📺Why did Indian TV Serials Lose Their Magic? From Loved to Ignored?📺 - Page 2

Hi Madhuri!

Beautiful thread and thanks for tagging me

I think there are a lot of reasons behind the downfall but in my opinion, the most crucial being the blooming of OTT during the pandamic.

We can't deny it has caused a huge shift. I mean, here we are talking about shows in general but I have experienced the shift in human behavior and work culture after those dreaded 2-3 years as people were confined inside their homes and adjusted to that reality. But that's a different discussion altogether.

Coming to ITV in particular, when people started discovering OTT, the major shift occurred IMO. They could pause and come back later, they could shift to anything they liked and most importantly they got to watch stories which are limited, less illogical and immediately chose it over the over the top content.

The next major issue I believe is the refusal of the makers to change their ways. Change isn't necessarily bad. I know at the end of the day it's business but even for a business to thrive, you need to be aware of your customers and their needs.

I know a lot of people blame Ekta Kapoor for ITV's current state but I do feel at least she introduced some changes. Back in 2000s she introduced Tulsi, Parvati who were homemakers and fiercely protected their families. During 2012-2014 era again she tried to show a bit different reality - FLs who had and valued their careers as much as they loved their families whether it was Ishita (YHM) or Pragya (Kumkum Bhagya). This was the same producer who dared to tell a story from a ML's POV (Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi) and showed the FL as more flawed. But now in 2025, everything has taken a backseat. No one is even remotely trying to touch issues that are prevalent in today's society. Then how will the audience be able to connect?

The younger generation obviously will reject this and the a significant portion of older generation too now prefers OTT.

What's worse, the channels now pressurize the PHs more and story keeps jumping from one end to another without any consistency which makes it even harder to root for a character/couple/story.

I would still say the barring from a few actors, I think the new actors have performed well when they were given substance. But ultimately it's the storytelling that has completely gone to dogs and now people don't feel compelled to sit through the torture anymore.

Adding a couple more points... maybe quite simple and obvious though...

I grew up with the unique shows on SAB TV, Sony TV, Colors, Life OK, and even Star Plus during the 2010s. The best words I can use to describe them are "interesting" and "engaging." In the good way. The main couple/characters were all in all good people, and we rooted for the good people to win. And even after drama, eventually, the good guys won. The lead couple overcame the challenges and lived happily.

Many of us (at least I) used to watch these shows because it was an escape from whatever daily struggles or issues I was dealing with. Nowadays, if I hop online to watch an ITV show, it does the opposite. Instead of freshening or engaging my mind, it irritates or even enrages me. Acche mood ko bigadta hai, instead of the other way around. The way even main characters (who we are supposed to root for) commit crimes, how women are treated, and how the main couple or family we are rooting for do not get any stable happy times in their lives. Most main ITV couples nowadays spend more time apart during separations and leaps than they do together in a healthy relationship. With each leap, when new leads or cast come in, the old cast is usually killed off. Especially in generational shows (YRKKH, GHKKPM, etc). You can't connect to the characters or feel any nostalgia, if you keep killing the characters people actually like.

Most of us are grown up now, probably in relationships of our own, and we know what a healthy relationship looks like (or is supposed to look like). Why would I choose to watch rage-bait content in ITV, when there are so many other shows, movies, books, or other media I could consume that will actually bring a smile on my face?