Growing up on stage

Be it talent hunts or adventure shows that need one to survive with dangerous animals and insects in a jungle, reality shows have been grabbing eyeballs for quite sometimes now.

For a viewer, it is a package of drama, laughter and some emotional moments. But for the participants, it involves immense hard work and long hours of practice. And when it comes to kids reality shows, this can sometimes be too much to take.

Ace director Shoojit Sircar’s recent tweet requesting authorities to ban all reality shows involving children throws light on this aspect.

He reasons that these reality shows affect kids emotionally and rob their innocence.

Reacting to his tweet, some Bengalureans feel that talent hunts have both pros and cons.

“Just as every coin has two sides, reality shows too have two faces to them,” says Ridhi Gupta, a mother, and an entrepreneur.

She explains, “Children’s reality shows were started as a platform to showcase their talent. However, the flip side is when something is commercialised, the actual idea gets defeated and it soon takes the shape of a competition. The charm of learning starts to diminish from the very moment when one judges a child’s talent.”

She emphasises the fact that children tend to lose their confidence in the process. Making the experience a learning base, Ridhi says, can be a better way to go ahead with these shows.

“Some kind of coaching should be given to children, even after they are eliminated. This will help in keeping their spirits up and their confidence intact. These shows should be a way to look at their own talent and not just focus on winning the title. I strongly believe art is not to be judged and an artiste should never be demotivated. Children should not live their parents’ aspiration but learn an art form of their choice,” says Ridhi. 

Agreeing to this is Suchetha Madhusudan, who is a mother of two kids and also runs a play school.

She says that it is good to encourage kids but not at the cost of their innocence.

“These shows are a great way to give exposure to the different skills that a child has. It is an achievement for a kid to be on a public stage and get recognised. However, the intense pressure from parents can be damaging to the child.

It is important that they do not pressurise them or compare them with other children,” expresses Suchetha. 

Looking at the brighter side of these reality shows is Pramitha Kotian.

She says, “These shows are not just for entertainment but to build confidence too. The competition is so high today so it’s important that the children have a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment.”

Padma Priya, a music teacher says, “Shows involving kids always gain attention, but discovering talent today has become all about name and fame.

And the reality is not always shown, sometimes they also play the sympathy card. In such cases, the value of talent is lost. Children start to imitate and compare each other at a tender age when it’s time for them to build their own personalities.”

Padma also points out that if a child is genuinely interested in what he or
she is doing, they will pursue it even after the show ends.