Once again comes that time of the year. The time which brings with it a reality show which makes a huge part of the T.V. audiences get hooked up to their T.V. sets to watch famous (or almost famous) people indulge in scripted fights for which, they are paid for. We are talking about none other than Bigg Boss.
Its season 10, which started on 17th October 2016, featured a unique twist. According to the new format of the show, one half of the contestants would be celebrities while the other half would comprise of common people (non-celebrities). And not to anybody’s surprise, the show would be hosted by Salman Khan yet again. The show is heavily based on voyeurism, or rather fabricated voyeurism.
According to the dictionary, Voyeurism is deriving sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret point without their knowledge. Though, the show does not directly generate sexual content but works on the closely related idea of giving the opportunity of observing the private sphere of life of the participants. Even though this observation is not without their knowledge, the format is such that it gives the viewer a similar feeling.
The contestants as well are seen indulging in fights amounting to physical violence as well as making politically incorrect or insensitive and abhorrent statements on the national television often to gain media traction. For example, on the the very second day of this season, one of the contestants namely “Swami Om” was seen passing misogynistic comments about a fellow female contestant.
Apart from all this, the host Salman Khan, who himself has been subjected to criticism for his ‘rape comment’ in the recent past, has an interactive session with the housemates twice a week which rather turns out to be a session in which the housemates try their level best to please Salman Khan.
The show has often been alleged for being scripted and for intentionally planting fights and romantic involvements so as to continue to grab viewers’ eyeballs.
Despite of all this, the show manages to get huge amount of viewership and the channel and advertising brands continue to capitalise on the same. Mass culture and popular media is a reflection of the society as well as provides direction to the society. It therefore makes it necessary for us to stop and think for a moment of the content we ascribe to and love watching so much.
Aditya Narang
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