JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 ‘Bigg Boss is Watching You’: Glocalization of the ‘Gaze.’ Christina Mary Georgy, MA English Language and Literature(2017-2019), Institute of English, University of Kerala, Trivandrum,Kerala, India. Abstract: It cannot be contested that Big Boss, a show which has garnered such popular success and enormous mass appeal has subscribed to the process of ‘glocalization’—simultaneously combining the universal format of the show to the particularities of the Indian socio-cultural milieu in order to cater to the ethos, values, and tastes of the Indian audience. As such, apart from the hallmark traits of the parent version, such as appealing to the human voyeuristic tendencies, Big Boss has routinely capitalised on certain idiosyncrasies of Indian society. These may include but aren’t limited to: sexual frustration; penchant for melodrama; maudlin tendencies; hyper voyeurism or ogling. This paper attempts to examine how the ‘gaze’ that is so central to the framework of Big Brother is modified and some features of it even amplified in Big Boss in relation to the above mentioned elements and ‘glocalization’. The paper will depend on theories of gaze in critical discourse such as Lacanian psychoanalysis, Laura Mulvey’s idea of scopophilia, Foucauldian theory of gaze and power, and notions of imperial/post-colonial gaze, among others. It is also intended to analyse the show using Freudian ideas of sexual sublimation. Keywords: gaze, glocalization, psychoanalysis, scopophilia, visual media. Volume XIV, Issue VI, JUNE 2021 Page No: 31 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 BiggBoss : A Social Experiment The Dutch television reality show Big Brother, conceived by the media juggernaut Endemolcompany, has doubtlessly proved to be a fertile ground for psychoanalysts and group psychology enthusiasts.Since its debut in 1999, it has gone to revolutionise the entertainment industry and has since become the benchmark with which all reality shows are compared.The success of the Orwellian show spanned countless versions across the globe, chief among them being the Indian edition termed Bigg Boss which in itself has seven varieties catering to seven languages: Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Marathi. The format involves contestants—or ‘housemates’ in the show’s parlance— living in a house totally isolated from outside contact and news of the external world. They are made to do all the household chores and are routinely given tasks in order to compete with each other. Housemates are ‘evicted’ or voted out by the public on a weekly basis.The person who survives until the end is crowned the victor.Contestants feature a cross section of society. They include people as diverse as actors, models, politicans, sportspeople, social media influencers etc. mingling with non-celebrities. All housemates are treated in an egalitarian manner. The house is run by the anonymous ‘Big Brother/ Big Boss’ whose authority is apparently absolute. He prescribes the tasks and enforces the rules and codes of conduct. This avatar is formless and only makes his presence felt through the deep masculine voice that booms from the loudspeakers embedded in the house. It cannot be contested that a show which has garnered such popular success and enormous mass appeal has subscribed to the process of ‘glocalization.’ The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘glocal’ as “reflecting or characterized by both local and global considerations.” The Encyclopedia Britannica further expands it as the “simultaneous occurrence of both universalizing and particularizing tendencies in contemporary social, Volume XIV, Issue VI, JUNE 2021 Page No: 32 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 political, and economic systems.” The origin of the term is traced to a rough translation of the Japanese term dochakuka , which described the agricultural practise of adapting farming techniques to local conditions. Local versions of Big Brother have been fairly sensitive of regional tastes and values. The Australian version featured a house styled in the manner of “a real Aussie home,” instilling in the audience the impression that they were watching “a national thing” (Roscoe,312). The Argentinian edition on the other hand, rejected the Dutch format of dividing the house into two areas: rich and poor, and assigning them to contestants based on their performance in tasks and contests. The idea was considered to be offensive and in poor tasteconsidering the enormous rich poor gap and poverty in the country following the financial collapse of 1999.Apart from the hallmark traits of the parent version such as appealing to the human voyeuristic tendencies, Bigg Boss has routinely capitalised on certain idiosyncrasies of Indian society. These may include but aren’t limited to: sexual frustration; penchant for melodrama; maudlin tendencies; hyper voyeurism or ogling; and even aspects of slut shaming. This paper attempts to examine how the ‘gaze’ that is so central to the framework of Big Brother is modified and some features of it even amplified in Bigg Boss in relation to the above mentioned elements and glocalization. The paper will depend on theories of gaze in critical discourse such as Lacanian psychoanalysis, Laura Mulvey’s idea of scopophilia, andFoucauldian theory of gaze and power among others. Bigg Boss and the Process of Glocalization Bigg Boss can be said to be the crystallisation of dystopian ideas. The eponymous Big Brother/ Big Boss is an omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent godlike entity. He watches and hears all the action that takes place inside the house through multiple cameras and microphones fixedat various points. In editing and compiling 24 hours’ worth content into a couple of hours ready for telecasting, he acts as a mediator between the housemates and the audience and in extension, the outside world. He is privy to information that is not Volume XIV, Issue VI, JUNE 2021 Page No: 33 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 available to the layperson/average consumer. Going by Stuart Hall’s communication model, Big Bosshas the potential to interfere in the ‘circulation’ stage. As arbiter between the house and the external world, he has supreme power to manipulate the content in a way so as to influence the perception of the viewers who are supposedly the decision making authority with regard to who is eliminated.He primarily uses this power to stitch together narratives that boost TRP (Television Rating Point). In true totalitarian fashion, Big Boss forces the contestants to confess their hatred and disapproval of fellow housemates and to point out their flaws. This is reminiscent of real life fascist regimes encouraging citizens to snitch on other people. The condition in the Bigg Boss house eerily mirrors that of the idea of Panopticism as discussed by Michel Foucault in Discipline and Punishment . A panopticon is a structure designed by Jeremy Bentham. It is a building in which surveillance is institutionalized; inmates are constantly monitored. Surprisingly, what has been presented as a dystopian situation has been wholeheartedly approved by the people of the 21 st century. The housemates of Bigg Boss , in choosing to enter the house, voluntarily surrender to active surveillance. They seem to enter a Faustian pact in which they exchange their privacy and freedom for fame and money. George Orwell’s 1984—which was responsible for introducing the totalitarian Big Brother character to popular lexicon—could not have predicted such levels of consensual dysfunctionality. However his contemporary Aldous Huxley had accurately predicted the evolution of a ‘captive culture:’ “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxleyfeared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture” (Postman 19-20). Volume XIV, Issue VI, JUNE 2021 Page No: 34 JAC : A Journal Of Composition Theory ISSN : 0731-6755 Foucault’s concept of gaze is rooted in his ideas of Panopticism, power/knowledgeand bio power. He has established how people modify their behaviour under the belief that they are constantly being watched. Contemporary Indian standards of morality regarding sex are widely thought to be regressive, antiquated, and out-dated by the rest of the world. Both sexes are taught to suppress and contain their sexuality and sexual desires till marriage. Arranged marriage is still the norm among the vast majority and virginity in a female is still heavily prized and fetishized. Premarital sex is heavily discouraged and there is a prominent lack of sex education and information regarding safe sexual practises in the curricula. Interactions with the opposite gender are highly scrutinized.Undue stress is placed on controlling and regulating female sexuality, female dressing styles, and how much ‘skin’ is shown. There are also blatant double standards with respect to how ‘transgressions’ are dealt with; the women are punished much more harshly than the men. Incidents of rape remain alarmingly high. As per the latest data by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 87 rape cases are reported daily in India.In some respects, the policing on sexuality is sanctioned by the Indian state. So called Public Indecency Act (Section 294 IPC) makes it illegal to do obscene acts in public. The law is vague as to what exactly constitutes ‘obscenity’ and hence, it is routinely misused and misinterpreted to bring any form of PDA (Public Display of Affection), even benign ones such as hugging under its ambit. The history of judgements based on the law assert that acts that take place inside a car are liable to be prosecuted as well if its parked beside a road or a public place.