Desi Today Magazine
By Amrita Lit
Have you noticed your mother acting different lately? Using less English, and more dramatic Punjabi or Hindi dialogue? Are they picking fights and seeing issues where they don’t exist? Well perhaps they have fallen victim to the Hindi-Drama-Apocalypse. It’s happening right in your homes and will reach its peak when you least expect it.
At first it’ll seem like nothing. Dinners will be late. Your daily complaints will fall upon deaf occupied ears.
Horrible, isn’t it? Well guess what? Maybe they DESERVE to have a few hours to themselves and enjoy a guilty pleasure or two since their entire existence has always been for the purpose to serve others.
It’s like all Indian mothers have taken an oath to provide for their family’s and maintain the household to a ‘T’ without a complaint. All responsibilities fall upon their shoulders. So, so WHAT if they enjoy a little escape from reality and some of the characterizations are rubbing off on them just a tad. I used to be part of it too. I would complain and secretly wish the ATN satellite would be somehow sent into oblivion in outer space and I would never have to hear the sound of a zoom in effect or collective gasp when a “thaal” falls or some other inauspicious event occurs. I felt like I just couldn’t bear these shows being blasted throughout my house 24/7.
But then it dawned upon me how much of a hypocrite I was being. I realized that I believed it to be okay to watch Friends reruns and endless Netflix series one after another but they can’t enjoy some cheesy mindless entertainment of their own?
Sure it kind of sucks that prior to the entrance of these dramas we actually had movie and family game nights to look forward to. But then I realized that at least now my mom actually had something to be excited about and discuss with her peers. The ongoings of Saloni and whether the seventh ‘phera’ she took was worth it. Or Lakshmi and her meddling boss. The only real complaint I have is about the never ending daughter and mother in-law dynamic storyline has been beaten to death with these shows so perhaps they need to find something else to grasp onto.
Yes, these shows are even more predictable than Hindi movies. And yes, they seem to be subtly influencing viewers across the world like some sort of cult. BUT, I still think all women across the world who rush through their chores to catch a glimpse of their show deserve this guilty pleasure. They should be left in peace to enjoy this time to themselves – dramatic sound effects and all.
