The show Smart Shrimati that aired on the channel Doordarshan is a very well-known show. As the very name indicates, its aim is to bring up the positive qualities of women rather than the usual aspects where they are limited to household work only. It gives a chance to the Indian housewife to relief herself from her daily household chores and to step out of the boundaries of her house and involve her in some other things. The show is like a game. Apart from that, it has a typical Indian character. The format of the game is like that of Chausar from the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata.
Just the opposite of what happens in reality, women are too relieved of the household work and given the chance to put forward their talents and showcase their smartness. It is like the dice is in the hands of the woman the husband is at stake. The show was pretty popular and ran for many seasons. Such was the popularity that the first season received that it had to come back. There was a lot of affirmative response from the side of the viewers. However, the format of the changed a little with the new seasons but the popularity did not reduce.
In spite of some changes, the host of the show remained Annu Kapoor. The game had around four rounds called Meri Khabar, Mera Asar, and Mera Humsafar. The second season onwards, a new level was introduced called Meri Tezi. With the third season, more fun and excitement was added to the show. There was a wheel which would be divided into sections and each one would have a different part. There would be steps to indicate the progress of each participant. Stepping on the ‘Shakuni’ could make her lose while stepping on the wheel was advantageous. The show also offered some help lines.
The third season saw the occurrence of a zonal structure. The finalists at the end would fight to win the title of Wheel Smart Srimati. She would also get a prize of Rs. 10 Lakh. Apart from all the fun that it provided, it also gave a new dimension to reality shows in India. It gave a new look and arena for women to participate and prove their ability to use their available resources wisely. The TRP rating so the show was pretty high. The second season aired at 10 pm and premiered on 2nd July while the third one began on the 13th August 2008 at 10 pm on every Wednesday.
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