Indian Version of Big Brother, Big Boss, Derived from George Orwell's Novel, 1984

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The popular television ‘reality’ show, Big Boss has really caught up with the Indian audience, with the winners enjoying their 15 minutes of fame, producers making their money and viewers enjoying their dose of entertainment. Few are aware that Big Boss is in fact the Indian cousin of ‘Big Brother’, the internationally popular original show where contestants are closely monitored by cameras in the house and personal microphones. The term ‘Big Brother’ and the basic idea behind it originate from George Orwell’s novel 1984(NineteenEighty-Four) published first in 1949. Written in 1949 and set in 1984, the book is a futuristic view of a totalitarian society of Oceania that is present day Great Britian. The Queen is no longer the ruler of Britian. It is ruled by the ‘Party’, which has 24x7 surveillance on its citizens. The actions, speech, and even the thoughts of each and every person are monitored. Nineteen Eighty-Four is a classic dystopian novel which will send shivers down your spine. The party rules by its three slogans, ‘WAR IS PEACE’, ‘FREEDOM IS SLAVERY’, and ‘IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH’. The author gives us an account of a gloomy, over politicized, and authoritarian society of the future. The central character in the book is Winston Smith, a low-rung member of the Party who works for the Ministry of Truth. Winston is among the lowest ranks of the Party hierarchy. The Ministry of Truth, contrary to its name is actually the ministry that deals with falsifying facts and is actually involved in party propaganda. Winston’s work deals with removing all records and traces of people and events that party wants. It also includes creating a fugazi of sorts and about the Party. Winston, even though a member of the Party, has deep hatred t... ... middle of paper ... ...e. We do not doubt the prowess of George Orwell. The area where Orwell lacked was getting in a tinge of positivity. The book doesn’t shy away from being extremely eerie and dark and does absolute justice to the plot and deviates little from the theme. Although, it does lose some space in the middle and certain parts may seem to be stretched. A little bit of positivity or a sense of hope would have been good for the book and the reader, after all we all shun the idea of such a regime and would expect its fall sooner or later. The author lets book talk for itself and refrains from imposing his personal thoughts into his work. It leaves the reader open to make his own judgments. The reader may go on praising about Orwell’s beautiful piece of work but it does leave you a little disturbed and distressed at the end irrespective if it has a happy ending or a sad climax.

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