Old shows bloom in new seasons

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Perhaps taking a page out of big brother’s book, TV too seems bitten by the sequel bug. While the system of having different seasons of the same show has long been put forward as one of the ways to keep television content fresh, the rigours of daily filming and the TRP quest that most shows find themselves struggling with has meant that not too many have chosen to pause, go back to the storyboard and then come back, in a newer, improved avatar. But that is now changing.

A few successful fiction franchises on television are either being “reloaded” as sequels or getting a second season. A case in point is Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha and Mann Ki Awaaz Pratgiya. Speculation is rife that vampire saga Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani, might get a second run. Is the season-based system for shows, a fixture in the West, finally finding takers in India?
J.D. Majethia, a trendsetter in the TV industry, having engineered “comebacks” for shows like Khichdi, Baa Bahoo Aur Baby and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai says returning for a new season after a break can infuse fresh life into a show. “Indian shows get stretched to a level that is monotonous and viewers, who loved the show, feel that it should end,” he says, adding that he’s received many requests for a new season of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.
Planning a new season has several practical — and not just creative — advantages too. The “relatability” factor is high, says Sudhir Sharma, producer of Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha, “When you have new story to tell it’s always interesting. People who have seen the first season of the show wait for the next one,” he mentions.