Ekta Kapoor, once hailed as the queen of Indian television, is now at the centre of an online debate as netizens question whether her melodramatic soaps shaped or destroyed Indian TV’s creative landscape
A fresh wave of debate has surfaced online around one of Indian television’s most influential figures — Ekta Kapoor. Often credited with revolutionising the small screen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Kapoor’s long-running soap operas like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki remain cultural landmarks. But were they also responsible for stunting Indian TV’s creative growth?
Netizen’s Reaction
Others went further, highlighting the social implications of her narratives. “She did women dirty,” wrote one commenter, pointing to how female characters were often reduced to “sanskari, sacrificial goats who took abuse from elders as blessings.” Such portrayals, critics argue, reinforced regressive stereotypes while sidelining strong, independent voices.
At the same time, defenders note that Kapoor’s shows connected deeply with middle-class families at the time, offering entertainment that reflected cultural values and rituals. They stress that the real issue lay not in her success, but in how television channels imitated her formula relentlessly, leaving little space for experimentation.
The divide remains sharp: was Ekta Kapoor a visionary who built India’s most recognisable TV culture, or a trendsetter whose formula strangled innovation and perpetuated regressive tropes? For now, her legacy continues to be both celebrated and criticised.