The year 2009 has been a roller-coaster ride for our television audiences. Indian Television had a variety of shows to offer on a platter to its audience. Right from controversial reality shows, drastic change in soap themes to a clutter of comedy shows. Unlike earlier, TV viewers were not compelled to watch same saas-bahu fiction sagas and singing-dancing reality shows.
Saas- Bahus finally retired from their jobs of scheming to pin-down each other and were replaced by socially relevant issues. Such shows were a breather for the viewers than watching numerous shows based on the same theme. With mega-hit serials like 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki' going off-air yet another phase of Indian Television got over giving way for fresh lot of serials. Fictions based on various social issues like Star Plus's 'Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai', Zee TV 'Choti Bahu' and NDTV Imagines' 'Bandini' were vey well received by audiences and are prime time hit shows today.
Small-screen also attracted the youth by having college romance and love-stories woven in their shows. No more did young crowd got bored in the evening while their moms and grand-moms watched soaps as even they enjoyed cheerful shows like 'Miley Jab Hum Tum', 'Love ne Mila Di Jodi' and 'Bhasker Bharti'. Kids also had their share of fun, with child-stars like Ulka Gupta in 'Jhansi Ki Rani' and Zaynah Vastani in 'Aap Ki Antara' attracting the kids attention on TV.
There were also shows which could be watched by everyone in the family. Comedies like 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasma', 'Lapataganj' and 'Comedy Circus's new season' were raging hits among family audience.
Reality shows have always been audience's favorite, but even reality shows have to be varied. TV again succeeded in catching the viewer's attention with bringing in never before seen shows. Unique quiz show like 'Sach Ka Samna' hosted by TV's heartthrob Rajeev Khandelwal was very controversial and raised doubts about the integrity of Indian culture in government bodies but then again that is what gains viewers interest. Even NDTV Imagine's 'Pati, Patni Aur Woh' was new concept, with celebrity couple's taking care of common man's children but soon came the news of the of mishandling kids, and that's when it caught eye-balls. But the Baap of all controversial reality shows that gained high TRPs, was 'Rakhi Ka Swayamvar' where drama-queen Rakhi got prepared to choose a groom on National Television and when it comes to her there has to be lot of spice and fights. So, there was a new wave of freshness in Reality shows.
2009 did not just have feel-good and rona-dhona on small-screen but TV also revived its hit horror show 'Aahat'. This was the ruling horror show in the past and once again it hit the small-screen, with new color and flavour. As for investigative shows CID is still going great guns and continues to impress audience. Sahara One's 'Mr. and Mrs. Mishra' has pulled up its sleeves to attract audience with its share of crime solving cases.
As the year came to a close 'Raaz Pichle Janam Ka' and 'Bigg Boss 3' had caught the fancy of the viewers. While 'Big Boss 3' was eagerly awaited due to Amitabh Bachchan and the finale saw Vindu Dara Singh as the winner, 'Raaz …' caught the attention of all due to its past life regression therapy which everyone found very interesting.
Here, comes the end of year 2009 and TV made the audience sit glued to their sets it with its colorful shows on different subjects, whether fiction or reality. So, less tears rolled down the viewer's cheek and audience loved it all the way!
-Chandana. H. Buch/ Telly Cafe
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