Bade Aache.. a surprise hit! - Page 2

While generally love stories struggle and don't match up to the ratings of family dramas, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain has not only stood its ground against Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya and Na Aana Is Des Laado but giving tough competition to the over-dramatic soaps at 10.30 pm. At 3.4 TVR for the latest week, it is marginally behind Pratigya (3.8), scoring higher than Laado (3) and well ahead of Sanskar Laxmi (0.8).

One of the reasons for its growing popularity is differentiated content. "People are watching the show because its premise, story, characters and treatment are extremely relatable. In today's time, career-oriented boys and girls get married in their thirties. It is a relatable issue for most middle- and lower middle-class urban people," says the show's director Ravindra Gautam. He feels the protagonists' age gives the show a wider appeal. "Besides, the characters are sweet and the performances brilliant," he adds. Ram Kapoor, who plays the lead character of Ram says Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, has worked because it is fresh and completely different from regular fiction shows. "Such a story has never been done before on Indian television where the hero is a middle-aged fat man and the girl is 30-plus. It's so refreshing to see them falling in love," he adds.

Apart from freshness, Kapoor feels that the drama is real. "We have deliberately kept it as close to reality as possible because Ekta wants middle-aged people to relate to it. Regular high-pitched dramatic issues and elements will spoil the show completely," he says. While several successful shows have been late bloomers, what explains instant success for Bade Achhe...? "Apart from differentiated content, the lead actor's chemistry and their huge fan following have given it an edge over competition," says Sony's head of marketing Danish Khan. Kapoor admits that he is surprised at the show's sudden success. "We didn't expect such fast growth," he adds.

But will the show sustain current momentum and grow on the rating ladder? It all depends on what the makers have in store and how they take the story forward. But Sakshi Tanwar, who plays Priya, says that there is an exciting story waiting to unravel. "We have a beautiful story in hand. The journey after marriage and how Ram and Priya spend time together will be quite exciting to watch out," she promises.