Any fan who ardently follows a television soap on any GEC's , after a few episodes complains of a stagnant storyline. Story travels along a moebius strip with starting and ending points being the same. TRPs travel a wave riding high on crests and touching nadir on troughs.

It is not just the storyline that suffer from the frequency of number of episode telecast ed a week , but also the stars who are in the show as protagonists. With most shows airing five times a week and a life span of a year and a half , it is hard to not to empathize with the stars. They put in close to 14 hours a day and get only a day or two in a month to recuperate.

Barun Sobti who plays 'Arnav Singh Raizada' on Star Plus 'Iss Pyar ko Kya Naam Doon' stresses on the work pressure the stars are under "Indian Television needs to make a move on and with so many cases of ill health in the industry it is certain that such work pressures are difficult to take for a very a long time. I really hope it eases out soon"

Excessive working hours leaves them looking haggard and it is quite palpable on the shows. The lines around their eyes are thicker and puffiness doesn't belie the rest they so deserve. If you thought that only the stars are in the firing line , think again and spare a thought for all the creative visualizers. It is their responsibility to come up with a script and factor in all the variables that directly or indirectly affect the show.

The key question to be answered is - What can be done to make sure that story packs in a punch and leaves our favorite stars less fatigued?

We have aped the West on many fronts and aping them in their television format might not be a bad thing. All their serials follow a format of division of episodes and a certain number of episodes (preferably 22) are clubbed in to a season. On completion of a season , entire cast and crew takes a well deserved break and then regroups for a more zesty season two.

Kunal Karan Kapoor who plays Mohan on Colors 'Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha' feels that as an actor season wide division of episodes would be a boon - "As an actor I would love it. It would be more creative and interesting. But at the end of the day the decision rests with the channels as take a call on TRPs. So, we need a channel that has full faith it and goes all out to take the risk".

American television series like Lost, Castle, Supernatural enjoy popularity not only in the US but also across the world including India. Indian Serials run for close to 350 episodes and a season of 100 episodes might not be a bad idea. Reality shows in India like Bigg Boss, Dance India Dance have successfully replicated the model - Does that mean there is hope for serials on GEC's?

Palki Malhotra, Creative Director of Channel V's 'Dil Dostii Dance' feels that Indian audience is very different to their western counterparts -" Indians are more emotionally involved. So if we were have let's say three episodes in a week , they will feel the void. India churns out so many serials and there is always a danger of losing out on your audience , if you take a break between seasons. This concept might work for some thriller series or reality shows , but for shows on GEC's it is fraught with peril"

It is now time for Indian audiences to decide and prioritize - A show with mediocre storyline and high frequency or a show which guarantees concrete storyline with lesser frequency?

Reporter and Author: Medha Parashar