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Changing face(s) of serials
3 Aug 2007, 0000 hrs IST
,ARUNIMA SRIVASTAVA,TNN
Purana character, naya actor, seems to have become quite a routine with daily soaps these days. KT find out how these changes affect a serial's TRPs and its viewers
WHAT'S in a face? Quite a lot actually. But talk of frequent change of actors playing popular characters on the small screen and you'll be forced to think otherwise.
We are referring to Anurag Basu of Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Sujal of Kahin To Hoga and the larger- than-life character of Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. These shows are running as successfully as they did before these changes were made.
And it makes one wonder if replacing an actor with a new one actually matters? KT talks to TV actors, directors, producers and TRP agencies on how discomforting this change can be for a 'loyal' viewer.
"Of course it's discomforting," asserts actor Rajeev Khandelwal who played Sujal. "People had become addicted to my character, so when I left the show I had the nation shouting that they wanted me back as Sujal.
You build a certain kind of bond with the face and the character so it's difficult to accept the change," confirms Khandelwal who was replaced by Gurpreet Singh.
But Hiten Tejwani, who recently replaced Cezanne Khan as Anurag Basu, justifies, "I had apprehensions before taking over as Anurag Basu for the same reason. But I believe each actor has his section of fans.
So while Cezanne's fans might not accept me as Anurag, or may have even stopped watching the show, my fans who never watched the show before would be tempted to watch the show because of me. It works both ways.
But anyway, I believe if the storyline is gripping the audience does get over the change and moves on with the show."
Sure they do. As Sai Deodhar, who replaced Kanchi Kaul as Ananya in Ek Ladki Anjaani Si would have you believe. "The TRPs shot up after I took over as Ananya.
Viewers do get used to a particular face, but they also get over it as easily. Mihir of Kyunki is the biggest example. And that's because in serials, the character is more important than the actor.
So, as long as the character is alive, people don't mind the change." However, the serial's producer, Misha Gautam, maintains, "Changing the face of a character, especially if it's the lead actor, is the biggest risk we take.
See, a soap is like a tabloid. If you change its cover, people will stop recognising it. So unless it's critically important, no director would go in for a replacement. However, we've been lucky with Ek Ladki Though Kanchi had a better face, Sai is a better actor and that worked for us."
According to Shivangi Singh Chauhan, Creative Director, Synergy Adlabs, "The more justified a director makes the replacement look, the lesser is the risk of low acceptability by the audience. Like in Kyunki Tulsi meets with a major accident and has to undergo plastic surgery. This looked like a justifiable reason for Gautami Kapoor to step in as Tulsi and seems to have gone down well with the audience as even the TRPs showed a rise post the change. People want to see some freshness in an otherwise unending saga."
Adds Nivedita Basu, Creative Head, Balaji, "A viewer may find it difficult to come to terms with an actor's replacement, and he may lose interest in the show. So, to ensure that we maintain viewership, we try to make the storyline more dramatic around the time the actors are replaced, which forces the audience to sit up and take notice.
Explains Siddhartha Mukherjee, Vice-President, Communication, TAM Media Research: Replacing an actor of a successfully running show ought to have an impact on the viewership. But you can't say it will necessarily bring down the TRPs.
For, that depends on three things – importance of the character in the show, popularity of the present actor and the popularity of the actor who'll replace the original. Besides, the curiosity to see whether the new actor can carry off the role can also keep the viewers glued to the show."
3 Aug 2007, 0000 hrs IST
,ARUNIMA SRIVASTAVA,TNNPurana character, naya actor, seems to have become quite a routine with daily soaps these days. KT find out how these changes affect a serial's TRPs and its viewers
WHAT'S in a face? Quite a lot actually. But talk of frequent change of actors playing popular characters on the small screen and you'll be forced to think otherwise.
We are referring to Anurag Basu of Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Sujal of Kahin To Hoga and the larger- than-life character of Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. These shows are running as successfully as they did before these changes were made.
And it makes one wonder if replacing an actor with a new one actually matters? KT talks to TV actors, directors, producers and TRP agencies on how discomforting this change can be for a 'loyal' viewer.
"Of course it's discomforting," asserts actor Rajeev Khandelwal who played Sujal. "People had become addicted to my character, so when I left the show I had the nation shouting that they wanted me back as Sujal.
You build a certain kind of bond with the face and the character so it's difficult to accept the change," confirms Khandelwal who was replaced by Gurpreet Singh.
But Hiten Tejwani, who recently replaced Cezanne Khan as Anurag Basu, justifies, "I had apprehensions before taking over as Anurag Basu for the same reason. But I believe each actor has his section of fans.
So while Cezanne's fans might not accept me as Anurag, or may have even stopped watching the show, my fans who never watched the show before would be tempted to watch the show because of me. It works both ways.
But anyway, I believe if the storyline is gripping the audience does get over the change and moves on with the show."
Sure they do. As Sai Deodhar, who replaced Kanchi Kaul as Ananya in Ek Ladki Anjaani Si would have you believe. "The TRPs shot up after I took over as Ananya.
Viewers do get used to a particular face, but they also get over it as easily. Mihir of Kyunki is the biggest example. And that's because in serials, the character is more important than the actor.
So, as long as the character is alive, people don't mind the change." However, the serial's producer, Misha Gautam, maintains, "Changing the face of a character, especially if it's the lead actor, is the biggest risk we take.
See, a soap is like a tabloid. If you change its cover, people will stop recognising it. So unless it's critically important, no director would go in for a replacement. However, we've been lucky with Ek Ladki Though Kanchi had a better face, Sai is a better actor and that worked for us."
According to Shivangi Singh Chauhan, Creative Director, Synergy Adlabs, "The more justified a director makes the replacement look, the lesser is the risk of low acceptability by the audience. Like in Kyunki Tulsi meets with a major accident and has to undergo plastic surgery. This looked like a justifiable reason for Gautami Kapoor to step in as Tulsi and seems to have gone down well with the audience as even the TRPs showed a rise post the change. People want to see some freshness in an otherwise unending saga."
Adds Nivedita Basu, Creative Head, Balaji, "A viewer may find it difficult to come to terms with an actor's replacement, and he may lose interest in the show. So, to ensure that we maintain viewership, we try to make the storyline more dramatic around the time the actors are replaced, which forces the audience to sit up and take notice.
Explains Siddhartha Mukherjee, Vice-President, Communication, TAM Media Research: Replacing an actor of a successfully running show ought to have an impact on the viewership. But you can't say it will necessarily bring down the TRPs.
For, that depends on three things – importance of the character in the show, popularity of the present actor and the popularity of the actor who'll replace the original. Besides, the curiosity to see whether the new actor can carry off the role can also keep the viewers glued to the show."
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