My email to Aditi Sawant Arora, StarNews Sept 12th

From: Pam Jolly <pamjolly24@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: My earnest appeal regarding Choti Bahu
To: singh.charu18@gmail.com
Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 9:02 PM

Hello Charu, I have never emailed or mailed letters before like so many here in the US and India have regarding Choti Bahu. This is my first attempt to write to you after hearing the sad news about the show ending in Sept. First of all, I see the need to mention to you that obviously I'm one of the most ardent and die hard fans of CB from day One. No other serial has ever had such a deep impact as CB because of its purity, divine intervention theme, absolutely wonderful cast and the multiple successes that the show has deservedly earned in these 1.9 years of its airing, from awards to popularity to trp ratings of 5.1. As you can well imagine and be well aware of, viewers literally all over the world must be simultaneously going through a wave of shock, after hearing such UNTIMELY and UNCALLED FOR news. My first instinct is that I hope and pray there's no validity, no truth to this news. And that too at a time when the show has consistently and consecutively for several days been doing so much better, script-wise, track-wise, TRP-wise from all angles. And the story was just starting to gain momentum and was moving in the right direction. The timing is so viciously wrong to end the show smack in the middle. Any number of juggling could have been done with other shows. I wonder why you all have not thought of that. Why ? If the other shows had even an iota of worthiness or the capacity to touch the masses pulse, I might understand. That is hardly the case here. Proof is in the pudding. The outpouring we have noticed on India Forums in favor of the show is a proof in itself that CB has had such a stronghold on viewers minds and hearts and has been going so strong, and then suddenly this happens ?? In god's name why ?? And then suddenly deciding to end the show half-way is like killing an alive and healthy person in cold blood. It's like stabbing the entire cast in the back, for no fault of theirs, for no rhyme or reason. I wonder if you all consider this even remotely rational or logical. It's as if the entire cast has been left in the middle of majhdhaar for no apparent sensible reasons or grounds, and for no fault of theirs. There are so many unresolved issues that need to be still tackled judiciously, prudently, logically. It is unfathomable for me to even think that you all are not even trying to find alternatives so that the show continues on maybe on a different time slot, or some other solution and resolution. I can't even imagine what convincing explanation or demonstrable reasoning you all have for such dastardly act that makes sense. I don't see any. Just because a new show is under planning to be aired ?? Can it not be slated to be aired in a different time slot ?? How come they are given more importance when CB has a long established track record of phenomenal success. So what went wrong ??? What IS the real reason ??? The show has tremendous international following. Many issues are unresolved and can lead to powerful tracks with increasing TRPs. CB is ZEE's golden hen. Why would ZEE take that away? If it does, Zee will see a huge drop in fan following and will lose TRP's for all its other shows as well. New shows do not necessarily help to raise the TRPs. The show has lot of loose ends and amazing RaDev chemistry which has mesmerized viewers the world over. Why end CB when other shows are sinking, the so-called prime time shows ?? Just some of the tracks yet to be resolved are as follows if not for any other reason but just to give it a sensible closure, which it lacks glaringly and blatantly. lets see Kanha punish amma, want to see her begging for forgiveness from Radhika, for ostracizing her all her life just because she is from lower cast ? Punish MR and Kanika for their lies and deceit let us see many good and happy times with Radh and Dev let us see a new heir to the Raj Purohit estate Little ups and downs in TRPs should not be the determinant factor to decide CB's fate in such a horrible way. The cast and crew along with the viewers have so much emotional investment for all of it to go to waste in such an inhuman and inhumane way. The uniqueness of the show will be lost and nobody in future will even venture to repeat that terrible experience and occurrence. Radhika's pregnancy has to be a wonderful track, if not for any other reason for Daadi and Vaishali's sake who made waaris issue a major issue and to reveal their reasons why they were hell bent upon having a waaris. The show has potentially changed the lives of so many as I have been witnessing because of a very active member and participant on India Forums. And the only show which has gone over 650 pages in the history of any Forum for any serial. No other serial either on this channel or any other has had pages after pages, where we have collectively and globally shared all sorts of CB discussions, creativity, point of views, Ffs. mythological education. I mean the list is so long. Doesn't that speak for the show's phenomenal success ? And right then you all turn around and decide to butcher it like this ?? I am just totally beside myself. There are shows with much less trps than CB. Why are they continuing to show, at the cost of closing CB ?? Who in their sane mind can tolerate such blatant injustice ? How can you be so sure that the new show is going to garner higher TRP's for Zee than CB? Instead of choosing to end it, shouldn't you have at least tried to bring the old magic back. Did you even make an effort to raise the TRP's before giving up so abruptly? I think none of the new shows which were launched by Zee in the past few months has captured the viewers imagination the way CB has. One of them "saheliyan" even wrapped up within 3-4 months. Even the new show Sangini has not even remotely touched the pulse of the masses, the way CB did and continues to unabatedly, unflinchingly. Compared to these new serials, Trps or no Trps, even today CB has its die hard and loyal fans rooting for it globally. No show has ever captured and felt the pulse of the viewers like CB has, barring some very old serials about 15 years ago, which doesn't even count. And in its time slot CB is the only show not just in Zee's history but any channel, that has achieved 5.1 rating and such a grand success. Doesn't all that count for anything ? What has happened to your discerning power ? Has it gone down the tube ? The very fact that we are just so shattered goes to show only one thing, and that is how wonderful CB is, what a deep impact it has created in millions of hearts, and continues to. On what grounds do you even know that the new show(s) is going to be better, more trps, whatever ?? And you are giving up so abruptly without even putting least of an effort to try to bring the old magic back. There can be other ways to accommodate new show than closing the already running show (with 2.1+ trp) Why can Zee decide on other shows which are performing very badly despite on prime time and are almost as old as CB ?.I think there has to be some other reason than just CB's longevity among Zee's other shows and supposedly low trp (which certainly is not low when compared to the slot leader SGP and other Zee shows. My personal take is DJs disinterest in CB plus some other production houses pressure who are aware of CB's fan following and are afraid of it thus wielding their clout in Zee. With all due respect I just fail to understand.what else could be the reason of this sudden ending of CB. It seems CVs and Producers do not take care of the current shows when they have other shows to get promoted. But it's very sad and grossly unfair for the DJ's unit to use Avinsh and Rubina to promote the shows like "Sangini" and "Banegi apni bat". It is a sad and pathetic loss of good actors of CB. Avinash and Rubina and others perform day in and day out, non-stop for 15-16 hours each day. And all that for what I ask ?? Is this how they get ditched so mercilessly ?? I want that the beautiful bond that Choti Bahu has created with its die hard audience all over the world does not break, does not shatter for totally unjustifiable "reasons". I want that we cherish this bond, we embrace this bond, we enhance this bond with all our might, so that the show flourishes and reaches the heights of success that it truly deserves. I pray for their success because they are extremely talented. But not by ruining something that is so divine, so heartwarming, so enthralling, so magnificent. I'm just thunderstruck and flabbergasted with this horrendous news. We have been addicted to CB not for its own sake but because the show has been worth getting addicted to. In my lifetime so many shows have come and gone and none had such a deep impact and how I could relate to so many incidents to real life. So there have to be good reasons for a show's capacity to create such powerful effect and impact. Of course, CB has had its ups and downs, pluses and minuses, but that made it even more real and more close to life. The show has grown on us so much. Why ? We collectively do have some intelligence to discern good from bad, excellent to poor, powerful to weak. And ultimately we always came away feeling satisfied, happy, cheerful, joyful, peaceful, all because of the purity and quality that CB possesses. It is not very long back that CB was given such a good treatment by the channel and DJ' unit as it was one of the most popular shows. And today, even against all odds, through our love and support CB has only grown despite some ups and downs. CB is the longest running show on Zee and it was in the top ten in the latest trps ratings released. I'm sure you all know how loved this show is and its popularity worldwide not just in india. All news shows and present shows on Zee would be boycotted if such a beautiful show is taken off air. I just dont understand how you all can be so heartless and cruel to make such a harsh decision when it is still doing good. We have already started signing the petitions and it is being pursued very actively and proactively. I would appreciate your comments and thoughts at the earliest, although my heart is aching and I know I'm still not through telling my innermost feelings. I have plans to visit my sister in Bombay at Napean Sea Road, not far from your Worli office. And I would like to meet with you face to face, cast members and needless to say Avinash and Rubina. Thanks for your patience to read through this long letter. And I would request for a prompt and favorable response. Sincerely, Ms Prem Jolly P.S. (another member's sentiments) This beautiful show was not just a show for us it has become a part of our daily lives and a big part of our existence and happiness, the lead pair has struck a chord with us in such way that is unexplainable, they are a part of my extended family, my friends and family refer to Avina as family members that's how much these two talented and sweet actors are loved, the characters of Dev and Radhika has left a longing effect on us and we love seeing this divine couple on screen as well as the secondary characters such as Dadima, shashtriji, Birju, Vaishali, Vivek, Devki etc! As i am writing this my heart and soul is still bleeding, since i have read this article i don't know whether to sit or stand, eat or cry or whether to think positive or negative i am disarray here! CB is a dream show with dream actors As a child you thought it would never end, not this way atleast "Oh no, never me." CB is a gift, Given and taken at some Unexpected time. Your time came too soon Your life will be over in a flash. The fun you shared with so many, The joy you brought to us, Will all just be a memory One thing i know for sure it will live on forever in my heart. Coming to the decision of Zee if this news is true, it will be one of the most rash and intolerable decisions in the history of soaps! OMG what a shocking turn of events, only last thursday i was so happy to see CB back in the top ten, where are the new shows or the shows that will still run on Zee TV on that list, introducing new shows wild west are not the way to go, hence their sudden death, examples being Aap Ki Antara and Do Saheliyaan! These people should take time to revive the show that brought them success and a show that is still doing well up to this day despite being the longest running show on Zee TV, shows with less than 2 and 1 trps are still going to be shown whereas a successful show with above 2trps will be taken off air, oh well these are the most backward ppl i have come across what is the reason for such a stupid move and unfair move????