Is India's Obsession with TV Serials a Cultural Issue?

The television industry in India is a huge industry, with an impressive reach of over one billion viewers. It is no surprise, then, that the advent and spread of Indian TV serials have been embraced by many, with enthusiasm and love. However, the large presence of television serials in Indian culture has elicited a more critical stance, questioning whether the love for television serials is a symptom of a larger cultural problem.

The first observation to make is that the obvious presence of Indian television serials in households, particularly those which include parents, is severely disproportionate to its presence in other countries around the world. It is not uncommon to see even younger children watching Indian television serials, or at least to hear of their presence in the home. 

This reinforces the notion that although the majority of Indians may not be actually watching a TV serial, the mere presence of it in Indian households has an unequal importance compared to other forms of entertainment, such as film or music.But why is it like this? Here it becomes important to consider the traditions of Indian culture. 

India is widely viewed as having a culture that is heavily based on respect for elders, or perhaps more accurately, respect for authority. This respect is often manifested in the form of adhering to what the elders in the family say, and following in their footsteps in matters of religion, food, lifestyle, and even what they watch on television. 

With this in mind, it becomes easier to understand why the presence of TV serials in Indian households might be disproportionate when compared to other countries.Furthermore, a lot of Indian TV serials are based on stories with preconceived morals and values, and scenarios in which people never challenge authority or the status quo. In many cultures, such structures are seen as outdated and overly traditional. However, in India, they are still prevalent within the culture and often seen as positive Kundali Bhagya Future Story. 

This view of authority and tradition plays well into the conservative nature of the Indian culture, so it is hardly surprising that even younger generations of Indians have not pushed back against the pervasiveness of TV serials.The implications for Indian culture, however, are more sobering. While these serials can sometimes be entertaining and, and provide insight into Indian culture, it is worrying that the presence of TV serials are encroaching on spaces such as education and intellectual development. 

Many people may be spending their time watching TV serials, instead of engaging in activities that will broaden their knowledge and help them grow. This points to a larger cultural problem, where the parents and older generations of the family are reinforcing a culture of passivity to the younger generation, by flattening the importance and reach of TV serials as a form of entertainment.

Ultimately, it is necessary to recognize that the presence of TV serials in Indian households is indeed a cultural issue. It is a symptom of a much larger issue – a culture of passivity towards developing a more broad-minded approach to the world, where entertainment is a means of escape and not a means of learning. There is also a larger question of the validity of traditional values in modern India. By understanding these issues, it is then possible to begin asking better questions regarding Indian television serials and the cultural problem they reflect.