Redefining TV debate
Ten years ago, India’s longest-running and most-successful television talk show was first created on February 4, 2001 in the backdrop of the earthquake in Gujarat. Since then, We The People - true to the spirit of the Indian Constitution's preamble - has been YOUR voice; a barometer of YOUR pulse, as it brings together a live studio audience face-to-face with key-decision makers and newsmakers, every Sunday at 8 pm. Steered week after week by Barkha Dutt, We The People has won innumerable awards including the Asian Television Award for Best Talk Show and the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Talk Show. Now, as we mark a full decade, we look back, once again at the shows that made history and redefined television debate. Our team picked 17 of the most provocative and thoughtful shows aired over the last decade. We want YOU to vote for the best four.Vote for your favourite episode
Gujarat Earthquake: The Aftershock
January 26, 2001 was a day which destroyed homes, families and everything except the courage of Gujarat. In this first ever We The People, recorded a week after the earthquake, we travelled to Ahmedabad to hear stories of tragedy and courage, and ask if more could have been done to contain the damage.
Post-9/11, several factors led to the assertion that Islam is synonymous with terrorism. But are Muslim preachers the real reason behind this assumption? In this episode of We The People, Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari defended Osama bin Laden, called for jihad, and even called the then Rajya Sabha MP Shabana Azmi a ‘nachne gane wali tawaif’.
The truth about transgender. We The People brought this unexplored phenomenon into public debate as real-life case studies broke their silence on the show. They narrated tales of their transformation and challenges they faced while doing so in a largely conservative society.
Divided by Borders, United in Grief
As the tragedy of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, that killed people on both sides of the LoC, unfolded, We The People went to Uri and reached out to the families who had lost their loved ones. On the show, we connected people from this side of the border to that side, and asked if in this tragedy, can people find some hope to build a peaceful future.
Are Religious Traditions Fair to Women?
Is God anti-women? Sabarimala temple’s refusal to allow women between the ages of 10 and 50 sparked a debate over ancient traditions and modern values. We The People explores whether religion in the 21st century is ready to shed age-old values and end discrimination against women.
Before the Delhi High Court decriminalised homosexuality, We The People began mobilising public opinion against the draconian Section 377. As the show debated public morality vs private choice, renowned author Vikram Seth announced he was gay, inspiring others who had hitherto been scared to come out.
France recently banned women from wearing burqa in public. Some call it Islamophobic, but others say it is a step in the direction of gender equality. While modernisation continually questions faith, We The People asks is the veil a symbol of religious freedom or gender subjugation?
Godmen & Politics: Unholy Alliance?
Can religion and politics be separated? As religious institutions increasingly come under political influence and godmen start advocating views of political parties, We The People asks, should religious and spiritual leaders stop meddling in politics?
The men who dared to embrace motherhood. We The People meets single dads and tries to break gender stereotypes associated with single parenting. The show asks why the laws of this country are biased towards women when it comes to parenthood.
Indian Military Academy: Soldiering On
Is the military still an option for India’s youth? On the 75th anniversary of the Indian Military Academy, We The People travelled to Dehradun to look at how India’s perspective towards the army has changed over the past few years.
Pakistan: Democracy or Dictatorship?
The 2008 election was Pakistan’s attempt to usher in democracy. Unhappy with the Musharraf regime and still recovering from the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistanis eventually voted PPP to power. But hours before that historic vote, We The People met a cross-section of Pakistani women in Lahore and asked them if their country was ready for democracy.
Scarlett Keeling Case: Goa's Dark Side?
The perversion of India's holiday haven. Fifteen-year-old British girl's rape and murder and the botched investigations exposed the dark underbelly of India's premier tourist destination. We The People visited Goa and asked its people if their state is still safe for foreign tourists.
Is India a country of closet racists? Is the fairness industry unfair and ugly? We The People puts the advertising and the entertainment industry in the spotlight and questions why, even today, Indians are obsessed with fair skin and biased against dark complexion.
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ caught the imagination of the world, but not without its share of controversies. We The People ‘quizzes’ the stars of the film – including filmmaker Danny Boyle - about their challenges, relationships, and of course, the Indian quotient.
The Prime Minister calls Naxalism the biggest threat to internal security. But the opinion remains divided over how to counter Naxal violence: By force or by talks? We The People engages with social activists and security experts, and asks can a peace initiative with Maoists work?
Caught in the stereotypes and the new reality of terrorism, an Indian Muslim’s life is a never-ending struggle to prove his patriotism and defend his religion. We The People meets Shah Rukh Khan and two new-age Indian filmmakers who are attempting to break these stereotypes and deal with the complex question of Muslim identity.
Artists and activists had lamented MF Husain's inability to live in India because of death threats and legal cases over paintings that Hindu groups described as obscene. Mr Husain left India in 2006. In 2010, he was offered and accepted citizenship of Qatar. He repeatedly expressed a yearning to return to India. "My heart will always be in India...it is my beloved land," he said in an interview to NDTV in March last year. Did India let him down?
