Take it from Tamil
31st October 2008
Watching Tamil television channels during Deepavali was an educating experience.
One could not escape the stark difference from Malayalam television culture. For instance, compare programme content of Malayalam channels on a festival day like Onam. What do they offer? Superhit films, of course. Then, some film-based programmes like interviews with stars (the most boring, naive and senile reminiscences about their Onam experiences), some music shows, again leeching films, garnished regularly with few mimicry programmes.
Stars do speak in Tamil too, like the interviews with Kamal Haasan, Vadivelu etc. And for Vadivelu it was not just idle and nostalgic reminiscences of the past like our stars, but re-living it in a sense. He himself went to Sivakasi and he sang and danced with the fireworks and match factory workers, who make this festival of lights, sparklers and crackers possible.
Another unique genre in Tamil television is Pattimanram. It is a debate about any issue under the sun; the only criterion is the ability to speak and present one’s views in an attractive, simple and humorous manner. It is watched by millions of Tamils across the world, and it has its own share of superstars and stars. The unique thing about Pattimanrams is the culture of listening it relies on and develops. The audiences intently listen to the speakers, applauding and encouraging them. What is important here is not who wins, but the way in which issues - of great emotional, social and ethical relevance - are grappled with in the public, strictly within a format where all have to listen to the views of the other, despite disagreement. Pattimanrams are possible only in a culture where orality is still strong, and where there exists some sort of respect for certain leaders/acharyas and texts (it may be Anna or Kannadasa, Tirukural or Kamba Ramayana).
Importantly, it is a programme that is inclusive to the core - young and old, men and women participate in it.
But in a culture like ours, the printed word is the ultimate truth. In our television discussions, no real dialogue or exchange of ideas takes place. In other words, there is an utter lack of listening. The ‘discussions’ are almost invariably abuse-matches where people battle from entrenched positions on both sides. And there are only two positions, either/or, for/against, yes/no, LDF/UDF, male/female, we/they etc ad nausuem. No grey areas, no in-betweens, no liminal spaces or tentativeness, no effort to listen to the other. As a result, all our ‘discussions’ end up with the opponents warring out there to score points against each other, never delineating or ‘growing’ up or out as the exchange progresses. It is an endless monologue all around, just like the ‘autobiographical’ writings that abound in our magazines recently. But sadly, life is all about grey areas, tentativeness, indecision, and groping in the dark. Something that Malayali television and intellectual life systematically excludes.
If in Malayalam there is clear division between high and low, serious and trivial, art and commercial etc. such boundaries are very thin in Tamil. Tamil television has the audacity to mix popular culture with ‘serious’ highbrow programmes. Take for instance, the very interesting and informative interview that comedian-actor Vivek did on Sun TV with Abdul Kalam. The interview was a relaxed one, both taking it lightly and joyously. Not only was pomposity and pontification consciously avoided, the interview itself was interspersed with ads and film clippings dealing with comic scenes about issues they were discussing at that moment.
In Malayalam television, there is a clear division between men and women. Programmes are made for men (politics, news, talk shows and news features...) and women (dance and music, reality shows and serials), the rest are all films, and several programmes that cut and paste film scenes plus mimicry shows. As far as Malayalam television is concerned, the aged and children do not exist, leave alone other genders.
It would take ages before the heterosexually hegemonic world of Malayalam television would dare to air a programme on transgender issues, that too with a transgender anchoring it, something that Tamil has already done with great success.
Source: Express Buzz