Saas Bahau Aur ...Psychiatry...

If I am permitted to draw a parallel, the evolution of mordern india has its closest links to the evolution of the SAAS BAHAU SERIAL... As Tulsi Virani ( "THE" TULSI VIRANI) aged, changed different roles of life, shedded bottles of glycerin and grew fat... India as a nation, grew socially, economically and "mentally".

Ramayan and Mahabharat once ruled the hearts and minds of the naive indian television viewer. Today the onus is to choose from vast array of saas, bahau's and xyz characters.

So are these soap operas good or bad? well take ur pick...who is worse gorge bush or osama bin laden? To each his own ... But definetly these Serials are POWERFUL... They leave a long lasting effect on the mind of the viewer... Just like that Armani Perfume that doesnt leave you, These serials stick to your Unconcious Mind. And have the power of changing your entire personality.

I will give you some examples i have noticed over the past few months...

1. a girl with her mother buying clothes at the mall.. girl "how do i look in this dress"...

mother.. "nahi beta...you look like vamp of kahani ghar ghar ki.."

the girl changes into another dress... "mummy how do i look now?"

mother ..."beta this is perfect...you look ditto like ananya from ladkhi anjani si..."

well you will say...its fashion...we all like to buy whats in-sync.. And I accept that.

My-point is...that the mother wants to fashion her daughter to fit the mould of "perfect" girl from that serial...This puts an added pressure onto the girl...

2. Two old ladies during their daily gossip session...

1st lady...."mrs.gupta ki bahau...is just like komolika"...."she has destroyed that entire family"..

2nd lady..." i know..you are so right...thank god my bahau is just like prerna. So caring..."

my point- creating milestones by looking at fictional characters...well isnt that non-logical !!! how many times have you been compared to some t.v. actor, who you dont even know...

How many times,have you seen that the hottest topic in a gathering is a soap opera and its story-line...

how many times does that 9'o'clock click...trigger the irritation, anger button inside of you.

how many times do you avoid going home early, to avoid those rivers of glycering, the eyes of suspicion and classical background score..

if you just sit and count...how many points have already been added to your stress meter.

3. This is the best one....

A few years ago, when I joined post-graduation. As an obidient, nice, 1st year PG student, i was required to finish my morning patients check up by 9am. And evening round by 7pm.

One fine day during my evening round, i see a huge discussion going on at the end of the corridor. I ignore it, as these petite things are normal in a hospital. Within a few minutes I see a fellow doctor, from other speciality, being surrounded by a crowd of 5-7people...And the discussion gathering heat.

Sensing something is wrong, i decide to take a casual walk towards ground-zero... As i reach there, i find my friend being bombared with millions of questions about blood cancer, how it can be cured, and how in-efficient the doctors in this hospital are. I approach the crowd, and casually ask one of them what is happening. This gentlemen, not sensing that I am a doctor, Takes me to the side and tells me the whole story.

To cut things short...The patient, some unfortunate chap who was diagnosed with "blood" Cancer or Leukemia. His relatives where debating on all the possible treatments available. Their medical guide...A soap opera!!!

I am not against entertainment...I am not against soap operas...but i am against you being at mercy of them... ITS TIME TO WAKE UP!!!! OR MAY ITS TIME TO TURN THE T.V AND GO TO SLEEP...