Return of the queen
Ekta Kapoor is renowned for her highly successful "K" soaps like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kasautii Zindagi Kii, Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai, Kahiin To Hogaa and Kkusum. However, duds like K Pali Hill Street, Kuch Iss Tara, Kahani Ek Mahabharat Ki, Kahe Na Kahe, Kya Dil Mein Hai, Betaab Dil Ki Tamanna Hai, Pyar Ka Bandhan, Sarvagun Sampan and others threw her out of gear. Soap queen Ekta Kapoor went through a rough phase for three years and almost lost her crown. With the exception of Pavitra Rishta, most of her shows didn't hook the audience.
But the advantage of being Ekta is that a channel's doors are always open for her. Ekta does not follow the usual route that most producers do. She does not have to deal with channel programmers, but walks straight into the programming chief's or business head's cabin to discuss her ideas.
Another advantage of being a celebrity is that past success speaks louder than failure, which is easily forgotten. That's what the recent success of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain has done to her image. She has two more shows on air, which are not exactly trump cards— Pavitra Rishta seems to have lost the plot and Parichay is going nowhere. But Ekta is basking in the glory of Bade Achhe...'s above average success. Today, Sony is a fertile territory and it's not difficult to mop up decent TRPs if one is making a show for a successful channel. That is the case with Ekta's success story which began 11 years ago on Star Plus when the channel was a rising star.
So, did Ekta make a comeback in 2011? "She went through a low phase but she has been around with at least two or three shows across channels. Bade Achhe Lagte Hain is a torch-bearer for a new trend in programming. Now it depends how she capitalises on it," says Sony's ex-fiction head Sanjay Upadhyay.
Bollywood
