Posted:
Why seasons for fiction shows don't work in India
ByRoshni Olivera, TNN | Mar 12, 2013, 12.00 AM ISTinShare
More
A
A
READ MORE Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha
Pratigya is one of the shows hoping to return with season 2
RELATED
Seasons are the norm abroad but are a rarity on Indian television. Except for reality shows, no series has been able to work around a seasonal format. That just might change this year, with several off-air shows in talks for second seasons. Buzz is 'Mann Kee Awaaz...Pratigya', 'Dil Se Di Dua... Saubhagyavati', 'Saas Bina Sasural', 'The Buddy Project' and 'Kuch Toh Log Kahenge' are all pitching for a second go. Channels, however, are taking time to decide as they're not entirely convinced.
Channels are sceptical going by the track record of past serials — Baa Bahoo Baby, Kitani Mohabbat Hai and Chhoti Bahu — that did not deliver consistent Television Rating Points (TRPs) during their second season. Even the ongoing Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha's new season has yet to make an impact on the TRP charts.
So, why doesn't the seasonal format for fiction shows work here? Serials on Indian television do not have a fixed run and usually go on and on as long as the channel will let it, to the point where ratings hit rock-bottom. "How can you expect viewers to wait for a second season when they've got so bored of the first? A show should end when it is still popular and then audiences will naturally wait for part two. Our channels need to understand this simple mantra," says a producer, on condition of anonymity.
Abroad, where the concept of seasonal fiction shows work, the episode-run is always pre-decided, be it 12 or 21 episodes. It's, of course, possible because they are weekly shows, unlike in India, where daily soaps dominate the scene. As producer Saurabh Tewari notes, "In the daily soap scenario, it's very difficult for the seasonal format to work. In India, seasons work only in the case of non-fiction shows, because they last for a fixed period. But, in the case of fiction, the only thought is how to make the show run for at least a thousand episodes. That's the way the broadcasting business works here."
Producer Suzana Ghai says, "Fiction seasons can work if they are planned the way shows are planned abroad. But they need to be written keeping in mind that it is a limited season and has to be left on a high note, so the audience returns for the next season."
Tewari offers another solution: "Programming should be divided into two categories: weekday and weekend content. Daily soaps could run Monday-Thursday, while seasonal fiction shows can be tried out on weekends. In the US and other countries, when daily soaps like The Bold & The Beautiful ran for years, they had other shows that were seasonal. It's about balancing both."
Channels are sceptical going by the track record of past serials — Baa Bahoo Baby, Kitani Mohabbat Hai and Chhoti Bahu — that did not deliver consistent Television Rating Points (TRPs) during their second season. Even the ongoing Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha's new season has yet to make an impact on the TRP charts.
So, why doesn't the seasonal format for fiction shows work here? Serials on Indian television do not have a fixed run and usually go on and on as long as the channel will let it, to the point where ratings hit rock-bottom. "How can you expect viewers to wait for a second season when they've got so bored of the first? A show should end when it is still popular and then audiences will naturally wait for part two. Our channels need to understand this simple mantra," says a producer, on condition of anonymity.
Abroad, where the concept of seasonal fiction shows work, the episode-run is always pre-decided, be it 12 or 21 episodes. It's, of course, possible because they are weekly shows, unlike in India, where daily soaps dominate the scene. As producer Saurabh Tewari notes, "In the daily soap scenario, it's very difficult for the seasonal format to work. In India, seasons work only in the case of non-fiction shows, because they last for a fixed period. But, in the case of fiction, the only thought is how to make the show run for at least a thousand episodes. That's the way the broadcasting business works here."
Producer Suzana Ghai says, "Fiction seasons can work if they are planned the way shows are planned abroad. But they need to be written keeping in mind that it is a limited season and has to be left on a high note, so the audience returns for the next season."
Tewari offers another solution: "Programming should be divided into two categories: weekday and weekend content. Daily soaps could run Monday-Thursday, while seasonal fiction shows can be tried out on weekends. In the US and other countries, when daily soaps like The Bold & The Beautiful ran for years, they had other shows that were seasonal. It's about balancing both."
Hindi TV Shows
