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| Victims of the TRP War In Indian Television | |
| Wednesday, 06 October 2010 19:54 |
| Television viewing is considered to be the prime pastime activity in most Indian households. It is also the time when the family gets together, experiencing a bonding like never before especially when they get to discuss the various twists and turns of the Hindi soap unfolding on the 'idiot box'. The copious tears shed by the abject heroine moves us all and we secretly cheer the valiant deeds of hero who puts on a brave front and sides with the downtrodden eschewing all the wealth and opulence of his hugely wealthy family on the way. Yet we all do hanker for something more than the over the top Saas-Bahu sagas or the ones which depict young kids being tortured mercilessly. A storyline that is not too trite and reflects the reality of our society at least in parts is surely not too much to ask for! Yet we find the TV serials that show a bit of courage in showcasing something different are often pulled off air by the makers citing TRP issues. There has been a spate of such shows on the telly, the ones that we would have liked to watch to the very end had they been allowed to continue. But the issue of 'more TRPs or no TRPs' rule and the viewers have to resign themselves to fate while continuing to watch the replacements that are fitted into the vacant slots. Bairi Piya- The show aired on Colors channel proved to be a show with a difference. It highlighted the plight of the poor and downtrodden peasants of Maharashtra especially those belonging to the Vidarbha region. The subject was definitely hard hitting and the very fact that it was created by the queen of soaps, Ekta Kapoor proved to be a pleasant surprise as well. It received its share of flak too. Hard reality showed in a no-holds barred manner did not go down well with the audience who had been brought up on a steady diet of the good triumphing over the evil. Then the Women's Rights Commission objected against showing the practice of sending young girls to the lustful zamindars stating that such a practice was not suitable for public viewing. The show folded up almost a year later but not before it had created inroads into the hearts of its fans which transcended the borders of the nation winning accolades from the ordinary Pakistani citizen as well. Ladies Special- This particular show started as a part of Sony's revamping effort and managed to win over a sizable chunk of viewers away from its rival channels. The daily grind and drudgery that every Mumbaikar faces especially when they have to travel huge distances by local trains had been sketched skillfully by Sanjiv Sharma, the director of the show. The subplots which include the life of each of its four protagonists showed the problems that plague the middle class Indian women even today. Having to contribute to the family kitty as well as coping with the housework along with handling the children and their numerous problems all seemed to have been woven expertly into the fabric of the screenplay. The support group formed as a result of commuting everyday is something that every viewer could relate to and consequently looked forward to while turning on the TV at the destined time in order to catch a glimpse of the women who stood tall amidst hardships and adverse situations. Date problems with actors and decreasing TRPs caused the show to end mid way; only seven months later and the viewers had to reconcile themselves to fate. Shraddha- The Star plus based serial was unceremoniously yanked off the air and replaced by a reality show only months after it had begun. The story was a conventional one with a twist. It is a known fact that most Indian couples long to go on a pilgrimage once they attain the age of salvation as depicted in the Holy Scriptures of Hinduism. However, it is the son who bears the onus and proves his dedication to his parents by taking them on a tour of all the holy shrines across the nation. The main protagonist here was however a young girl named as the serial, who decides to do the honors. The emotional drama was captivating as was the flavor of faith and religion interspersed within the main story. The viewers were not too enthused though and the TRPs plummeted leading to its discontinuation. Chand Ke Paar Chalo- A TV serial from the house of Rajshri sounded too good to be true. The serial was launched on NDTV Imagine amidst much fanfare and the viewers waited eagerly for the feel good factor that had become the signature of the Rajshree film makers for years now. Sure enough, the story of Anisa, a small town girl trying to etch out a living in the big bad world of Mumbai managed to grab attention. However, the show soon faltered despite the glitz and glamour and the apparent struggle of the gritty protagonist who tries to hold her head high in a world totally alien to her. The actors were quite clueless about its outcome and were as surprised as the audiences when it was given the axe by the channel. Maan Rahe Tera Pitaah- Numerous promos heralded the arrival of 'Maan Rahe Tera Pitaah' on Sony Entertainment TV. The show managed an average viewership during its initial days with Archana Taide playing the protagonist Anmol . The show did not manage to see an increase in the TRPs and the grapevines were abuzz with the news of Archana Taide being replaced. The channel decided to call it quits soon after and yanked it off air without giving it a second chance to redeem its ratings. Varun Badola, one of the characters, however, feels that the show suffered due to the time slot allotted. -- Kornika Ganguly / Tellycafe.com Friends! Plzzzzzzzzzzz post ur comments on this article at: http://www.tellycafe.com/features-and-analysis/3922-victims-of-the-trp-war-in-indian-television.html as well as here, under this forum topic. Let us all post comments on all such articles where we have got something related to our favorite show to read about! It will certainly help to lend our voices out loud & clear to all people whose help we need to make the Sequel possible!😊 |
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