Image by Yousafbhutta from Pixabay 

In the modern world, everyone is aware of the internet, the social media platforms and the web series. Discussion about current affairs is replaced by web series. 'Hey. Have you watched this series?' or 'You should give the series a try' or 'if you missed it then you will miss a masterpiece' etcetera are the most common statements that we got accustomed to. Web serieses have successfully replaced television and to some extent the theaters also. There once was a time when we used to complete our homeworks as fast as we could just to watch our favorite shows. Sometimes our parents used to take us to movie theaters once in a month or two. Now the world has changed. It feels like an era has ended and another era has begun. Especially during the two years long pandemic people became too much dependent on their smartphones, laptops, and internet connections. Since OTT platforms have gained a certain popularity it is said that it has altered people's perspectives to a certain extent and in some cases, beyond that extent.

Everything in this world is made up of both positive and negative sides and web series are no different. When the web series are viewed from the lens of gender visibility then one must accept the fact that the creators have a wider view of the world as compared to more or less half of the population in reality. There exists many web series where men are not given the maximum visibility i.e., where men's dominance is kept out of sight. Instead the role of women and even transgenders have been highlighted. Pitta Kathalu (Telugu web series), Bombay Begums, Her Story, Euphoria etcetera are some series that truly serve as an example of this fact that women and transgenders also play an important role in running a successful society. In many parts of Indian society men are still the one who dominates and women and transgenders are still tormented. In India everyone talks about gender equality and equal rights for everyone, but women and the trans society are still the victims. People sympathize with others but when things come upon them they still find it hard to accept the reality. And from this perspective the OTT platforms are a step ahead of the real society. The other aspect from where the OTT platforms are a step ahead is the sexual diversity. At this point many controversies are born but people should be capable of differentiating the positive and the negative. There are people out there who frequently get confused between sexuality and sexual diversity. Spreading a wrong message by promoting sexuality and nudity is wrong but teaching people to broaden their perspectives and accept the LGBTQ+ community is a right step. In many religions, lesbian and gay relationships, bisexuality etcetera is considered a sin. This leads to unnecessary chaos and riots among two groups. Web series like Sex Education, Orange is the New Black, Romil and Jugal, Made In Heaven etcetera which are promoting the diversity in sexuality and are spreading a message of love to its audience. This fact should be accepted that love exists in various forms and it is not limited to a man and a woman only. If one talks about realistic acting or a well written script then in this particular matter also the web series are a step ahead of the movies that are broadcasted in television. After watching a regular movie and a web series back to back, one can clearly note the differences between the acting qualities and the scripts and the cinematography of both the videos. Moreover web series are a part of the OTT platforms which makes them convenient and diverse. People no longer have to wait to watch their favorite shows and they don't even have to visit different channels to watch international shows. Everything is now available at one place and is just one click away.

It is impossible that something with so much positive side will not have any negative side. The list of negativity in the case of web series is quite longer than that of its positive side. The OTT platforms, especially the web series, causes an addiction amongst its audience. In much of the research that is going on, it has been studied that the teenagers and the young adults together cover up the maximum portion of the audience and they are the one to get more affected by these web series. According to recent surveys it has been observed that due to an increasing number of binge-watching amongst youngsters is causing depression, obesity, anxiety, aggression and sometimes eyesight problems and other health issues. Moreover, being too addicted to the web series can affect the person's real life too. The world depicted by the web series and the real world are poles apart from each other. Spending too much time in that world and then coming back to reality is like entering a different world. No matter how much one relates themself with the protagonist of the script, they can never adapt the characteristics because the real world will never accept it. Moreover due to an excessive use of abusive language in the web series it is nearly impossible to watch it without plugging in earphones. Excessive use of earphones and lead to ear damage which may further lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss. Moreover, there are many series, which are the complete opposite of the series mentioned above, where objectifying women brings more superiority to men and this normalizes men's dominance. This increases a question about women's security in a society. It is not new to the young generation that in some countries including India, pornography sites have been blocked. The contents of some of the web series available on OTT platforms are no less than any blue film. Hence, moral of the story is only blocking the pornography sites are of no use as the other platforms are actively taking their place. Another way in which it is affecting society is that people are being misled towards racism and body shaming. According to these series, looking beautiful means having a perfect, slim and clear complexion body. It creates difficulties for those people who are really beautiful from their inside.

There are a lot of differences between a created world and the real world. Both of them have their own way of living. They are the paths that hardly intersect. Hence, if someone tries to bring them together then severe consequences will be faced. People who believe too much in the screen are the one who gets isolated from most of the social groups including their own families, friends, and their loved ones. Getting influenced from the web series and setting higher expectations from your partner and creating unnecessary pressure on them can turn out to be harmful for both. Every person is unique and beautiful in their own ways. One should not let these web series gain control over them and set high expectations for them. OTT platforms are a great mode of entertainment as they are convenient and diverse but everything has its own limit. Web series are fine until and unless it is getting into someone's nerves because once it happens there is hardly any way to recover from it. It is better for people to stay aware and stay away from those series that are meant to influence people only in bed. Rather those series can be watched and shared which radiates a positive message to its audience.

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