TV’s long-running shows hold out against limited series trend on OTT

At a time when limited series on OTT seem to be re-shaping audience viewing patterns, a few soaps have still managed to hold sway for over a decade. There is a large section of the TV audience that still get their daily dose of entertainment from the longest running shows on small screen. Shows such as Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Saath Nibhana Saathiya and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah have clocked in more than 10 years and are still going strong where the TRPs are concerned. This week, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai raked in a TRP of 3.0, while Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 2 got 2.9. Tarak Mehta ka Oolta Chashma secured 2.3.

Saath Nibhana Saathiya producer Rashmi Sharma says that it is challenging to have keep a show relevant for so many years. “It is difficult to sustain but when you have a strong team, good storyline and talented actors, it becomes easy. With any show it is important to connect with the audience at an emotional level. I think with Saathiya we have managed to do that. We have taken issues of regular Indian women and that is why most of our audience relates to it,” she says.

She adds that she has made sure to maintain a certain standard in terms of storytelling throughout. “I am very happy with the steady growth of Saath Nibhana Saathiya 2. When we took it on it was a huge responsibility because Saath Nibhana Saathiya 1 had done so well previously. We had to maintain the standard and expectations of the first season. We are happy we are managing to do so,” she says.

Producer Asid Kumarr Modi, whose show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has been running for 13 years, says that the strength of the show is the fact the the content is relatable.

“The audience feels that the characters are us. This is why we make sure to celebrate all festivals on the show and also made episodes on Corona. But everything is done in a humourous way. We try to keep our stories new and interesting. We have not taken a single leap, however, with the show, the characters have grown too. This offers the viewers a different perspective. So the basic format is the same but the behaviour of the characters has changed a bit,” says Modi. India TV News