JOIN USTwo women try to calm themselves by resorting to recreational drugs in a train’s washroom. A bride and groom proclaim hatred at the marriage altar. Siblings discuss their ‘intimate escapades’ around a bonfire in the middle of a desert. Welcome to the changing face of digital entertainment in India. No, we’re not trying to be cool by creating situational comedies.
In fact, the single thread connecting these (rather unconventional to the Indian entertainment arena) scenarios is the gradual reflection of the society and the youth. Not just socially or morally, but practically, economically, emotionally and logistically.
Take Ladies Room, for instance. At first blush appearing boisterous, it seems to be, after some time, like the Indian cousin of Broad City. Focusing on the friendship of Dingo and Khanna, two girls who kill it with their sense of humour (one of them is scared she will have to end up with a guy ‘who doesn’t know who Bob Marley is’ — urban elitism at its best, ironically), the first season is a six-part web series, spanning 10-20 minutes each on the Y-Films YouTube channel. Why do we need more of this? Because we’re finally glad to be part of a universe where two girls can have each other’s back, even if they don’t quite pass the Bechdel Test at times.
And what a structural shift this, without the 5'9" tall, Barbiesque-physique-possessing, flowing-hair-sporting Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG)-like stereotype who is uptight and prissy.
Speaking of women, it was quite a pleasure to have been introduced to Shahana, the protagonist of Bang Baaja Baaraat. She’s grown up in a dysfunctional family, is witness to her ex-boyfriend dating her divorced mother, and is set to marry a man who is from a diametrically opposite background as hers. At this point, step in the veterans (Rajit Kapur, Gajraj Rao) who carry the unsoiled baton of Indian parental wisdom that is passed on at the most opportune of moments, sans the boredom. What a perfect way to pivot — finding comedy in drama.
And the newest kid on the block has been The Viral Fever’s Tripling — two brothers and a sister who bond (and fight) over a road trip. What this scores high on, besides brand integration, is its brave attempt to address the elephant in the room — that flu-like unease all Indian families let hover over their dinner tables — fear of sharing feelings. Unfortunately, this practice does not stop with the ‘elders’. It is somehow mysteriously transferred to their kids (of this generation) as well. This is why siblings don’t talk. And Tripling tells us why they should, in a very affectionate and non-sanctimonious manner.
While television and Netflix may have viewers hooked, short web series (anywhere between 10 and 25 minutes) are taking into account the dwindling attention span of the present generation and are catering to their target audience accordingly. This is a foolproof strategy for them, and assured fun and quality entertainment for those who like to spend unspeakable amounts of time on the Internet.
Another such short, but cutting, series is Man’s World. A Freaky Friday sort of a situation, wherein a man wishes to be a woman so he can be the recipient of all the ‘tokenism’ that is bestowed on them. Made in the wake of growing awareness about feminism and gender equality, it sets the mood right for all genders, without being partial or didactic.
A compelling reason for us to move towards such meaningful and substantial matter is to wash away all the dirty mind linen that has been for years subjected to the mediocrity and drivel of misconstrued family values and song and dance. It looks like a wave of positive change has swept over web entertainment lately. And it is okay to jump on this bandwagon of new-age series watchers. It seems a lot more hipper than the cable television binge-watching clique anyway.