Season of change

Season of change

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With the success of seasons in reality shows, producers decided to experiment with this format in daily soaps as well like Na Bole Main, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon and a host of other serials. Come 2014, many more channels will come up with seasons of their popular shows, says Sangeeta Yadav

Call it the influence of English GECs or a trick to garner higher TRPs, what viewers got to watch on the small screen this year were a plethora of seasons of popular shows. From Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon " Ek Baar Phir, Anamika 2, Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai Ajab Sa Risk Hai 2, Punar Vivah 2, Lapatagunj 2 to 26/13 " many shows carved a space for themselves through the season format to grab eyeballs.

Talking about the trend Colors' fiction head Prashant Bhatt said: "Earlier, it was seasons in reality shows. The concept gained popularity as these shows were for a limited time. This year, the concept of seasons in daily soaps picked up. Though this concept was introduced some time back, it had not been fully explored.

"One finds the format in English shows " the episodes are short and people liked it a lot. Making a season of daily soap requires a lot of thinking and research. Such shows should have a good concept and storyline. It should have something different for the viewers so that they don't get bored. Casting the same old popular jodis from the previous season has its pitfalls. This is because the audience wants to see new faces with a fresh storyline. But here too, there are problems " comparisons may be made with the previous season and the viewers may not connect with the new starcast."

The season format started in 2004, with Sanjivani-A Medical Boon. The show became a hit and had a huge fan following. The producers rolled out season 2. The show was later re-launched as Dil Mil Gaye (2007) with the lead jodi of Karan Singh Grover and Jennifer Winget that became a rage with youngsters. Owing to its success, Dil Mil Gaye season 2 was aired. Another popular love story "Kitani Mohabbat Hai " also came up with a sequel in 2011 with the popular jodi of Karan Kundra and Kritika Kamra. Chotti Bahu which aired on Zee TV also had two seasons " Chotti Bahu-Sindoor Bin Suhagan and Chhoti Bahu-Sawar Ke Rang Rachi.

Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (2011) which ran for more than a year was another show that was extremely popular. However, the show had to go off air because Barun Sobti wanted to opt out. The producers instead of changing the male lead and continue with the show preferred to end it. The producers then decided to come up with its sequel " yet another love story with a new starcast. The show has been well received.

While shows like Naa Bole Tum Naa Maine Kuch Kaha season 2, Sanskaar... Dharohar Apno Ki, Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai Ajab Sa Risk Hai 2, and Lapatagunj 2, came with their new season after a gap of few months, other soaps like Anamika 2, 2613 and Punar Vivah-Ek Nayi Umeed decided to re-launch the show as season 2 without a gap.

Industry experts opine that the reason why seasons became a hit with the viewers is because the boredom that set with the serial continuing for hundreds of episodes and loosing track was addressed. Since there were less episodes, making a comeback after six months or so, the producers and the channels were able to bring in fresh ideas, a new starcast and change in the storyline.

Ajit Thakur, General Manager, Life OK tells you that with the changing time and skyrocketing competition, TV is also evolving and coming up with a season with limited episodes is a good solution that works for everybody " the viewers, the producers and the channel. "Seasons take the legacy of the brand name forward. It's a good change that is getting to see today on the small screen. Shows like Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai... and 26/13 really clicked with the audience and did very well as a season. If the show becomes a hit, the show is stretched or season format is introduced after a few months. If the show doesn't do well in the launch month, the channel tries to bring in various twists and turns but if that doesn't work, the show goes off air. No channel will like to air a show which doesn't work," Thakur says.

However, coming up with a season for a daily soap is not a cakewalk. A lot of factors need to be considered. "Nowadays, every channel has a reality show and sitcoms which are popular as compared to saas-bahu sagas. If a reality show makes a comeback as sequel in the primetime slot, the other daily shows are either shifted to another time slot or the production house is asked to end the serial. If the show is popular and the time is changed its TRP gets affected. Under such circumstance, the producers prefer to invest money in the season which can be introduced at primetime at a later stage." Bhatt explains.

With the success of 24 on Colors, the channel is also planning to come up with its season. Grapevine has it that shows like Maan Kee Awaaz Pratigya and Saas Bina Sasural are also set to make a comeback as seasons.