Dose of melodrama

Confession time. I’m addicted. It’s not any variety of potent substance that has done me in, but a daily habit which has turned into something of a dinner time ritual these days. The source of my addiction is a soap opera on the telly. It’s not incredibly racy or exciting that I need to watch the episodes with undivided attention or nail-biting anticipation. It is, in fact, just the opposite. It has neither a gripping storyline nor talented acting. No magnificent locations to go gaga over, or melodious music.

But that is exactly the point. It’s my source of mindless entertainment for the day. It all started one evening when I was aimlessly flipping channels.

I stopped when I found a bunch of garishly dressed women with heavy make-up in animated discussion over whether to make a phone call to their relatives or not. The discussion was tediously long and I had to wait till the end of that episode to find out the reason for all the fuss.

The reason was too lame, and the characters, too unreal. But at the end of that half hour, I had not thought about anything else. I had even forgotten most of my own problems that needed tackling. The next evening, I went back for more. And thus began my soap opera addiction.

I watch the episodes with a detached distance — no analysis, no attaching any emotions to the characters or situations. That would be difficult to do too, considering I have nothing in common with them, all coming from a traditional household. The women’s personalities, too, are diametrically opposite to my own.

Yet, there’s a soothing calm I experience at the end of each episode. I get into a meditative state while being pulled into a new direction — the family politics of a fictitious Rajasthani household.

The many faux pas cause much mirth, the outrageous clothes add colour to the scenes and the shallow script demands little concentration from the audience. But it’s hardly a bother as long as it continues to entertain. Like we sometimes walk out of a bad movie feeling strangely light? The daily soap performs pretty much the similar task.

Sitting in the lotus position with the dhyana mudra and eyes closed is a daily ritual that reminds me everyday to stay centred. But the daily soap reminds me that I need some light fun too when I can escape, even if for a brief while, into another world and return rejuvenated and ready to take on another day.