With Swayamvar,Mother Swap,2011 brings new tidings

Ashvini Yardi,programming head of Colors says,“2011 will see a lot more competitiveness and further fragmentation of the Indian television industry. With niche channels such as a recent 24 hour food channel,the game is going to get interesting. More foreign channels are also making their entry.”

However,since the more things change on Indian television,the more they remain the same,it’s best not to get the hopes high yet. Voyeuristic reality shows defined 2010,and 2011 is not likely to be any different. “In comparison to the West,this is just the beginning of the reality TV genre in India. After years of watching saas-bahu shows,the audience finally has something new to indulge in,” says Nikhil Gandhi,Business Head,UTV Bindass. Almost three years ago,UTV Bindass,a youth-oriented channel,made it’s presence felt. After dishing out no-holds-barred content like Emotional Atyachar,Big Switch and the Dadagiri series — the channel welcomes 2011 with Dadagiri 4 and Love Lock Up,starting on January 15 and January 10,respectively. While Dadagiri 4 is a known format,Love Lock Up revolves around complicated relationships — locked up inside a house for eight days,a couple will be expected to resolve their troubles. The controversial Emotional Atyachar too promises to return with a third season in 2011 to catch more suspected cheaters. So does MTV Roadies with their eighth season in January. Star Plus too will enter the field of reality shows with Wife Bina Life,starting in the first half of the year,that will dwell on how men take up household responsibilities while their wives will be away holidaying. Even popular English GEC channels like Star World and CBS will please the audience’s appetite for voyeuristic shows. Star World will air Bachelor Season 11 and Bachelorette Season 3 early 2011,while CBS will give a tough fight with the current season of America’s Next Top Model.

Saurabh Tiwari,Head of Programming-Fiction,Imagine TV,however,has a different point of view. “In 2011,channels will have to strike a balance between established brands and new innovative and edgy shows. No single formula will work for too long as trends change every six months,” he says. He might be right as two dance reality shows will make a come back with new concepts early 2011. Zee TV’s popular Dance India Dance will be back in the game as DID Doubles. Around the same time,Colors will re-introduce Chak Dhoom Dhoom: Team Challenge with Mallika Sherawat as a judge.

Despite the focus that reality and talent-hunt shows are enjoying,fictional programmes viewership will remain intact. UTV Bindass will cash in on that with a new show called Meri Toh Lag Gai Naukri around February. Yashraj Studio will returns on Sony TV with two fictional shows. In January,Colors too will launch Mukti Bandhan,a serial based on a popular novel by Harkishan Mehta,and Phulwa,the tale of a girl’s survival in the Chambal valley.

Interestingly,Zee TV will experiment with a new concept—that of fiction shows with multiple seasons,as it launched the second season of Choti Bahu. SAB TV known for its family entertainment shows will add more to its schedule with Mrs Tendulkar,a family comedy which will be aired early next year. For those interested in some racy crime shows,Star World will show the first seasons of The Walking Dead,Good Guys and Detroit1-8-7.

However,what could be big on Indian television next year are the game shows. Zor ka Jhatka,will lead the way with 28 celebrities and Shah Rukh Khan. “It’s a large format so it will appeal to the Indian audience,” says Khan. AXN too is coming up with an Indian version of Minute to Win It,which requires people to do bizarre tasks in a minute,in early January. Rohit Bhandari,Senior Vice-President,AXN,believes that game shows make periodical appearances on India television. “After a round of saas-bahu shows came the reality shows. Now,it’s time for some fun game shows,” he says. MTV too will enter this terrain with MTV Loudless in January — a hilarious game show that will test the endurance level of contestants by giving them bizarre tasks like getting slapped or having their nose hair being plucked.