End of Story

Over the years,with more and more technology flowing into India,the consumption patterns of the youth have changed drastically. Hence,the channels are not willing to take the risk of launching fiction shows targeting the youth. “When it comes to television viewing there are basically two types of youth groups today— those who watch action reality shows like Dadagiri,Roadies etc and those who watch relationship-based shows like Emotional Atyachaar and Splitsvilla,” feels Nikhil Gandhi,business head,UTV Bindass. This is one of the primary reasons why,despite targeting the youth,the channel hasn’t proposed any plans so far of producing a regular fiction show. Sheetal Sudhir,creative head,Channel V,too strongly believes that relationships today form the core of television programming and even a fiction show must revolve around said topic. “We have attempted a show called Roomies which is again a take-off from the non-fiction shows that we have been producing. For the youth to watch a fiction show,one has to make it relatable to their lives,” feels Sudhir.

When satellite television first came into India,there was a keenness to explore various genres on television. Just Mohabbat introduced us to the confused mindsets of teenagers,while Campus was about rivalry on a college campus and Hip Hip Hurray dealt with puppy love,insecurities,friendships gone wrong,exam stress and addictions like smoking and drugs. “Over exposure to internet and other technology has corrupted us,” feels Nanditha Shetty,a lawyer. “If a fiction show is to be made today,we would need newer issues to be dealt with,” she feels.

In the earlier days,the existence of fewer channels meant that it was easier to target certain groups of audiences. With competition reaching its peak now,everyone wants to go by market forces,feels Vatsal Seth,who played the protagonist Jai in Just Mohabbat. “International channels have a lot of youth-oriented shows even today. So most of the younger viewers have shifted base there and hence no one is complaining to the Indian channels,” he feels. Even Star One which introduced shows like Dill Mill Gayye and Miley Jab Hum Tum,targeting the youth,have taken a different turn with marriage and separation as the main plot points in order to attract a larger audience. The main reason,Gandhi notices here is that a fiction show follows a linear story and hence “the youth really do not have the time or patience to watch it”.

Pravesh Rana,the host of Emotional Atyachaar 2 agrees. “Today is the age of quick entertainment. We like to be involved in a show rather than just being conditioned to a certain character,” he feels. Reality shows are undoubtedly popular with a huge chunk of audiences,but the lack of creative writing is to be blamed feels Vishal Malhotra. Malhotra,who played John in the hit series Hip Hip Hurray,appreciates the fact that family dramas and reality shows have helped reach out to the rural masses. “But a few shows could still be made for the urban youth. It isn’t that the audience is not interested. You give them something fresh and new,and they will automatically take to it,” he says.