Television star Ekta Kapoor is not giving up on her flagship serial, 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', without a fight. Her company, Balaji Telefilms, on Wednesday once again moved Bombay High Court in appeal against Monday's court order refusing to stay the termination notice served by Star TV for the serial. On Monday, the court had rejected Kapoor's plea for an interim stay on Star TV's termination notice. Balaji's appeal against the order will be heard on Friday.
Star TV, which has hosted the Virani family saga for the past eight years, decided to pull the plug on the show owing to "viewer fatigue" and "falling TRPs (television rating points)" on October 10, giving Kapoor a 30-day notice. The notice period lapses on Monday but Thursday's show could be the last as the serial is telecast only on weeknights. The HC hearing on Friday will determine the show's fate.
Star TV has contended that Kyunki… has "outlived its life" and that its decision to axe the show is based on falling TRPs, which determine advertising revenue. Balaji gets paid Rs27 lakh per episode. The show's TRPs fell by 32% since July.
Kapoor contended that the serial continues to be among the top-10 primetime serials and cannot be ended so abruptly. It blamed the dip in TRPs on Star's failure to promote the show.
The court had said in its order that "a minute study of data is required to find out whether the decrease was due to failure of respondents (Star) to promote it or because of lack of ability to attract viewers."
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