Chennai: Though no formal survey is yet to be conducted on the impact of Bigg Boss show, teachers are saying that students studying from classes 6 to 12 are watching the show.
Some teachers have taken the initiative to make students aware of the popular reality show, which could possibly affect the emotional well- being of adolescents.
“When I heard about the controversy on invocation to Goddess Tamil (Tamil Thai Vazhthu) I wanted to check whether students are watching the show. To my surprise, of 45 students in class 9 more than 30 students said they are watching the show along with their parents,” said R.Shiva, a teacher from Madurai College Higher Secondary School.
“Unlike television serials where the students know it’s just a fiction, in this programme they believe everything is true and can be disturbed by the events happening in the show,” he said.
He tried to bring some awareness by conducting a discussion on it. At discussion, many students said they did not like the occupants constantly talking ill of others and the groupism in the show. Among the positives, they mentioned cooking, emotions expressed and the house in which the occupants reside. Interestingly, the students did not like the show host and the big star Kamal Haasan
A teacher from the school in Elephant Gate said, “Many students in our school are watching the programme. Our students are predominantly from in and around slum areas and it’s their timepass.”
“Since our students are having a hard time as kids, this programme cannot create any major impact on them,” he said.
A professor from the Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women said, “My son is studying class 12. We don’t watch the television in our house. But, he insists on watching the programme during dinner.”
Educationist P.B. Prince Gajendrababu said, “Teachers should educate children and parents on watching television programmes. They should use the social science classes to create awareness on reality shows and television serials.”
Dr Viruthagirinathan, clinical neuropsychologist, said, “The Bigg Boss programme is not advisable for children and adolescent children who may not have the emotional and social maturity.”
“Adults can understand the emotional issues involved in the programme. But, the children may not understand it and there are chances that it may affect them in long term,” he said.
