Shows under the scanner - Find out which stay and which go!

There was a time when we had shows running for years together… we still have some like 'Balika Vadhu', 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai', 'Uttaran' and Taarak Mehta which have had a real long run but then at the same time in the recent past there have been shows which have fizzled out soon!

Every now and then we keep on hearing about shows being pulled off air sometime soon to be replaced by a new show.

One such show has been the grand 'Saraswatichandra' which has been under the scanner right from the time it was launched. A magnum opus from Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions it had a touch of grandeur with its different kind of story telling pattern which retold the old story in a new form. However, the viewers were not impressed and after a couple of episodes the down slide started to show. The makers tried to spice up the plot and played on the love angle of the main leads but nothing seemed to be working. While inside sources from the channel maintain that the show is not going off-air things look otherwise. 

The lead actress Jennifer Singh Grover seems to take her job lightly what with reports of her refusal to do intimate scenes with co-star Gautam Rode, about going for an audition for Farah Khan's upcoming movie and now taking off with husband Karan Singh Grover for a short holiday, along with rumors about her getting pregnant. Going by the attitude many feel that an actress from a popular show will never take the show so lightly if the show was doing well so there are good chances that the show might just go off-air soon! The speculation is also supported by the news of a new show 'Daag' which is planned to be a big ticket for Star Plus and is already in news. Cinevistaas 'Daag' may just replace 'Saraswatichandra' or force DJ's Ek Nanad Ki Khushiyon ki Chaabi...Meri Bhabhi to shift into the afternoon time slot.

Another show which was supposed to be on the hot seat was 'Chhanchhan' on Sony TV. Produced by Optymistyx the show seemed promising with the popular Sanaya Irani as the main lead. The hunt for the proper male lead too was an issue in this case which first ended with model Farhan Khan who was later replaced by Anuj Sachdeva. The show also saw many new character entries to spice up the track which as everyone had presumed turned into that of a saas-bahu saga. The show started with a TRP of 1.4 which was good news for the channel since the show 'Hongey Judaa Na Hum' which was in place of Chhanchhan earlier had a dismal TRP of 0.4 before it was pulled off-air. However, now even Chhanchhan seems to be reaching there as for the past some weeks the TRPs for the show are somewhere at 0.5 – 0.7. While Vipul Shah, Optimystix Productions was not available for comment, a source has confirmed that Chhanchhan is not going off air anytime soon.

"In fact Chhanchhan has got an extension and the show will continue till March at least and the makers have time to make up and stay put in the TRP race by working on the show" says the source who is close to the production house and further adds, "Optymystix is also ready to roll out Saas Bina Sasural Season 2 sooner rather than later. It is coming soon on Sony TV for sure however there is no clarity about the slot and time at present. Aishwarya Sakhuja and Ravi Dubey who were very popular in the first season will again be seen on the show." If this news is true than Saas Bina Sasural Season 2 may just replace Amita Ka Amit, another show which too has been in the news for being pulled off air.

The only show which officially is going off air to maybe come back with a Season 3 is Sunshine Productions, Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha which is currently showing Season 2. Says Prashant Bhatt, Fiction Head, Colors, "Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha Season 2 will make way for Bigg Boss Season 7. We are following the same pattern as last year when Na Bole… got over and Bigg Boss Season 6 came in. Now we are planning to have a logical conclusion to the show and most probably the show will come back with a Season 3 later on. Talks are on and we are in the process of looking for a right story for Season 3 which will do justice to the viewers out there. It has to be good entertainment for the viewers and if it is then Na Bole… will come back with a Season 3."

However, the other show on Colors which will have to make way for 'Bigg Boss' Season 7 is 'Sanskaar Dharohar Apnon Ki' (producer Swapna Waghmare Joshi) but the future of this show is as yet undecided. While it is said that it might go off air, it sure doesn't seem so since it still manages a decent and steady TRP of 1.4 which means that instead of getting axed it will just be shifted to the afternoon slot.

While 'Amrit Manthan' on Life OK is getting replaced with 'Gustakh Dil' another show on the same channel, Junoon too is in a dire state with a TRP of 0.4 and after Amrit Manthan this is one show which just might get replaced. The makers (Yash Patnaik's Beyond Dreams) have resorted to change in the story track while also changing the look of the main lead Aditya Redij to keep the viewers interest going. Recently an earlier character too made a comeback to spice up things and if the story is anything to go by this show might just get saved by the writers and their creative imagination.

Watch this space as we get you more updates on which shows are doing better and which just might come under the scanner!

Seema Khot Mattoo