My HypocrISY lol - Page 5

Originally posted by: Charishma

It's ironic that I wholeheartedly believe writers and producers should be arrogant. They should tell us the story they want to tell us regardless of what demands audiences make.

But herein lies the problem. They are making the story for audience not for self gratification. So the demands of the audience have to be adhered to.

I know two people who absolutely loved RK Madhu jodi while Sultan track was happening. Although they were completely glued to the screen, they always rooted for RK. But then their wishes came true. Sultan really was evil, RK was good by default. And they got bored and stopped watching.

People make demands all the time. Writers should not be bothered by the noise. But what to do when the noise is actively sought (via "feelers") in order to figure out what would get ratings? This will almost always mislead, because the average audience member doesn't know why they like what they like, they just do. The average TRP aunty doesn't sit on IF and analyse the inconsequential to death. That's for us young (youngish in my case lol) people who have time on our hands. And there's a difference between those who like the story and those who just want to see a particular person on screen.

You seriously think that channels, market analysts and big corporates who are the advertisement providers are foolish enough to listen to internet audience or they even care what IF thinks? The people who are spending multiples of crores have much more relable networks of information than IF. Decisions are taken basis those.

Plus, opinion changes. What once appealed to us won't necessarily appeal always. What makes AS think that VD as RK will have the same impact he did during the beginning of Madhubala? What is there to say the impact was solely his doing? The very idea that Madhubala can draw the kind of ratings it did during its premier is preposterous. It's a show in its second season, it will always be in the shadow of its predecessor. The most they can hope to achieve is one more year of steady viewership.

But if the current track is continued that 1 year would also not be there.

This is a contradiction I know. That I feel writers should stick to their guns (and tell me the story they want to tell me), but when they start switching course, I get critical and stop watching. In my defence, I stop watching because I lose interest, not as a boycott. Also, I just hate NF's insistence on undoing work that they've done. They double-guess themselves all the bloody time. Over two years into the show and I can honestly say that there has yet to be one large arc. You know the one arc that spans at least the first year? The one that a show is premised on? The one after which PHs start throwing in illegitimate siblings, leaps, etc? Yeah, that arc never happened. We never got an inside look into Bollywood. We never even got the RK Madhu romance promised. We got a cheap imitation.

Their only defence is that they are trying to earn money and will sell only what has the market buys. They are not here to appease any group but to earn their livelihood. Its Business.

Do you remember that scene where RK made a bust of Madhu? He promised her pain but while creating the bust he only repeatedly cut himself? No follow through with that foreshadowing. Instead they crippled his character growth to deliver a fake marriage that felt fake even when it was real. Madhu 1.0 was just a non-entity. But then Sultan came, and everything just fell into place. Here was a chance to redeem the quality of the show and create something cult classic worthy. It bloody well worked in a way things hadn't since month 2 of this show. Madhu showed growth and she was relatable. But once again, nada. NF starts on a course, and but then does everything possible to take it back. It's a never-ending game of snakes and ladders.

See herein lies the major difference. You think Sultan gave life to the show. TRPs plummeted during his time and never recovered. Advertisers forced the removal of the montage containing Sultan within one week of its being put up.

Just want to say one thing. This is a market driven business. No one can remove the Sultans and Abhays if the market loves them and no one can bring back the RKs if market dislikes them. Simple.

Originally posted by: chinkidrashti

What a fantastic post ! Each and every word true, people are forgetting its story that makes and breaks characters and show ! THere are immense hits given by less known actors but with good stories !

Originally posted by: Poluk

@ My replies in red above

Originally posted by: Charishma

I understand what you're saying. Except I am invested in the show, and I do think the writers are quite talented. I'm not denying any of that. The reason why I'm so upset is because AS's decision to flip AK's characterization and bring VD back is regression.

I am an actual viewer, hence being active on IF. I'm not one for spoilers. But yeah, no way do I think that I'm part of majority audience lol. I usually go for the underdog plot/pairings so I get that might be in the minority. The size of the audience and trp and all that is beyond me. I don't really care. I watch for the story.

What I'm saying is the constant u-turn is a turn off. As far as keeping me glued, then that happened once: Sultan. It lead me to create dozens of rage posts 😆 I was on guard this time.

Originally posted by: Charishma

This whole TRP obsession is really similar to the box office obsession with films. Why do audiences care so much about what the company is making?

Can storytelling not be a mix of art and business though? Having it be solely market driven, what you get is a Balaji show with weekly (Friday based) cliffhanger plots. And as Balaji has experienced in recent two years is that shows with better storytelling (and better long-term arcs) always win, because the audience isn't always about instant gratification. And when there are better stories out there, people tend to jump ship.

A show isn't just a product for public consumption. It has to be more than that to survive because it's strengths and weaknesses are often hard to identify. How does a high trp have a causal link (or even a correlation) with RK? How does a low trp have a causal link with Abhay or Sultan? There are other factors, like a story, a female lead, and an entire supporting cast (that is sometimes so unbearably boring). Its hard to quantify factors that have no identifiable numerical value.


I'm not trying to prove that Sultan or Abhay were super duper trp getters. Sultan worked better as a story for me. It made sense and provided for an interesting future track. As for VD bringing a good trp, there is no guarantee. After the initial twist (which most likely show a spike) there will be a decrease. VD entering as someone with the brainpower of a 7 year old isn't something new for this show. He's just being given an excuse for being socially stunted. I find it interesting though that instead of telling me VD's return will provide for an excellent story (possibly a different dynamic), people are saying that low trps demand it.

Originally posted by: Charishma

@first bold: Yes to both. And well, GU was cast as the male lead.
@second bold: Yes, I get that. But my question is, what makes show-makers think that an actor is the sole result of their trps going up or down? There are dozens of other factors that contribute. If you go by that logic shouldn't RK Madhu tracks have gotten highest trps all the way through? Even if a lead is capable of doing that, what is DD, chopped liver?

Rating systems are by their nature approximations and estimates. They can be a little arbitrary. Originally these numbers were solely for the network (to find out which times are prime and how to divvy up commercials). There is an actual formula at work.


It's when show runners try to actively increase these numbers that they screw up. There is no magical formula you can plug into another formula (i.e.: TRP machine) to get X result.
Audiences are fickel, and trps aren't a definite reflection of what works and what doesn't. That's why at the end of the day, all you can do is tell a good story. That is all I'm saying.


QUOTE
Dear my point is, there is no fixed story , even if abhay was supposed to be lead,it did not work , so they said bye to that . VD has bigger fan following than GU thence makers think with a new story , trp may pick up. St thought vd was not required hence he went for the leap without vd.
I heard in another post that ads have decreased post the leap not confirmed but it may be also the reason why vd is back because it is said that MB used to have high ad rate despite decreasing trp.
For you sultan was interesting, for me he was irritant in this story and I was forced to skip scenes and looks like it was same for majority audience slowly left after one painful track after track to never return .

Doordarshan days have gone .. Too much choice for people hence they are fickle.
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Edited by armummy - 11 years ago

Originally posted by: Charishma

Advertisers will pay only for those tracks which cater to majority tastes and therefore while making a show the makers have to account for them.

That statement just mystifies me. Why include idiotic tracks then (Sultan, miscarriage, actress no go) if show runners have to cater to majority? From what I understand the majority didn't like those tracks.

The underlying fact is that there is no proof what works and what doesn't, and there's no guarantee that once what worked will work again.

You yourself gave the gist of it. CVs and the channel put forward a track which they hope would be accepted by audience. It is again a matter of different tastes. But if the same is rejected by the majority they have no option but to immediately back track.

It is the same case with other manfacturers. they launch a particular product after due thought only but if it doesnot click with the consumers it has to be withdrawn. They cannot keep on spending money on a rejected product.

And I am not saying here that CVs are fools. See the concept must have looked good to them on paper or in visualisation. But what comes out on screen finally might not be up to the mark or good because lots of other factors are also in play while actually filming it.

Ajay Devgan once said that we sign only that project which sounds good but at times what finally comes on screen is not what had been visualised. After seeing the final product we know before the release of the movie whether it would be hit or flop though we dont say it.

Business is a definite consideration. But I have a hard time believing that something very well written and put together will not appeal to the audience. For me, if you have regard for the art, business will follow.

Again it is a matter of taste. What is well written for one might be shabby or irritating for the other. Some people love classical music, some find it cacophony. They love rap. Different markets exist for both types of music. The makers will produce and sell what will give them a bigger market since in this case producing limited editions for niche audience is not possible.

VD has bigger fan following than GU thence makers think with a new story , trp may pick up.
Okay that is totally true. But there are just so many ifs involved here.
Isn't is reasonable to be angry about AS obliterating the entire premise of season 2 just because trps "may" pick up.

The only thing that can be said in his defence is that he is here to earn a living and he has a right to do whatever might be needed to survive. In hindi there is a famous saying: " Ghoda Ghaas se yaari karega to khayega kya?"

I understand what people are saying. What's done is done. But man, written integrity should play a much bigger role than it does.

There is a time and place for everything. Integrity only towards one actor/group of actors or a perceived storyline at the cost of the future of his company and dozens of employees is not integrity in my opinion - its hardcore betrayal.