I am not a good TRP analyzer, nor I followed any ITV shows other than ghum so I am not a good person to comment. But through the views of some of my friends here and analyzing the numbers, I think I gained some knowledge. Based on that here is my opinion.
The TRP audience has varied demographics, majority of them are like home makers who have middle class mindset, not like us who are actively studying or pursuing careers. They still have a mindset where marriage means eternal, husband makes mistakes, wives forgive and both of them work for their family. For them marriage is sacred. Unless the husband is out and out negative, they will forgive the character. They dont like wife and husband leaving each other, out of their own will. They are OK with Pakhi kind of woman separating them and paying for it. Post leap worked because of this. Sruthi didnt work as much because she is not negative as Pakhi and Virat showing favors for her, is detested. Even Virat marrying Pakhi should not have worked, except that there was anticipation that she will not get anything. Post leap they showed how Virat was not in a normal marriage and though people freaked out whether they will move on or not, they immediately showed how Pakhi's plans keep failing. This gave them the satisfaction that she is suffering and some kind of anticipation that she will pay for all her deeds.
Now, under similar circumstances, a male character for Sai would have been tolerated only to make Virat jealous and act faster to get Sai. Make him suffer with the possibility that Sai also can move on with an eligible man. But, for majority of the audience(people like us count for only 1%. Indian population is vast and diverse with similar ethos) Sai is Virat's wife. Virat loves Sai (though this 1% doesnt agree), story shows the same and people received it that way. Virat is also victim of circumstances for them, not only Sai. Hence, they cannot see them with other person. Especially Sai, not as other man's wife. This is the mindset of typical Indian women who watch the shows on TV.
Let me tell you an example. My mother and aunt follow telugu version of Ghum. They started on my insistence. They didnt like Pakhi from the beginning because she was very much on the face unlike our Pakhi. They instantly liked Sai. And slowly liked Virat. Now they are at a phase where they root for them, just like we did before confession. While I was watching Ghum along with my mother(she understands hindi), she asked few questions where I spoiled for her that Virat married Pakhi in Sai's absense. Do you know what her first question was?! Shock and then she asked whether he was conjugal with her. :D My mother is a fairly progressive woman. But her question made me burst out in laughter. I asked her, how does it matter. The marriage itself is a betrayal right? She said, but he married when his wife was dead and while adopting a kid. It is kind of Pakhi's payback to him for ruining his life. She is also not fully convinced that he married her, because she doesnt like Pakhi in telugu version also. She said she will stop watching the telugu show also!! But see her initial reaction? She asked if he is in conjugal, loving relationship with pakhi?! TV Women are forgiving. Because of several reasons which are characteristic to their circumstances.
ITV shows are made for them, not for US, the elite, the educated and debate mongers. There is a vast spectrum of audience who judge these shows and they collectively influence TRP. For them, Satya would have worked only as a jealousy factor or a friend of Sai who pushes her towards Virat. Not as Virat's replacement.
From that view point, I think Promo did the damage. They were taken aback, but waited that it will not happen. But it did. Even Sruthi track had bad TRP, but there was anticipation that sairat will unite so they stuck with the show and TRP improved. But now, they cant wait. They are all waiting for the reunion and this happened. There was a marriage that they will never approve of and the character which delayed SaiRat reunion. So the TRP dropped, but is being maintained steadily because, just like some of us, they still switch on the TV hoping that SaiRat will reunite. With this data, I would like to make a prediction that TRP will increase as SaiRat reunion approaches. It is not rocket science at this point. It is something makers also know. Even if TRP increases, they have no story. Either they have to end or tap the increased TRP for the leap.
So long story short, it is not the actor that is responsible for TRP drop, it is the story and the new character which is wrongly placed. Even if they get SRK in HA's place, it would not have worked. Sai is Virat's wife! The story is built that way in the mind of majority of people, and they dont see Virat as villian. Only possibility is to turn him into a villain over the period of time, like many months because Virat and Sai found place in masses hearts over 2.5 years. It is not easy to erase that in few weeks. A proper story should turn Virat into villain for Sai to fall for another guy. And for that, people have to wait longer but they ran out of patience. They were all waiting for SaiRat reunion. It is not easy to change that without. The story/narrative of 2.5 years would not support that. Therefore I say, No SRK, no Hrithik, no Anuj, no Satya can replace Virat. Virat gained acceptance among the masses if not us. We are just a handful when compared to the actual audience who likes to see SaiRat together. This is the reality I understood.
I am SaiRat fan, but I dont want the story to progress this way. I have a plot that ties all the lose ends but can I explain it convincingly to the diverse womenfolk who watch this TV show? I doubt. So all the lofty ideas we have would not work in reality.
Neither Story nor the audience support SS marriage, thats why the track is failing. Not because of the actors.
PS: This is something I learnt watching ghum and the numbers. I could be wrong.
Edited by sadiltl - 2 years ago
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