“Reality is merely an illusion or is reality the real, albeit both being very persistent ones.”

A voice unheard suddenly becomes the voice of India, a pauper on the pavement is a millionaire tomorrow, an idea cracked made someone the bazigaar of tomorrow …all this and more are victories in the world of ‘Reality Shows’. But does reality exist in reel, or is it a figment of dramatization ‘For never shall this prevail, that things that are not are.’

Reality!!! Let’s begin by asking what’s reality?  A series of episodes that define life or the scripted drama created with life like ambiguity. Reality lost its definition ever since it entered the Indian television channels; it was dipped in drama, spiced with sensationalism and garnished with emotions; emotions that were strong enough to bait the innocent viewer who in his chase for life had lost his own definition of reality and unknowingly had become the strong contributor to the pot called ‘TRP’.

So we know that what we see on the Indian Television channels is not reality…then what is it?  Should we call it manipulation or should we term it as a surreal dream where reality is only in the name? Whatever it might be, but the beauty of achieving the surreal through the realism of elasticity and yet being believed is indeed an art that ‘reality shows’ in India have mastered, making it the greatest business in the world of media today.

The journey of surreal reality on Indian television channels began with the ‘Pauper turning millionaire concept’…Kaun Banega Crorepati, million calls, few lucky entrants, few earned a lakh, one became the millionaire and the rest hoped against hope to get to the hot seat and face the Shehanshah and since then reality has become a part of our appetite.

What’s more reality shows in India didn’t just give us idols, they gave us the passport to marry a celebrity on television, get a treat into the lives of some spoiled Page 3 idols ,enjoy the fun of laughter without a joke and what more you can even spy your spouse and expose him with a whip. Indian Television channels have proved that anything with a sizzle is worth the sell.

Walt Disney said … ‘It takes people to create reality’ but Indian television channels proved that it needs ‘needs’ to create reality, therefore the foundation of these reality shows in India was the desire to accomplish a dream, dream that was subjected to the market risk of its viewers. To become an Indian Idol, you just don’t need a good voice but you need a great emotional history, a cute looking face is mandatory, being the judges’ favorite is a pre-requisite and having a strong regional liking is the only way to rope votes and get to the coronet.

And while the entire nation sits unmoved for hours to celebrate the success of the ordinary, there are the marketing and advertising gurus busy pooling into the surreal world to collect TRP’s…

Reality bites but reality shows in India are seductive, a touch that is humanly craved and distributed to all its aspirants. A question that often lingers is why people believe in reality when the obvious manipulation is so on surface, well may be the answer lies in what Aristotle had said centuries back “Thinking and the thought that it is are the same; for you will not find thought apart from what is, in relation to which it is uttered.” It’s obvious we believe in reality shows because that’s what we aspire to be.

Hail reality!!! You have a chance to be a part of it, there’s something for everybody!