Hi I am kunal fan😃. I left IB forum after Ishkara track scrapped. I was so disheartened to watch kunal status reduced to side character in show. I am happy that kunal get what he deserved. I had cribbed on gul insta. Now it seems every dream fulfilled. Well I disagree on fans power made kunal lead of spinoff show. Many actors have large number of fanfollowing. I am saying this by experience, Starplus may pay attention to fans complaints but never follow it unless it sense business.
Starplus do survey and research time to time on existing shows. I am sure Starplus must have done survey or research after receiving complaints, and after sensing potential in kunal and omkara only it might have decided to do big experiment like spinoff. Unless there is no way Starplus will allot a good time slot and do such a experiment for online fans . This channel is good for killing make leads, replacing them or reduce them to item piece. Fans may crib or complain but it rarely pay attention.
If in show omkara may have died or replaced, channel wouldn't have cared if trp would have been good or okayish.
Hence it seem channel see potential in om story and may be gul khan also tried hard to do it, as a result we are getting spinoff.
I can say, as kunal fan I feel lucky and proud.