Mandira Bedi hopes for progressive shows; says TV content has gone backwards

Actor Mandira Bedi, who played the protagonist in 1994 TV series Shanti, feels that the show was much ahead of its time for the kind of message it sent across to the society. She might have taken a break from small screen, but that doesn’t stop her from having a stern viewpoint on the kind of content being shown on TV these days.

“At times, I find that TV today has taken so many steps backwards and has become so regressive as compared to the kind of wit in shows from the 80s and 90s. For instance, Shanti was so inspirational and aspirational but we don’t get to see such shows being made today,” Mandira says.

People like to watch down trodden women who are suffering and trying to find their way up. I don’t know why we have gone backwards.

The 44-year-old further adds it’s sad that the kind of character that the audience today relates to is someone who is suffering. “People like to watch downtrodden women who are suffering and trying to find their way up. I don’t know why we have gone backwards. There really needs to be more of progressive shows and strong characters that women should aspire to be like,” she says.

Given the fact that most of the prime time shows today are thriving on superstitious beliefs and supernatural characters as integral part of their storylines, Mandira feels these shows are done to death — new subjects, spaces and scenarios are needed, which the audience can relate to. “That’s the saddest part about fiction shows. If one show works, there would be six other made on similar lines. I remember when Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi topped the TRP charts, probably 100s of saas-bahu shows started back to back and kitchen politics business just became success,” says the actor.