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I am happy. BIG BOSS (BB) is back on Colors. I openly acknowledge it to be my favourite show. In fact it is our family’s favourite show. I see eyebrows going up. I see a faintly sarcastic smile spreading and then freezing at the end of those twinkling questioning eyes. The stiff jacketed pseudo profile conscious audience feel suffocated in their inability to openly accept it. They like BB, they talk about it, they follow it and many of them watch it. But accepting it in social forum is a big no. I must give them a benefit of doubt. Maybe they really hate it and that’s why they watch it.
There is a case for planners to segment consumer’s basis their choice of programmes. I do not know if it already exists. I am afraid of the tag they may use to define my family. The people who like BigBoss, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Jhalak, Dance India Dance, India Got Talent. Have subdued conversation during Splitsvilla and Emotional Atyachaar. Laugh along with kapil, Krishna, Sidharth, Bharti and Archna on which ever channel they are on. See Savdhaan India as an education programme. Bridge the gap with any programme on SAB TV, And Miss ‘Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao’ but not for Kashmera, Nigar or Shweta. Maybe it is too compelx to understand.
It is a mystery why people watch BB. I am told even ‘Nation Wants To Know’ why Colors is allowed to telecast it. How can audience endure this shit for 8 seasons? If that was not enough they eagerly waited for the next? Maybe they have a point. Maybe I have a plausible explanation. I am not defending my choice.
I am making a case for you corporate types to watch it.
We are voyeuristic bastards. ‘We’ mean all of us. We easily transpose ourselves into and out of situations. The joy of our success amplifies by the misery of unsuccessful people. We re intrigued with these job less people boxed in a small area surviving without sensational media. We use the learning’s to recalibrate our understanding of human endurance and adaptability.
Like any other spectator sport, we pick sides and we play favourites. We follow weekly eviction and keep track of switchovers. Its like IPL or EPL. There are deviations that make it more engaging. Players are allowed to switch sides during the tournament. The tournament is planned for 84 days but can be extended. New teams can join at any stage. And the tournament does not end with eviction of you favourite team; you just pick the next on the line and go with the flow. How interesting.
If I was to read it along with the latest book ‘India Reloaded’ by Dheeraj Sinha and juxtapose it with Indian’s need for safety in numbers, the choice makes ample sense. It is the largest reality show. It has numbers backing it. It is franchised across 50 countries. Not bad for something that is s dumb that it is still a mystery for the smart people.
The secret is here. It gives audience an opportunity to vicariously live through contrived characterization, careful editing, a soap opera mentality and serve them continuos twist and turns.
It is a fascinating human experiment to watch. The initial hesitation of participants last 24 hours. Then they don’t become immune to cameras, they start using them strategically. It demonstrates how even the dumb humans are better than other species. It is an eye opener. It is a example of culture meltdown and clashes between polarised expectations.
It should interest HR. They should provide for uninterrupted viewing. Play the scenario game. Check for human reaction. Try predicting next move. Help the blue eyes hone their strategic skills. Help them perform better. They will master internal politics. They will weed out the challengers and fakes from the system. Thus creating an ecosystem that allows performers to thrive.
BB is socialistic in its approach. It bridges the gap between have and have nots. Famous and unknowns. It spiritually aligns you to believe we all are made the same way. Everyone’s blood is really red. We all have similar fears. Our reaction are as unpredictable as anyone else. We all take sides and we all backstab when we have to. Can you dream of ever being able to creates such a training environment. Teams will learn to be confident and willingly step into unknown territories.
People who vote in BB, vote to save. It is voting for the good. A lesson in judgement and empathy delivered efficiently. Faking is a time bound tool. Sooner or later you get exposed. Time and reality catches up. What an important lesson for the new generation living multiple personalities across multiple screens and platforms.
On industry level, the crew working 24X7 gets to hone their skills. They live to tell the tale. They manage deadlines. Perfect consistent delivery within unreasonable times schedule. Maybe you could get your career a new kick by joining BB as a interns.
It is an education programme. If it was a film, it could have applied for tax free status. It teaches lessons in human reaction. How to best avoid, join or adapt to situations? What is acceptable and what can backfire? Importance of grooming and escapism. Importance of being opportunist week after week. The morons who miss, miss out on life education. They fail to appreciate the contribution BB is making in enhancing human capital.
To a country more interested in what is ordered and served on the neighbouring table. More worried about when the neighbour’s daughter comes home. Where maid acts as supplier of daily dose gossip. Here, the show allows audience uninterrupted window into BB house.
The contestants know they are being watched. What they don’t know is what is finally being watched and who is watching. That puts pressure in playing it blind and building faster algorithm for understanding vote patterns. A process of reaching fake-able Nirvana.
Come on, join us to peep through the window this season. The social media frenzy and the availability of live feed have made it more fun. Unfortunately, it has forced producer and editors to be extra sensitive of what they show on TV.
Lat year I was privileged enough to visit the BigBoss house. It was a big excitement for the family. This year I will visit it again. Hopefully the right set of people have registered this wish of mine.
If for some reasons, you still fail to get it. Here I will try one last time.
I watch BB for absolutely the same reason you watch some sites incognito or watch Arnab longest hour on TV.
There is always a dumb show available for the smarties to learn from.
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