Watching television is like being on Old MacDonald's farm. You know, ‘here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack quack…'? Just replace the ducks and other farm animals with reality shows.
Channel heads have realised that if you get the deadly combination of relationships and reality TV, hitting the TRP upper circuit is just a mean task. Think ‘Pati Patni Aur Who' (on NDTV Imagine about parenting), ‘Perfect Bride' (on Star Plus about finding, ahem, the perfect bride and daughter-in-law) or ‘Splitsvilla' (on MTV where girls fight it out for rather average boys). The more startling the concept the better.
The ultimate test
Adding to this fight for eyeballs is UTV Bindass' new show ‘Emotional Atyachar', which, the channel claims, “puts relationships through the ultimate test” by testing whether or not your partner will remain loyal to you.
This 13-episode show is targeted at audience aged between 17 and 24 years, who are in a relationship and wish to take it to the next level by assuring their commitment.
‘Emotional Atyachar' will give them the chance to test either by planting a tempter or temptress to check your partner's fidelity or the crew will spy on your partner if you suspect him or her to have a fling with someone specific.
Channel Head Heather Gupta says: “We don't deny that it's voyeuristic and exciting; we are looking to give entertainment in television. But you cannot negate that we are giving people a chance to check on their partner's fidelity. Some of the episodes are heartbreaking, and we have our host Angad Bedi, who is almost like a counsellor. We expect the show to inspire reactions as will any idea that's new and edgy. It will be open to debate.” The channel had opened the forum for people to approach them to check on their partners, and no part of the show has been stage-managed, says Gupta.
While the footage shot on spy cam is shown unedited and live to the person who has approached the channel, at any point of time, the proceedings can be stopped, and this person also has the option of not letting the content be used on TV, she says.
For the first episode, the boy (Vishal) who wanted a fidelity check done on his girlfriend (Resha), tried having a fling with a crew member. This was shot and shown to Resha, who, incidentally, came out clean, in spite of a tempter being planted. Needless to say who dumped whom!
Catch the action at 7 p.m. on Fridays.
