After a spate of tear-jerking soap operas, a slew of reality shows and numerous talent hunts, Indian television is now dipping into mythology in a bid to raise ratings. So, shows like Ramayana and Mahabharata have made a comeback on the small screen and industry experts feel that the tried and tested formula of costume dramas may manage to generate sizeable viewer interest.
So, what if the ratings spell otherwise? Consider this: NDTV Imagine’s Ramayana recorded an average TVR (television viewership ratio) of 1.5 in its opening week according to aMap, a television ratings agency. While impressive for a show in its opening week, the number is a far cry from that of top ranking ones like Star Plus’ Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which has registered ratings of 5 and above. Star Plus had joined the mythology bandwagon long back with shows like Prithiviraj Chauhan and Sai Baba. The latest to be aired on the channel from April is producer Bobby Bedi’s rendition of Mahabharata.

According to a media expert, most of the general entertainment channels (GECs) like Zee and Star Plus have dabbled with the concept of costume dramas and mythological shows. “Mythology has always been a principal part of Indian programming but there are some shows which are known to create viewer traffic and Ramayana is one such show. There is nothing new in the format but the clever positioning of the show on prime time has attributed to its popularity.”

NDTV Imagine seems to be cashing in on its two other fantasy-based period dramas Dharam Veer and Rajkumar Aaryyan as well, with both these shows being aired on prime time. Shailja Kejriwal, executive vice president, content, NDTV Imagine, says, “The reason why we are experimenting with mythology and costume dramas is because people are never too old for epic tales. Our culture is rich in the oral tradition. However, there is a way in which we consume our epics and religious stories and we made sure that the presentation of these shows should appeal to the nature of consumption. Mythology has been intrinsic to Indian society.”

Most channels feel that since the original TV series was on air during the ‘80s, there is a whole new generation of youth and kids who still have not seen the epic and have only heard references from their parents. Thus, the new series will help in engaging more viewers.

“Since demographically speaking, 50 per cent of the Indian population is around 25 years of age, they were too young when Ramayana or Mahabharata were aired on Doordarshan, the only channel available on television in the ‘80s. Even the television penetration back then was only into 9 million homes against the 67 million homes today. So it serves the dual purpose of catering to a larger viewer base as well as creating a recall factor for the youth,” explains Kejriwal.

Due to the increased competition amongst channels, there is an emphasis on quality content. Most of the channels are resorting to advanced production quality to motivate viewers to watch these age-old epics packaged differently.

Says Ashish Kaul, executive vice-president, Essel Group and Zee Network, “Costume dramas have the scope to showcase production skills in terms of the opulence, grandeur and the larger-than-life sets that these dramas require. Since the Indian audiences have been exposed to technological advancements and special effects through numerous Hollywood and Indian films, effective programming and high quality production will be of great value.”

But will the remakes succeed? “The sheer scale that we will use to retell the story of the Mahabharata will captivate entire families. It will be a compelling narrative, which will capture the imagination and get audiences involved with the characters and tracks. We’re confident of matching up to BR Chopra’s Mahabharata right from direction, screenplay, special effects and acting performances and creating another historic television epic. We’re portraying the epic with a completely different look and feel,” quips Keertan Adyanthyaa, general manager and executive vice-president, Star Plus.

The main reason why these stories click with the audiences is because viewers are used to understanding a basic plot of a television show, the moment there is a difference in the content platter, it simultaneously enhances the consumption pattern. Due to the flood of GECs there is stiff competition among TV channels to replace each other from a given time band. The key lies in being different and relevant at the same time.

And with advertisers finding these shows an appropriate platform to advertise on, nobody seems to be complaining. Punitha Arumugam, group chief executive officer, Madison Media, says, “Costume dramas are the lowest risk slots since many advertisers feel that they are an appropriate platform to bet on. Mythology and period dramas have always been popular with the audiences and these are good slots to buy. It is a lucrative medium for advertisers as almost all products ranging from fashion apparel to FMCGs can associate with them.” So now seems to be a good time to touch base with mythology.