The pleasure of peeping

But there’s no denying that they are popular and successful. Consider the case of Bigg Boss and Emotional Atyachaar,two of the most popular reality shows on TV which are coming back with fresh seasons. We were riveted when Rahul Mahajan and Payal Rohatgi canoodled on Bigg Boss season 2 and Kamaal Rashid Khan bawled his lungs out and flung plates at fellow inmates on the third season,while the public disintegration of dysfunctional relationships—where boys and girls blatantly cheated on their partners—on Emotional Atyachaar’s successful first season had us coming back for more.

The channels,of course,defend the shows. Ashvini Yardi,programming head of Colors,says,“This is a kind of show which will be enjoyed by each and every member of a family. The show’s format,its contestants and psychological battles within the house coupled with the unique concept makes it a fun viewing. It’s one show that brings out the best and the worst in its contestants.” Nikhil Gandhi,business head of UTV Bindass,which has just started the second season of Emotional Atyachaar,says,“It’s misleading to say that the show is pegged on voyeurism. The hook of the show is that each relationship has a unique story behind it. We’re exploring that concept and examining what makes a romance break or survive.”

There are many reasons why the voyeurism inherent in these shows continues to fascinate us. There is the Peeping Tom syndrome – basic human curiosity about how other people lead their lives. For some,it is the chance to observe human nature in the raw. Khan,who admits he was at first shocked when he watched Bigg Boss,says that he was nevertheless hooked by the faces that were being revealed behind the celebrity facades of the participants. “It was funny,but also a great way to study the psychology of the inmates. In the beginning,everyone was aware of the cameras around them and were on their guard. But in a few days they got used to being under surveillance and their true nature was revealed.” On the other hand,viewer Kuljeet Singh has a more cynical attitude towards the shows and says he watches them only for their comedic value. “I can’t believe how people can make their lives so public on television. They seem really scripted to me and what I find funny is how they try so hard to prove that it is happening for real.”

However,there are a few who gave up trying to keep up with reality shows. “I used to watch these shows in the beginning because they introduced a fresh concept and I was really tired of the same old formulaic soap operas,” says PR executive Pooja Agarwal,“But now they’ve been completely taken over by people who’re looking for publicity. With Bigg Boss,the standard of the contestants has gone down considerably since the first season,with people like KRK and Rahul Mahajan being roped in just to increase TRPs. And in Emotional Atyachaar,the fact that most of the contestants are either models or actors makes it suspicious to me.”