While perhaps not in the league of Buniyaad and Humlog of the good old Doordarshan days as far as run time is concerned, there are a few shows currently on TV that are in for the long haul. We speak to the makers of Baalika Vadhu, Diya Aur Bati, Qabool Hai and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai to find out how they manage to hold on to the audience’s attention span for years together.
Baalika Vadhu: Not deviating from the storyline
Purnendu Shekhar, the creator of Baalika Vadhu, says, “Baalika Vadhu has been running successfully for seven years. The concept lends itself beautifully to presenting a pulsating cross section of contemporary Indian culture and we’ve gone about it in a real manner.
“We have also not diverted from the storyline that we stared with, showcasing the child marriage. Now the plot is back to child marriages... it never moved away from the topic though we were only showing the darker side of the child marriage earlier.”
“There has been a generation leap when Anandi grows up. Anandi brings up the children and they are grown up now. The same plot is going ahead with the now generation.”
Talking about the challenges, he adds, “All this is indeed very challenging…we had to look for new ways as we started spinning new ills of child marriages. Such long stories on the same content are not accepted on the television but it has not been so with us. I have a lot many more things to showcase on child marriages.”
“We also try our level best to write relatable stories. Thus this is one of the shows, which is enjoying a long run on television.”
Qubool Hai: It’s all in the writing
Faizal Akhtar, the creator of Qubool Hai, says that the secret to the show’s success is hard work and the fights the writers have during the writing sessions.
Faizal also gives credit the show’s producer Gul. “Unlike other producers, Gul is very interested in what comes next in the show and whether the audiences will like it,” he says, adding, “Her constant inquisitiveness helps us to be on our toes.
“Also, as a writer I sleep thinking about the next story line, dream about it and then the next day start penning. The constant thought process which I undergo helps me come up with new and fresh ideas. Qubool Hai today is the longest running show owing to our daily rigmarole.”
Faizal also praises the show’s female protagonist, Surbhi. He says, “She works on each of her different entries with great care. She likes to get into the skin of the character and gives her best. The viewers identify with her.”
How often do they need to introduce new storylines to keep the shows fresh? “We have to introduce a fresh storyline often, therefore we have brought the main female protagonist back for the fourth time in a different avatar. The main story however has to be the same.”
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai : Handling the drama right
Rajan Shahi, the producer of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai says, “We have not moved away from the texture since the time we started. The story has drama and thrill in a very real manner. Usually, long running shows purely become dramatic and their focus also shifts merely as they want the show to continue. But in the case of YRKKH we have tried to keep the day to day happenings very simple… there is no high pitch drama involved,whatever happens within the family on a daily basis is shown with great care, therefore the audiences relate to it easily.”
He adds, “Today shows are trying to allure audiences with negativity but our writers are trying their best to keep the positivity going.”
We have not exhausted our ideas and as long as that is in our favor, we may go on and on,” he laughs.
Talking about the secret to the show’s popularity, he adds, “Though we showed our main protagonist as just being 35 years old with grown up kids, we tried to keep her as fit as a fiddle. Now-a-days women are very health and figure conscious. All this attracts the women folk. Showcas-ing deep rooted family traditions and carrying forward the story in a positive manner is also keeping the popularity of the show intact.”
Diya Aur Bati Hum : Household characters
Rohit Raj Goyal, the former director of Diya Aur Bati says that the key to capturing viewers’ interest is to ensure the characters become household names. “So creating the suspense and drama and keeping up with the main point of the show becomes essential.” Talking about the show’s secret to success, Maqbool Khan, the current director says, “Unlike other shows, women relate to this one. Sandhya belongs to a small town and in small towns, girls and boys always aspire to appear for IAS exams and other important government exams. The current track of Sandhya being undercover is a huge hit. Talking about the show’s future track, he says, “Next will be the drama of Sandhya’s family being upset and then gradually accepting her back.”
