For Ladies Only

Popular TV actress Shagufta Ali who anchors the show explains: “We invite women achievers on our show to narrate their own inspiring stories.†But are women truly inspired by stories of Shabana Azmi, Seema Biswas, Vimla Patil and Kiran Bedi? How many women benefit from their experiences? Most celebrity guests are from better-off families and have rarely gone through traumatic circumstances. And even if they broke the real-life glass ceiling, their stories may not be real morale boosters.

Seema Biswas, who appeared on Star Plus’ Meri Saheli, recounts: “They asked me to tell the audience how I came to theatre and cinema. What hardships I faced on the way. And how Bandit Queen happened. For me it was quite interesting.†However, the question is whether the audience gained anything from it. For, it was just like any other star interview slotted for women’s TV magazine, at a time which viewers don’t give much importance to. “It is true many people think it is a time-pass, a slot where you don’t have anything more important to present. Once I caught one such repeat programme at midnight. Not many women are awake at that hour, though†Biswas says.

Then there’s AM Television Private Ltd presentng Khoobsurat, a programme on beauty tips, grooming and personality development for women on Zee. Anchored by former Miss India Gul Panag. Khoobsurat brings “women of substance†to inspire housewives. “This is an aspirational programme targeted at those who want to do something, but lack motivation and guidance. We invite beuticians who hold live demos of facials and hair-styling. We also have fashion designers talking about what’s in vogue, telling viewers what to wear on which occasion,†says Iqbal Malhotra, chairperson of AM Television Private Ltd. So you have Rohit Bal or Ritu Kumar telling housewives what to wear and how to make an appearance at a party. But how many women can afford Ritu Kumar? Again the show ends up becoming for socialites by socialites. The tips may be useful for the like of Madhu Sapre who walk down the ramp frequently, but for a middle-class housewife holed up in Haryana it is nothing more than navel-watching good for wannabe models,but only a cause for squirm for middle-aged women.But then many claim the magazine programmes are watched even by professional women, who, when at home, catch some agony aunts lending their shoulders to sisters in distress. Kemi Verma, who pairs with Shagufta Ali in Meri Saheli, claims that the programme has helped solve viewers’ marital problems. “We get lot of feedback from our audience. There are cases when women write back and tell us that they sorted out problems with their spouses. It is quite a satisfying experience to see them getting some help from our programme,†says Verma.

OK, some women may be benefitting from such counselling. But they are generally reluctant to discuss their marital problems, divorces and other critical issues with strangers. However, if the programmes are made more imaginative, it could be interesting and useful as well. As Malhotra says: “We can only guide housewives to become assets to their families and to society. It is to them to what extent they benefit from it.†Well, that’s the moot question!