'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' actor Rahul Sharma reflects on how boldness is reshaping Indian television

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Television actor Rahul Sharma, who is currently seen playing the role of Anshuman in “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai,” has shared his thoughts on the changing nature of TV content.

He pointed out that boldness on television is on the rise, with shows becoming more experimental and less restrained than before. Sharma shared, “There’s no doubt that boldness has increased in films, on OTT platforms, and even on television. But somewhere, it has also started giving people a false impression — that being bold automatically makes you likable or popular. That if you’re bold, people will praise you, follow you, and give you attention. But the reality is, this often leads to objectification, especially for young girls entering the industry. And the boys who are seeing this narrative are also developing a skewed perspective — one where they’re respecting women less and objectifying them more.”

He added, “Content reflects society, but now society is also being shaped heavily by content. The constant exposure to certain themes, be it extreme boldness, fast relationships, or dysfunction in families, is influencing young minds. They start believing that what they see is the norm. Parenting has also shifted; soft parenting is more common now. Children are growing up in a very different emotional environment. They are less tolerant, lack resistance, don’t have patience, and honestly, they don’t always understand what truly matters. They're easily influenced and emotionally fragile.”

When asked whether audiences today are becoming overexposed—particularly to personal and emotional content onscreen, Rahul Sharma said he believes we are overstimulated in every aspect of life, constantly surrounded by an overwhelming amount of content, visuals, and opinions. “We are overexposed to everything. That’s one of the biggest issues. We’re constantly bombarded with content, visuals, and opinions, and it’s too much. This overexposure is making us impatient and intolerant.”

“Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai,” which is produced under Rajan Shahi’s banner Director’s Kut Production, stars Rohit Purohit and Samridhii Shukla in the lead roles.

--IANS

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