This highly popular serial is going to close down on 13 September 2024 after continuous telecast of 20 years!
The home minister is the lady of the house and the anchor, Adesh Bandekar, visits her in her home, gets to know her and her family by asking a few standard questions. Then he asks her to play a game or produce given items from her kitchen in a short time and rewards her generously by giving her a Paithani saree.
Imagine travelling all over Maharashtra to do this, 5 days a week and for 20 years. The programme is so popular that Bandekar went abroad with it among Maharashtrians settled abroad.
The serial targeted the neglected large segment of Marathi women - housewives and made them visible. It did not entirely ignore working women but the focus was on homemakers, singly or in groups. It also probably enhanced their status. It made the anchor insanely popular and launched his political career.
If you haven’t watched the programme, do so quickly: Zee studio, TataPlay channel no. 1204 Monday to Saturday 6 to 6.30 p.m. Catching it alive should be worthwhile.
Women send their invitations to the organisers before they are selected. The chosen one decks herself, beautifies her home and introduces her family members and friends. They welcome Bandekar with a puja tray and niranjan.
You should watch the women talking lovingly about how they met their partners or how marriage was arranged. They describe their partners: all are quiet and helpful. They identify one weakness in themselves, usually getting up late or having a short fuse and promise to do better. They remember their parents and seek their forgiveness. They also include their in- laws sometimes. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all the women.
The programme is a sterling example of the power of the medium and its capacity for audience participation.
One is exasperated by the rote answers. It is so easy to sidestep truth and push it in the background! Listening to these women makes you forget that Maharashtra also has problems like domestic violence, dowry deaths and gender discrimination.
For all that, it is still heart-warming to see the women playing simple games on TV and winning.
