Lockdown effect: After Ramayan and Mahabharat, is it time for saas bahus sagas to come back on TV?

With Balika Vadhu being the latest one to re-run on TV, many feel that getting iconic saas bahu shows such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kasautii Zindagi Kay, back will further boost the TRPs.

A great strategy or crisis management or both — re-runs of popular mythological shows Mahabharat and Ramayan or sitcoms Dekh Bhai Dekh and Srimaan Srimati, are proving to be quite a game-changer on TV amid this ongoing lockdown. With Balika Vadhu being the latest one to return, many feel that getting iconic saas bahu shows such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kasautii Zindagi Kay, back will further boost the TRPs .

ActorUrvashi Dholakia is best remembered for her character Komolika in Kasautii Zindagi Kay.

Producer Rajan Shahi believes that good shows will always resonate whenever they will re-run on the small screen. “If we bring back the cult saas bahu shows such as Kyunki... and Kahaani… which had kickstarted a new phase on Indian TV, broadcasters can cash in on its popularity again and viewers would like to see their favourite actors too,” he says.

Avika Gor as young Anandi in Balika Vadhu

Avika Gor aka young Anandi of Balika Vadhu is overwhelmed with her show is returning on TV. “It was one of its kind shows on TV that managed to connect with a lot of people and each episode had a message in the end that made a difference,” she shares.

Actors who became a household name with these shows also feel it’s a great idea to bring them back.

Kiran Karmarkar and Sakshi Tanwar as Om and Parvati Aggarwal in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii

Urvashi Dholakia, who is best remembered as Komolika of Kasautii..., feels that it’s a great idea and people will love to go down memory lane with these saas bahu shows. Other than her show, she says, “I’d also like to see Kahaani… back on TV because I love Sakshi Tanwar’s acting and the whole cast was just perfect. Even Ghar Ek Mandir and Mehndi Tere Naam Ki were very relatable and all the characters were beautifully etched.”

Echoing the same sentiment, Hiten Tejwani who shot to fame as Karan Virani of Kyunki..., says that audience would love to see their favourite actors like Smriti Irani (aka Tulsi Virani) and others back on TV. “All these shows holds a great recall value and will definitely get a good audience. Even the current generation will be able to connect,” he says, adding, “We used to hardly get to see the show as we’d be so busy shooting for it, so if it comes back, I’ll definitely watch all the episodes.”

Smriti Irani aka Tulsi Virani in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi...

Though the popular sitcoms and episodic shows are doing well on screen, getting saas bahu shows back “involves calculative risk”, feels Balika Vadhu scriptwriter Gajra Kottary.

“One should consider the duration of saas bahu shows because once the lockdown is over, the old shows will have to make way for the recent ones. In case of Balika Vadhu, which went on for eight years, the show will air for one hour, clubbing two episodes each day. So it reduces the number of days of its screening. Thus, some broadcasters are playing safe by going for shows with shorter episodes,” he explains.