dominating prime-time and commanding the highest advertising rates. They have been exported to every continent in the world. Although telenovelas have a similar history and common features when compared to soap operas, they are two distinct genres.

 

What are Soap Operas?

Soaps, or soap operas, are a popular form of media that has been a mainstay of television programming for decades. They are known for their ongoing storylines, character development, drama, and serialized structure. Soap operas are popular around the world and have a dedicated fan base. They are often watched by women and are known for their strong and relatable female characters. However, soap operas also have a reputation for being over-the-top and melodramatic, and they are not to everyone’s taste.

Audience and Soap Operas

Soaps in general have a predominantly female audience, although prime-time soaps such as Dallas (U.S), Bade Acche lagte hain (BALH) are aimed at a wider audience, and in fact at least 30% of the audiences for this soap are male. According to Ang, in Dallas the main interest for men was in business relations and problem and the power and wealth shown, whereas women were more often interested in the family issues and love affairs. In the case of BALH, it is clear that the programmes meant something different for female viewers compared with male viewers.

The audience for soaps does include men sometimes but some theorists argue that the gender of the viewer is 'inscribed' in the programmes so the soaps address women in particular. Soaps appeal to those who value the personal and domestic world. Dorothy Hobson argues that women typically use soaps as a way of talking indirectly about their own attitudes and behavior. There is no doubt that viewing and talking with family and friends about soap operas is experienced by many women as a pleasurable experience, and the dismissal of the worth of the genre by many commentators, including some feminists critical of gender stereotyping, is open to the charge of cultural elitism. Some feminist theorists have argued that soap operas spring from a feminine aesthetic, in contrast to most prime-time television.

INDIAN SOAP OPERA

Indian soap operas or Indian serials are soap operas written, produced, filmed in India, with Characters played by Indians with episodes broadcast on Indian television. India's first soap opera was Hum Log which was aired on July 7, 1984, on Doordarshan, the only television channel of the time, forever changing the way Indians would consume mass media which concluded with 151 episodes. It had an audience of 60 million. Every episode was about 25 minutes long, and the last episode was About 55 minutes. The serial buoyed the golden era of Indian television with socially sensitive and mature content catering to an upwardly mobile yet struggling middle-class mass audience. At the end of every episode, veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar would discuss the ongoing story and situations with the audience using Hindi couplets and limericks (a five-line poem that consists of a single stanza, an AABBA rhyme scheme, and whose subject is a short, pithy tale or description). It was soon followed by Buniyaad in 1986 that dealt with Partition, Fauji, which is best known as the launching pad for Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, comedy show Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Vikram Betal and Malgudi Days.

Although India had gained independence from the British rule in 1947, the process of nation-building was far from over. In a country divided by language, region, caste, class, and religion, among other things, a common identity and value system was difficult to achieve. Television serials vastly contributed to this project of cultural assimilation. The entry of private channels in the 1990s, with regional and international channels being available at the click of a remote-control button, provided further impetus to this process. From 70 mm cinema screens to the wooden cabinet enclosed television sets, the entry of television serials into people’s drawing rooms transformed the way information and entertainment would be disseminated.

Tara, aired in 1995, identified with the contemporary urban woman, and Hasratein tackled the subject of extramarital affairs. As the economy was liberalized in the 1990s, television shows reflected the growing aspirations of the youth with reality and talent hunt shows such as Boogie Woogie, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, and finally Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by none other than the Badshah of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan. A prolific list of TV serials came during this time.

Waves of dynamic changes have flashed across the canvas of Indian television during the last decade. Earlier Indian television was restricted to Government-controlled Doordarshan only. But currently there are more than 400 channels available on the Indian television diaspora offering round the clock services and multifarious programming to a huge, heterogeneous television audience. STAR TV, ZEE TV, Sony, have been offering variegated programmes of various dimensions and perspectives. Invariably, Doordarshan projected some interesting programmes. They not only included programmes like “Patrika” or “Spectrum” but also a number of serials were telecast. These included well known works of literature like “Raag Darbari”,“Nirmala” (Premchand), “Pratham Pratishruti” (Ashapoorna Devi)”Charitraheen” and “Shrikant”(Sharat Chandra). Epics like “Mahabharata” , ”Ramayana” and “The Bible” have been among the very popular telecasts. Equally noteworthy has been: Gul Gulshan Gulfam: bearing on the life in a Shikara in Kashmir and other aspects of its social life. (Gopal Saxsena,1996).

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai is the longest running Hindi serial in the history of Indian television with 2400+ episodes as of 5^th June 2017 (2009 – still running). Balika Vadhu is the second longest Hindi Serial with 2245 episodes (2008-2016). The most common languages in which Indian serials are Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Odia, Telugu, and Malayalam. Indian made soap operas are also broadcast in South Asia, Southeast Asia. Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and francophone Africa.

Biographies of famous people started being produced in the form of soap operas. Meera was a biography of Meera, Veer Shivaji portrayed Chhatrapati Shivaji Shahaji Raje Bhosle. Jhansi Ki Rani presented Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Chanakya covered Chanakya and Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur portrayed Rani Padmini Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat is a biography of Ashoka and Bharat ka veer putra Maharana Pratap was biography of Maharana Pratap

Crime shows also started being produced and aired. Adaalat was an Indian television courtroom drama series which revolves around ‘Advocate K.D Pathak, a defense lawyer with an impeccable track record of winning cases and setting helpless innocent victims free, but not at the cost of upholding the truth and C.I.D., follows a team of detectives belonging to the Crime Investigation Department in Mumbai. The protagonist of the show is Shivaji Satam. C.I.D. is the longest- running TV series in India.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOAP OPERA

Television soap operas, no matter in which country or culture they are produced and televised, have certain uniform characteristics. They are dramatic   serial narratives having a form and structure much different from other television genres. They never really begin or end but have a beginning and ending within the space of thirty to sixty minutes. The stories continually unfold year-after-year with a slower pace than other genres and without episodic resolution. Instead, they leave the audience with mini cliffhangers at commercial breaks and   at   the end   of   the episodes. Serious attention was paid to soap operas in   the   early   1980s   when feminists challenged academics to examine what made soap operas so popular with women. Modleski (1983) argued that women were attracted to soap operas because they followed a feminine rather than   a   masculine   narrative.   She   defined the feminine narrative of soap operas as stories that are (i) nonlinear, which means they have no clear beginning, middle and end, (ii) based on dialogue rather than action, (iii) contain numerous interpretations, (iv) disperse the attention and loyalties of the viewers. Modleski also argued that unlike masculine narrative, in which the climax is resolution, the ultimate resolution is constantly yet to come in soap operas. Pleasure comes from anticipation rather resolution. Brown (1987) lists eight generic characteristics of soap operas:

1.  Serial form which resists narrative closure

2.  Multiple characters and plots

3.  Use of time which parallels actual time and implies that the action continues to take place whether we watch it or not

4.  Abrupt segmentation between parts

5.  Emphasis on dialogue, problem solving, and intimate conversation

6.  Male characters who are “sensitive men”

7.  Female characters who are often professional and otherwise powerful in the world outside the home.

8.  The home or some other place which functions as a home, as the setting for the show Traditional realist narratives have a beginning, middle, and an end, but soap opera realism works through an Infinitely extended middle. 

 

Portrayal of Men and Women in Soap Operas

Though not as strongly as in earlier years, the portrayal of both men and women on television is largely traditional and stereotypical. This serves to promote a polarization of gender roles. Femininity is associated with traits such as emotionality, prudence, co-operation, a communal sense, and compliance. Masculinity tends to be associated with such traits as rationality, efficiency, competition, individualism and ruthlessness. Meehan has shown how on TV, 'good' women are presented as submissive, sensitive and domesticated; 'bad' women are rebellious, independent and selfish. 

The 'dream-girl' stereotype is gentle, demure, sensitive, submissive, non-competitive, sweet natured and dependent. The male hero tends to be physically strong, aggressive, and assertive, takes the initiative, is independent, competitive and ambitious. TV and film heroes represent goodness, power, control, confidence, competence and success. They are geared, in other words, to succeed in a competitive economic system. There is no shortage of aggressive male role-models in Westerns war films and in contemporary Indian soap-operas, but the image of the modern women has changed. From being a meek, docile, subservient housewife, she has grown and evolved into a strong individual. She not only excels in her profession but is also an able homemaker. This change is partially if not fully perceptible in the soap operas shown on Indian television.

Impact of Soap Operas

Television offers a wide range of potential role models, both positive and negative. Many people find these models of some use to them. It is not inevitable that viewers accept television gender images without question, but many popular commentators tend to assume that they are more discriminating than ordinary mortals. Not all women, children - or even men - are passive victims of patriarchal stereotyping. Though there is little doubt that television presents largely traditional gender images, there is mixed evidence about the impact of such images on gender attitudes and behavior. It is difficult to isolate the role of television, since people are influenced by their whole environment, although there is fairly widespread agreement that over time television seems likely to influence people's ideas about gender roles.

 

Strategies Used by Soap Operas to Retain Audiences

There are several strategies that soaps use to engage and retain their audience: -

Serialized Storytelling

Soaps are known for their ongoing storylines, which often span multiple episodes or seasons. One of the key strategies that soaps use to increase engagement is serialized storytelling. This means that storylines and conflicts are ongoing and often span multiple episodes or seasons. This keeps viewers coming back week after week to see what happens next and helps create a sense of investment in the characters and storylines. Serialized storytelling effectively allows soap operas to build up suspense and tension over time as conflicts and storylines gradually reveal and resolve. It also allows for greater character development, as viewers see how characters evolve and change over time.

Character Development

Soaps often have a large ensemble cast of characters and spend significant time developing their personalities, relationships, and story arcs. This character development is key to keeping viewers invested in the show, as they become attached to the characters and want to see their stories unfold. Character development is an important aspect of storytelling, as it helps create fully realized and believable characters with which the audience can connect. It involves the gradual evolution of a character’s personality, motivations, and relationships throughout a story.

Drama

One way that soap operas use drama to engage their audience is through the use of complex and multi- layered storylines. Soap operas often focus on the personal and professional lives of characters connected in some way, such as through family, work, or a shared community. These storylines can involve romantic entanglements, family conflicts, secrets and betrayals, and other types of interpersonal drama that keep viewers engaged and coming back for more.

Cliffhangers

A cliffhanger is a type of plot device in which a story or episode ends with a suspenseful or unexpected twist, leaving the audience in a state of uncertainty or anticipation about the outcome. The purpose of a cliffhanger is to keep the audience engaged and eager to discover what happens next. The following are some examples of cliffhangers –

·        The final scene of an episode of a television show or movie ends with a character in danger or a cliffhanger.

·        A reveal at the end of a story or episode changes how the audience views the events leading up to it.

·        Cliffhangers can effectively keep the audience engaged and invested in the story. However, they also risk being overused or used poorly, leading to frustration or disappointment.

Social Media Engagement

In recent years, soaps have also begun using social media to engage with their audiences and keep them invested in the show. This can include live-tweeting during episodes, hosting Q&A sessions with cast members, and sharing behind-the-scenes content. Soaps use serialized storytelling, character development, drama, cliffhangers, and social media engagement to keep their audiences engaged and invested in the show. These strategies help to create a loyal and dedicated following and have contributed to the enduring popularity of soap operas.

Television Award Shows

In India, another technique used by television shows to generate hype around themselves is through award shows. Television award shows are ceremonies that recognize and honor outstanding achievements in television. These award shows are typically televised events that feature red carpets, celebrity presenters, and musical performances, and they are often highly anticipated by both industry professionals and the general public. These award shows are often highly publicized events that generate a lot of buzz and media attention. They are a chance for industry professionals to come together and celebrate their achievements, and they also provide a platform for promoting new and upcoming television shows and programs

Techniques of Writing

A journalism student should be aware that writing for television necessitates the ability to strike a balance between images and words. The style and requirements of the script are determined ahead of time based on the format. The screenplay for a soap opera is finalized word for word before the filming. A soap opera screenplay, for example, will have practically all of the conversations and other details pre- determined and finalized. Before you write your thoughts on paper, look at the photos and log the bytes so you know precisely what and where to utilize them. Logging entails watching the full recording and taking detailed notes on the sentences. This aids in determining the length of the tale, ensures accurate editing and aids in the location of shots and lines during post-production. Logging is also tied to proper video storage and labeling. Because TV newsrooms are increasingly digital, logging assists in maintaining the precise phrases in the memory box.

 

SOAP OPERAS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Soap-operas are proving to be especially influential in developing countries. They can improve marital communication, advise people on HIV and AIDS prevention, and counsel children about how to get along with their parents. Researchers in Ohio University, in their study of a radio soap-opera broadcast in India suggest the programs can carry effective educational messages and change mass behavior.

According to Arvind Singhal, “if the message is appropriate and the problem is common, you reach a large number of people with this communication”. Soaps -operas needn't be perceived as a mindless genre. Viewers have an ongoing relationship with characters, so they become an important part of their daily life. His studies have also drawn from the social learning theory, which suggests that human beings don't always learn directly from the humans, but learn from observing characters in mass media. Evidence was seen where a radio soap -opera was used in Northern India-where population problems were increasing and soap operas changed the perspectives of people on a number of issues. 

Researchers at University of Mexico and Ohio University analyzed feedback to the themes in "Tinka Tinka Sukh".(Happiness lies in Small Things). It was a 104 episode program broadcast in 1996 over 27 radio stations to an estimated tens of millions of listeners in the Hindi speaking region. Topics included community pride, equal treatment of boys and girls, marital issues, empowerment of women, educating women and many other gender themes. Nearly 150,000 letters were received; including a letter signed by an entire village that noted the soap opera encouraged better treatment of women and increased school attendance among children in the village.

Conclusion

Media are very effective, powerful and influential in disseminating new knowledge, useful for behavior change among women, thus influencing women's empowerment variables as well. Hum Log in 1987, which reached an audience of 80 million promoted smaller families and equal status for women.

Humraahi focused on the rights of women to equal education and employment, to choose their own marriage partners, and to determine whether and when to have children. The exposure of woman to media, media portrayal of women in the media, are some of the important dimensions to be analyzed to examine the role of media in women's empowerment. Exposure to media, particularly television because of its visual aspect causes knowledge accumulation and behavior change among women reflecting the participation of women in decision – making, inter family communication and role- negotiation of women at home which can help in achieving better quality of life.

Television is a cultural commodity. At the same time, it is a two-vision mirror reflecting society and in turn being modified by society. McLuhans medium is the message holds true even in the new millennium. The genre of soap –opera has over the years made rapid development in terms of content, presentation and production. Issues like rape, extra marital relationship, murder which were considered taboo even to be talked have earned acceptance in the social setup of our country. People no longer switch off their TV sets when a situation of this type arises. They are curious to see how the issue is resolved. But soaps portraying interpersonal problems, crisis in the family, balance between career and home, modern yet traditional beliefs and values have gained immense popularity among the masses.

Indian soap opera emphasizes the process of decision making showing the plethora of details and nuances in the articulation of problems that advance the plot lines. If one is reading from a dominant perspective, one could say that women are only interested in the trivial details of everyday life, and soap operas, therefore, reinforce already problematic aspects of women's lives. Another way of reading is that soaps value the fabric of women's lives. Women in contemporary soap operas are given powerful positions in different contexts. This genre of television programming can be an effective tool for creating awareness about the changing dynamics of society.

 

Part 2

Women As Audiences

 

Introduction

 

Men and women consume news differently, at different times of day and in different ways. The traditional print model revolves around the idea of a man reading the paper at the breakfast table, with his wife preparing breakfast, possibly with the radio or television in the background. Traces of these habits still remain in some countries, and many editors in Latin America, especially in Mexico and Brazil, find that print is still more popular among men, while women use more TV and radio, but overall patterns of use are changing.

 

●      In the evolution of media, women played an important role. They not only served as news consumers but also as news producers. To attract women readers, publishers hired women reporters to report on society news, community projects, homemaking tips, fashion, and recipes. In the early stages of media evolution it was realized women could serve as the major audience.

 

What is the audience?

 

The end users of media are called as audience. The whole process of communication lays importance on the feedback from the audience. The communication process is said to be effective only when there is a response from a receiver.

 

●      Audience could be a person to a mass - it can be of  varied sizes and kinds.

●      Types of audience:

 

1. Elite audience : Elite audience  consists of the people who are trendsetters  and decision makers in the society. They are economically well to do and are highly educated. They have high status in the society. Their no. Is small but their  influence is big.

 

2. General audience : They are very large and diverse groups that represent the cross - section of the society. Majority of the people belong to this category. The media content is generally targeted to them. Their participation determines the  success or failure of a content or medium.

 

3. Special Interest  audiences :  These audiences are composed of people who possess similar characteristics.  They are relatively small in number. Mass media generate special content for  these audience groups. Programmes for tribals, housewives,  college students are a few examples.

 

History

●      Origins of the audience can be traced back to a group of people sitting together behind an imaginary line watching performers of any kind. The first such audience  came up during theaters, which became a ritual.

●      The first recorded audience  came from Greece ( 4th and 5th century BC), where villagers celebrated harvest by invoking Gods. In this kind of audience , seats were reserved according to their status , the rich got front row, elaborate seats, while the peasants and other lower class were seated at the back.

●      Over the years, it has been noted that the audience could be friendly, apathetic , uninformed, or hostile. For each of these audiences, the communicator needs to have different approaches.

●      In the nineteenth century, sections of the newspaper were directed to women in their roles as homemakers and mothers.

●      Eliza Jane Poitevent Holbrook Nicholson (1849-1896) increased readership when she added women's and children's features to the New Orleans Daily Picayune (News MF 1167) after becoming the publisher in 1876.

●      Newspaper publishers and advertisers were quick to realize the purchasing power of women.

●      In the nineteenth century, sections of the newspaper were directed to women in their roles as homemakers and mothers.

 

 

Female Audiences’ Interpretation on Media Programs- A Research Based on Sherlock

 

●      Female audiences would add their own imaginations into the process of interpreting the popular media content and finally form a discourse system belonging to a subcultural circle.

 

●      Female audiences routinely engage in the opposite decoding of media content, instead of just following the intrinsic message (Steiner,1988).

 

●      As Radway (1984) argued, for many female readers, romance reading is a passive resistance to male-dominated culture.

 

●      The conclusion is that the way of interpretation and the formation of discourse systems are influenced by two important factors: the subculture in the social network and the awakening of fe-males’ sense of independence.

 

Soap Operas and Advertisements

●     ‘Soap operas’ are daytime serials with a dramatic content aimed primarily at a female audience.

●      The soap opera emerged in the US radio industry of the early 1930s when the advertising agencies of the soap, toiletry, and foodstuff industries took on the role of developing programs that could attract a female audience.

●      When the last daytime serials left radio in the early 1960s, they were already an established form of television programming and advertisers continued to produce soap operas after the transition to television. The central elements of the serials' content usually gravitate towards issues such as love, family, intimate relationships and other domestic concerns.

●      The earliest radio soap operas were aired during the evening and included a range of genres for the whole family, from comedy to drama. It soon became clear to advertisers, however, that this form held great potential as a daytime genre aimed directly at women.

●      New and younger audiences notwithstanding, changing economic, gender, and demographic dynamics were threatening the soap by the 1990s.

●      Not only had the housewife audience base continued to disintegrate, the soap became an expensive form to maintain in the competitive cable TV environment in which the advertising dollar was now divided by many more channels.

●      Soap operas employ large casts, multiple sets, and complex stories, and they cannot be rerun. An emerging new genre, the tabloid talk show, was cheaper, simpler, and often outranked soaps in the ratings.

 

 

Case Studies

 

FINLAND

 

●      In 1976 radio reached an average 81 percent of Finnish population aged 15 or over. The figure for women was 83 percent and for men 79 per cent.

●      Almost 20 years later, in autumn 1995, radio reached 84 percent of all people aged 9 or over, 83 percent of women and 85 percent of men. If the lower age limit were still 15 years, the figures would probably be now-a-days even higher nowadays because the reach for children in the age group 9-14 is lower than in other age groups.

●      In 1976-1983 the average daily reach of radio was higher among women than it was among men. During the remainder of the 1980s the reach statistics were almost the same for women and men.

●      In 1990, radio reached a larger proportion of men than of women.

●      During 1991-1995 there have been no significant differences between the figures for men and women. And all in all there has been no great differences in reach figures between men and women.

 Conclusion

Audiences are the most important part of media. Women are the target audience of various media like magazines, televisions, serials etc. as they were in the past. They consume more content than men. In earlier times, they used to consume more romantic content. Due to relatable characters in media, they were the major consumers of entertainment content.

 

By: Riya Katiyar and Bina Kumari

 ....................................................

22nd Feb, 2022

Soap operas in India"

I've finally figured out why soap operas are, and logically should be, so popular with generations of housebound women. They are the only place in our culture where grown-up men take seriously all the things that grown-up women have to deal with all day long. 

- Gloria Steinem

People don't want to pay 8 or 9 dollars to go see a problem that they have in their life, on screen. They pay to get away from that. That's why they watch soap operas. 

- Omar Epps

Soap operas are such a great way to break-in to the industry. The diminishing landscape of daytime TV means it's going to be harder for young talent to get discovered. 

- Josh Duhame 

Introduction:

• A soap opera is a serialised drama which runs for 52 weeks of the year with continuous storylines dealing with domestic themes, personal or family relationships and a limited running of characters. Soap operas or serials are open-ended. 
• A dramatic program usually presented daily, with continuing characters and multiple plots. The action, which deals with contemporary problems and their solutions, continues from episode to episode called soap opera because many of the original sponsors were soap manufacturers. Also called daytime drama, soap, and soaper.
• Television soap operas are long-running serials concerned with everyday life. The serial is not to be confused with the series, in which the main characters and format remain the same from program to program but each episode is a self-contained plot. 
• In a serial at least one storyline is carried over from one episode to the next. A series is advertised as having a specific number of episodes, but serials are potentially endless.

 

A Historical Overview:

The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers. The term was preceded by “Horse opera”. BBC Radio's The Archers, first broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running radio soap opera.

The term “soap opera” was first used in the 1930s to describe radio serials which were sponsored by the soap powder industry such as Procter and Gamble. These 15-minute commercials were about women and concentrated on emotional situations. The term was preceded by “Horse opera”. BBC Radio's The Archers, first broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running radio soap opera.By sponsoring radio programmes about women, their families and their everyday life, the sponsors hoped that they would reach a big audience of housewives who then would add their certain soap powder to their shopping lists. 

These `never-ending´ stories became very popular and so these programmes switched to television programmes in the 1950s. Their length expanded from 15-minute productions to 25 minute long ones and later they even lasted 60 minutes.

• Soap opera is an international phenomenon because almost every country has its own soap. The German-speaking area has its Lindenstraße or newer versions like Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten or Marienhof und Verbotene Liebe. Britain's soap opera fans are watching Coronation Street or Eastenders; in Australia the soap Neighbours enjoys great popularity. Locally produced soap operas are almost more popular than even the most successful imports. However, the USA is very successful at exporting its soaps.
• The soap imports have an important effect on the development of the local soaps, e.g the great popularity of the Australian soap Neighbours with young actors (school ages) led British producers to bring younger characters into their serials. 
• As a result, a new generation of viewers were attracted, who can also be seen as a new group of buyers (especially for the advertisers). Today not only soap powder is sold with soaps; the range of products grew and also the range of buyers, men and women, young and old, people of various status.
• India's first soap opera was Hum Log, which first aired in 1984and concluded with 154 episodes, was the longest running serial in the history of Indian television at the time when it ended. It had an audience of 60 million.
• Every episode was about 25 minutes long, and the last episode was about 55 minutes. At the end of every episode, veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar would discuss the ongoing story and situations with the audience using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, he would introduce the actors who played characters in the serial and end his monologue with the Indian language versions of the words "Hum Log."
• Biographies of famous people started being produced in the form of soap operas like Chanakya, Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan, Veer Shivaji, Jhansi Ki Rani, Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Rudramadevi.
• Crime shows also started being produced and aired. Adaalat is an Indian television courtroom drama series which revolves around 'Advocate K.D. Pathak', a defence lawyer with an impeccable track record of winning cases and setting helpless innocent victims free, but not at the cost of upholding the truth and C.I.D., follows a team of detectives belonging to the Crime Investigation Department in Mumbai. The protagonist of the show is Shivaji Satam. C.I.D. is the longest-running crime TV series in India.
• The Indian mythological drama show, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, recorded the highest, 8.2 TVR in an episode. Daytime soap opera were popular during the 2000s with shows like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan, Kasautii Zindagi Kay, and Kahiin to Hoga,Kolangal (TV series), Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki, Dishayen, Kkusum, Metti Oli
• During the 2010s, as more women began working, they fell out of favour of the general public. Today, there are no daytime soap operas on any mainstream channel.Currently, the four major networks that air primetime soap operas with nationwide following are Star Plus, Colours TV, Zee TV and Sony SAB.
• Porus, a historical drama, based on the Indian king Porus, premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 27 November 2017 and ended on 13 November 2018. It is currently the most expensive show in Indian history, with a budget of over 500 crores.

 

Hum Log, India’s first soap opera and DD’s experiment with foreign cinema

How SS Gill, former I&B secretary, visited Mexico and came back with the idea of ‘Hum Log’

DD, the public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, was the sole source of entertainment for generations from the 1960s to the 1990s. But amid the array of documentaries and public service programmes that aired on the network, one show that came to define family time was the 1984 drama Hum Log (We The People), which aired its last episode almost exactly 34 years ago.

Billed as India’s first soap opera, the show aired once a week — a day when streets would be deserted and families and friends would group together to catch the latest episode on their or their neighbour’s TV.

At a time when visual content is as easily created as it is consumed on platforms like YouTube or TikTok, it is hard to conceive of a time when a singular show could capture an entire nation’s attention for so long — without promotional gimmicks, advertising, and with simply good writing and lots of heart.

Conceived by writer Manohar Shyam Joshi and director Vasudev Kumar,  the show was an unprecedented success and ran for over 17 months — an astounding feat for the time.

The series explored the lives of a middle-class family of eight with varying personality quirks, desires, insecurities and frustrations, all crammed under one pokey roof.

Loveleen Mishra (Chhutki), the youngest cast member who was only 15 at the time, tells ThePrint how initially the showrunners promised the show would last 13 episodes, but it eventually became 26, then 52, 90 and finally ran up to 159 episodes. And the cast received an outpouring of love and adulation from across the country. Mostly theatre actors from Delhi, they became huge stars, with actor Rajesh Puri saying they were often mobbed when seen at events and “were treated like kings by the public ''.

But at a time when DD was largely importing its foreign programmes, Hum Log also marked a shift for the government-run network, as it followed a foreign model — the Mexican ‘Sabido technique’ of combining entertainment and education — adapted to an Indian audience with the intention of creating a popular India-centric show with a social message.

The Mexican connection

Abhinav Chaturvedi (who acted as Nanhe) once wrote that Hum Log “represented nothing but a truly Indian lifestyle”. The heart-warming family drama found resonance among audiences because the characters were so relatable — whether the precocious and talkative young Chhutki who always had her nose in her textbooks, or her older brother Lalloo who coasted through life aimlessly, but still took a shot at the civil services.

But the show was a blend of fictional narratives with subtle moral and social lessons, and this combination of education and entertainment was no accident, but a deliberate attempt at developing a new media form.

Hum Log was built around ideas introduced by Mexican director Miguel Sabido, who was behind the popular Mexican TV show Ven conmigo (1975). With Ven conmigo, Sabido pioneered a writing methodology for a drama series that combined popular culture and educational material that appealed to the working class.

In May 1983, Sabido visited India to present a five-day workshop on his model at Akashvani Bhawan, New Delhi, causing a mini-storm when he suggested that television soap operas needed to be broadcast five times a week (which is not so unconventional now) in order to achieve “desired effects”.

Sabido met with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to convince her of the merits of his approach. She was enthusiastic in her response, and eventually, along with the help of acclaimed writer Manoharlal Shyam Joshi, the story arc, characters, and basic premise of Hum Log was created. But Indian officials asserted that there were only enough resources to broadcast a show like that once a week, which is what was eventually followed.

“In those six or eight characters you had a set of new Indian values… a different approach to caste, eliminating the idea of untouchables. This was a bold and beautiful vision of what India could be,” said Sean Southey, director of PCI Media Impact, the US-based organisation that worked with Sabido on the series.

The show’s episodes, which came to garner a regular viewing audience of more than 50 million, would always end with the iconic Ashok Kumar monologue of what the main takeaway of the show was — a wise public service announcement at the end of a drama serial, reminding viewers that even within the fiction there was reality.

But for Mishra — who was too young at the time to understand the significance of the collaboration with Sabido, but was cognisant of the fact that the show explored everything from patriarchy to alcoholism — Hum Log‘s success could be majorly attributed to its writer Manohar Shyam Joshi.

“The writing really was king. We were fortunate to have had a writer who was not only an acclaimed writer and author, but also a journalist,” she tells ThePrint. “He would talk about everyone from Günter Grass to Nirala, he was so well-read. He brought to the table a really nuanced political sensibility.”

Joshi was a Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author who went on to write other hit shows such as Buniyaad (1987) and Kakaji Kahin (1988).

A mirror of the times

Beyond the fact that the Hum Log was the first show of its kind, the fact that it was produced at a time when India was on the brink of many social, technological and economic changes greatly influenced its perception and resonance.

As Mishra points out, the make-up of urban family life was swiftly changing, and the big, happy, yet complex family portrayed on screen was enjoyable for people to watch. “Joint families were breaking up at the time, but there was still sanctity in the concept. Most B-towns still had joint families, so the concept was still relatable.”

She also points out that this was around the same time that the communist regime was “crumbling”, and signs of privatisation were soon appearing — the NRI uncle who made an appearance in some episodes provided some hints of this.

The show also coincided with the beginnings of colour TV in India as the first few episodes were shot in black and white, until colour TV officially made its entry in India. Hum Log came to not only be the first soap opera but one of the first few colour TV shows.

Mishra fondly remembers the show for tackling issues like the flux between modern and traditional values, the colonial hangover of wanting an administrative job and the rote learning that the education system perpetuated. But the show was, perhaps, most successful in demonstrating patriarchy and the anxiety around masculinity, she points out, right from the grandfather, who was a stoic military man, to the father, who was a frustrated alcoholic, to the sons, one of whom was a good-for-nothing loafer and one who dreamed of becoming a famous cricketer.

Mumbai-based Tasneema Adarkar, a big fan of the show, also recognised early on that three girls in the show, whom she and her two sisters greatly identified with, were treated differently from the boys in the show.

“Even though the mother was always bogged down with family work, She didn’t have a life of her own.” Adarkar recalls watching Hum Log as “religiously” then as people today binge-watch Netflix shows.

Mishra, who started off her career with Doordarshan and went on to work further in television, cinema and theatre and can now be seen on Netflix’s Little Things, is of the view that a show like Hum Log cannot be replicated today.

“The show was about middle-class idealism. Now the lower middle-class is so aspirational in a materialistic way. People no longer want to watch shows about the struggles of the poor,” she says, adding that shows like Amazon’s Made in Heaven might be great, but they only cater to an upper middle-class audience.

“Even though the show was made for TV, the family on the show didn’t even own a TV. Hum Log today would have Dadi watching videos or listening to music on her phone, it would be completely different”, she says.

The fact that TV then was subsidised and sponsored by the government also meant that there was no pressure to make things commercially viable, she points out. “Now you literally have women become naagins or cobras to get TRPs. When channels do look at social issues, more often than not it’s because they get tax benefits for doing 

Some basic elements of soap opera is: 

• Emotions-“The great spectacle of emotions” is how Jose Ignacio Cabrujas, a famous and belated Venezuelan author, defined Soap operas. This is perhaps the best way of introducing a healthy description, which is also questioned by all the World’s intellectuals, regarding what this genre is and will be to the great public. However they may be called: serials, soap operas or melodramas, these stories expound on a complete gamut of emotions from love to hate, and play on the passionate, rash, foolish, sinful and meaningless acts committed by characters that lure their audiences with every day’s hour-and-a-half episode. Episodes, which become seasons and which, in turn, go on for years, have set records where some have aired for over more than one decade.

 

• Conflict- Conflict in Soap Operas grasps the attention of the audience. Starting a series and adding the flavour of conflict in it keeps the soap in momentum and develops a feeling of “what will happen next?” in the audience.

 

• Climax- Climax is indeed something which the audience wants to be powerful and impressive. Soap tries to serve with climaxes which are relatable to the audience and will try to give any message to the audience.

 

• Character - Characters are the life of soaps. Developing a character to which the audience can relate to. With whom the audience can share their pain with. People serve as the characters of any soap as part of their lives and try to live their lives in those characters. The challenges that those characters face become challenges of the audience.

 

• Action- Action adds flavour to the soaps. Today's audience wants to witness the mind blowing action and thriller which increases the overall performance of the soap. The main reason to watch action in soaps is to establish the image  of heroism of the character to which the audience can adore in near future.

 

• Plot-The plot is what happens in a story.A strong plot is centred on one moment—an interruption of a pattern, a turning point, or an action—that raises a dramatic question, which must be answered throughout the course of the story.

 Timeline of Soap Operas:

• Soap opera, broadcast dramatic serial program, so called in the United States because most of its major sponsors for many years were manufacturers of soap and detergents. The soap opera is characterised by a permanent cast of actors, a continuing story, emphasis on dialogue instead of action, a slower-than-life pace, and a consistently sentimental or melodramatic treatment.

 

• The soap opera began in the early 1930s with 15-minute daytime radio episodes and was inherited by television in the early 1950s and expanded to 30 minutes. By the mid-1950s soap operas dominated late morning and early afternoon weekday television programming as they had dominated a similar time frame in radio programming during the previous decade.

 

• From the 1930s to the 1950s the classical American soap opera was typically a continuing play about a middle-class family living in a small town. 

 

• Sin and violence, always offstage, frequently affected the daily lives of the family members, but good inevitably triumphed, or at least all wrongdoing was justly punished. Most settings were indoors, usually in an immaculate home or office. The reality of housework or business seldom intruded; conversation abounded with intensity and only occasional humour.

 

• By the 1970s the style and content of soap operas had undergone a revolution. There was open discussion of such matters as abortion, drug abuse, wife abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. Characters of various racial and ethnic backgrounds were introduced into a previously all-white, Anglo-Saxon population. 

 

• The traditional emphasis on romantic and marital problems remained, but promiscuous behaviour, violence, and criminal activity came to be treated more directly. Some of the programs expanded to 60 minutes, and a few even aired during prime-time evening viewing hours.

What makes a soap a soap?

First of all, there are two types of soap operas. They differ in the time of broadcast:

- daily soaps: they dominate the late-morning and the early-afternoon slot (11am-2pm) and are broadcasted, as the name says, daily.

- prime time soaps: in comparison to the daily ones their production is more expensive

and therefore they are screened just once a week between 6.30 pm and 10.30pm.

The following characteristics refer to the category “daily soap”, which does not mean that some of them are not typical for prime time soaps too.

• To begin with, the production costs are very low, therefore almost every country with its own television stations has its own soap. It is claimed that the large audiences that Eastenders guaranteed for the BBC saved it from privatisation. The reasons why they are so cheap to produce are firstly the small cast and secondly the limited studio sets.

 

• The next important feature is the structure of soap operas. Soaps begin with a hook – here the most important scenes of the previous episode are taken up – , but they also end with a cliffhanger – here several dramatic situations are left open to encourage us to view the following episode to see what happens.

 

• The next characteristic feature is the slow development of the plot – storylines are often developed over several hours of programme time. It is easier to write for a soap than for a series because for the writers there is not the problem of writing a particular storyline that lasts exactly 40 or 50 minutes. The emphasis is rather on talk than on action. Emotional situations are tested out, there is an emphasis on reflecting the personal problems.

 

• The organisation of a place is an easy one, because there is always the same setting (the living room, the bar, the hall in school, the shop at the corner... very typical locations that occur in every soap opera). The organisation of time depends on the type of soap. Day-time soaps mostly refer to the one day one hour or less scheme. Prime-time soaps build their own kind of calendar to help the audience to orientate themselves.

 

• A very important feature of soap operas is that the audience gets familiar with the characters and the settings very quickly.

 

• With soaps you can speak of a certain kind of predictability. As the audience knows the characters as well as their behaviour the plot is predictable. New characters and changing storylines prevent the plot from being too predictable and getting boring.

Some Soap Opera, you know, real people pretending to be fake people with made up problems being watched by real people to forget their real problems

-Chuck Palahniuk 

The soap opera as a tool for education. The social merchandising:

• From the very beginning, soap operas have been one of the most watched genres. According to Nora Mazziotti: "several countries have records on its impact, which speak not only of its commercial importance but also about its cultural and social significance". This is a phenomenon that goes beyond social classes. Moreover, the audience feels a very strong bond with soap operas.
• The audience can easily relate to the characters' miseries, perhaps that is the reason why they can adopt a new behaviour in a natural way, without feeling they are doing something far away from their realities.
• Therefore, experts in public health and communication try to insert messages of healthy lifestyles in tears, betrayal and impossible love stories.
• Miguel Sabido, 'officially' started this process, and because of that he is considered a pioneer in terms of entertainment with social benefits.

"I tried to make commercial television to have a social benefit through soap operas, a product that is inside the houses of those who most need to learn and improve their lives. And I proved that this could be accomplished without having the rating dropping".

Red Globo's soap operas have included social merchandising for many years. An annual report prepared by this company revealed that in 2002, there were a total of 1138 scenes in soap operas related to social issues. The issues addressed had to do with alcoholism, sexual health, organ donation, the use of condoms and environmental issues, among others. If this insertion had been commercial merchandising, the company would have raised between $ 35 and R 40 million.

• Among other topics addressed, soap operas also included domestic violence issues with the purpose of encouraging the reporting of these cases.
• Moreover, a common but not frequently tackled situation was rescued: the situation of women who are madly in love in a pathological way.

The inclusion of these issues not only generated high ratings in the fiction field of Red Globo, it also gave the enterprise international recognition. In 2001, Globo received the top social responsibility prize in the world, the Business in the Community Awards of Excellence.

 

Impact of Soap Operas on Society:

In India, if you ask a woman about the latest box office release in Bollywood then she might not give you the correct answer but if you ask her which is the latest soap opera on the Indian television then she might give you the correct answer as women have a fad for television serials. There are distinct opinions about these soap operas and each opinion depends upon the individual perspective. Some people feel these soap operas are a waste of time and serve as a means of degrading our society while some others think of them as a source of entertainment.

However, there may be different opinions but recently some good content about Women Empowerment has been brought into the spotlight by the means of daily soap on our Indian television. They aim at creating awareness among the masses about some of the crucial issues regarding women and its impact on society. 

Here are certain examples-

• One of the television serials describes the ardent desire of a woman to become an IPS officer. She faces the trials and tribulations  of life as well as opposition from her in-laws and yet she succeeds in achieving her goal with the help of her supportive husband who in spite of not being educated helps her to achieve laurels. After she becomes a police officer, she deals with local goons and politicians which depict the real situation of female police officers in India.

 

• Another show has brought up the concept of “Adult Education”. Someone has rightly said,“There is no age for getting educated” .The story revolves around a family where the mother is disrespected because she is illiterate. As the daughter in law comes into the family, she takes up the task of tutoring her mother-in-law. The old woman is not ashamed of learning new things. She deals with the reluctance of her family but ultimately she succeeds.

 

• Yet another soap opera brings up the much heated concept of male domination in society. A woman has to fight against the ruthless behaviour of her husband who has no respect for women.The way she deals with all the problems with patience is remarkable which teaches women to speak up against the rules of this patriarchal society.

 

• There is a show which touches on the sensitive issue of the belief that a woman should not have anything to do with her maternal home after her marriage. In yet another male dominated family, the protagonist changes the old belief and brings up a revolution which eventually encourages women to speak up against the ill treatment done to their families.

 

• There is a show that describes the fact that every woman has the right to be a mother. The story revolves around a modern woman who is well qualified and lives happily with her parents but remains unmarried because she cannot bear a child. Finally she accepts this fact and fortunately gets married to a single father as she is very attached to his daughter. This serial gives the message to the society that even if a woman cannot bear a child, she doesn’t lose the right to become a mother. It also facilitates the ideal of adoption and spreads the message that a girl child is not a burden on her parents.

Social Impacts of Soap Operas:

Soap operas aren't often celebrated for contributing to the good of society. Whether it's the materialism of Dallas or the idle gossip of Neighbours, they are better known for being shallow and addictive than for bringing about social change.

 

But around the world the genre has succeeded in providing "educational entertainment" - a blend of public service messages and melodrama that has enraptured millions of viewers.

 

Daily soaps play an essential role in the life of Indian families. There is at least one family member in every family who regularly watches Hindi or Bengali serials. There are several TV channels and daily soaps. Channels also telecast reality shows, movies, sports, cartoons, music channels, comedy shows, dance and singing shows, besides daily soaps. A few famous channel brands include Star entertainment (Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Jalsha-Bengali,), Sony Entertainment (Sony, Sony Max,) Zee Television (Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Bangla), Colours entertainment and many more.

Daily soaps have both a positive and negative impact on their audience. However, the negatives are always more influential in comparison to the positive aspects. Some shows give individuals opportunities to showcase their talents and share their knowledge—for example, the TED talk show, KBC, and many more.

How are daily soaps impacting the audience negatively?

• Daily soaps become like an addiction to their audience. Many people invest hours watching television, avoiding their other work, and also not thinking about how it is harming the health of their eyes.

 

• Most of the daily soaps are women-centric but in a negative manner. The leading actress is in trouble most of the time. They are portrayed as victims of torture, and the one who has to go through all the struggles possible to show on television. The audiences sometimes start adapting to those ideas and apply them to real life.

 

• Daily soaps portray unethical behaviour, such as extramarital affairs, mixing poison in the food and feeding it, multiple murders, violence on women, and many other types of unethical behaviours. 

 

• Daily soaps also portray illogical aspects such as ghosts, multiple marriages, rebirth, memory loss after some accident, and gaining it back again all of a sudden without any medical relevancy and whatnot.

 

• Women are mostly portrayed as weak in every way possible. Most women in daily soaps show their love and affection towards the family or their spouse, meanwhile forgetting their self-respect. They are shown making all the sacrifices and making all compromises. This influences society in dominating women and giving all the power and priorities to men. 

All these concepts can be negatively influential towards society. Many people count the actor or actresses as their inspiration and try to portray real life behaviours. The young children are affected the most because they consider such behaviours normal as it is being telecasted on the TV, also being watched by their family members. 

They cannot understand the difference between ethical and unethical at a young age if not taught by parents. Although disclaimers are shown before telecasting the episode, it mentions that it is non-fiction and has other ethical components, but many people do not pay attention. If the government issues guidelines on what can be telecasted and should not be shown, it may be less negatively impactful.

To be able to make a good living in a challenging medium like soap operas is great. The best is that I get to act and am rewarded for it. And the people I work with are great. Funny, intelligent, hard working. They're all great to be around. 

- David Canary

Soap operas and the glorification of misery:

In a matter of mere minutes, his behaviour transforms from loving to abusive. She suffers the blows silently, even in her misery playing the part of the obedient, respectful wife.

A woman is chided by society for her loud and brash manner; background music meant to tug at one’s heartstrings accompanies the sermon they deliver about how her behaviour is unbecoming of a woman and causes everyone distress.

“You’re in love with someone?” her sister gasps. “I was under the impression that you are a good girl!”

Scenarios like these — and many others, including the normalisation of avunculate marriages or vilification of premarital romantic (let alone sexual) relationships — aren’t uncommon in Indian soaps, which primarily target female audiences. If you’ve grown up in an Indian household, chances are that you know at least one person who diligently watches a TV serial, as they are called, every night. 

In South Indian television dramas, I have deduced a few things: the degree of suffering that a person undergoes is directly proportional to the “goodness” of their character, and people are either entirely good or altogether evil.

While exceptions exist, for the most part things seem to have regressed since the '90s, when one of the first Indian TV series, Shanti — Ek Aurat Ki Kahani (1994), emerged featuring a strong female protagonist. Yet today, saas-bahu dramas dominate this world. Barring some exceptions, a lot of these women-centric shows usually aim to provide justice to their virtuous long-suffering female lead, ultimately arriving at a happy end. But they do so via a painstakingly circuitous path that conveys many mixed (and often downright regressive) messages along the way.

But why should we care about what people watch in their spare time, and why am I harping on TV serials?

The Impulse to Assign Meaning to Suffering

• Early Hinduism shares striking similarities with, and is said to have influenced, the Hellenistic philosophy of Stoicism. 
• Both Hinduism and Stoicism associate virtue with a certain sense of non-attachment, of not being controlled by anxieties, materialistic pleasures or desires, instead focussing on performing one’s duties aptly and striving for the common good.
• As with almost everything else, these ideas have been contorted over time to give rise to the misplaced notion that enjoying one’s life and prioritising one’s own goals and happiness is selfish, possibly immoral, regardless of the fact that studies have repeatedly addressed the importance of self-care for one’s mental well-being. 
• In today’s internet-dependent world, albeit one that is beset with its own wide-ranging set of issues, individualism is not just celebrated but expected. Confidence and the ability to take care of oneself has become a much-needed survival skill.

But most TV serials have remained steadfastly rooted to their longstanding formula of sympathy, tears, villainy and a melodramatic background score. One of the things that I find most perturbing about these sagas-of-endless-gloom-with-a-happy-ending is this — why would we choose to watch something that essentially allows/requires us to wallow in misery? 

Some might say that people find comfort in relating to these situations. But at what point does it stop being a case of art imitating life and become life imitating art? Are we drawn to misery because we are miserable, or do we feel compelled to assign some kind of special meaning to our suffering since the belief that ‘we endure suffering because we are good’ is constantly reinforced?

Is it logical to associate being treated like a doormat with ‘bad karma’?

Reinforcing Gender Roles on Television

• This is particularly so in the case of Indian women, who have been conditioned to place familial interests above all else, including personal safety and well-being. The majority of these TV serials, despite being women-centric, reinforce archaic beliefs about a woman’s modesty and her place in the household and in society. Maintain your dignity, keep your head down and endure the humiliation, for that is a testament to your strength of character, they seem to say.
• Another way in which this is achieved is through the dichotomy between the ‘good Indian woman’ and the ‘vamp’. The former is primarily seen in traditional attire, is respectful and performs all of her wifely/daughterly/womanly duties with precision. 
• On the contrary, the vamp is often clad in pants or decked in heavy jewellery and make-up, has a domineering or outspoken nature, and is possibly unmarried (because who would tolerate her?). 
• Pitting women against each other is an age-old technique that unfortunately continues to provide entertainment, regardless of unoriginality. Does one pick a fight with their daughter-in-law because of her truly disagreeable personality, or because it is expected by now?

The soap opera is a televised enacted story told over a span of time through recurring episodes. The phrase originates from the fact that the serials would be sponsored primarily by soap/detergent manufacturers, who shared a target audience with the shows — homemaking women.

Female characters, such as the domestic abuse victim in Tamil serial Shakti (2014), attempt to display a stoic strength in difficult situations, when the logical thing to do would be to exercise one’s rights or remove oneself from the situation entirely. And yet, she remains by her psychotic husband’s side for the majority of the show, reinforcing a dangerous message within a society that is already plagued by domestic violence. When and how did we get stoicism all muddled up with masochism?

But perhaps my frustration is somewhat misplaced. After all, to what extent does the continued subordination and resulting feelings of helplessness among women in a patriarchal society play a role in the popularity of these characters? Achieving financial independence, while crucial, is not enough to eradicate beliefs that persist about the inherent inferiority of women or the gender roles that remain entrenched in our society, despite all the progress that has been made so far.

The Impact of Lazy Storytelling

Storytelling is an art form that can be utilised to engage, challenge and inspire its audience. In a country of over a billion inhabitants, Indian soaps cater to a wide-ranging audience and possess the ability to influence societal thought processes. When we fall prey to lazy storytelling and the regurgitation of tired stereotypes, we are essentially lowering our standards and accepting vapid entertainment fare as good enough.

• One such example of lazy writing is the black-and-white portrayal of human beings, devoid of any understanding of the nuances of human nature. People are classified as either good or evil, leaving no room for realistic depictions. 
• Not surprisingly, this rhetoric has grown common even in everyday life: that aunt is a money-hungry devil, don’t let the gossiping neighbour set her eyes on you, the landlord is a sneaky, conniving rat. However, the appeal of characters who remain naïve, unassuming and trusting, only to be walked all over by their more cunning counterparts, remains undiminished.
• In a country that is witnessing growth, experimentation and innovation — with regard to the proliferation of art forms and mediums of entertainment — Indian soaps for the most part have remained trapped within a decaying framework that benefits neither the individual nor society at large. 
• It brings a number of questions to the forefront regarding gender roles, the denial of various aspects of human nature in the pursuit of ‘virtuousness’, and our inclination to wallow in misery.

But the main question we must ask ourselves is, does the television that we choose to regularly immerse ourselves in contribute towards repairing our myopia or does it further perpetuate it?

Case Studies of Some famous Soap Operas and Researches:

1.Malgudi Days to Karamchand – the Doordarshan classics (1986- 2006)

• Writer R.K. Narayan brought his books to life for television audiences with the iconic Malgudi Days in 1986, starring the child actor Manjunath as the beloved Swami and Girish Karnad as his father. 
• The script was adapted from many of Narayan’s short story collections and novels such as Malgudi Days, Swami and Friends, and A Horse and Two Goats. The poignant tales set in the fictional village of Malgudi took viewers into the hinterland and was described as “a piece of genuine India”.
• Filmed in both Hindi and English, the show was directed by Kannada actor and director Shankar Nag and set to Carnatic music by L. Vaidyanathan, while acclaimed cartoonist and Narayan’s brother R.K. Laxman provided sketches for the opening credits. 
• A simple well-etched story that featured simple folk, the show was set in Agumbe, a village in Karnataka, that was transformed into Malgudi through the magic of sculptor, art director and town planner John Devaraj.
• From carts, statues, avenues, shops, bus stands, to even Swami’s school, Nag and Devaraj imagined the minutest details of Malgudi, which was supposed to be an idyllic town set in British India. 
• But when asked where Malgudi was, Narayan once wrote, “If I explain that Malgudi is a small town in South India, I shall only be expressing half-truth, for the characteristics of Malgudi seem to be universal.”
• The episodes of the Doordarshan series are now available on Hotstar, but, in 2006, the show was revived for 15 episodes under the direction of Kavita Lankesh. The Kannada film Malgudi Days, written and directed by Kishore Moodbidri, was released in February this year.

 

 

2.Karamchand (1985)

• One of Indian television’s early trysts with detective shows was DD’s Karamchand, which began to air in 1985. The young Karamchand (played by Pankaj Kapur), aided by his hyperactive assistant Kitty (Sushmita Mukherjee), helped the local police solve murders, apart from playing the occasional game of chess with police inspector A. Khan.
• Created by Pankaj Parashar and Alyque Padamsee, and written by Sudhir Mishra, the show was unique for its time and earned a dedicated following. 
• The famous duo Anand-Milind composed the theme music and title track for the series. Interestingly, Alok Nath starred as Karamchand for the pilot episode, created to pitch the show to Doordarshan, but Nath had a falling out with Parashar, which led to Kapur’s entry.
• Touted as a young Dilip Kumar, Kapur, with his theatre training from the National School of Drama in Delhi, was hesitant to do a TV show, but eventually got on board, seeing it as a means to be financially stable in a city like Bombay. 
• The show ended up being a huge success, and Pankaj Kapur was soon noticed by the world of Hindi cinema.
• With his characteristic style of chewing a carrot and wearing dark glasses, Kapur breathed life into Karamchand’s character, making him extremely memorable and loved. “People loved his style. Karamchand halwa and carrots sold like hot cakes. Dark glasses were sold with his name written on them,” he once remarked. His banter with Kitty was also highly enjoyable, with her “Sir, you are a genius” and his “Shut up, Kitty” becoming cult dialogues.
• In 2007, Sony Entertainment Television revived the show, and even actors like Naseeruddin Shah pitched in this time. The show remains iconic in popular culture, so much so that the hit American sitcom The Big Bang Theory had one of its lead characters, Raj Koothrapali (played by Indian actor Kunal Nayyar), mentioning Karamchand in Season 11.

3.Vikram Aur Betaal (1985)

• Directed by Prem Sagar, Vikram Aur Betaal was created in 1985 as an adaptation of the popular mythological Sanskrit text Betaal Pachisi (or Vetala Panchavimshati). 
• Written like a story with a story, the narrative followed the legendary king, Vikramaditya, who promised a tantrik that he would capture Vetala (Betaal), a celestial spirit pishacha, akin to a vampire, hanging from a tree. But his task proved to be difficult as Betaal would mount Vikramaditya’s back, telling a long and winding story that ended with a dilemma or riddle.
• The condition was that if he answered the question incorrectly, Betaal would remain in captivity, if the king knew the correct answer and did not say it, his head would burst into a thousand pieces, and if he answered correctly, Betaal would be set free. 
• As it would so happen, the king would answer correctly most times, hence the cycle of catching and releasing Betaal kept continuing over a cycle of 24 times. The show starred Arun Govil (best known for portraying Ram in Ramayan) as Vikramaditya and Sajjan as Betaal.
• Despite the pre-CGI special effects and the odd time slot of 4 pm, the love-hate dynamic between the protagonists was loved by all and the show’s rating skyrocketed. Actors like Dara Singh, Arvind Trivedi and Deepika Chikhalia, all part of the Ramayan cast, also made appearances on the show.

 

4.Ramayan (1987)

• Ramayan is an Indian Hindi-language epic television series based on ancient Indian Sanskrit Epic Ramayana. The show was originally aired between 1987 and 1988 on DD National. It was created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The show is primarily based on Valmiki's Ramayan (Critical Edition) and Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas. 
• Other sources used were: Tamil Kamb Ramayan, Marathi Bhavarath Ramayan, Bengali Krutivas Ramayan, Telugu Shri Rangnath Ramayan, Kannada Ramchandra Charit Puranam, Malayalam Adhyatma Ramayan, Urdu Ramayan by Chakbast.
• The series had a viewership of 82 percent, a record high for any Indian television series. Each episode of the series reportedly earned DD National ₹40 Lakh.
• The series was reaired during the 2020 Coronavirus Lockdown and broke several viewership records globally which includes setting a record for the most watched TV show in the world, with 77 million viewers on 16 April 2020.The show was narrated by Ashok Kumar and the director Ramanand Sagar.

5.Buniyaad

Doordarshan’s Buniyaad, a family drama that masterfully captured the pangs of Partition

• Saadat Hasan Manto’s Toba Tek Singh, Khol Do and Kali Shalwar, Ismat Chugtai’s Jadein and Urvashi Butalia’s The Other Side of Silence are a few examples in literature, while films like Garm Hava and Dharamputra told Partition stories on the big screen. 
• But it was Ramesh Sippy’s 1980s Doordarshan show Buniyaad that brought that chapter of history to television.
• First aired in 1986, the show is based on the premise of the classic Indian family. Revolving around how Master Haveliram (Alok Nath, who believed this role typecast him as an old man) met and fell in love with Lajoji (Anita Kanwar), their family and subsequent separation followed by a heartwarming reunion, Buniyaad was a chilling reality for many who watched the show as well as for the many who made it across the border.

6.Byomkesh Bakshi

Byomkesh Bakshi is the first Hindi Television series based on the Byomkesh Bakshi character created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The series stars Rajit Kapur and K.K. Raina as Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit Kumar Banerjee, respectively. It features music and background score from Ananda Shankar. 

It became a critically acclaimed and most celebrated adaptation of the character keeping it fresh even after decades.It has been re-telecasted on DD National from 28 March 2020 during the lockdown of 21 days due to coronavirus.

7.Mahabharat

• Mahabharat is an Indian Hindi-language epic television series based on the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. The original airing consisted of a total of 94 episodes and were broadcast from 2 October 1988 to 24 June 1990 on Doordarshan.
• It was produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra.The music was composed by Raj Kamal. The script was written by Pandit Narendra Sharma and the Hindi/Urdu poet Rahi Masoom Raza, based on the original story by Vyasa. Costumes for the series were provided by Maganlal Dresswala.
• The serial claims to have used the Critical Edition of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute as its basic source with Vishnu Sitaram Sukthankar and Shripad Krishna Belwalkar as its primary editor.
• Each episode is 40–46 minutes long and begins with a title song that consists of lyrical content and two verses from the Bhagavad Gita.The title song was sung and the verses rendered by singer Mahendra Kapoor. 
• The title song is followed by a narration by Indian voice-artist Harish Bhimani as a personification of Time, detailing the current circumstances and highlighting the spiritual significance of the content of the episode. It is the most successful Mahabharata series ever produced for television.
• Mahabharat Katha, another part of the serial was aired on 1997 which covers all the untold stories about Karna's marriage with Padmavati, Arjuna's marriage with Chitrāngadā and Ulupi, and stories about Ghatotkacha, Barbarika, Vrishaketu, Babruvahana, conspiracies of Viprachitti, Ashwamedha Yajna, Dushala's story and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, which are not covered in the original series.

8.Surabhi (Old Doordarshan TV Serial)

• Surabhi is a famous Indian show that hit the screens of India long ago. The show was very interesting and earned a lot of appreciation from the common people of India. The show was based on the people of India and the lives they lead and the culture of India. 
• The realistic nature of the show was the main feature of the show and the theme of the show helped to attract a lot of people. At that time, most of the serials in India were normal family dramas. But Surabhi was a different type of show and thus it easily earned a lot of fame.
• Surabhi was mainly a popular cultural magazine TV show and the theme of it was based on the lives of the people of India and the cultural views of India. The show is still very famous though it was aired years back. 
• The show is famous because it holds the record of being the longest running cultural TV series of India. The show was hosted by Siddharth Kak and Renuka Shahane.

 

Plot

Surabhi was a cultural magazine show and it mainly portrayed Indian culture. The culture of India is actually a different type of culture. The Indian culture was presented to the audiences of the show in a different manner and the theme of the show was very attractive. The show is highly rated in India and it actually transpired all the common cultural things of India.

The show mainly focused on the culture of the 90s. The main aim of the show was to teach the Indian people about the ethos and values of their cultural past.

The show was famous among all the age groups due to its variety. The show had a weekly quiz competition for its audiences. The show received a lot of answers to their asked questions on the quiz day via postcard. This new method of connecting the audiences to the show was very inventive. 

The plot was successful as the show was able to make an impact in India and teach the Indian people about their rich culture. The show was also dubbed in several other languages and it gained a lot of fame in all the states in India due to the different nature of the plot of the show.

9.Balika Vadhu 

The serial named balika vadhu broadcasts on colour television and is based on the state of Rajasthan culture and tradition. The Different Costume, language, sets, foods & rituals of this serial is all based on Rajasthani culture. This story is about the old practice of child marriage in rural Rajasthan. The serial has so far addressed issues like child marriage, gender bias, morality, sexuality, widow remarriage, caste, class, rural and urban conflict, juvenile delinquency, the fragile and often corrupt credit system, moral corruption within the Indian family system, the institution of marriage, and education.

10.Saath Nibhana Saathiya

this serial broadcast on star plus. This serial is based on the Gujarat state culture, and full of melodrama, emotions, conflicts, clash, planning and plotting. There are many other channels which are working tirelessly to provide quality cultural hegemonic content to the audience. NimkiMukhiya : The New plot on the Star Bharat Channel namely NimkiMukhiya is also the finest example for the cultural diversification which reflects the cultural richness of the state of Uttar Pradesh , a carefree village girl. belonging to a poor family, a twist of fate suddenly finds her contesting a local election for the Village Mukhiya.

Future of Indian Soap Operas:

• Reflection of Women Character in TV Serials This table reveals very interesting data. Majority couples have agreed that obscenity does not get an aggressive chance although backless beauty is now a commonly accepted feature of fashion. But the opinions differ among the couples at the time of considering whether the role of those cast female figures is possible in real life or not. 

• Female viewers are accepting the steps taken by the characters according to the need of the story. But 82% male viewers think that playing such a type of role and being impossibly innocent in real life is just impractical. If it happens, there won’t be any problem and any grievances in their lives. 

• Sometimes the story turns into a very dramatic mode. The dead person either comes back or gets reincarnation. Suddenly someone gets a person who fully resembles him. Hero-heroines can marry several times. 96% male think that the unnecessary household conspiracy may pollute the normal family environment. 

• Every serial has its own negative characters with extra ordinarily dressed up and projecting unnatural style of makeup composition. Conspiracy never stops in those stories. One ends, another starts in a different way. Only over the time it changes the cast and crew and way of presentation, which is totally absurd. 

• A few expressed their views that ‘how the mother-in-law could be so sure the unborn child was male’. How sex determination is done forcefully by strong mother in law.’ But 90% of the women audience opined that the showing conspiracy gives the idea how to handle it in their real lives if it comes. 

• Thinking about the remedies of various problems until the next episode comes; it gives different types of pleasure to the female viewers.  

• It cannot be denied that most of the TV serials in India project the dream family in front of common people with a caring husband, loving kids and a rich home. Conventional sacrificing, compromising and negotiating nature are considered to successfully drag the audience very easily. 

• It is highly emphasised that women are made for domestic help, and play a role of traditional mother, wife or sister in a very submissive way. It is hardly seen that women are competing with men in every sphere of life.

• If the women are cast in a powerful role, but still then the patriarchal context comes forward. It is shown that she depends on male to take the decisions. In viewers, women are exposed to those serials more than men, so it is an undeniable fact that these serials have an immense impact on them. Wrong or weak projection of women's contribution to the society may lose the confidence of the whole women community. 

• Media should reflect the women community in positive role models damaging all stereotypes. Indian women as portrayed in the Soap Operas is not adequate and not without its set of cultural biases. It is high time to change the traditional attitude of society for women. 

• Popular TV serials and characters use to get very close attachment from the viewers who easily become influenced by the messages carried by the characters. So this is the platform where women representation and participation can be shown in a very encouraging manner, the society can have a bright future ahead and can get rid of all the social taboos. 

• So it can be said that the media should focus on the legal, political, economic and social right for women along with it should emphasise the images of equal distribution of power and mechanisms of control. Therefore, the media must give prominence in the transformation of women’s role with positive aspects aiming to attitudinal change as a whole in the society. 

Observations and Findings 

The Box office in every home from 5 PM to 10 PM plays a very vital role in everyone's life . Some watch this format i.e. only for the entertainment purpose but on the other side of the coin many use it as a platform to learn something . If we ask many moms , housewives , or sisters (Feminineoriented) the words that are influenced by Rajasthan - their first reply will be Ghani Khamma - Which is Influenced by none other than BalikaVadhu . 

Women are the central heroes of every one of these soaps. Therefore, this genre conveys ‘female connotations ‘ - which not only helps to disseminate the culture among the individuals but also helps to point out many social issues which are prevailing in the society. A one of the leading examples can be lifted to boost up this work i.e. the Zindagi channel which is run by none other than Zee group - A horizontal and vertical integrated Media firm from India. Since its broadcast on June 23, Indians are being dealt with to the best of new-age Pakistani Ukraine as well as South Korea TV shows on offer. Hum TV’s blasting achievement ZindagiGulzar Hai and A-Plus Aun Zara have earned much acclaim and thankfulness in Indian daily papers and additionally via web-based networking media. Zee had been intending to achieve such an insurgency in programming for a long while now. 

The limelight of these episodes welcomed many Actors and Actresses to our nation to work with bollywood - As a leading example Fawad Khan and in terms of cultural exchange many of them started using the words in day to day life which originated from different cultures like - What's Wrong with you Allah! Miya, Sab khairiyat, Alfaaz, and so on. If we forget about the Neighbouring state Pakistan and talk about other nations like Ukraine or South Korea we can also find out many soaps which are popular among the Indian nation and also promote their culture too like Ferriha, Kuzeyguneyetc. 

Not only in indian channels but the other channels also influence the Indian masses to disseminate their cultural and this resulted in the projection of the same series in india to like KBC is a copy of Who wants to be millionaire, same as Big boss is a adapted from Big Brother and many more like India’s got talent is inspired from America's got talent and so on As a part of the cultural change many things can be seen as a cultural changes like attire , the adaptation of the food and Beverages , The use of words and slangs , all these are influenced by the source called television - more than 60 % of the Indians are the fan of Nigella lawson -English journalist, broadcaster, television personality, gourmet, food writer and famously known from Nigella’s Kitchen from TLC. 

Conclusion & Suggestions 

India is a diverse country in terms of culture, rituals, language etc. But still we don't have a number of soaps who represent cultures. Indian industry needs to produce more programmes which are based on various cultures and traditions. There is many new concepts in india to explore rather than just putting drama.The Media organisation not only runs for the TRP’s but also willingly to work for the good quality content building which not only promote the rich heritage culture of the India but also reflects the India’s positive image to the other Nation too. 

Almost every show begins on a different and interesting note but no matter how good the starting is, they lose their charm after some time because the show falls prey to using cliche tropes. The reasons why this happens is due to:

• Daily telecast format - This doesn’t give enough time for the writers to actually develop the storyline and characters properly
• TRP pressure - All shows have to live up to TRPs but the makers add twists and turns which messes up the story
• Never ending - The show drags so much that it feels as if it has been running for a decade.
• The Soaps in India are also becoming more repetitive. The same plots are being displayed in different shows which is almost killing the freshness of the shows.
• The development of OTT is also taking over the market of soap operas. OTT shows especially which have deep stories and less episodes are more liked by audiences nowadays. Audiences can binge watch them in a single night and can experience a massive story experience by watching them.
• The foreign dramas specially South Korean, Hollywood, and Turkish dramas are ruling the hearts of Indian viewers. These dramas are serving all purposes and giving great stories to the audiences which is dropping the business of Indian Soaps.
• The youth is becoming more aware and they need good relatable stories and concepts to view. That's why they are parting ways from Indian daily soaps and aiming to view online content more.
• On a serious note, Netflix and Prime Video have been successful because of the kind of content they offer now. Shows and movies of different genres - crime, thriller, horror, high school, romance, philosophy - form part of the content library of these apps. They are like a fresh breath of air from the TV soap operas with the same old plots (damsel-in-distress protagonist, conniving relatives, humans turning into animals, and whatnot!).
• Moreover, the target audience of TV soap operas is very different from that of OTT platforms. TV is still more popular and widely watched as compared to streaming apps.

References:

https://www.routledge.com/Prime-Time-Soap-Operas-on-Indian-Television/Munshi/p/book/9780367470906

https://www.grin.com/document/1616

https://www.news18.com/news/india/going-niche-is-the-future-for-indian-television-354179.html

https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/society/impact-of-daily-soaps-on-indian-society

https://www.thehindu.com/thread/arts-culture-society/soap-operas-and-the-glorification-of-misery/article18377821.ece

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269397320_The_Great_Indian_Television_Soap_Opera_-_Issues_of_Identity_and_Socio-cultural_Dynamics

http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0797-60622008000100004

https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/220933.pdf

https://www.freeonlineindia.in/surabhi-old-doordarshan-tv-serial/

https://quotestats.com/topic/quotes-about-soap-operas/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/byomkesh-bakshi-star-rajit-kapur-remembers-basu-chatterjee-as-a-man-who-always-found-solutions-with-a-smile/articleshow/76208372.cms

https://www.thequint.com/neon/fun/indian-soap-operas-tv-shows-defying-logic#read-more

https://ijournals.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/6.21008-Anamika.pdf

https://theprint.in/features/doordarshans-buniyaad-a-family-drama-that-masterfully-captured-the-pangs-of-partition/458278/

https://theprint.in/features/malgudi-days-to-karamchand-the-doordarshan-classics-that-deserve-a-lockdown-comeback/408984/

https://theprint.in/features/brandma/hum-log-indias-first-soap-opera-and-dds-experiment-with-foreign-cinema/337884/

Compiled and Edited by

Priyanshi Bhardwaj

Batch of 2023

B.A. (Hons.) Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College for Women