Covid-19 crisis: No shoots, no reruns turn out to be a big worry for small screen?

With shooting coming to a halt, the television industry is exploring all options to avoid reruns. We talk to industry insiders to get an insight into the plan of action.

The sudden suspension of shoots to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases comes with a sense of deja vu, but it won’t be a rerun of 2020 for the TV fraternity. Last year after the nationwide lockdown was announced, the small screen had to resort to repeat telecasts to fill the void of fresh content for months. However this time, the makers are going all out to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself, but they worry about their next move once the bank of episodes exhaust, and if the situation doesn’t improve.

Shows such as Shakti Astitva Ke Ehsaas, Kundali Bhagya and Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! have a bank of episodes to fill in the void

“Right now, people have a bank of two to seven episodes. After that, they’ll have to go for reruns for a week or 10 days, and that’s not a big problem, if we compare it to last lockdown,” says JD Majethia, Chairman, TV division of IFTPC, also producer of the on-air show Wagle Ki Duniya.

The tricky part, he points, is that the advertisers won’t support much if the channels rely too much on reruns.

“Bahut mushkil se ek habit banti hai viewers ki ke woh humara show regularly dekhein, and if this habit isn’t continued, it becomes very difficult to bring them back. That’s a big challenge and a big loss. So, reruns can’t run for too long,” cautions Majethia.

At the moment, most of the shows, including Kundali Bhagya, Shakti: Astitva Ke Ehsaas, Hamari Wali Good News, Barrister Babu, Mere Sai, Indian Idol, Super Dancer, Punyashlok Ahilyabai, are relying on the banks as they figure out their next move, which likely would be moving out of the town.

“All the channels are planning to add more advertisements in the show package to reduce the time of the content. This way, they’ll be able to use the existing content judiciously as they work on figuring out a way forward, and as some settle in a new location and start shooting,” says a source close to the developments.

The main challenge will come when the bank is exhausted, points out Nitin Vaidya, producer backing TV show Mere Sai.

“We’re in a fix. I have a bank of seven days, but what will happen after that? I’ve been asked not to shoot, and I can’t move the huge set I’ve made to another city overnight,” Vaidya rues.

In the similar vein, producer Binaiferr Kohli shares that while she has an extensive bank for two of her shows — Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! and Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, their newly launched show Jijaji Chhat Per Hain has nothing.

“But even the big bank is bound to exhaust at some stage and then we’ve to look at reruns, moving out of town and other permutations and combinations. But, moving out of town is also not as simple as it may seem, considering the status of virus crisis in the country,” asserts Kohli, while producer Mautik Tolia adds, “It can also mean cutting short of a show’s journey”.

According to Qurbaan Hua’s producer Sonali Jaffar, the channels are taking the final call because of the financial component involved.

“Now, it’s not up to the producer really because of the cost factor. No channel wants to go for reruns, and that’s why they’re putting their heads together to see that it’s avoided, because for the people at home, entertainment is one of the primal needs. Last time, everyone lost out because it was a very prolonged kind of a time table,” shares Jaffar, who feels creating an extensive bank with all the new SOPs was very challenging, yet they “managed to do pretty well”.

Reruns or no reruns, actor Manit Joura, who’s not shooting for Prem Bandhan at the moment, feels even the audience will understand the challenges of the crisis. “I don’t think it’s going to be a huge problem if the audience is hooked on to the show. They’ll come back. It’s testing time for the audience also to see how much they love us,” he says.

But, if the curbs are extended after May 2, then “there will be a huge problem”, according to Majethia.

“We’re planning to meet the chief minister in the coming week, and would request him to exempt us, if they plan to extend the curfew, and we’d promise to take extra steps to minimise the rate of infection,” he says.