(Image courtesy: http://icetrail.blogspot.in/2012/05/satyamev-jayate-aamir-khan-mp3-online.html)
I watched it for 20 minutes and felt a sense of déjà-vu. That was when I realized there were many such shows across India in different languages that spoke at length about these social issues, starting with news channels like NDTV. The only difference was that one felt obliged to shed tears while watching SJ and failed to do anything about the issue once the show got over.
This brings me to the perennial question – What is so special about SJ that it has pipped other such shows to become the big daddy of our social and moral conscience?
Is it the All India broadcast rights? Is it Aamir Khan? Is it the gruesome portrayal of social ills? Is it the absence of Ads during the broadcast? I don’t think it is any of this. It is the timing of the show – Literally and figuratively. Sunday morning is when you want to watch TV and take an afternoon siesta. SJ is like a movie – it has elements of comedy, tragedy, action and drama – that you can watch and then go to sleep and wake up fresh to face the real challenges in your life.
It is stylized like a posh TV show which doesn’t jar you out of your senses. The audience present on the sets sits obediently and makes its points by raising hands and speaking politely into the microphone. (Unlike the loud and emotional speeches you hear in Tamil programmes of this format where auditoriums and school grounds are rented to bring in the ‘affected crowds’ and drive home the point).
As long as the show remains faithful to the movie format, it would do well. Recent episodes have shown unhappy endings and viewership is declining. (Zee recently came out with an advertorial saying one of its dance shows featured on kids had a better TRP than SJ). How long before sun sets on SJ?
I think you are right and have got it spot on. The show is like so many others except that this one has very slick production. I think once he novelty factor wears off the show would see declining viewership.
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