India - Transcreation Project

Velugu Poolu (radio) 1999-2000
Belakinangala (radio) 2000-2001
Kochu Kochu Swapnangal (radio) 2000-2001
Muthu Muthu Mazhai; Thuli (radio) 2001-2002

Tinka Tinka Sukh was broadcast in Hindi, the national language of India, but the cultural and linguistic variations that exist among the states, particularly in the south, limited the reach to primarily the Hindi belt. PCI took the idea of adapting the popular Tinka Tinka Sukh to four of India’s southern states, embracing their respective cultures and languages. The dramas were broadcast on the regional stations of All India Radio with scriptwriting and production teams for each program. The result were four different serial adaptations: Velugu Poolu (Flowers of Light) in Andhra Pradesh, Belakinangala (Courtyard of Light) in Karnataka, Kochu Kochu Swapnangal (Little Bits of Dreams) in Kerala, and Muthu Muthu Mazhai Thuli (Pearly Drops of Rain) in Tamil Nadu.

Important adaptations in the four programs included the introduction of a Muslim family to promote religious tolerance in Kerala; the addition of a factory setting to address pollution in Karnataka; and increased focus on AIDS education and HIV prevention messages, including compassion for HIV-positive individuals, in all four series. Audiences responded strongly to the serials, engaged not only by the entertainment value but also by the local issues reflected in the story lines.

The 52-episode soap opera was broadcast once a week over the period of a year, targeting rural men and women of reproductive age with its messages on sexual and reproductive health, family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention, the value of the girl child, education, literacy, and other health and social issues. The purpose of the serial drama, in addition to entertaining and educating its audience, was ultimately to motivate the listeners to take charge of their health, seek out health services, and improve their own lives.

Issues Covered: Family planning, gender equality, HIV prevention, conservation, and dowry

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