Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children, and not for the education of all adults of every age?
The aforementioned quote is attributed to the renowned social psychologist Erich Fromm, and seems particularly apt when giving consideration to Star Plus’ latest Hindi-language serial “Kaali – Ek Agnipariksha”.
Produced by the Fox Star Studio, the serial aims to increase awareness about the growing number of cases of sex-based crimes against women India. In this instance, viewers get to follow the trials and tribulations of the central character, sixteen year old Rachana (played by Swati Kapoor) as she is tormented by the villain of the piece, Thakral (played by Ashutosh Rana). Though it is enormously refreshing to see Indian media tackling social issues, the serial and its central character Rachana will no doubt prompt painful memories of Ruchika Girhotra, a fourteen year old girl who was molested in 1990 by then Haryana Police chief S.P.S. Rathore in Chandigarh. Ruchika committed suicide three years after the incident.
But in the Hindustan Times newspaper, the show’s writer Mrinal Jha commented, “The show is about fighting for justice; we wanted to depict the reality around us. But it deals with much more than any particular case. It is a fictional show based on elements shared by a number of real-life cases”.
Nevertheless, the presence of serials such as “Kaali – Ek Agnipariksha” or even “Mann Ki Awaaz Pratigya” provide evidence of a shift away from the comfortable, traditional, timid narratives that have been so common throughout the years on Indian television. This is a great opportunity to use such serials not as a platform from which to preach or lecture, but to tackle social issues in a safe and responsible manner. Be it a serial, a learning tool, or indeed both, “Kaali – Ek Agnipariksha” has the potential to become a significant contribution to responsible media, and may well influence the structure of many serials to come.
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