After cricket, it's back to basics on television

If February and March were months when the run of K on STAR and Sony was affected due to the World Cup 2003, April could go down as the time when the popular serials from Balaji Telefilms play catch-up. And catch-up they do, considering that a week after the World Cup, from March 30 to April 5, the K-serials are back in the reckoning enjoying plum positions in the TAM C&S Top 100.

Kyunki tops the chart with a score of 11.2 (episode telecast on April 3) followed by the March 31 and April 1 episodes of Kahaani and Kyunki, giving the mother of all soaps telecast at 10.30 pm on weekdays a clear 2:1 lead over sister production Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki telecast a slot earlier at 10.00 pm prime time.

STAR Plus underlines its hold over C&S households with a clean sweep up to No 44, not-to-mention the Top 10 line-up. Entries in the important positions of Nos 4 to 10 are as follows: Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Thi - 10.2 and 10 (episodes telecast on March 31 and April 2), Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki - 9.9, 9.5 and 9.3 (episodes telecast on April 1, 2 and 3), Kasautii Zindagi Kay - 9.1 (episode telecast on April 1) and Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chaand - 9 (episode telecast on March 31).

In all, STAR Plus has 54 entries while No 2 player Sony has a total of six slots only. The top grosser for Sony is the April 4 episode of thriller CID with a score of 2.6 followed by the April 3 and March 31 episodes of prime time soap Kkusum with 2.6 and 2.3 respectively.

Weekend thriller Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat is fourth on the list with a score of 2.2 (episode telecast on April 5) followed by Kkusum and Heena, both tied with a TVR of 2 (episodes telecast on April 1 and 4) respectively.

Eenadu TV is the surprise package with a total of three entries while archrival Gemini TV is two up with a figure of five under its belt. It would be worth noting though that Eenadu has gained a foothold on the back of three movies while its rival has greater variety with a movie, two soaps and a mythological featuring in the Top 100.

However, there is no denying the potential of a film as a TVR grosser, which is evident in the case of both Eenadu and Gemini. For Eenadu, Telugu feature film Devi Putrudu is the leader with a score of 2.9 (telecast on April 2), followed by Chitram and Taali (both films were telecast on Sunday, March 30) with scores of 2.1 and 2 respectively.

Gemini has feature film Kalisundam Raa in the lead with a score of 3.4 (telecast on April 2) followed by soaps Ninne Pilladata (episodes telecast on March 31 and April 4) and Kkalavaari Kkodalu (episode telecast on April 1) with 2.2 and mythological Nagaama with 2.1 (episode telecast on March 30).

Sister channel SUN TV has a total of 32 spots with Alaigal and Annamalai doing a Kyunki and Kahaani with the former attracting a score of 3.6 (episode telecast on March 31) and the latter a notch below with a score of 3.5 (episode telecast on April 1). Metty Oli (episode telecast on April 4) is sixth on the SUN list with a score of 3.3.

These three serials alone make up the first half for SUN with a brief break at No 9 with the entry of thriller Soolam at 3.3 (episode telecast on March 30). © 2003 agencyfaqs!