MUMBAI: Some time ago, television lovers were pleasantly surprised when Star India announced that it was bringing back one of their most loved TV shows and chart toppers, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon as a web series on Hotstar. The web series would not be made up of repeats. An eight episode mini-serines with brand new content titled Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Jashn was planned
Under the ‘Entertainment Mafia’s’ banner of productions, each episode will be 10 mins long and will take the lead characters’ ‘Arnav’ and ‘Khushi’s’ story forward since the serial went off air 3 years ago..
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon is what made its leads, Sanaya Irani and Barun Sobti into the superstars that they are today. The show went off air in 2012 leaving its huge fan base in both India and abroad wanting for more. So much so that they strived hard to keep forums discussing the show alive with fanfics and self-compiled music videos. Now that the show is back, albeit for a brief period that is eight 10 minutes per episode long, fans are ecstatic over the development. Some are even hopeful that this will become a trend, so that they can reconnect with their favourite shows that went off air.
Revisiting old shows that had built a sense of loyalty and fan base amongst viewers is a great way to introduce traditional television watchers to their Over The Top services like -- Ditto TV for ZEEL, Sony Liv for Sony, and of course Hotstar for Star India.
Getting a time slot during the television prime time band is difficult considering the tough competition between channels to garner more eyeballs and more so, in the Hindi GEC genre. Shows with slightly unconventional content, which didn’t strike well with all demographics at the same time often needed to be pulled off to make space for the next big thing. In fact 2015 saw many shows with very short life spans, they didn’t even make it through half the year.
Being a more dedicated, customisable and targeted platform, OTT can be a great way to re-introduce such shows and give them another run chance to cultivate a niche audience.
Taking a cue from Star India, Indiantelevision.com has compiled a list of popular shows that went off air, shows which can be revisited through the networks’ respective digital arms.
1: Left Right Left [ Air time: 2006 – 2008 on Sab TV ]
Under DJ's Creative Unit’s production banner, the youth centric show Left Right Left came as a daring move from Sab TV when contemporary Hindi GECs were sticking to the ‘saas bahu’ formula on the prime time slot..
With its catchy opening song to edgy content and a powerful team of young actors including Rajeev Khandelwal as Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat, Left Right Left was a show ahead of its time when it comes to the youth genre in Indian television. Perhaps that’s why it earned itself a season two on the channel, though it wasn’t able to create the same fervour as its predecessor. None the less, fans of the show are still seen raving about it, and watching its repeats on YouTube. The show’s opening song and episodes that have been uploaded on YouTube see frequent traction as well. Relaunching the show on Sony Liv might bring a smile on the faces of these fans.
2 Pavitra Rishta: [ June 2009 to October 2014 on Zee Tv]
In Balaji Telefilms’ trademark mark style, soap opera Pavitra Rishta had a unique positioning with its audience -- it was not only appealing to the mothers and aunts in the family, but progressive ideas and dynamic actors like Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande, allowed several youngsters to take interest in the show. The actors’ successful careers post the show only proves how popular it was. Not to mention the show’s reel couple ended up being a couple in real life.
With close to 1500 episodes, the show has a huge fan base, as is obvious from a slew of Facebook groups and other fan clubs that regularly update their fanfics. While both the leads of the show have gone on to shine in the industry, making the idea highly unlikely, but returningPavitra Rishta on Ditto TV sounds like an awesome idea to the millions of fans of the show. ZEEL are you listening?
3. Manmarziyan: [ April 2015 to August 2015 on Star Plus ]
Created by Swastik Pictures, Manmarziyan addressed the young independent women in India whose idea of a successful life isn’t marrying rich and settling down, but chasing after their dreams. The show was an experiment for both the channel as well as the production house
With this modern approach content, the show struck a chord, but, only with a niche audience and therefore had to be pulled off air. Post which many fans of the show came with several petitions to see it back on air. As a response to them, if not on television, Manmarziyan can be brought back and continued on Hotstar.
4. Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha [Jan 2012 to Oct 2012, 2013 on Colors TV]
With a very unique storyline, Sunshine Productions’ Na Bole Tum… was yet another show that left tele lovers asking for more, so much so that the craze remains even after the second season aired on 2013 with a 12 year leap from the first season. Aakanksha Singh and Kunal Karan Kapoor emerged as powerful actors throughout the series and connected the audience to the not so conventional characters, Mohan Bhatnagar and Megha Vyas. Log on to any popular television drama fan club or group on the web and you see fan letters and petitions pouring in requesting a season three! With the Colors TV lineup packed with new shows, fans may have to hold on to their season three plans, unless the recently announced VOD service from Viacom 18, VOOT takes up the chance and offers the show’s fans a chance revisit to their favourite show.
5. Geet Hui Sabse Parayee: [ April 2010 to December 2011 on Star One]
Another gem from Star India, Geet Hui Sabse Parayi, is known for several reasons -- for touching upon a serious social issue, for introducing yet another unconventional heroine, and for the sizzling chemistry and jaw breaking comic exchanges between the leads Drashti Dhami and Gurmeet Chaudhary. Produced by Endemol, the show was well received by both youngsters and the plus 40 viewers. The popularity of the Drashti-Gurmeet couple on screen was perhaps only next to Sanaya and Barun Sobti in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. In fact, for some, Geet and Maan still remain the classic bubbly girl and angry young man pair on small screen.Though the show had to be axed due to the channel undergoing a revamp, several fans maintain an active fan page for it.
Fan made videos featuring the leads in latest romantic songs have entertained fans of the shows even now. Ask them if they wish the story continued from where they left off, you would get an emphatic and unanimous yes! So maybe after IPKKND Hostar can pick up Geet for them?
While we have listed just five, there are several other shows that fans would love to have back in a cool new digital avatar.
