End of saas-bahu sagas?

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which led the juggernaut of saas bahu family dramas for over eight years came to an end on November 6. A month earlier, its sibling Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki shut shop after similar marathon run. Kasauti Zindagi Kay, the third member of the 'K troika', was given a send off in March this year. With the last pillar of the 'K' soap factory crumbling, is it the sign of an end to saas-bahu era?

Curtains came down on these 'super K' shows because of their faltering popularity. Kyunki was not expected to shut shop till March 2009 but poor TRPs forced Star Plus to axe the show, which didn't go down well with soap queen Ekta Kapoor who dragged the channel to court but failed to get a favourable verdict.

Call it a coincidence or whatever, the title of Ekta's new show for Star Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna doesn't begin with the letter 'K'. Whether it holds any significance or not is too early to say but the consensus among TV producers and programmers is that television programming is set to enter a new zone after eight years of sameness across shows and channels. "Nothing is permanent except change. Now channels seem to have realised that the same thing can't go on endlessly. I think we are moving into a new era but what it will be like is difficult to say," says producer-director Ajai Sinha of Hasratein and Astitva fame.

Ajai feels television business is following an eight-year cycle. "One cycle ended in 2000 and the second seems to be ending in 2008," he adds. According to producer-director Rajan Shahi of Bidaai fame, every decade heralds a change in society in terms of ideology, social environment, fashion, lifestyle and consumption pattern. "Television and films reflect this change. When the old order changes, obviously television and films will also follow suit," he says.

In Rajan's view new programming will bring good content to the forefront. "In order to cover up mediocrity, people were resorting to a lot of fakeness and gimmicks like parties, songs, loudness, jewellery, multiple affairs and excessive negativity. These gimmicky elements and camera jugglery will be shown the door," he elaborates. Change is for sure but not everyone thinks that television programming is in for a drastic change though. "When one talks from the perspective of general entertainment, family aspect of love, conflict and drama will remain intact. But we are surely heading into a new zone.

One-dimensional relationships of 'K soaps' will be dead. Instead within the boundaries of family different relationships and characters will be explored," says Sony's creative head (fiction) Sanjay Upadhyay. So feels Rajan, "Non-content and gimmicky-based shows have lived their course. Female oriented shows will give way to multi-dimensional relationships, earthy and honest characters."

Ideally, in Ajai's view, the new programming will be a combination of the weeklies of 90s and dailies of the past eight years. "Change is a gradual process and it will take time for viewers to adjust to new stories and characters," he feels. But what could be these new stories? "They will be a mix of love stories, stories of relationship between different characters in a family as well as between two families, small town stories of less duplicity and honest feelings," says Rajan, adding, "Bidaai and Balika Vadhu will lead the change." Incidentally, the top three shows in the GEC space in the last six weeks have been Bidaai, Balika Vadhu and Jai Shri Krishna. The fourth and fifth slots have switched and swapped between Kasamh Se, Saath Phere, Raja Ki Aayegi Baarat and Kis Desh mein Hai Mera Dil.