Rajasthan calling

From the captivating sand dunes to the magnificent havelis, the bright and colourful costumes to the beautiful jewellery, the intricate art to the rich culture, Rajasthan is being presented in all its glory on the small screen. The tag line of the state’s tourism department, ‘Rajasthan comes alive with us’ could very well be adapted by the TV producers. Over half a dozen serials have either been shot in this exotic region or have stories based there. Be it the top-rated family dramas Balika Vadhu, Diya Aur Baati Hum (DABH), Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (YRKK), the historical Jodha Akbar, the life story of Maharana Pratap or the new launches Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se, Rangrasiya and Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, the desert state has taken centre stage.

Irresistible locales
Producer Sunjoy Wadhwa, one of the first to shoot in the region for Saat Phere and later Balika Vadhu says Rajasthan has a mystic value. “There’s more to Rajasthan than the dunes and deserts. It’s got beautiful locations that make for excellent visuals. The first time I decided to shoot there for Saat Phere was simply because till then nobody had thought of it and in case of Balika Vadhu, the subject demanded it,” he says. It’s the heritage element and the old world charm of the state that draws producer Rajan Shahi who has not one but two shows — YRKK and APHG —based there. “There is a different kind of colour and flavour even within the region. Jaipur’s temples and architecture are varied from Jodhpur’s, which makes it interesting,” says Rajan.
Suarabh Tewary chose the desert land to base Rangrasiya because “it’s a passionate edgy love story and Rajasthan provides the best backdrop for the scale and grandeur of the show.” He adds that it is an ideal place to shoot romance, passion and aggression!

Back to the roots
By and large, Rajasthanis strictly adhere to rituals and customs and are dominated by joint families, which are conservative in their thinking. This provides great fodder to serials that play on drama and emotions. As Sumeet Mittal says, “On TV, the stories are still about the basics, rooted and very emotional. Rajasthan provided the apt backdrop for the story of a liberal girl trying to pursue her dream of becoming an IPS officer in an orthodox family in DABH.” Even Balika Vadhu which dealt with the issue of child marriage found a perfect setting in the state that is grappling with the issue. However, Rajan believes that the element of modernism is coming in and there is an amalgamation of conventional and liberal thinking. “The old generation in Rajasthan holds onto its traditions but young boys and girls are questioning some of them, which is what my love story is all about,” he explains.

Colourful customs
Thanks to these shows, audiences have become aware of festivals and customs distinct to the region. Says Rajan, “After the Teej festival was showcased in YRKK, I was told people abroad started celebrating it in a big way. It’s become a well-marketed festival like Valentine’s Day!”
Sumeet adds that Ganghor festival which was almost fading away got a boost after it was celebrated in DABH.  “The youth which tends to disassociate with such festivals get curious whey they see how it is celebrated in the shows,” he says. While Rajasthan is already a tourist attraction, these serials do give a boost as viewers’ love to visit the place their favourite characters hail from. Says Sumeet, “Pushkar is already a big tourist attraction among foreigners but after DABH, I had tour operaters telling me that Indians are evincing a huge interest in the place.”

Stories decide setting
He may have three Rajasthan-based shows on the channel, but Ajay Balwankar, Head Fiction, ZEE maintains that stories dictate the set-up. “Jodha in Jodha Akbar hails from the Rajput family, in Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori, which is about a rich man and a poor hired help we needed the backdrop of a huge haveli and Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya is about Marwaris, so Rajasthan featured in these. When we wanted to depict the working middle-class in Pavitra Rishta it was a Maharastrian Mumbai set-up, while Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke is a small-town story in Benaras, etc,” he elaborates. Asit Modi producer of the numero uno show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah avers that stories are the driving force. Yet, he says, Rajasthan and Gujarat are visited time and again because they have a lot of colours, celebrations, traditions and relationships. “Writers get lot of stories here,” he  says.  JD Majethia, who has produced several Gujarat-based shows points out that regional channels in these states are not popular as compared to Maharashtra. “Hindi channels get a lot of viewership from these regions so it makes sense to base stories there,” he reckons.    

Whatever the reason, right now,  the clarion call on primtime is padharo mhare des!