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Journalism of Courage
In his novel 1984, George Orwell drew a terrifying picture of an approaching totalitarian era in which every individual would be spied upon by the all-seeing eye of the ruling despot, Big Brother. Things did not quite turn out this way. Or did they? It is interesting to speculate on what Orwell would have made of the fact that Big Brother is the name of one of the biggest primetime hits of the early 21st century on which people in the free world volunteer to, and are actually rewarded for, surrendering their privacy and freedom. Or that in India, the ancient land of his birth, people are vying, claiming life-threatening diseases, agitating and even contemplating legal action to be on Bigg Boss, the local version of the show.
Life however is full of such ironies. It is hard to imagine, for instance, that anybody who first envisaged putting a television frame on real life wasn8217;t laughed out of the studios. Yet, reality TV is the hottest concept of the last decade and, as the success of major shows abroad and our home-grown spin-offs, Kaun Banega Crorepati, Nach Baliye and now, Bigg Boss, proves, is worth millions not just in ratings but in the acres of free publicity that follow in its wake.
In fact, Big Brother, with its intrusive 24-hour surveillance, cut-throat competitiveness and conventional mix of minor or over the hill celebrities, is perceived to have a somewhat downmarket appeal in the West. At the same time, the show that spawned the Indian Bigg Boss is a top-rated one in terms of viewership in 70-odd countries. Why do people agree to live in a secluded house full of strangers and hidden cameras for several weeks? And why do millions of people tune in to watch?
The first question seems to suggest a straightforward answer: money and visibility. The second appears to be more complex. To begin with, there is the captivating power of television. Television can be said to have the hypnotic quality of a fish tank. It is also known to induce a state of passivity. Bigg Boss, with its pseudo lab format and its heightened emotionality, offers the illusion of being privy to both an intensely dramatic life experience and a social science experiment 8212; in short, entertainment and education 8212; at one and the same time.
That this slow unravelling happens not outside 8212; necessitating travel, expense and discomfort 8212; but within the easy confines of one8217;s own drawing room is an added incentive. As is the fact that the whole world is watching. Viewers of reality shows often confess that despite their aversion to a particular popular show they are forced to watch because it is all people are likely to talk about the following day.
The popularity of blogs and webcasts capturing the mundane daily lives of people in recent years seems to indicate that there are many people who seem to welcome the opportunity to intrude into other peoples8217; lives, however uneventful those may be. The opportunity to play voyeur is an essential part of Bigg Boss8217;s appeal. Participants know that they are being watched and that their actions must be geared towards evicting others and ensuring their own survival. But the occasional slip and the need for companionship in a houseful of strangers and competitors also make for an enticing interplay between the fake and the real.
It has been suggested that shows like Bigg Boss, and reality shows in general, are proof of a democratising society 8212; even 8220;ordinary8221; people have the opportunity to participate and win without displaying exceptional ability; they can win by answering simple questions or telling the truth or guessing the price of a product. There is a more negative interpretation that has been put forward: excessive simplification and rewards for doing nothing feeds into a society prone to narcissism. Framing the simple act of living in a community from day to day and elevating it to a contest also suggests a false sense of heroism that allows both participants and the audience to evade acknowledging real achievement that could cause excessive envy in a society increasingly prone to feelings of entitlement.
Mumbai-based Shah is the author of 8216;Hype, Hypocrisy and Television in Urban India8217;
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