TV channels get advisory over vulgarity in kids' dance show: Reality show judges hail the move

In the wake of kids dancing to Bollywood number portraying suggestive and bold moves, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken a stern step. This comes as a welcome change, as kids are being put to practice inappropriate dramatisation in the name of dance in reality shows. Here’s what you need to know what steps to be followed and how Indian choreographers have reacted to this move. By: Niharika Lal

The dance performances of some kids from a dance reality show were brought to the notice of the I&B ministry after viewers complained that the dance moves appeared to be 'obscene' for the kids’ ages. In 2012, the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) also issued an advisory on ‘Sexualisation of Children in TV shows’, asking all Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) member channels to “refrain from featuring children below the age of 12 years in any situation that has sexual or adult overtones”. However, not much seems to have changed in the last seven years.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sent an advisory to private TV channels, asking them to “desist from showing children in a vulgar, indecent, suggestive and inappropriate manner on dance reality shows”. The advisory further stated, “The gestures, dialogues and dance moves performed by the kids appear to be suggestive and obscene for their age.”

An I&B official says, “We have already sent the advisory to all the private TV channels. We had to take this step because we had received a number of complaints regarding kids’ performances in dance reality shows. It’s a general advisory and we have not gone into specific instructions. We want the channels to ensure that the performances are decent.”

Ashley Lobo, who was a judge on India’s Dancing Superstar, says, “If I see such a performance by a kid, as a judge, I would definitely point it out to the producers as well as to the choreographer. However, a judge wouldn’t even know of it until they see the performance. By then it’s too late. It needs to be monitored at the conception level. Also, since the costumes and the songs affect the overall look of the choreography, the choices must be age appropriate. At my dance academy, I always stress on age-appropriate dance moves for kids.”

“I don’t know whether any episode of our show has triggered the I&B ministry to issue such an advisory, but I’m glad that they did. I welcome it. However, I’m not sure how this will be implemented because this issue is quite subjective. As judges, we often face this dilemma of how to judge a kid whose performance appeared to be obscene. Even during the auditions, I told so many kids not to imitate adults’ expressions and moves. I don’t know if those were aired or not, but I have been saying this to a number of contestants. In fact, a few episodes ago, I said that I’d never want my daughter to perform like this on stage. And what’s not okay for my kids, how can I allow it for other kids? The question is, where do we draw the line? There is a very thin line between looking cute and looking vulgar in such performances. We shouldn’t let kids imitate expressions and moves of adults. Basically, it’s a collective conscience call.”

Remo D’Souza, who was a judge on Dance India Dance, says, “In my entire career, even when I was a judge on multiple dance reality shows, I always maintained that children should not be encouraged to dance like adults. We also had therapists and doctors on the set and even on Dance+ we made it a point to not encourage kids if they incorporated such styles in their performances. It is important to protect them specially when they are growing up because everything can’t be inspired from filmi movements.”

Faisal Khan, the winner of DID L’il Masters Season 2, says, “I think the channels and creators are already very careful. The kids are always supervised by their parents and know what’s best for their child. Parents can step in and say I don’t think this is appropriate. Besides, songs on which kids perform in dance reality shows are from films so then shouldn’t we stop creating such content in our films? Kids want to wear what they see celebrities wearing, and dance to songs which they see in films.”

Terence Lewis, who has been a judge on multiple dance reality shows, says, “I think it’s a great initiative because there is a rising culture of quick fame and fortune that has blinded parents so much that they allow their children to go to any lengths to be seen on TV. Most of these parents come from small towns and are ignorant about how it’s damaging to their children’s psyche. Unfortunately, when judges and audiences praise the kids, they think that this is the way to be. When kids try to mimic moves and expressions that have sexual overtones, neither the kids nor the parents realise how it can rob them of their innocence prematurely. Kids below 15 years of age should not perform to songs that have adult lyrics and gestures. I would also urge parents to not use their kids to fulfill their unfulfilled dreams or torture their kids to do backbreaking circus tricks just because reality shows have turned into a cheap circus and dance has gone out of the picture.”