MUMBAI: What’s common between Star Plus’ Saath Nibhana Saathiya and Colors’ Sasural Simar Ka and Swaragini, which incidentally have also been among the top rated shows across the Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) genre?
The answer is simple - Rashmi Sharma Telefilms. All three chart topping shows have been produced by this decade old production house.
Apart from the three mentioned above, the production house currently has another three shows running across channels including Bhagyalakshmi and Santoshi Maa on &TV as well as Sarojini on Zee TV. What’s more, come 4 January, 2016 and Rashmi Sharma Telefilms will be taking its total shows on air tally to seven with the launch of Silsila Pyaar Ka on Star Plus, which will be aired in the 8.30 pm time band.
What’s more, after trying its hand at different genres, Rashmi Sharma Telefilms is now planning to dabble into yet another genre. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Rashmi Sharma Telefilms producer Rashmi Sharma says, “We are working on a comedy concept but it’s too early to talk about it. But yes, in 2016 we might come up with a comedy show.”
Throwing light on the production house’s run on Indian television so far, she further adds, “It’s purely hard work and the consistency that we maintain in changing the thought process of the shows. Not only with Saath Nibhana Saathiya or Sasural Simar Ka but with other shows like Swaragini and Santoshi Maa as well; we keep innovating with content and introduce new twists and turns, which makes the shows interesting and lively.”
Saath Nibhana Saathiya and Sasural… are the banner’s two longest running shows and are also among the top five shows in Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India’s ratings. “One show is based on a Gujarati family, while the other is a Delhi based story and both stories are completely different from each other. We started with Simar’s story in Sasural Simar Ka but today the elements in the show are different. Not only that, they are also different from other shows that are on television. We try to maintain the DNA of our shows throughout their journey,” informs Sharma.
The production house’s newest offering, Silsila Pyaar Ka revolves around the story of a mother who has controlled her son’s life and wants to write every chapter of his life. The story creates a twist when a girl enters his life.
Silsila Pyaar Ka is replacing Balaji Telefilms’ Kuch Toh Hai Tere Mere Darmiyaan, which was launched on 29 September. Speaking on the same, Sharma says, “I can’t comment on the show as I have never seen it but I believe every show has its own destiny. When I started my shows Saathiya… and Sasural… I never thought that the shows would cross 1300 episodes. We believe in hard work and TRP is something, which is not in our hands. We look for quality and ratings are just the motivation to do better. But one can’t make shows on the basis of ratings. I still remember till about 80 episodes of Swaragini, we sustained at an average level but we never pulled down the show because of ratings. We never touched the foundation of the show. Even with Saathiya,till 100 episodes the show didn’t work well but we didn’t take off the show and today it’s one of the top shows on Star Plus.”
Talking about the early prime time slot that Saath Nibhana Saathiya created with its popularity, Sharma says, “For our show Saathiya, we waited for seven months for the time slot and at that time 7 pm was the slot that the channel agreed to give. As a production house we were excited to launch the show and it created its own prime time. It has worked well for us and for the channel as well. Even with Sasural Simar Ka, the channel was ready to give us the 7.30 pm time band as at 8 pm they had Balika Vadhu. Moreover, their others shows were also doing well and so we opted for 7.30 pm and it worked again. Initially Sasural Simar Ka didn’t work well and took time to establish. Today, it is one of the top rated shows on the channel.”
With seven shows on air and another in the pipeline, the production house sure seems upbeat about its journey ahead.
