Indian TV seeks divine inspiration

Big sets and big costumes are routine

By Jill McGivering in Bombay

The actors galloping across the set towards me look straight out of an ancient legend.

The films draw on ancient Hindu epics

They are wearing huge golden helmets, bright silk breeches and - thanks to the make-up department - they have got flowing locks and huge moustaches.

Reality TV it certainly isn't.

But people are hoping that epic shows like this could be the hit of the season as India's major television networks turn to the past in this autumn's ratings war.

A series of extravagant and stagey religious epics are to hit the screens - big-budget serials which tell traditional stories about Hindu gods.

Winning formula

Rajiv Desai is directing the mega-series "Ma Shakti", which recounts ancient tales from Hindu mythology.

We have so many gods and so many stories... we can keep on doing it again and again

TV director Rajiv Desai

He is confident it is a winning formula.

"Over here, people are very religious, and they love to watch epics ... they love to watch the serials which are based on gods."

Hinduism is central to Indian culture, and many middle-aged people feel strongly that these epic TV shows are a great way of keeping these religious stories alive.

"They're not old-fashioned, and I think we know very little about them, our generation, so in a way it's good that we watch them, and learn more about our own religion," Mr Desai says.

Younger viewers

But what does the younger generation make of it all?

Style channels target the younger audience

Channel V offers stylish and irreverent music-based programmes to India's youth.

Rajat Dasgupta is a young writer with the channel who says young people still feel a fondness for the old-style epics.

"It's something that we're fond of and it's like a kind of a family member with a little quirk, so we kind of... we humour it," he says.

These extravagant epics may seem strange, even comical to audiences outside India, with their extraordinary costumes, heavy make-up and outlandish special effects.

But to many here, they are sacrosanct, a reassuring symbol of traditional Indian culture in a time of rapid change.