Family dramas, love sagas will never get stale

For many years, family dramas, love triangles and women centric stories have been winning the hearts of the audiences and it seems 2022 is also going to witness the same trend.

In the past few years makers are being more creative and trying to bring something new to the platter.

Television shows have started evolving like 'Anupamaa' or 'Kaamnaa' are the family dramas with simple storyline yet giving a strong message and focuses on the basic values of life.

'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai' producer Binaiffer Kohli says: "I feel shows have already started evolving on Indian television. Like you see the show 'Anupamaa', is a very simple, close to heart show focusing on the basic values of life.

"I believe it has the element of bold and beautiful. If I talk about our show 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain' that show evolved long back." She adds that audiences enjoy 'saas-bahu' sagas and similar kinds of family dramas and this will continue.

"With so many platforms and content creation coming in I do expect 2022 will see a bit of evolution on television as well. However, the love for the drama will be forever. The equations between a 'saas-bahu' will not change and dynamics of relations will always be the focus in any storytelling."

Popular television actor Sharad Malhotra, who is seen in the historical drama 'Vidrohi', feels that the television audience in India is not so keen to deviate from the traditional shows and experimental stories or sports dramas will mostly remain confined to OTT or movies.

"Love and family dramas will remain the flavour in 2022 as people love to watch drama mixed with entertainment. Sports related stories, people prefer watching on the big screen just like film '83'," he says.

He continues: "Television content has become progressive. People like fast paced drama and storytelling has become vibrant. Producers will experiment with content and for actors it will be interesting to get such opportunities."

Most of the TV audiences include families and female viewers. They "remained the largest viewership segment."

Makers are trying to experiment and bring something new for the viewers but many are reluctant if it will work or not.

So, 2022 will have progressive work but largely similar family equations and romantic shows will continue to grab the eyeballs. This is what Asit Kumarr Modi, Creator and Author, 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' feels.

He says: "Television viewers in India are particular about the content and more often than not; do not tend to deviate from the traditional shows. But we have to evolve when it comes to the storyline or characters."

"TV will have to evolve and make efforts to remain relevant since audiences these days are also consuming content through digital platforms. The content there is vast and offers global diversity. Audiences also have to be made aware and be introduced to new and interesting content."

With OTT gaining popularity, television show makers are also trying to conceptualise "new story ideas."

Producer of medical drama 'Dhadkan Zindaggi Kii' Nilanjana Purkayasstha agrees and says that the convenience and intimacy of the personal screen that a viewer gets from watching shows on OTT is somewhat not possible on television.

"You can watch at a time of your own choosing, in an environment of your own choosing," she says.

Past years have seen a number of women centric shows, love triangles and family dramas and is this trend going to continue?

She replies: "First of all, let us all accept that women are and will continue to be the core TV viewing audience of GEC."

"Therefore, it is most likely that GEC content will continue to be family sagas and love triangles. They will definitely be women-centric. The hope is that we content makers will find ways to add something new to these family dramas and love triangles: newer attitudes, newer conflicts and more socially responsible messaging."

So, love triangles are surely in and women centric shows will continue, says director Ashish Shrivastav, name behind TV series including 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki', 'Kasam Se', 'Kis Desh Mein Hai Mera Dil' and many more.

"Love and family drama will always rule TV channels. Sports related shows or different content have not really worked on television because somehow the audience wants to see stories around families," he says.