arindam ganguly
post news network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 10: Entertainment has definitely moved on to the internet today, just as it had shifted from cinema halls to drawing rooms through the television in the not too distant past.
Web-based shows such as ‘Permanent Roommates’, ‘I don’t watch TV’, ‘A.I.S.H.A’, ‘Truth or Dare With Dad’ and ‘Girl In The City’ are increasingly popular among youngsters.
Arun Mohanty a student of English at Utkal University finds television serials boring. He says he is a fan of ‘Perfect Roommate’ and ‘Truth or Dare With Dad’. “I download the videos from YouTube and watch them on my laptop,” he said.
Anurag Mishra an engineering student of EAST institute echoed Arun. He loves “TVF ‘Qtiyapa’ and ‘Girl In The City’ very much” as they are “quite refreshing change from the regular melodrama of TV”.
People from television are also accepting the change and are themselves looking to adapt. Mahira Sharma who found fame with ‘Y.A.R.O ka Tashan’ believes each individual has unique tastes and that they choose what to watch based on these. “Shows such as ‘Y.A.R.O ka Tashan’ are youth-centric, although anyone can watch it. I would myself want to part of web-based shows and other content if it attracts me,” Mahira said.
Saumya Tandon, known for her work in ‘Bhabiji Ghar Pe Hai’, believes the coming of internet shows has definitely affected television soaps and intensified competition in the field. “The world is going digital today with the rise in the number of internet connections and better speeds. Youngsters are also accessing the internet over smartphones. Good content will always be liked. I would definitely consider working on online shows,” she said.
Winds of change are blowing within households, too, which had been television’s seemingly unassailable bastion. Ankita Singh, a private firm employee, says television shows are “past their expiry date”. “Youth today don’t have the time to watch soaps that continue for years together. The age of ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ and ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ has gone,” she said.
She herself likes online shows such as ‘Girl in The City’, which tells the story of a girl who reaches the city of dreams Mumbai and pursues her passion in the fashion industry. The best aspect that attracts her to online shows is that it is available when and where she needs it. “I can watch the shows when I want it without disturbance,” she says.
Sriram Singh Ratan, a teacher, is also feeling the change. “Today’s youth spend a long time on the internet; they want to watch programmes in their own space and time and internet helps them do both. Online content being shorter, is more attractive. Shows such as ‘24’ produced by Anil Kapoor are perfect examples of such material,” Sriram said.