Satyamev Jayate: India's grim reality exposed by Aamir Khan

It appears from the very first episode of the Aamir Khan anchored show, Satyamev Jayate that premiered on Star World today at 11 am that it is the before and after of reality television in India.Prior to this thought-provoking and “dil-pe-lagne-wala” episode highlighting the gruesome act of female foeticide that is plaguing India, reality television hosted by film stars was about fun and games and a whole lot of money for the participants at the end of the “staged” reality, which was entertaining no doubt. Aamir Khan’s show is real, uncomfortably so. It jolts your inner Indian into emotional overdrive to do something, anything, to make a change. And there itself, Aamir wins, getting you to think and possibly even support his endeavour with action, with just a text that costs Rs 1, to fast-track arrest of  criminals caught by a sting operation in Rajasthan who indulge in the gruesome practice of killing baby girls in the womb. The stories of Amisha, Parveen Khan and Meetu Khurana, who did not let  adverse circumstances come in the way of their motherhood, are heart-wrenching. Amisha, having to choose between divorcing her husband and her little girl Kamiya; Parveen’s husband biting off her face like a savage animal just because she did not bear him a son; or Meetu’s mother-in-law kicking her infant baby girl down a flight a stairs, are just some of the cruel stories that Aamir brought out in the open, in his honest, sincere style, without any melodrama of his own stardom on the show. [caption id=“attachment_300118” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Aamir Khan’s show is real, uncomfortably so. Raju Shelar/Firstpost”]  [/caption] After every story, Aamir reiterates biological facts and figures to try and explain the level to which the injustice being meted out to women all over India, with statistics and experts speaking on the same. It took a film star to open up files with the numbers on female foeticide gathering dust in a government office somewhere to highlight an integral issue in our country, demystifying myths and folklore on pregnancies, abortions and the girl child. A remarkable effort indeed by Aamir. The show does have a light moment to break the seriousness when he talks to 30-plus bachelors in Haryana who can’t find brides in their state due to female foeticide. That is the only time a little Bollywood style humour steps in with Salman Khan’s name being dropped in the bride-hunting clip. The only thing that concerns me about the show is whether you want to wake up on Sundays to an hour-and-a-half long show that brings out the problems and serious issues killing the very soul of our country, and that too, on a family holiday. But then again, who said different was easy? And Aamir knows that better than anyone in the entertainment business. Pushing boundaries and stepping outside his comfort zone has been his modus operandi to become the brand that he is today. And for all those who want to scream hoarse about his pay day on the show, pipe down because you know what he has to say, people will listen to him only because he is respected by audiences in India for his sincerity and earnest approach to his work. Amitabh Bachchan, too, lent his celebrity to try and eradicate polio in India over the last few years, and he was awarded and lauded for his efforts in 2012 as India is polio free today. Satyamev Jayate is no different. It is two years of Aamir’s hard work that came to fruition today, successfully, too. Aamir has done something no other star host has done – make it real, without the predictable frills and thrills that accompany a star host. He makes it about all of us as a human race, without judgement, to come together as one and bring about change in India. At the end of the show, he beseeches us all earnestly to take a stand and stop such grave acts from being performed any further. “I don’t only want to show you the grim reality. The idea is to bring about change, you and me together. I need your support,” is what he says. Will I watch the second episode? Yes, I will. Will you?