What the End of Aarambh Reveals About the Indian TV Industry

“Aarambh”, which was scheduled to run for 65 episodes (some people say the real number was 36) after beginning on June 24th, is now being cut short to 24 episodes. Yes, unfortunately for “Aarambh” fans, the show is set to end on September 10th after a short run of 24 episodes. This is regardless of an online dedicated fanbase.

Does anyone remember the beginning of “Aarambh”? Many well known Bollywood names wishing the show the best of luck and how they will continue to watch it? Well, don’t expect responses from even half those celebrities now. Isn’t it quite ironic that the show that was getting thumbs up from so many actors is being cut short so soon?

In a recent interview, Rajneesh Duggal (who plays the male lead) commented on how finite weekend serials don’t really work. We understand that there is disappointment. But let’s be completely honest. It’s not the fact that “Aarambh” was a bi-weekly series at all. It’s the fact that it was a drama that wasn’t based on only love, and it wasn’t a saas-bahu sequence.

If you look at the TRP charts, you will consistently find two types of shows topping the charts (1) saas-bahu shows and (2) stories only based on love. This includes shows where it is all about the relationship. The love story is all that matters. Let us be realistic: if we look at American popular web series, some of the most famous shows are not about the love story at all. I think Indian TV has forgotten that love is not someone’s entire life. And it’s 2017, the same saas-bahu sequences written in 2000-2008 just don’t work anymore. But still Indian directors run the same stories.

Let’s look at historical shows. “Jodha Akbar” quite commonly paraded around a love story. It was only because of Jodha that Jalal (Akbar) had a “heart” which can even tie into him being a better ruler. “Jhansi Ki Rani” decided to show a prolonged love story between Rani Manikarnika and Gangadhar Rao in which they have a heartbreaking seperation. Although “Jhansi Ki Rani” is probably one of the best historical shows as it shows Rani’s independence afterwards and she had her own personality (besides bahus in Indian TV these days). “Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat” completely ignored Ashoka Maurya’s transition into Buddism. And Samrat Ashoka was the first emperor to get rid of slavery and slaughter of animal, along with promoting equality within his subjects. But instead most of the show is about Ashoka’s mom being his father’s most beloved and wonderful queen. “Chandranandini” has turned one of India’s greatest emperors Chandragupta Maurya into a lover who cannot seem to move beyond his wife’s death and just lays in pictures of her on his bed. Nothing about his laws or about the way he changed India. But it’s okay, because Indian TV viewers don’t seem to care about history anyway. As long as there is romance and heartbreak, why do we even need to know about our history anyway?

According to TRP charts, “Sasural Simar Ka” has been a continuous topper (along with one of the longest running shows). From its naagin sequences to black magic, “Sasural Simar Ka” is apprently the best thing anyone can ask for.

The truth is that Indian TV is no longer about representation of current issues nor does it provide any real entertainment. Indian TV is now saas-bahu drama that we all watch with the same formulas: either the girl is blackmailed into marrying her husband or the girl marries rich or upper-middle class boy, they seperate and she has a secret child that is hidden from the family, someone will get amnesia, someone will go into shock, and let’s not forget the hamshakal track that every show must run in order to be a successful saas-bahu drama.

If we think carefully, would comedy family shows like “Hum Paanch” and “Khichdi” be famous if they aired today? It’s hard to tell with the horroific direction the Indian small screen is going in today.