Gone are the days of the atte-sose sagas which regaled fans about how the two ladies fought day in and day out for supremacy, earning enormous ratings for channels thanks to their highly emotional content. Our new-age telly rests on a much more complex formula that focuses on relationships between a man and two women. Strange but true, at present more than half a dozen tele sagas on Kannada television, sees the centre of attraction being helmed by two women characters, one who is in mutual love with the lead man, and the other who wants him at any cost though the man is not interested nor is he aware of “her” evil plot to take him away from his lady love. However, the audience seems to be in love with this new hit formula which has paved the way for more such soaps. Bengaluru Chronicle reports on the triangular plots.
“In Puttagowri, Gowri who is married to his childhood love has to eventually sacrifice her husband to another woman. Now, the never-ending tale is on a different footage. While it always gives a hint that it is nearing its end, it never happens in reality. In Radha Ramana, Raman is married to Radha but there is another character — Deepika who is always scheming to seek Raman’s attention and love. In Padmavathi, Avantika is in between Samrat and Tulsi. Whereas, in the latest serial Kamali, Anika’s character is the spoiler between Kamali and Rishi’s love story. There are several more examples of this new trend. The purpose, of course, is to build tension in the plot, keeping the audience interested in whether true love will survive such ‘evil’ onslaughts,” says Deepak, an assistant director.
Script writer Vikas N, feels that once a story becomes a hit, a majority of the makers attempt to repeat it by slightly modifying the formula. “In Subbalakshmi Samsara, the story is about an extramarital affair of a man and his beautiful secretary while the housewife struggles to get back her husband. Put two women characters in the middle of a saga, and churn a successful serial is the present trend. Tested and tried serials like Lakshmi Baramma, wherein a sister sacrifices her husband for the sake of her sibling, have all earned the highest ratings,” he adds.
Further, critic Subramanya points out that serials and movies made reflecting society have all turned mere entertainers. “In serials that are always about women, men are more a support role. In reality, it is far from reality! How can almost every serial have another woman in waiting, and also someone who will do anything to break the relationship to get her man? Thankfully, unlike in the past, audiences are more intelligent today, and realise such stories are purely for entertainment only,” he wraps it up.
