BIG BOSS, The Indian Reality TV show features a polygamous relationship between Armaan Malik and his two wives, Payal and Kritika. Like every year, season 3 also has a love story. But this is not your same old usual trope, this unconventional marriage has hooked audiences who are piqued to see how the three navigate their relationship on national TV.
SHOULD BIG BOSS: STOP NORMALISING POLYGAMY. PROMOTE ILLEGAL RELATIONSIPS FOR MERE TRP?
Entertainment and TRP are crucial but the makers must know the balance between what is entertainment and what social responsibility is, the media producers must be mindful of the message they are sending to their audience.
Whereas, when the three Maliks were introduced on the show in the premiere episode, it was quite unpleasant to watch Bollywood star Anil Kapoor asking petty questions such as, “Which wife do you love the most?” and “Who do you want to see successful?”
I understand TRP is important, and I am not one to advocate censorship but can we, for once, reflect on what we are promoting here? What message is Bigg Boss sending to women? That it’s acceptable for your husband to marry another woman and you are expected to be okay with it? And to please him, you have to dress alike, like Kritika and Payal. Because in the end, you are a bechari aurat with no choice. But you are not. Don’t let betrayal be swept under the rug so easily that it turns into acceptance.
LEGAL CONEXT
In India, polygamy is illegal under the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, reflecting societal norms and legal frameworks that uphold monogamous unions. By featuring polygamy on a widely watched platform, Bigg Boss could inadvertently influence perceptions and attitudes toward marriage and fidelity.
