The TV industry has seen a growing influx of period dramas with all major channels running at least one
History is repeating itself on the TV, literally. Of late, there have been a slew of period drams on the small screen, taking back the audience sometimes to the pre-independence years, sometimes to the Mahabharata era.
We all still fondly remember the days when Ramayan and Mahabharat used to be aired on Doordarshan. Such was the popularity of these epics that a self-imposed curfew-like situation prevailed on the roads when the serials were on air; even marriage muhurats were adjusted. People worshipped TV sets and stars alike.
Today, the costume dramas on various satellite channels may not command the same popularity, but nonetheless, they have an audience. Or else how does one explain, every channel having at least one mythological serial show? Recently, Jhansi Ki Rani, a tale of the warrior queen, went off air and paved way for Shobha Somnath Ki.
Generally, Bollywood suffers from herd mentality. Therefore it is a surprise as even three years after the success of Jodha Akbar, no filmmaker has come out with another period drama. But it seems the bug has bitten the small screen for good. Off and on, even regional channels are coming up with such stories having their mati ki khushboo.
Soap czarina Ekta Kapoor too tried her hand at this genre, but could not garner the popularity as her other serials did. There have been quite a few avatars of Krishna too.
Explaining the rationale behind the sudden influx, Sukesh Motwani, fiction and programming head of Zee TV, says, “We really found a story-telling template in them. They (Jhansi Ki Rani and Shoba Soomnath Ki) are tales of heroines from another century who impacted the society.” He adds, “Today audience is ready to go to a newer world beyond family dramas. And these stories are complete saga. As broadcasters it is our responsibility to offer viewers a complete bouquet of entertainment.”
However, the genre has largely remained a Hindi-specific phenomenon. Explaining the constraints of doing a costume drama in regional language, Moti Sagar, of the fame Sagars, who have done several such serials, said, “We tried Mrityunjya-Karnachi Amargatha in Marathi. The response was good. However, it is difficult to do it in Marathi because of cost constraints. The sets, costumes, jewellery, etc require a lot of money,” he said.
Producer Rajan Shahi says, “Mythological shows are different from regular soaps, which are like dal chawal to audiences. Also, the authenticity of story has to be ensured. An eye for detailing is a must and characterisations have to be relatable,” he adds, “Audiences today are very choosy about what they like to watch. There is no guarantee of what will work.”
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