• Expanding the horizons of reality TV in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans are no strangers to the concept of reality television. Most television networks today have their own versions of reality shows, such as ‘Derana Dream Star,’ ‘Sirasa Superstar,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘Hiru Star,’ among others. With the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, we also saw Avurudu-themed shows, which often take the form of either a beauty pageant, a talent show, or a combination of both, such as the ‘Sirasa Wow Avurudu Kumara Kumariya,’ ‘Siyatha Gold Goya Avurudu Kumara Kumariya,’ and many more.

However, it appears that while there is no shortage of talent shows on network television at the moment, with themed shows like Avurudu kumara/kumariya competitions, Miss World pageants, and an endless number of singing and dancing competitions available not just for adults but also for children, Sri Lanka is seemingly stuck in a perpetual loop of a ‘talent search’. When considered globally, one realises that ‘reality television’ encompasses a vast array of creative and diverse entertainment.

What is reality TV?

Firstly, reality TV need not be limited to a talent search. Reality television is a broadly defined genre that includes all forms of television programming documenting purportedly unscripted real-life situations. 

The appeal of these shows is almost entirely mindless entertainment; they need not be educational, bursting with talent, or even feature professionals or star power. They have the opportunity to make glamorous individuals appear relatable or showcase regular everyday people, allowing viewers to see their own experiences reflected on screen. Reality television has huge potential and Sri Lanka appears to have completely fumbled the ball.

Watching the seemingly endless stream of Avurudu kumara and kumariya shows had us wondering why nearly every TV network had committed resources to produce essentially the exact same show. We were slightly intrigued by a certain TV channel’s attempt at an Avurudu-themed faux dating show, which really did have some potential but eventually fizzled out due to a series of strange choices. Nonetheless, an attempt was made and we hope audiences recognise this deviation from the norm.

Given the global trends of reality TV – ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians,’ ‘Indian Matchmaking,’ ‘Love Is Blind,’ and even shows like ‘The Amazing Race,’ ‘Survivor,’ ‘The Great British Bake Off,’ and ‘Masterchef’ – Sri Lanka does appear to be a bit outdated in its offering.

The Sunday Morning Brunch decided to explore why Sri Lanka’s reality TV space is still so heavily talent show-focused. Sri Lanka’s grasp of reality TV appears to be stuck in the early 2000s, when there was a boom in talent shows such as ‘The Voice,’ ‘Idol,’ ‘Superstar,’ etc. Brunch looked into some of the reasons as to why we are yet to move past these early hits, especially considering that reality TV has exploded in popularity, particularly on streaming services, with shows like ‘Indian Matchmaking,’ ‘Love Island,’ ‘The Bachelor,’ ‘Amazing Race,’ ‘The Great British Bake Off,’ and more.

The state of Lankan reality TV

Given that the root of the issue appears to lie in television production and TV producers’ and networks’ lack of willingness to take a chance, The Sunday Morning Brunch reached out to veteran television producer Janaka Siriwardhana, who has a comprehensive list of long-running television serials under his belt, including ‘Sidu,’ also known as ‘Malee 3,’ a teledrama now on its third instalment. 

Janaka shared that he too had wondered extensively about why Sri Lanka was unable to move beyond the talent search model of reality TV. He stated: “It is not entirely clear, but I think the main reason is our culture.” 

He noted that Sri Lankans felt that watching television had to be a family occasion, stating: “Most homes have one television and it is central to their home. Under this family concept, television productions are all done in a way that is family-friendly and something that the whole family can watch. Keeping in line with this concept, TV producers and networks are very careful not to disturb this norm.” 

However, he added: “Honestly, if we are able to be creative, then even with this somewhat dated opinion of it needing to be family-friendly, we can still create more innovative content.” 

Janaka questioned as to why the concept of ‘mangala yojana’ (marriage proposals) had not been translated to a fun romance or dating show – a Sri Lankan version of ‘Indian Matchmaking’. However, somehow, they appear to have missed the mark on this. 

He added: “When television originally came to be, it was all about pure entertainment. It was an escape from your daily monotonous life; you go to work, school, the grocery store, and then you come home to wind down. On such an occasion, what do you want to see? Not tragic stories of theft and murder, or even some sort of education – the so-called enriching content.” 

He continued: “Even the educational content we have is fairly standard and hasn’t evolved past game show-style questions, answers, and prize money. It would be great if we could look beyond this, but networks are cautious about taking a chance or taking a risk that might not pay off.

“We have a way of using culture as an excuse not to move forward. Regardless, when mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters step away from the TV and return to their rooms, they all log onto their computers or phones. What they eventually watch on YouTube is not quite in line with this culture, so I don’t see why we don’t attempt to subvert these norms.” 

Is digital the way forward?

The previously-mentioned faux dating show attempt for Avurudu featured popular content creator Saasha Karunarathne as a judge. Saasha, who is not new to reality television, having hosted multiple talent shows on TV, shared her thoughts on the matter. 

“I think one reason we have not taken that next step yet is because we are a more traditional society. To venture into the realm of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ or ‘Big Boss’ style of shows, it might be a bit risky. However, I do believe they will work because that is essentially what gossip sites and gossip articles are, and Sri Lankans love those. I believe they will do really well,” Saasha said. 

She further noted: “Convincing TV stations and their executives is the real obstacle. I think we are getting closer to having something like that here. I myself have pitched multiple such ideas to creative directors and heads of channels, who find these ideas to be intriguing. It’s just that no one is really sure how well it will be received. These are very much untested waters.”

However, Saasha continued: “With social media, it is not too far away. We are getting there thanks to digital media. It is a matter of who is willing to take that risk. My prediction is that it will be digital media which will take this leap first. Perhaps it will be a television network, unless there is a production house out there that is willing to invest in this and take that step.”

More to reality TV than talent

Brunch also spoke to Rameesh Jayashan, better known as ‘Ramiya,’ the most recent winner of ‘The Voice Sri Lanka,’ regarding the expansion of the concept of reality TV. He shared that there was much to be improved even within the existing infrastructure for reality TV. 

“I had a wonderful experience during my time at ‘The Voice’ and I am grateful for the exposure I received. Prior to that, I have been a part of multiple other reality talent searches like this, but one thing I have noticed is that the treatment of contestants can really stand to improve. I think more people would participate and rave about their experience if the people involved were somewhat more humane and less focused on simply getting the job done,” he said.

With regard to the expansion of the concept of reality TV, Ramiya said: “I am a musician and music is my one and only passion. Similarly, if you were to ask other musicians, they appreciate shows that feature music, which means talent shows. However, I do think that when we look at the entertainment side, we have the means to make a different type of show. 

“There is no reason why these same studios can’t be converted into a different type of talent search – maybe cooking, athletics, etc. I think it is possible, but people don’t really think about other skills when they think of television. People think in terms of singing, dancing, and acting – that is it.”

Ramiya’s perspective is an interesting one, given that Sri Lankan audiences also face limitations when it comes to identifying what they want to see. Are they perhaps not ready to explore different areas of reality? 

When considering what people are watching on Netflix or even on YouTube or TikTok, it does not seem that people are not ready to accept a Sri Lankan dating show or a celebrity survival show. Rather, it seems that studios simply will not take a chance where there is no 100% guarantee. Unfortunately, without a leap of faith, there can be no improvement or moving forward.