Just as reality and fiction, although two separate things, are always fused together for debate and controversy, reality shows always draw ire from the public. It always remain questionable up to what extent these reality shows are real. The recent reality show Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega has caught the attention of both media and many women rights activists/organizations right from the beginning. They are crying for showing women in indecent manner in the show. Generally, viewers have doubts regarding reality shows, particularly swayamvar, thanks to Rakhi Ka Swayamvar—the first television swayamvar in the country in which our famous controversy’s best friend Rakhi Sawant was going to marry one of the contestants—which turned out to be fake. Viewers are doubtful whether Rahul Mahajan will really marry one of the contestants or end up doing what Rakhi did. Despite this, such shows win the heart of millions of viewers, ensuring the TRP rise. So, there has been a mushrooming of reality shows across television channels.
From the very beginning, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the information and broadcasting ministry to stop showing this program stating it portrays women in an indecent manner. These young girls find beautiful all these glamour and fashion things. And the most important one—appearing on the television. They are least concerned what is waiting ahead in their life, and no one ever imagines the impending effects of long-term trauma and depression they will undergo after this short stint of bubble glamour.
The show started promising. Rahul romances 15 beautiful girls who are short-listed from more than 16,000 applicants. Rahul said there is no any restriction on the basis of caste, religion, color, education, and age for the participants. It is right; the youngest participant is 19 and the eldest being 34. Wow, that’s sound great! Isn’t it? But, I wonder how there is not even a single widow or divorcee in the swayambar of a person who himself is a divorcee. Now and then, girls are eliminated. To make the show more interesting, two NRIs also have come to participate. I don’t know exactly how they came to know about this swayambar, whether they participate from their own end or were paid to participate. Let’s forget it.
Each episode shows Rahul wooing the girls in exotic locales. Sometimes, he will take the girls to boating in lake, sometimes on cable car, sometimes a drink on yacht, and sometimes on palace. The hearts of millions of viewers started beating stronger each day when the show is about to be over. There is no wonder when very few girls are left, those who gave only adjectives to Rahul from Day 1 left infinite negatives while bidding adieu after being eliminated. Wait, luxury and romance are not over yet. When the three finalists come to Mumbai to meet Rahul’s mother, he takes each of them for Mumbai Darshan—this time on the jet. This one is really romantic. Romance on the air! It makes Rahul join the league of Hollywood couple Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nair. Then, Rahul pays a visit to the home of each girl. By now, the curiosity of the viewers rises up, including me. Rahul got the best designers of the country to dress up these three girls. Also, he got the famous choreographer Saroj Khan to train them dance for the sangeet day. Things become larger than life each day. Eventually, Rahul Mahajan’s swayamvar becomes a really most-talked and big affair.
The judgment day arrived. The three brides along with their parents and relatives arrived the hotel where the wedding will be solemnized. They all are dressed up with their traditional marriage gown, and all pujas done. Here is the climax of the three-week-long bride hunt. Rahul will choose his life partner. Only one of the three girls will get lucky and be a winner. She will get all the attention of media and will become a celebrity kind.
But, what will happen to the other two. They set out from home telling everyone, “Today is my wedding day.” How will they cope up with the depression, shame, and the gossips of the society? The final day showed the three finalists standing together, and Rahul with a garland at hands to garland one of them whom he is going to marry. Imagine you go to fish market and taking time to decide which fish you will buy for dinner. Nothing can portray women more indecently that the way it does.
Most of the reality shows are women-centric—about love, marriage, and relationship. The objectification of women is rampant in these shows. It is not possible to go and ask everyone to stop screening of such shows, because they will talk about freedom. Spreading awareness across to highlight the consequences and pitfalls of such shows is a must. There should be a self-regulation, and the government must act on this now. It takes 14 years to clear the Women’s reservation bill after it was first tabled, that too amid stiff opposition and protests from male brigade. So far, the highest number of women participation in the Lok Sabha is 12 percent. So, 33 percent quota means 21 percent male politicians out of office. It is a real threat to male politicians, particularly who rely on caste and minority vote banks. It is no secret that we are a country where women are perceived physically, mentally, and practically inferior to men. So if some women help objectification of themselves just for the sake of glamour and money, then gender equality will remain a dream that will never enliven. It takes more than 60 years for the Indian women to secure one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. How many more decades will we wait to see this figure become 50:50?
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