Posted:
I agree with what Shruthi and Samana said- the operational costs of the show are obviously higher, which is why it's being axed in spite of not-so-bad TRP's. The channel obviously expected it to be a game changer, something on the lines of IPK, or something. I think Tewary also misjudged the audience on this one. I remember being aghast reading that he'd spent 2.5 crore on the set. 🥱
The audiences are not ready for a musical, a retrospective/ back and forth narration, emotional complexities, or other things.
I do wish we could go back to the old days in the 80's and 90's when shows of substance were on. I am a 90's kid and I remember "Shanti" and "Swabhimaan" which were runaway hits at the time. I think the scripts were written well in advance, story lines etched out and shooting also way in advance, much like Pakistani shows continue to do even today.
I think the taste of the audiences have altered with the product fed to them- why could people watch better stuff in the previous decades and not now? Because they are now accustomed to a lot of quick-fix stories with a generous dose of drama and kitchen politics. Even EK's love stories are just an excuse for this- MATH and KB being good examples of this. YHM plays the romance angle more, because the original audience started watching for that.
As a viewer, however, I have to admit feeling ignored. If my tastes are a little different, if I expect a different kind of storytelling, am I not an intended member of their audience? Can't they have at least one show which caters to a niche audience? In recent times, EHT is one example I can think of- the impact it created was on another level altogether. In the US, for example, you have "youth" shows that are syndicated for a different audience, and which continue to air despite having relatively lesser ratings.
In such situations, I am compelled to watch something more appealing- which is usually well-written legal and political thrillers [The Good Wife, Boston Legal, House of Cards, Scandal], period dramas [Downton Abbey], fantasies [Once upon a time] , hospital dramas [Grey's Anatomy], from British and American TV. I am actually spoilt for choice there. But the heart wants to watch something desi; creative content that is rooted in our culture, portraying mores and situations that seem familiar, engaging story lines, good narration, strong characters.
My question is- as a viewer, is it too much to ask?
Why aren't they going for simple, elegant story lines, devoid of melodrama in the season format? Much like Pak shows. With our shows, the writers and the actors get ultimately fed up with the shows they're a part of- our shows are that disillusioning and creatively frustrating
And why aren't they experimenting with genres? The same ol' stuff- wash, rinse and repeat.
And I honestly don't know whom to blame- the audiences or the production teams for this whole mess. Is the audience forcing them to churn out the same kind of moribund stuff, or are the production/creative houses putting the audiences through the same ghissa pita stories? I am guessing it runs both ways.
I do feel that change is on the cards, though. There is an increasing amount of digital penetration in our towns and cities. People are watching diverse content because of a good internet connection on their smartphones, becoming exposed to other cultures- watching Korean dramas, for eg. Urbanization and education levels are on the rise, and tastes are slowly but steadily changing.
Moreover, we are a country of young people, our demographic dividend says that we have a large no of individuals in the 12-35 age group, with more expected to join in the coming decades.
It might take a long, long time for things to change- but I do see it happening one day in the distant future. I also think that mainstream GEC's are not ready for it, and they're bound to fall on their faces then- they won't even see it coming!
I am waiting for the day Netflix comes in India, for eg, or when more and more people watch webisodes or podcasts right on their smartphones.
