Barely months after their ambitious launches, top Hindi GECs have pulled the plug on the very same shows after they failed to deliver decent TRPs.
It doesn't come as surprise or shock anymore to viewers when a newly launched daily soap gets pulled off air abruptly. At a time when TV viewership is cannibalised by the launch of new GECs, existing Hindi GECs in a bid to hold on to their numbers in the TRP race, are pulling the plug on shows that don't notch up respectable TRPs. Months after their ambitious and flamboyant launches, as many as 14 shows went off-air, shocking even production companies and the cast and crew. Apart from the already axed shows, the fate of shows like Laut Aao Trisha, PS I Hate You, Bandhan are under scanner. Besides not delivering numbers, certain technical issues, lead stars quitting these shows have also had their adverse impact on these shows.
What do producers think about such decisions of GECs? Producer Rajan Shahi shares, "Any new show/concept taken up by makers and channels require a lot of investment in terms of time, production, artists etc. Right from concept approval to pilot episode shoot " it is a long process. In three months, a show hardly gets time to establish itself in audiences' mind, it needs more time. Having said that, I never question channels as to why a particular show of mine is being pulled off, because they must have done their share of research before doing that!"
Do actors feel that some concrete time frame must be given to shows to prove their worth before being abruptly pulled off air? Adaa Khan whose show is going off air three months after its launch, feels, "It's really sad that these shows are shutting so abruptly. Earlier at least a month's notice was given to producers, but in the current scenario, just a week's notice is given. New shows need time to prove their worth, because everyone puts in so much hardwork, but I guess new shows are risky for channels too."
For actors who devote time to these shows at the cost of other professional assignments, the sudden going off air of the shows upsets their plans. Anuj Sachdeva whose show Itti Si Khushi goes off air soon ruefully says, "I don't know based on what parameters did the channel take this decision of pulling the show off air. We are very disappointed. As I had committed myself to this daily, I gave up on few movie auditions, including Punjabi films."
The new trend for Hindi GECs seems to be the finite series, shows that have a definite end well etched out at the drawing board stage itself, which in turn helps the shows end on a logical note. Chandni Bhagwanani shares, "It's really sad that these days lots of shows are ending abruptly because of low TRPs. We need to understand that each show can't notch up good TRPs in the initial weeks. It takes some time for the audience to connect with the show, so instead of pulling the plug on new shows the channel should give these some more time to build up before taking a call on its lifeline." Although in certain cases, even the finite-series' shows are meeting their end prior to the allotted time.
While it's tough to figure the actual reasons behind the sudden closure of some new shows, at the end of the day, TRPs can make or break a show. For Hindi GECs, in the end numbers do matter and how!
ITTI SI KHUSHI
Air time - 3 months
Touted as one of the most ambitious projects of the channel, even a strong cast and interesting storyline couldn't save the show from its demise when it failed to deliver impressive TRPs and breathes its last in January 2015.
BEINTEHAA
Air time - 11 months
Promising debutants Harshad Arora and Preetika Rao's sizzling chemistry got the show set in a Muslim family its band of followers, until the wafer-thin plot failed to rake in decent TRPs.
RANG RASIYA
Air time - 9 months
Inspite of scorching love scenes between Sanaya Irani and Ashish Sharma and many twists in the story, poor TRPs led to the show's abrupt closure.
EK NAYI PEHCHAAN
Air time - 9 months
Despite an interesting concept (adult education) and a promising star cast (the show saw the debut of Padmini Kolhapure on TV and the comeback of Poonam Dhillon), the show that started with much fanfare had a lukewarm end!
FANAAH SEASON 1
Air time - 3 months
Touted as an ambitious project with a refreshing cast (Karan Kundra, Ratan Rajput and Nikita Sharma) and inspired by The Vampire Diaries, Season I was forcibly sent off air after Ratan and Karan were hospitalised and unable to shoot.
EK HASINA THI
Air time - 8 months
Loosely inspired by the TV show Revenge, the finite series saw the comeback of Vatsal Sheth as a hero on TV. After an impressive take-off the show's wrapping up earlier than its decided end.
BAAWRE
Air time - 3 months
Even with a refreshing new set up, cast and concept, the show didn't register at all, right from the beginning.
YUDH
Air time - 3 months
Amitabh Bachchan's fiction TV debut with Kay Kay Menon and Sarika was expected to be the show of the year. A complicated storyline and late airtime sounded the deathknell on this one!
KHUSHIYON KI GULLAK AASHI
Air time - 3 months
A spunky teenager who adopts parents should have made an interesting storyline, but this show failed to whip up enough TRPs.
MAIN NAA BHOOLUNGI
Air time - 7 months
A filmi adaptation of Khoon Bhari Maang, this show saw the return of once hottie Vikas Manaktala to TV after four years, paired with Aishwarya Sakhuja. Many twists in the storyline later, the show ended due to poor TRPs.
NADAAN PARINDEY GHAR AAJA
Air time - 5 months
An interesting concept about cross-border infiltration, the unusual lovestory finally had to be pulled off air due to lack of viewership.
AUR PYAAR HO GAYA Air time - 11 months A star-crossed romance that had every staple ingredient required to make a soap a hit, including a new lead pair, a short leap, the manipulative baddies, went off air suddenly!
PIYA BASANTI RE
Air time - 3 months
The daughter of a domestic help from Baroda finds herself married to a rich kid was a typical cutesy romance, but found no takers.
TUM SAATH HO JAB APNE
Air time - 3 months
A single mom encouraging her teen daughter to become a badminton player was a novel concept, but the storyline failed to impress and is likely to go off air next month.
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