TOI: TVs new male order

TVS NEW MALE ORDER

Prime time shows on Hindi entertainment channels are now dominated by male protagonists in their late 30s and 40s

Shruti Jambhekar


Forget the pimply,moonstruck college student and the doting young husband whove been doing the supporting act on prime time entertainment television for years now.The soapboxs new male starring roles are being played by men in their late 30s and 40s and even 50s.Sample this: Ronit Roy (ass the nonchalant,harditting lawyer in Adaalat),Ram Kapoor (as the cherubic biz tycoon in Bade Achche Lagte Hain),Sameer Soni (as the scruffy and arrogant former lawyer in Parichay Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka),Mohnish Behl (as a dedicated senior doctor in Kuchh Toh Log Kahenge),Shiv Subramanium (a hard as nails businessman inMukti Bandhan ),Deven Bhojani (a middle-aged professional in Mrs Tendulkar) and Rajesh Kumar (as a not so young lover in Chintu Chinky Aur Ek Badi Si Love Story) are not just playing characters older characters,but they even have romantic interests in the shows.
So while the female protagonists get younger by the day,what makes these older men actors the new favourites with showmakers Shiv Subramaniam who plays Ishwar Virani in Mukti Bandhan says,Im enjoying playing this character a lot since it is well-defined.This is my first daily soap and Im happy to be part of it. Even Sameer Soni,whos doing Parichay has a similar take,I simply fell in love with the character of Kunal Chopra and had to do the show.
Ronit Roy who was among the first TV stars to have sported grey in his hair and is currently playing the lead in Adaalat says,Even my characters in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,Kasautii Zindagii Kay and Bandini were men in their late 40s.I think the audience is more discerning and accepts matured characters on television which works in our favour.
For desi soap makers,the mature male lead is just a demand made by the script(s).As producer-actor JD Majethia puts it,Since small screen shows have a huge chunk of women viewers,directors can experiment with slightly older male protagonists.And if these shows rake in the TRPs then,you can be sure that the formula will be aped. Director Ravindra Gautam says,Peole are ready for matured stories.On TV,if something spells success,then it becomes a trend.
In a number-crunching world where TRPs define the bottomline of production houses and channels,a successful show can rewrite new stereotypes.With a 65-plus Amitabh Bachchan ruling the TRPs once again and changing the fortune of the channel on which his game show is being broadcast,may be even the prime time mature alpha male could be the most wanted on television in the near future.Did someone say age is just a number
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