2010 on the Small Screen

2010 was a big year for television, with lots of ups and downs and controversies aplenty. Here is look at all the drama and melodrama on the small screen in 2010.

Amitabh Bachchan came back to host Kaun Banega Crorepati and tease the TRP ratings in 2010. Regarding the show, Big B posted on his blog, "To me, KBC is not just another game show. It is to me an experience that could become life changing for any human."

Salman Khan left the laurels of 10 Ka Dum and opted to be the Dabangg host of this year's Bigg Boss. According to reports, Salman only took up the opportunity when his mother asked him to.

After Akshay Kumar's amazing performance as the host of Khatron Ke Khiladi, there was much excitement about the star hosting the first ever season of the cooking reality show - Masterchef India. The actor also revealed on the show that prior to his Bollywood career, he did a little stint as a chef in Bangkok. So Akki, once again, knew what he was doing and did it really well!

MIA from the filmi scene for a few years, Madhuri Dixit staged her comeback in the world of showbiz as a celebrity judge on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Known for her graceful moves, Madhuri has the eye for a good dancer. But aiding her on the judges panel, is our favourite item girl, Malaika Arora Khan. After her thumkas in Munni Badnaam Hui, there is no doubt that Malaika knows more than a thing or two about dancing with the stars.

The war of TRPs got tougher, as Shah Rukh Khan is all set to mark his return to the small screen with Zor Ka Jhatka. According to reports, the format for the show will have SRK challenging the contestants to a series of hilarious tasks and obstacles hurled their way.

The year on the small screen cannot be rounded up without a mention of the very controversial season 3 of Koffee with Karan. The director-turned-host has earned himself quite a few enemies, courtesy the nasty comments passed on his show.
Beginning with Deepika Padukone thinking Ranbir Kapoor should endorse a pack of condoms and wanting to see Katrina Kaif's passport, to Ranbir and Imran sharing an onset kiss! Sonam and daddy Anil Kapoor were very vocal about cosmetic 'jobs' done in Bollywood, and Kareena had a little cat-fight with Priyanka Chopra over accents.
All said and done, with Shah Rukh Khan bringing in the New Year, we ought to prep up for loads more of Karan's one-of-a-kind masala coffee.

Big shot director Farah Khan stepped down from the comfort of being behind the cameras into the spotlight, as a judge on the talent show Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega. While 3 Idiots star and south Indian superstar R Madhavan decided to try his luck on the small screen as a host on the game show Big Money.

Though Akshay made his foray into the kitchen, Ronit Roy proved himself a veteran in the culinary competition Kitchen Champion. Already two successful seasons in, the crew is gunning for a star-studded season 3.

A new genre of reality TV took root in 2010, with The Chair and Girls Night Out - one of Horror! While contestants get a chance to connect with the paranormal in the subconscious mind in The Chair, three girls dare to go to a haunted location and stay for an entire night, every week on Girls Night Out. What's to be seen is if this format pulls through the year in one piece...

The year 2010 saw a lot of controversy on the reality show front as well. Testing your lover is where angels fear to tread and there is only so much temptation that one can refrain from. Emotional Atyachaar carries the format of the ultimate loyalty test - one that is on national television. So when you are willing to push things to the limit, there will be a point when the censor board intervenes.

Similarly when desperate not to get dumped or humiliated, one will do anything. Perhaps that is why the I&B ministry served notices to MTV Splitsvilla, along with Emotional Atyachaar, terming their content indecent and unfit for family viewing.

A show that was slammed hard by the I&B ministry was Rakhi Sawant's show Rakhi ka Insaaf. Pulled up for its use of obscene language, the final nail in the coffin that took the show to a later slot was Sawant being accused of abetting suicide of a participant of the show. According to the case filed by the participant's family, Rakhi had called him impotent on air that caused him to slip into depression and take his own life.

Since the beginning of Bigg Boss season 4, there has been scandals aplenty. From the use of really foul language to cat fights and Hollywood, Bigg Boss has never been more controversial. First there was the uproar, courtesy the Shiv Sena regarding the two Pakistani members of Bigg Boss house - Veena Malik and Begum Nawazish Ali. While that was happening outside the house, inside brewed a storm of a very different nature. The Dolly Bindra - Shweta Tripathi history that led to a spat consuming the entire household. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and things sure got really hot with the Veena Malik - Ashmit Patel 'love' story. But let's not miss out on one of the biggest 'assets' to the season - the entry of former Playgirl Pamela Anderson!

The Bidaai girl Sara Khan caused quite a huff in the Bigg Boss house. Initially, a girl in love morphed into one who seemed to be desperately vying for Ashmit Patel's affection, to the point she tore up her boyfriend Ali Merchant's photographs. But Ali Merchant came onto the show and popped the question and they had a grand wedding in the house - as grand as it could be. But the controversy began once Sara was voted off the show and it came to light, vis-à-vis her family, that the two had already tied the knot prior to the show. To prove her family wrong, Sara 'disowned' them and soon after, the couple split. So much for a love story...

Following in the footsteps of the previous year's Rakhi Ka Swayamwar, season 2 had Rahul Mahajan as the man of the moment in Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Rahul picked Dimpy Ganguly and had a fairytale wedding that was soon followed by accusations of domestic violence. If there will be a divorce or any other extreme step, is yet to be determined.

The TV serial format has also evolved over the last year, where a number of programs emerged that are based on certain social issues that plague certain sects of the Indian community. Balika Vadhu was based on the concept of child marriage that was followed by a look at female infanticide in Na Aana Is Des Laado. The new serial on the scene, Rishton Se Badi Pratha deals with the occurrence of honour killings in rural and urban areas.

Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya depicts the life of a middle-class girl, who fights for her self-respect against the discrimination prevailing in Indian society. Baba Aiso Varr Dhoondo is a sad tale of a dwarf girl, who feels isolated due to the lack of height. And Gunahon Ka Devta is based on a UP crime scene.

Adding fuel to the fire we also witnessed the entry of actors in negative roles on the small screen. One of the most terrifying villains in Bollywood history, Ashutosh Rana has stepped into the role of Keshan Chandra Thakral, a tycoon who sexually molests a girl in Kali – Ek Agni Pariksha. Kabir Bedi went onto the dark side with Ganga ki Dheej alongwith Aman Verma in Na Aana Is Des Laado.

And last but not the least, 2010 on television would not be complete without Bollywood making an overall mark. The year has seen almost all the big filmstars using TV as a platform for promotions. From the latest being Rani and Vidya on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa to Farah and Katrina on Bigg Boss and Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi admonishing the cheaters on Emotional Atyachaar. But it is not just limited to reality TV, the small screen serials have seen this too. Salman promoted Dabangg on Laagi Tujhse Lagan and Emraan Hashmi and Prachi Desai come on the detective show CID for Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. Even Akshay Kumar did his little thing for Khatta Meetha on the hit show Sasural Genda Phool.