TOI: Men r back -- Karan/RS

Men are back!

Male protagonists are once again getting more screen space on prime time telly soaps.Is this trend here for keeps Ahmedabad Times finds out about the shift in focus

Shruti Jambhekar


Finally its happening! A new male order is calling the shots on prime time television shows.After years of playing second fiddle to the bahus and betiyaans in the kitchen dramas,general entertainment channels have prominent male protagonists in the lime light,taking centre stage in the telly shows story line.While the 15-year-old crime thriller CID was the only one with four male leads running the show,now more names have joined the fray.Ronit Roy (Adaalat),Ram Kapoor (Bade Achche Lagte Hain),Vishal Karwal (Dwarkadheesh),Saheer Sheikh (Navya),Neil Bhatt (Gulaal),Sameer Soni (Parichay),Shiv Subramanium (Mukti Bandhan) and Sushant Singh Rajput (Pavitra Rishta) have men getting equal screen space and are no more standing in the frame as the supportive husband/boyfriend.So what made this change possible at this juncture
Rajita Sharma,producer of Ram Milaye Jodi,who is coming up with a daily soap revolving around two brothers says,The amount of emphasis being given to the male characters largely depends on the concept and the storyline.At the end of the day though,relationships are a crucial part of our lives,as well as our shows,so no show can revolve around one character,but depending on the ongoing track the focus given to a character may vary. Ravindra Gautam,whos directing Parichay feels,Men are definitely watching more television now.The post 10 pm time band has a lot of male viewers,so,we as story makers are focusing on shows with significant male characters. Some showmakers feel it is not a new move and male characters have had their share of importance anyway.Producer Rajan Shahi says,Strong male protagonists always existed on TV,but the perception has changed,and its a healthy trend.The audience likes stories they can relate to.The percentage of male viewers has also definitely increased,so the male leads get more space in promos/airtime. Producer Siddharth Tewary too,shares the same view,In family soaps and love stories male protagonists are important and even female viewers like to see men in the lead. What do actors feel about their new prominence Actor Karan Mehra feels,Its feels good to have such a meaty role in Yeh Ristha Kya Kehlata Hai.While TV is a women dominated medium,but times have changed.I have come across people from younger generation who relate to my character and love the show. Vishal Karwal whos essaying the lead role in Dwarkadheesh says,Men are getting bigger and better roles in TV shows and thats a welcome change. Of course TRPs will ultimately decide whether the male superstars have made their way into the audiences hearts or not,because the hand that weilds the remote is one that has the final say in a l m o s t everything.shruti.jambhekar @timesgroup.com