Ridhiema Tiwari: The TRP race has spoilt everything on the small screen

A lot has been spoken, in the recent past, about how there is a lack of originality on the small screen

A lot has been spoken, in the recent past, about how there is a lack of originality on the small screen. Actor Ridhiema Tiwari feels a major reason for this is that makers aren’t willing to take risks as much, for everything boils down to ratings (TRP) in the end.

Ridhiema Tiwari made her Bollywood debut with Begum Jaan alongside Vidya Balan

“You can’t show everything on TV. There are limitations,” she tells us, adding, “Risk taking has reduced, because shows are shutting down (so fast). If TRP is low, however good a track may be, it shifts, because ultimately, everything boils down to the TRP, which is the ruling factor. The TRP thing is really crazy, it kills creativity.”

The actor, who has been a part of shows such as Do Dil Ek Jaan, Sasural Genda Phool, Ghulaam and Divya Drishti, rues that competition ends up killing good scripts. “Everybody is just bothered ki mere kitne TRP and GRP hai, us chakkar mein they lose the track,” she adds.

When it comes to finite series, the 37-year-old feels the concept is very diluted on the small screen, as there is no defined end. Citing the example of her show, she explains, “Divya Drishti was supposed to run for six months, but that turned into one year because people started liking it… It is unfair. There are many factors that rip off creativity on television. OTT, on the other hand, gives that kind of independence.”