Is it time for Indian Television to change?

Hey all, I really wanted to know what everyone's opinions on this is, but am not sure whether it is the right forum, if not, please redirect me.


So, anyway, for years we've seen Indian television follow the format of "daily serials"... shows that initially aired Mon-Thurs, then started coming Mon-Fri, and then there were even some shows which aired every day of the week, albeit for 15-20 mins per episode.
Such shows were initially 'blockbusters' - (remember the famous Kyunki, Kahani series?) and everyone wanted to do the same. And now we have production houses churning out show after show in the great battle of TRPs. Some shows stick around and do well for 3-4 years, and some are stopped abruptly within 3-4 months.
In this mass production of television serials, I think no one can deny, that while the quantity has increased, the quality of the shows has suffered drastically. There are very few fresh story lines, every show has similar characters with minor variations, and the main story is how the main leads "very very gradually" fall in love (most will do so after marriage) and their everlasting love while battling the evil characters all around.

In the race for TRPs, new twists are introduced rapidly, and pretty soon, the bank is finished and leaps are taken. At this time, the leads will refuse to play older characters (for fear that they will only be offered older characters in the future) and many characters will be killed off post-leap, when the lead couple's child will grow up and again "very very gradually" fall in love.

So, aren't we all tired of watching shows like these? Isn't creativity being butchered along the way? Isn't this system of rapidly churning out episodes everyday stifling imaginations? Or does the Indian audience prefer it this way?

I would prefer everything changes and moves towards a seasonal approach. Have a show air once or twice a week for several months, and end it on a dramatic point, continuing it next year. This would allow more time for new ideas to be tried, and more opportunities for newer people to come into production. Something other than saas-bahu type shows may emerge.

What do you all think? Please share your opinion here.

Yes I agree with u...Its high time for Indian television to change...I am very much irked when a very good concept  of a show have to change to garn  more trps and to attract  all type of audience... and in doing so they turned into a crap...good show with moderate atmost two yrs longivity is fine...but not more than done that it just kills the essence of the story.Not only that everyone lost interest  including the makers and actors and resulting in a crappy ending...I am yet to find an epic serial having a great ending...Kiyunki ,Kasauti had failed immensely in this case...

It is a shame that most of us here can scribble down the plot of a serial in a matter of minutes without even actually watching it. They lack originality and in conceit of the fact that most of their audience is dumb to the core, don't essay much to introduce logic in their stories.

Originally posted by: .Baazigar.

I think altogether there should be a total restriction on number of serials. You are right instead of fantasy moon walking melodramatic serials they should portray  the  real life, satires, comedy and many creative ideas. Imagine there were nearly 50 serials and most of them serving these melodrama regressive views. Hardly we have any real life and reel life connection in these serials .Doordarshan have some good serials earlier, these K series of Ekta Kapoor totally destroyed all type of creative good serials. Hardly those are adding any value or creative mind of viewers , forget about entertainment these serials are only giving total stress to viewers and emotional trance to viewers and spreading regressive views . It only amaze that how people bear the same story line for 5 to 6 years in a serial which have only planning, plotting, controlling , saas doll, bahu doll, daamad doll , vamp doll, hani ji , maji,  all ji etc etc.

I agree, instead of run-of-the-mill serials, there should be other things as well. However, I myself have also been highly addicted to these shows at one time or the other, even the K series of Ekta Kapoor. I won't say though that she destroyed all creativity. In fact, I think she brought in something new 10-15 years ago. All ideas were new and shocking and made for a really good watch, even the coming back to life, the plastic surgeries etc. I think it all went downhill once LITERALLY EVERYONE started doing the same. When Ekta introduced these shows, there were just 2-3 such shows on air. Now, there must be about 30. It's boring and monotonous. They're all tried and tested formulas.

Producers should bring in new ideas, new concepts. But they do not get time to do so according to the strict competition, the channel's demands and the race for TRPs. They are forced to churn out an episode a day, every day for years and years. I'm surprised the cast and crew even have time to eat and sleep.

That's why I say, stop airing shows daily. Make them a maximum of 1-2 episodes a week. Make shows with a finite story, so that they end in a few months, maybe a year. And please stop it with the family politics. It is seriously spoiling people and making them suspicious of their own families.

Originally posted by: epiphany.

It is a shame that most of us here can scribble down the plot of a serial in a matter of minutes without even actually watching it. They lack originality and in conceit of the fact that most of their audience is dumb to the core, don't essay much to introduce logic in their stories.

It has been time for a long time for Indian Television to change. And here and there we get good shows, or at least one or two aspects of an otherwise illogical show make sense and a good watch. Satyamev Jayate wasn't fiction but it's the best show I have watched on Indian Television in ages. 🤔

Fortunately enough, I have discovered the delights of some really amazing foreign shows, most of them American. Albeit my current favorite is a British one called Downton Abbey. All those who want to kill themselves of what they are offered on Hindi TV MUST shift to foreign shows asap. 

I love Downton Abbey! Plus a few others as well. Although I am disappointed by the very few episodes that Downton Abbey has every season, it proves my point exactly. Anyone watching it would notice how it is so much more of a superior quality to any Hindi TV show. That's because they have lots of time for coming up with a story, plot twists, and iron out the details. More happens in one episode than would happen in an entire month of a Hindi TV serial.

I think there's a lot to be learnt from foreign shows. Not only shows like Downton, but about the huge variety. Comedy shows, thrillers etc. They cater to every type of audience, from the ones who need family politics, to the ones who would like to see shows about a group of friends, to those needing supernatural elements. A thriving television industry must offer all to be labelled a success. 

I think that where there is saturation there is a loss of quality.  That happens everywhere.

Originally posted by: elle45

I love Downton Abbey! Plus a few others as well. Although I am disappointed by the very few episodes that Downton Abbey has every season, it proves my point exactly. Anyone watching it would notice how it is so much more of a superior quality to any Hindi TV show. That's because they have lots of time for coming up with a story, plot twists, and iron out the details. More happens in one episode than would happen in an entire month of a Hindi TV serial.

I think there's a lot to be learnt from foreign shows. Not only shows like Downton, but about the huge variety. Comedy shows, thrillers etc. They cater to every type of audience, from the ones who need family politics, to the ones who would like to see shows about a group of friends, to those needing supernatural elements. A thriving television industry must offer all to be labelled a success. 

They did try, and Rishta.com was a welcoming change. It was a feel good story, with talented actors, and well defined weekly episodes. But failed to garner TRPs. I think Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai was also a weekly series (I watched reruns later), and I hadn't seen a good hindi sitcom in long time. Both the shows failed to get a second season.

The very first daily soaps, Shanti and Swabhimaan, had better story lines than the best contemporary shows.

It should. I started watching Pak shows now, and its a refreshing change. Edited by boreddamsel - 11 years ago

Originally posted by: desiRED

They did try, and Rishta.com was a welcoming change. It was a feel good story, with talented actors, and well defined weekly episodes. But failed to garner TRPs. I think Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai was also a weekly series (I watched reruns later), and I hadn't seen a good hindi sitcom in long time. Both the shows failed to get a second season.

The very first daily soaps, Shanti and Swabhimaan, had better story lines than the best contemporary shows.

Edited by boreddamsel - 11 years ago