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TOI : Battle for ratings intensifies
While daily soaps might rule the roost, the genre of mythological shows is presently seeing a spurt across channels. Zee TV launched 'Buddha' recently, and a few days ago, Star Plus launched its big-ticket show, 'Mahabharat'. Life OK and Sahara One have 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev' and 'Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali' in their kitty. Mythological shows came in vogue on Indian television after Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan' and BR Chopra's 'Mahabharat' met with phenomenal success in the late 1980s.
However, the shows made after them haven't exactly managed to create the same magic. Industry experts say that the genre of mythological shows is a tricky one, and requires a great amount of detailing and research. Here's what goes into making a mythological show, and why they click or fail.
Why the sudden spurt in mythology on tv?
Makers say mythological stories fascinate people as they give them an opportunity to see something they've read about. "Mythological stories belong to this soil. People have read about them and like it when they see gods and goddesses on screen. Parents want their kids to watch them and learn good things. It is because of the audience's demand that makers recreate these stories on screen," says Prem Sagar, creative director of the first 'Ramayan', who is presently involved with 'Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali'.
Years of research
It takes months, and in some cases, years, of research, to bring these stories on screen. Nikhil Sinha, producer of 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev', says, "A mythological show requires a lot of patience. It took us one year of pre-production work - erecting sets, organizing costumes, etc. We have a big team of researchers who have read tons of literature on Lord Shiva." Producer of the latest Mahabharat, Siddharth Kumar Tewary, adds, "It took me four years to research. We have on board Dr Madhvi, a professor at Mumbai University, who has done her PhD on the Mahabharata. Dr Devdutt Pattanaik, a mythologist, is a consultant."
Gajra Kottary, storywriter of 'Buddha', says they've taken the help of a few authentic sources. "There is a book, Old Path, White Clouds, that's seen as a complete book on the Buddha, and we've also referred to other books. There are close to 500 paintings of the Buddha, and Pali literature, that served as reference points," he says.
100-crore budget!
It isn't just a great deal of research, but also big budgets, that are required. Sinha tells us, "The budget of a mythological show is 25 to 30% more than a daily soap. These shows require elaborate sets, costumes and special effects." While Tewary refuses to divulge any details about the budget of Mahabharat, sources say it has been made on a budget of '100 crore.
Authentic actors
Actors too, need to look the part while wielding swords or speaking shuddh Hindi. Siddharth Kumar Tewary, producer of the new Mahabharat, says, "Some of the actors who are playing the parts of Shakuni, Arjun and Bhishma, were chosen more than a year back. They took acting and Hindi workshops to look their part."
Gajra Kottary, storywriter of 'Buddha', says that the boy who will be playing Buddha is presently undergoing rigorous training. "Since the Buddha was a warrior prince before he renounced the world, the lead actor is taking sword training. He is also learning various asanas of yoga."
What makes them click or fail?
Despite the genre's popularity, there are many times when mythological shows fail to evoke a good response, which can be due to many factors. Kottary says, "Buddha is a god whose life hasn't been explored on TV, but with other epics, there is always a feeling of deja vu and familiarity with viewers. Also, people tend to make comparisons with the previous shows that have been aired."
Nikhil Sinha, producer of 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev', who prefers to refer to these mythologicals as costume dramas, says, "What worked in favour of Mahadev is the fact that it shows the interpersonal relationships of the god. His life hadn't been explored much on the small screen till now. Also, the kind of casting, the video-graphics and the storyline have all clicked with the viewers."
Many TV serial makers have tried to bring the 'Mahabharata' and the 'Ramayana' on screen, but haven't been able to repeat the success of the original shows. Ekta Kapoor's version of the 'Mahabharata', titled 'Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki', sank without a trace. Prem Sagar says, "My father, Ramanand Sagar, did five years of research before he brought Ramayan on TV. BR Chopra (the producer of the original Mahabharat) and my father had made many films before they ventured into TV, and they had experience. The movies were like primary school education for them, and you cannot make epic shows without those kinds of inputs. Also, the actors who were in these shows were new people, and had no image of their own. If you rope in daily soap actors, people aren't able to identify with them, since they have seen them in different characters. Also, such shows cannot sustain themselves on glamour. For instance, you can't show Parvati wearing noodle straps. They might work for some time, but for a show to run long, you have to give viewers good content."
Being the first time that epics were being aired on TV also worked in the 1980s' Ramayan and Mahabharat's favour. "I remember watching those shows as a child. It was new for TV at that time. People were getting to see a detailed version of their favourite epics. It's been 20 years since those mythos were aired, and a sense of tiredness has crept into viewers, who have seen many versions," says Kottary.
However, the shows made after them haven't exactly managed to create the same magic. Industry experts say that the genre of mythological shows is a tricky one, and requires a great amount of detailing and research. Here's what goes into making a mythological show, and why they click or fail.
Why the sudden spurt in mythology on tv?
Makers say mythological stories fascinate people as they give them an opportunity to see something they've read about. "Mythological stories belong to this soil. People have read about them and like it when they see gods and goddesses on screen. Parents want their kids to watch them and learn good things. It is because of the audience's demand that makers recreate these stories on screen," says Prem Sagar, creative director of the first 'Ramayan', who is presently involved with 'Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali'.
Years of research
It takes months, and in some cases, years, of research, to bring these stories on screen. Nikhil Sinha, producer of 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev', says, "A mythological show requires a lot of patience. It took us one year of pre-production work - erecting sets, organizing costumes, etc. We have a big team of researchers who have read tons of literature on Lord Shiva." Producer of the latest Mahabharat, Siddharth Kumar Tewary, adds, "It took me four years to research. We have on board Dr Madhvi, a professor at Mumbai University, who has done her PhD on the Mahabharata. Dr Devdutt Pattanaik, a mythologist, is a consultant."
Gajra Kottary, storywriter of 'Buddha', says they've taken the help of a few authentic sources. "There is a book, Old Path, White Clouds, that's seen as a complete book on the Buddha, and we've also referred to other books. There are close to 500 paintings of the Buddha, and Pali literature, that served as reference points," he says.
100-crore budget!
It isn't just a great deal of research, but also big budgets, that are required. Sinha tells us, "The budget of a mythological show is 25 to 30% more than a daily soap. These shows require elaborate sets, costumes and special effects." While Tewary refuses to divulge any details about the budget of Mahabharat, sources say it has been made on a budget of '100 crore.
Authentic actors
Actors too, need to look the part while wielding swords or speaking shuddh Hindi. Siddharth Kumar Tewary, producer of the new Mahabharat, says, "Some of the actors who are playing the parts of Shakuni, Arjun and Bhishma, were chosen more than a year back. They took acting and Hindi workshops to look their part."
Gajra Kottary, storywriter of 'Buddha', says that the boy who will be playing Buddha is presently undergoing rigorous training. "Since the Buddha was a warrior prince before he renounced the world, the lead actor is taking sword training. He is also learning various asanas of yoga."
What makes them click or fail?
Despite the genre's popularity, there are many times when mythological shows fail to evoke a good response, which can be due to many factors. Kottary says, "Buddha is a god whose life hasn't been explored on TV, but with other epics, there is always a feeling of deja vu and familiarity with viewers. Also, people tend to make comparisons with the previous shows that have been aired."
Nikhil Sinha, producer of 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev', who prefers to refer to these mythologicals as costume dramas, says, "What worked in favour of Mahadev is the fact that it shows the interpersonal relationships of the god. His life hadn't been explored much on the small screen till now. Also, the kind of casting, the video-graphics and the storyline have all clicked with the viewers."
Many TV serial makers have tried to bring the 'Mahabharata' and the 'Ramayana' on screen, but haven't been able to repeat the success of the original shows. Ekta Kapoor's version of the 'Mahabharata', titled 'Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki', sank without a trace. Prem Sagar says, "My father, Ramanand Sagar, did five years of research before he brought Ramayan on TV. BR Chopra (the producer of the original Mahabharat) and my father had made many films before they ventured into TV, and they had experience. The movies were like primary school education for them, and you cannot make epic shows without those kinds of inputs. Also, the actors who were in these shows were new people, and had no image of their own. If you rope in daily soap actors, people aren't able to identify with them, since they have seen them in different characters. Also, such shows cannot sustain themselves on glamour. For instance, you can't show Parvati wearing noodle straps. They might work for some time, but for a show to run long, you have to give viewers good content."
Being the first time that epics were being aired on TV also worked in the 1980s' Ramayan and Mahabharat's favour. "I remember watching those shows as a child. It was new for TV at that time. People were getting to see a detailed version of their favourite epics. It's been 20 years since those mythos were aired, and a sense of tiredness has crept into viewers, who have seen many versions," says Kottary.
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