Amid Covid-19 lockdown, DD plans retro channel to cash in on nostalgia

Doordarshan is bringing all the old, fan favourite shows back on television so viewers can watch shows from the 80s and 90s.

As the viewership ratings of iconic mythological serials like Ramayan and Mahabharat help it to reach the top, public broadcaster Doordarshan has launched a channel DD Retro to cash in on the nostalgia generated by its old productions.

Shah Rukh Khan’s Circus is back on air.

“If you have missed the opportunity to watch Mahabharat, watch it on DD Retro at 8 PM from Monday to Friday,” the broadcaster said in a tweet. In subsequent tweets, it mentioned several other serials like Chanakya, Upanishad Ganga, Dekh Bhai Dekh and others.

The coronavirus-led lockdown and getting back iconic programmes like Ramayan and Mahabharat combined to catapult Doordarshan (DD) to become the highest watched channel in India for the week that ended on April 3, according to audience measurement agency BARC.

The national broadcaster could achieve the feat, which involves a huge jump in viewership in the evening and morning bands, despite a surge reported by the private broadcasters who are also experiencing higher viewership, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) said.

Starting with the Hindu mythology series Ramayan, DD has got back other classics like Mahabharat, Shaktiman and Buniyaad to serve the audiences during the three-week lockdown. Most of these were produced when DD monopolised TV broadcasting in the country.

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