GENDER AND LANGUAGE DYNAMICS IN INDIAN REALITY TELEVISION: A STUDY OF 'BIGG BOSS' SEASON 11
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Abstract: Objective: The genre of reality entertainment has garnered widespread acclaim globally over recent years. In India, this genre has reportedly outstripped others in terms of prominence and acceptance. Despite the controversies stirred by its structure and substance at both societal and scholarly levels, its mass appeal continues to grow. This research investigates issues of gender and language within the Indian reality show *Bigg Boss. By considering the genre's framework and its projected narratives, the study examines how participants engage with their authentic identities and adapt their language practices under constant surveillance. The impact of neoliberalism on society, culture, and individual identity has been widely debated; this paper seeks to illuminate how shifting gender identities are portrayed in a show featuring ordinary individuals rather than actors.
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Conclusiveness: The scrutiny unveils that the concern of gender and dialect in actuality television shares profound resemblance to other classifications, notably melodramas, wherein females are depicted as pitiable, submissive, or reliant upon men. They are confined within divisive dichotomies and archetypical gender functions. In the realm of reality television, nonetheless, both men and women are portrayed as autonomous beings and contenders, yet the prejudice linked to women continues with them-men's conduct and communication retain this bias, and occasionally, women self-impose it. The function of language in imparting bias and stereotypes is crucial. As it serves as the fundamental vehicle for transmitting ideology and cultural values, language plays a role in perpetuating customary and occasionally inequitable norms and convictions pertaining to gender. As Nayantara Dutta articulates in her work titled "The Subtle Ways Language Shapes Us," issued by BBC: "The gender structure within our language influences our level of awareness about gender. With gendered language, we must consider gender while conjugating verbs or employing nouns, making it likely that gender-centric stereotypes and power dynamics more readily sway our thoughts and perceptions of the sexes." (2020) In summation, it can be inferred that the Indian reality show "Bigg Boss, in an effort to captivate viewership, conforms to societal conventions and standards to foster an illusion of misconstrued awareness. The linguistic patterns in the show indicate that, akin to other genres, these programs also reinforce, through portrayals of body shaming, derogatory remarks, and disparaging terms, the prevailing yet biased discourses.