I am no expert. But I do think there are far too many bad and evil people in Tamil TV-land. How do I know this? Since sister number 4 left for Brisbane on 6 April, I’m with my mum 24×7. My evening entertainment comprises Tamil serials that my mum watches, courtesy of Sun TV HD and Zee Tamil HD on Astro.

Between 6.30pm to 8.30pm she is pretty much hooked on ‘Abhiyum Naanum,’ ‘Sundari,’ ‘Kayal’ and ‘Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal.’ I don’t watch them.  I catch glimpses of the various series, and trailers for other serials as I go about preparing dinner and doing my nightly chores.

It’s concerning that there is an inordinate number of scheming and really not nice people on air. Both men and women but certainly more women baddies. It’s easy to tell when they are up to no good, from any distance. I don’t need to hear them speak. Their facial expressions are a dead giveaway. Pupil popping glares. Arched eyebrow (like The Rock) or squinty/slanty looks. When I do listen to them – they spit bile. The language is harsh. They are vindictive and merciless. They spread malicious rumours. Destroy reputations. Break up couples and families. Force their own children or relatives to marry people they don’t care or love and ruin lives in the process. Merrily.

Also, let’s not forget murderous. Pretty, immaculately made-up, jewellery-laden, saree-clad young ladies issuing hits on their nemesis. Usually other women. The lethal orders to their hired hands are not limited to kidnapping and killing but even more heartless – burying enemies alive. I mean, really. As if brutally taking lives isn’t enough, suffocating to death in shallow graves. Yikes. 

Why women baddies, and why so prevalent? What about sisterhood? Like I said I’m no expert. I understand a story needs a plot. A protagonist. An antagonist or many antagonists. Twist and turns. Challenges to overcome. Machetes to avoid. Graves to climb out of. But surely antagonists do not always have to be wicked villainesses. I know this is not real life. Its TV-land but why so dastardly?

This, I found, interesting.

A study of the portrayal of women characters in many popular Tamil TV serials claims that women are negative stereotypes in most programmes and warned that this trend could unleash sociological havoc in the long term. Conducted by Indian Science Monitor (ISM), a non-profit organisation, it gauged women’s perception of they (women) being consistently typecast as evil, plotting and abusive characters, who go to any extent (even hiring goons) to settle personal scores.

Most of the young women interviewed, via questionnaire, felt that the TV serials only reflected a distended version of social reality. Older interviewees termed such over-the-top portrayal as outright unethical and dangerous to the social fabric. The 200 respondents of the study also said that they habitually watched TV serials for more than two hours every day.  While, 70 per cent of them, in the 30-55 age group, vehemently opposed such negative characterisation of women. Another 5 per cent called for some form of curbs.

The ‘evil woman’ was conceived by male writers said Dr. Shalini, a psychiatrist and consultant for the study. “What we are seeing is a grotesque synthesis of two very different approaches to violence and reprisal.” Adding that evil characters could become role models for the less-educated or rural audience. Such programmes could generate trouble even in the short term as there is ample evidence from Western studies about televised violence inspiring actual violence[1].

There are many who have called out against the flawed and one-dimensional portrayal of women (saint, sinner, simple or ultramodern) in serials, the nonsensical plots, repulsive language plus influence on impressionable young boys and men regarding girls and women.

Despite all the things that are wrong with serials, they are hugely popular. With some running for many seasons, and garnering good ratings. Why? Because people, including women, watch them rather faithfully.

Closer to home and a case in point is the Tamil serial ‘Sundari.’  My mum is so invested that she gets upset when Sundari, one of the nicer make-believe women, gets all weepy and spineless, and fails to stand up for herself. I have had to remind my mum that Sundari is merely playing the stereotypical role of a compliant wife, as written in the script, probably by some male writers. Hmm…

In fact, I Googled ‘Sundari’ just to convince my mum not to fret for her. Gabrella Sellus, the actress who plays the lead role, is the highest paid actor in that serial. She is worth more than RM10 million. Not bad takings. Not bad acting.

Unfortunately, when all’s said and done, the same-old, same-old stories and plots still seem to attract viewers. Sigh.