Bengali private television channels, including Zee, Colors Bangla and Star Jalsha, have followed in the footsteps of Doordarshan and brought popular serials back on the small screen.
The serials that have made a comeback include ‘Ek Akasher Niche’, ‘Agnipariksha’, ‘Amar Durga’, ‘Deep Jwele Jai’, ‘Goyenda Ginni’, ‘Bhutu’, ‘SaReGaMaPa’, ‘Mirakkel’, ‘Mahaprabhu Sree Chaitanya’, ‘Manasa’, ‘Bojhena Se Bojhena’ and ‘Songsar Sukher Hoi Romonir Gune’. Psychologists say this will help deal with the severe anxiety levels of homemakers who have suddenly plunged into depression following the no-show in the evenings.
Speaking about this initiative, Samrat Ghosh, cluster head (East) of Zee Entertainment, said: “I am hopeful that the cult shows will surely bring back strong nostalgic values and take viewers back to their good old days. They will enhance quality family time and help them sail through this difficult phase.” Star Jalsha is also showing a rerun of the dubbed version of ‘Mahabharat’. Not to be confused with the Doordarshan ‘Mahabharat’, this serial was last shown on Star Jalsha in 2013.
Many homemakers believe it will help them reclaim their familiar space at home. During office hours or early evenings, they had the entire house to themselves with husbands and children away for work or school/college. The domestic helps would handle the chores. Evenings were meant for relaxing in front of the television sets.
The corona outbreak changed this entire routine. Husbands doing work-from-home and staying-at-home children are encroaching on their space. In the absence of domestic helps, the load of household chores has increased. The absence of serials has only added to their sense of unease. While Doordarshan is reruning ‘Ramayan’, ‘Mahabharat’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’ and ‘Circus’, language is still a barrier for viewers in strictly Bengali-speaking households. The decision to rerun the Bengali serials has come as a boon for them, said Sudipa Chatterjee, who anchors the popular cookery show ‘Sudipar Rannaghor’. “These shows and soaps have become an integral part of their daily lifestyle. They entertain the elderly people and homemakers who seldom go out. New episodes were supposed to be aired from Monday. But now, I shot fresh promos at home for the rerun of the old episodes,” she said.
Seventy three-year-old Bithika Mitra stays alone at her Ballygunge residence. Apart from meeting her friends in the apartment, television is her only medium of entertainment. The lockdown has completely jeopardized the daily schedule.
According to her psychologist son Sabyasachi Mitra, she is looking forward to the rerun of ‘Amar Durga’. “Both in terms of micro and macro nature, society is going through extreme uncertainty in all parameters. It will be of immense help if one can provide some ray of certainty and familiarity to these viewers,” Mitra said.
Besides, the rerun of the serials will bring them back to a familiar zone. “The ending is known to most of the viewers. Watching these serials will relieve them from the tension of watching news and debates on various channels that are painting a grim picture otherwise,” Mitra added.
Source: Times of India
