Can Sony’s Rihhaee woo women to shift loyalties?

Come February 9, and Sony will be launching a crime based show ‘Rihhaee’ at 10.30 pm targeted towards female viewers.

Sony's business head, Tarun Katiyal, says, “Rihhaee is targeted at females in the age group of 18-34 years, unlike other crime shows which are skewed towards male viewers.”

Produced by BAG Films, Rihhaee is positioned as a show, which will fight crime against women. Even to promote this show, the channel has brought in renowned and successful women who are generally looked up to or emulated by women. The list includes actor-politician Shabana Azmi, actor-activist Nafisa Ali and renowned lawyer Indira Jai Singh. Even the Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit had dropped in at the press conference to launch this show. These faces will be used for both on-air and off-air promotions.

Katiyal says, “We have made great efforts and also incurred huge investments to bring in known faces as lead characters, so that viewers can easily connect with the show.” For instance, the channel has brought in Gurdeep Kohli (of Sanjeevni fame) and Gauri Pradhan (of Kyunki) to play the lead roles in the first two episodes.

Katiyal adds, “The stories has been inspired by real life incidents and presented in a manner that the viewers and especially women are bound to be sympathetic to the victim or the protagonist of the story.”

In fact, the channel is trying very hard to bring in female viewers to the show. What’s interesting is that the show has been scheduled at 10.30 pm, and will directly compete with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on STAR Plus, which already has a strong loyal female viewership.

Media planners are of the opinion that it won't be easy for Sony to compete with STAR Plus at this time slot.

Basabdutta Chowdhuri, general manager - Madison Media, Delhi says, “If we go by our previous experiences, crime and horror shows, or thrillers are usually popular among males. However, if the treatment of the show, or the presentation is different, it could attract some female viewers. And, if this happens, this could mark a new beginning in the Indian television industry.”

Concurs another Delhi-based media planner. She says, “Rihhaee will certainly bring in male viewers to the channel as it happens in case of other crime shows. However, I am a little skeptical regarding female viewership,.

“With the show competing directly with Kyunki on STAR Plus, I am not quite sure about how much of Kyunki's viewers would move to Rihhaee,” she adds.

“Even if Rihhaee becomes successful in attracting some percentage of female viewers from Kkyunki, it will be mainly from the younger age group which is 18-25 years. However, it all depends on how the show is promoted.”

Kajal Thakur, regional director, Optimum Media Solutions (OMS), is of the opinion that the show will have an universal appeal rather than be just skewed towards female viewers.

She says, “If the show was targeted only at female viewers, the channel should have slotted it on weekends, and probably on Fridays and Saturdays. After all, it is very difficult to break the female viewership base of Kyunki and Kahani.” “Scheduling the show on weekends could have at least increased the sampling opportunity among the viewers,” she adds.

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