New Flavour:Originality-DC

New flavour: Originality

Domestic dramas are a thing of the past. Different, even disruptive, content is general entertainment channels' new programming mantra. Channels are now dabbling in unusual concepts, off-beat stories and out-of-the-box protagonists to grab viewers' attention. Not that regular saas-bahu and kitchen dramas have been done away with totally. It's just that there's more emphasis now on realistic stories and protagonists that stand apart from the run-of-the-mill internecine squabbling and one-dimensional characters viewers had become accustomed to watching.

Take a look at some of the recent shows. The protagonist of Looteri Dulhan is a professional con girl who marries older men and runs away with the booty but ends up getting conned in turn by a smart married man. Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo deals with the trials and tribulations of a young dwarf's quest for true love. Phulwa is the story of a dacoit, apparently inspired by the late Phoolan Devi's life in the Chambal ravines. Chhoti Si Zindagi is set in an orphanage and has two little girls as protagonists. Rishton Se Badi Pratha is loosely based on the honour killing issue.

Are channels experimenting with new ideas to offer variety while striking a balance between kitchen dramas and off-beat stories? "A fresh wind is blowing in programming as TV is undergoing a transition from safe shows to fresh ideas based on contemporary issues and incidents," feels writer-producer Rakesh Paswan of Bhagyavidhata, Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo and Looteri Dulhan. According to Sanjay Upadhyay, Sony's ex-fiction head and currently creative head of Sphere Origin which produces Balika Vadhu and Gulaal, television was stuck in the kitchen for too long. "But since Balika Vadhu and Laado did well, channels were forced to dig out fresh ideas," he adds.

Producer-director Ravindra Gautam of Aarakshan agrees, "While earlier channels were happy working with the same set of people who were cloning each other, today they are approaching new people and asking for new ideas."

So, is it the competition that's forcing channels to go for out-of-the box ideas and protagonists?
However, Zee's fiction head Sukesh Motwani says competition or no competition, the idea behind every show, whether a regular drama or off-beat subject, is to tell a good story. "Going with the flow is better than desperation for new ideas," he observes. However, not all out-of-the-box shows are going great guns. Aarakshan went off air within four months. Pratha is on its way out. Chhoti Si Zindagi is struggling for ratings. "How many of the regular drama shows are doing well?" asks Rakesh. He elaborates, "In the last year, Saathiya has been the only success story while another successful show, Sasural Genda Phool, is not a regular saas-bahu drama. In comparison, the success rate for unusual shows is far better." Adds Ravindra, "At any given time, only two or three shows do well." Producers feel the trend will gather further momentum. As Sanjay says, "The industry works on the success formula. Every one rides on the trend!"

🤣they were out of topics to share,😆 so jus went bak to same old story of shows tht are different from regular indian dramas!