Alokananda Chakraborty
Media

Onscreen romance: What makes it work?

Whatever be the backdrop, a love story, more so, a love triangle seems to work with viewers of general entertainment channels

What is the common link between shows such as Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand and STAR's latest offering Saara Akash? All three have a love story at the centre of the plot with characters revolving around the protagonists who may be two or sometimes three in number.

In fact, love stories seem to hold a special fascination with viewers as is evident with the performance of the above-mentioned shows as well as a couple of others in the Top 100 list of programmes issued by TAM Media every week.

For the week of August 3-9, for instance, Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand stood at No 2 with a score of 11.1 (August 4) followed by Kasautii Zindagii Kay at No 5 with a score of 10.5 (August 4) and new offering Saara Akash at No 16 with a score of 7.3 (August 7).

To go back in time, Des Mein and Kasautii were the top two shows for the week of May 4-10, with scores of 10.9 and 10.5 (episodes of both telecast on May 5) respectively.

Again, if one were to assess the performance of weeklies such as Kehta Hai Dil and Sanjivani, two shows, which exhibit a strong love angle, especially the latter, then the picture is no different.

For the week of August 3-9, Kehta Hai Dil stood at No 13 with a score of 9.2 (August 5) while Sanjivani was a step below at No14 with a score of 8.5 (August 6).

Three months ago, in the month of May, both shows were in the Top 20 with scores of 7.8 (May 13 episode of Kehta Hai Dil was ranked at No 13) and 7.5 (May 14 episode of Sanjivani ranked at No 15) respectively.

Why do average TV viewers lap up romance so eagerly? As Aruna Irani, producer-director of Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand, stated while describing her serial in a recent interview to agencyfaqs!, "It is emotions. Emotions touch you and everyone."

For channel executives and producers who are on the lookout for that elusive formula that can get viewers to sample their programmes, a dose of love seems to be doing the trick, at least for now. "Love is a universal feeling. You may package it in different ways. But chances are that it will still work," says an executive with a general entertainment channel.

No surprise then that you have a love angle/triangle built in in every popular serial - set either against the backdrop of an air force base, a hospital, a family or a foreign location. It seems to be working and viewers, of course, are caught up in the trails and tribulations of the actors playing out their parts. © 2003 agencyfaqs!

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