When reality meets fictional television shows!!

When reality meets fictional television shows

Gone are the days when your favourite TV actors were hunky businessmen, or funny clerks in government offices. They now line up for auditions, practice their moves and show their skills in 'reality' shows which are sub-plots in ongoing stories. From Indira of Hitler Didi, who takes part in a dance competition, to Sooraj of Diya Aur Bati Hum, who wins an international cooking competition, most of the daily shows are introducing a reality TV twist.

"Reality shows are now a part of a common man's life. And that change is what is reflecting in our serials," says Sukesh Motwani, fiction head, Zee TV. Indira, the protagonist in Hitler Didi, recently won Rs 25 lakhs for winning a dance competition. Most of the contestants who take part in reality shows are from 'chote shehar' and for them these shows are no less than a lottery ticket. And when their favourite actors do the same, they love it. "Sooraj is basically a very good cook, but stays in a small town like Pushkar," says Sumeet Mittal, producer of Diya Aur Bati Hum. He adds that with Sooraj taking part in an international cooking competition, they're trying to take the story to a larger platform. "It increases the reach as well as their connect with the audience," he says. The protagonist Sooraj recently battled stiff competition, family resistance and won the Singapore's World's Top Cook hat.

Taking part in a reality show and showing your skills on the telly tube is almost like the next career path for many youngsters. And keeping that in mind, Channel V came up with Dil Dosti Dance, a show where the characters who play college students preen, practice and even pick sides to win the coveted dance competition, 'Footloose'. In the meanwhile, they also attend college and deal with strict parents. "Combining fiction with a real event is a good move, doing that gets us both the audiences — ones who follow reality shows and who love fictitious stories," says Palki Malhotra, fiction head, Cinevistas.

Though these reality twists in daily soaps have been successful, the show Aasman Ke Aage on Life Ok which was based on a dance reality show of the same name was taken off air due to low TRPs. Promoted with a tagline of 'the reality behind reality shows' it revolved around contestants who participated in a dance reality show.

LINK!

http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_when-reality-meets-fictional-television-shows_1737794