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Tag: Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon

  • Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon introduces new vocabulary on family planning

    Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon introduces new vocabulary on family planning

    MUMBAI: Population Foundation of India’s TV show Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon has introduced a new vocabulary for people to talk about difficult and taboo topics like family planning and contraception. The “Mast Pitara” or the Carefree treasure chest denotes the basket of contraceptives available for couples to delay or space births. It changes family planning messages often associated with embarrassment or clinical detachment into a way of life, closely interlinked with a loving relation between couples.

    The ‘mast pitara’ in Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon especially emphasises on temporary methods of contraception including oral contraceptive pills, injectables, condoms, and intrauterine devices. Government data shows that in India, the burden of family planning falls on women with female sterilisations comprising over 75% of the modern contraceptive methods used. opting for as a means of family planning. By popularising the various options available to couples, the Mast Pitara demonstrates how couples can be mast or without worry by adopting a contraceptive method most suited to them.

    Population Foundation of India Executive Director Poonam Muttreja said, “For a society that considers sex and contraception to be taboo topics, the Mast Pitara is a means for people to engage openly in conversations about family planning, and not feel embarassed to seek proper health information from service providers.”

    The show Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon is an initiative by the Population Foundation of India to increase awareness and change behaviours among people on family planning and women’s empowerment issues. Apart from the television programme that follows the entertainment education approach, the show also has extensions on an Interactive Voice Response System, community radio, digital media and on-ground outreach.

    Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon revolves around the inspiring journey of Dr. Sneha Mathur, a young doctor, who leaves behind her lucrative career in Mumbai and decides to work in her village. The show has proven to be one of the flagship programmes on the national broadcaster with several repeat telecasts, dubbed and telecast in 13 Indian languages and aired on 216 AIR stations across the country. Season 3 of the show has been produced with support from REC Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Population Foundation of India (PFI) is a national NGO, which promotes and advocates for the effective formulation and implementation of gender sensitive population, health and development strategies and policies. PFI addresses population issues within the larger discourse of empowering women and men, so that they are able to take informed decisions related to their fertility, health and well-being.

  • India’s most watched TV programme ‘Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ all set to make a comeback with Season 3

    India’s most watched TV programme ‘Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ all set to make a comeback with Season 3

    MUMBAI: After two compelling seasons that made an impact on women, men and young people, Population Foundation of India’s popular edutainment show Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon is all set to make its comeback with its third season. With an empowering new slogan “Main Desh Ka Chehra Badal Doongee’ the show’s protagonist Dr Sneha Mathur plans to tackle fresh issues, including access to hygiene and sanitation. The show has proven to be one of the flagship programmes on the national broadcaster Doordarshan with several repeat telecasts, dubbed and telecast in 13 different Indian languages and aired on 216 AIR stations across the country.

    Launched on March 8, 2014, Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon garnered such a following that within two months, Doordarshan decided to telecast it on DD India reaching out to 50 countries across the globe. The show uses a popular entertainment format to inspire people and draw them to challenge regressive social norms that have an impact on women’s status and their lives.

    Population Foundation of India’s Executive Director Poonam Muttreja says, “The real success of Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon are the stories of impact. Be it a Ladkunwar Kushwaha from Bundelkhand, MP who was the first girl from her village to go to college, or Nirma Devi of Patna who convinced her husband to use contraceptives and is now a champion for family planning, or the women from Bairiya in Bihar who meet every week to discuss issues of domestic violence after watching the show. We hope to create real impact with Season 3 as well by taking the conversation forward.”

    Celebrated director Feroz Abbas Khan who is the creator of the show adds, “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon  has busted many myths about soap operas and proven that social issues can be tackled in an entertaining manner without trivializing them. In Season 3 we want our protagonist to lead the charge for social transformation and behaviour change.”

    Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon revolves around the inspiring journey of Dr. Sneha Mathur, a young doctor, who leaves behind her lucrative career in Mumbai and decides to work in her village. The show focuses on Dr. Sneha’s crusade to ensure the finest quality of healthcare for all. Under her leadership, village women find their voices through collective action.  The second season had special focus on youth along with women.

    This time, Population Foundation of India is supported by the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to produce the much-awaited third season of this popular edutainment show.

  • Which Indian show has 400m viewers across 50 countries?

    MUMBAI: It is the actual subject of the story and its treatment which attracts the viewers and not the platform on which it’s being aired or the marketing strategy or the dramatics. This has been proven, time and again. “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon” on Doordarshan’s which deals with current issues impacting the society such as sex-selective abortions and acid attacks has over 400 million viewers across 50 countries and has been aired across 240 radio channels and over the internet.

    It has beaten favourite and most popular cult shows on HBO and Netflix as well as current favourite Indian prime-time channels. The soap opera has been showcasing women-centric issues — from menstruation to domestic violence to, and from acid attacks to child marriage.

    Having given shows such as ‘Shanti’ and ‘Swabhimaan’, Doordarshan even today upholds the best form of progressive ideology in terms of making TV soaps.

    The record daily soap that talks about prevalent issues such as the high incidence of abortion of female foetuses and acid attacks is on the way to become the world’s most watched show. “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon” has been dubbed into 14 languages and its third season is in the development stage. The show has been endorsed by Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore, Farhan Akhtar and Soha Ali Khan.

    The show traces the journey of a young female doctor named as Sneha Mathur (which is being played by Meinal Vaishnav), who quits her well-paying metro job to work in her village. The show, produced by Population Foundation of India and Bombay Local Pictures, is being directed by Firoz Abbas Khan, who is a well-known theatre director known for his work such as ‘Mahatma vs. Gandhi’ and ‘Tumhari Amrita.’

    Population Foundation of India executive director Poonam Muttreja told the Guardian that the massive reach of the radio and TV series was unexpected. About their hotline established for viewers’ feedback three years ago, Muttreja said that on the first day they got 7,000 calls — which was 30 times of their expectation.

    Since its launch, back in 2014, the TV series has completed two successful seasons with over 170 episodes. The foundation even conducted surveys across 3,200 men and women in villages, before and after the show aired to record whether or not the series had impacted positive change in its viewers, Muttreja revealed.

    In the show, Mathur returns to her village after her sister, who is forced into a late-term abortion dies during the procedure. Mathur’s other sister becomes a victim of acid-attack after she joins a mixed-gender football team.

    Muttreja told Thomson Reuters Foundation that there had been so many stories from villages across India of how attitudes changed as a result of watching the programme. She narrated an instance of a slew of villages where men decided against beating up their wives; and a girl who decided to fight her village in order to go to college—all, after watching this show.

    The show is being applauded across the globe for doing what some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry have not managed to do.

  • DD National to launch ‘Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ season 2

    DD National to launch ‘Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ season 2

    NEW  DELHI: Doordarshan’s Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon is all set for its second season after the success of season one, which was telecast last year with 52 episodes.

    The new season will commence on DD National from 4 April at 7:30 pm with a curtain raiser of the show. It will be aired every Saturday and Sunday.

    The half hour show challenges prevalent social norms on child marriage, early pregnancies, contraceptive use, women’s education, health and empowerment in an effort to change existing mindsets to bring forth a positive change in the society.

    According to TAM and IRS data, the serial was watched by over 58 million viewers and PFI received as many as 600,000 phone calls from people across the country, wanting to engage on the issues it had raised, and to share their own experiences.

    Season two of Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon focuses on Sneha’s (the protagonist) continuing story, the drama, and dreams as she moves on from Maanavta Hospital to serve her community.  She starts the Manaavta Health Centre and brings people together to aspire for better lives. Preeta, Sneha’s younger sister starts a girls’ football team. These young women use sports to demand for equal opportunities and rights for girls. In the process, Preeta is attacked, but the girls team fights on in spite of family pressure, ridicule and threats of violence and they go on to win the football tournament.

    Running parallel, there are dimensions of deceit, violence, corruption and romance all rolled into this entertainment pot-boiler.

    The serial is scripted, produced and directed by renowned director Feroz Abbas Khan. He said, “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon is not just a television series; it is entertainment with social responsibility. Through season one, people realized that there was more to family planning methods than sterilization. And that prenatal care is necessary to ensure healthy pregnancy. People were able to find the voice to protest against the gender based violence and mobilize support. The story of Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon revolves around the inspiring journey of Dr Sneha who represents the young Indian woman of today, emotionally torn between family and society, professional aspirations and personal commitment. Her struggles and triumphs form the core of this memorable soap opera. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but it will also make you think. It is a television series like you’ve never seen before.”

  • DD India broadcasts its game-changing show Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon to over 50 countries

    DD India broadcasts its game-changing show Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon to over 50 countries

    MUMBAI: In a little over two months since the new serial Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon (I, a woman, can achieve anything) has been on air on Doordarshan National, the tremendous response it has received from the viewers has been overwhelming. In view of this response, Doordarshan has started telecasting the serial on DD India, reaching out to over 50 countries across the globe.

     

    Telecast on DD India every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10.30 am (IST), and on DD National every Saturday and Sunday at 7 pm, the success of Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon proves that woman power resonates strongly with India!

     

    Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon, Population Foundation of India’s (PFI) production, focuses on  sex selection, prevention of early marriage, domestic violence, women’s reproductive health and male sensitization. Aimed at bringing about a change in the attitudes and behaviours of the target audience, and especially increasing women’s freedom and self-empowerment, the serial has been endorsed by Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan.

     

    To further expand the reach of the serial, PFI has also launched the radio series of the show on All India Radio from May 24, 2014 at 10.05 am on FM Gold, 6 pm on FM Rainbow, 3 pm on Vividh Bharati and at 12.05 pm on all local stations.

     

    To fully leverage the potential of the series, PFI in partnership with Gramvaani, has launched an Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS), a call-back number where viewers can share their stories and participate in discussions. Since the series has been on air, 2,00,000 calls have been received and people have discussed their experiences, thoughts and suggestions. These recordings are available on the serial’s website – http://www.mkbksh.com/connect-with-us.html

      

    Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, PFI, said, “We are delighted to see the response which we have received through various mediums. With an aim to maximize reach, in addition to television and radio, the serial is being disseminated through multiple media, including  the internet and mobile phones. People are appreciating the story of a strong female protagonist in Dr Sneha and discussing the messages we are giving. Immense research has gone into developing the story of Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon and I am very glad that we have been successful in connecting with the audience.”

     

    “I thank Doordarshan for backing our initiative strongly and helping us reach a global audience.” added Ms. Muttreja.

     

    Feroz Abbas Khan, eminent theatre and film director and the creative force behind the serial said, “I have directed this serial with great passion as the cause is close to my heart and it is fantastic to see the serial being viewed by people across the globe. My team has gone all out to ensure that the serial resonates with the people. It motivates all of us immensely when we hear a girl from Kashmir say that she is encouraged by the character of Dr Sneha Mathur, wants to be a police officer, and says ‘main bhi sab kuch kar sakti hoon’!”

     

    The response to the serial is also reflected in the successful TRP it has been receiving. Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon reached the TRP of 2.0 within four weeks of its launch, which made it the forerunner among all new shows on Doordarshan. It also put DD in the third place among all entertainment channels in the given time slot. 

     

    Doordarshan has a rich history of supporting serials that have promoted a cause, such as Hum Log, Jasoos Vijay and more recently Kyunki Jeena Isi ka Naam Hai. These serials addressed social issues, including caste harmony, empowerment of women, HIV/AIDS in an entertaining format and their evaluations have shown a positive impact on individual behaviors. In fact, there is global evidence that entertainment education is one of the most successful ways of bringing about a positive change in the attitudes of people around difficult social norms. The highly popular Soul City in South Africa, which has guided Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon, is a case in point.

     

    Television is also the fastest growing medium and statistics reveal that over the last 15 years the reach of television in India has increased by 13%. This, coupled with the penetration of Doordarshan makes Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon potentially the greatest game changing media show in India at present.

  • DD launches woman-centric drama series

    DD launches woman-centric drama series

    Mumbai: Empowerment of women and woes related to them have been a topic of debate and concern for years now.

    Many attempts are made to showcase the strong women in our society to bring about a change. Following the trend, Doordarshan and All India Radio has launched a trans-media drama series, Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon (MKBKSH). The series seek to promote strong women characters was launched by the Population Foundation of India (PFI).

    Marking the spirit of International Woman’s Day, the series premieres on 8 March on Doordarshan and will run every Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 pm. In an effort to challenge deep rooted social issues like child marriage, early pregnancies and sex selection in our society, mother-daughter duo Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan have came together to support the serial and shared their views at the launch.

    “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon has the potential of being a catalyst for change–the amount of research that has gone in the preparation of this initiative is extraordinary! Real life stories have informed and guided Feroz and PFI in developing the scripts – they are the testimony that change is happening, it just needs to be amplified,” said Soha Ali Khan.

    ”The reality is that women have moved beyond stereotypical images and are increasingly seen in workplaces. We see them as police officers, politicians, scientists and entrepreneurs. Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon has in its lead role an inspiring young woman, from a small town. A doctor by profession, she represents the aspirations of many young women today. She is bold, stands up for what she believes is right, takes her decisions,” Sharmila Tagore added.

    PFI hopes that MKBKSH will contribute to behaviour change for empowerment of women, delayed age at marriage, delayed age at first pregnancy and spacing between births, and promote gender equality and improved health seeking behaviours. The serial will also be disseminated through other media channels, including the Internet, mobile space, and radio to maximize reach.

    The serial revolves around the inspiring journey of Dr. Sneha, representing the young Indian woman of today, who thrives on challenges. The series has been produced and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, an eminent theatre and film director and the creative force behind Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon. It is a venture close to his heart where his aesthetic sensibilities and deep commitment to social causes come together.

    Commenting on his experience, Feroz Abbas Khan said, “I feel delighted that PFI has taken this phenomenal step to bring an entertaining drama series on Doordarshan, which will reach out to millions of viewers with very important messages. In today’s context of a renewed commitment to women’s issues this serial will amplify ordinary women’s voices and stories. Immense research and effort has gone into the making of this serial, and I am confident that it will be a force of change.”

    Doordarshan, has consistently supported socially relevant soap operas and has lent its full support to the series.

    Speaking on the occasion Doordarshan director general Tripurari Sharan said, “This series will be highly entertaining with a captivating storyline that will touch the mind and hearts of the audeinces. Not only will the serial entertain the audiences but it will make people think and question social norms and behaviors.”

    PFI executive director Poonam Muttreja said, “Changing social norms and behaviour is certainly not an easy task. We believe that the media plays a critical role to reach audiences and challenge existing attitudes and practices. This game changing serial will lay the ground work for a better future for Indian women.”