Tele Serials : Have We Gone Dry?

Back in late 90's there used to very few time slots, that Nepali Audiences would manage up their time to watch. When cable network was not that widely used - Hijo Aaja Ka Kura or Devi; they used to gear up attention on equal basis as that of Mahabharat or Ramayana. Devi, was indeed a popular teliserial, introduced with the support of UNICEF, which had moral message at higher scale. However, it was widely appreciated throughout Nepal, as it had Nepali touch.

Gradually, then came various cable networks introducing new TV channels. Nepalese media started obtaining it's own pace; and Private Television Networks came into operation in the mean time there. Few of them actually attempted in making up family based serials in the beginning - from serial like Gahana, braodcasted from Nepal Television; to Newari ascent serials in private channels - it was never that Nepalese media didn't attempt in producing serials. From Chetana, Parichaya, Awiral Bagdacha Indrawati, Kaligandaki Ko Serofero to Pratidwandi; tracing back our history, we certainly had wonderful lists. They had been gaining equal hype too, and had been into equal priority of audiences.

There had always remained a huge competitor from Indian Channels; but despite all those, Nepalese teliserials were being produced back then. However, when we trace the media industry today - there lies huge variation. After comedy based series started gaining hype from Tito Satya, Jire Khorsani, Meri Bassai; the trends followed - which made entire diversion of Nepalese media houses to similar type, leaving home based stories aside. This allowed Hindi Tele Serials to gain hype in Nepal on equal basis. While, younger generation got into Hollywood Tele serials, or Korean Tele serials; the other half started opting for Star Plus, Sony or Colors for the same. So, while there was range of options available at the time of Kasauti Zindagi Ki, there remains none at this age - permitting the Indian serials to take over the monopoly. Didn't Catmandu introduced targeting youth with UNICEF's support turn out to capture huge audiences back then? That should have been a lesson, about possibility of market understanding their reach. What Nepalese could still remember is watching Bansha, with all their family members after dinner in Nepal Television.

After Tito Satya got introduced in 2003; the track of Nepali Channels got diverted. Audiences started preferring comedy based show, which would present the current scene. There had remained Hijo Aaja Ka Kura, or different episodes of Hari Bansha Acharya for comedy - but what they lacked was current issues. Deepak Raj Giri got it right, and made a super hit out of it, resulting lower demand of serials like Thorai Bhaye Pugi Sari or Mukti.

The track got diverted towards the comedy serials and then - letting Tito Satya, Jire Khorsani, Meri Bassai, Bhadragol and similar series rise.  These genre started gaining hyper attention, ensuring profit to the media houses enabling them sell their peak slots at higher rates and then. Gradually, the prior concern of media houses turned out to be these comedy shows more than homely serials. This killed career of number of small frame artists. Meanwhile, it also allowed Hindi Teli Serials to shine among Nepalese audiences. One reason, why these Hindi serials still gain priority is because of their creative stories, which could be easily related to Nepalese scene. Other important reason is because, there are not any such alternatives from Nepalese side.

Have we actually lost market of Tele Series? Series like Cheers, West Wing, Good Wife should have been a lesson from global market indicating that there still lies opportunities in this sector. The success of Hamro Team within 13 episodes back in 2011 should have been the answer. First series of Singha Durbar introduced back in 2015, and the influence over it should be an answer. The retaining charm of second season should be an answer. 

Nepal might not be able to produce Hollywood standard Series like Game Of Thrones, but we do have our own stories which would at least attempt to compete Kum Kum Bhagya. Americal film director, producer, actor and composer J. J. Abrams had said the ability of a television series to make adjustments is something you've got to take advantage of. Need and thirst of Nepalese audiences has to be understood on primary basis, which should then be followed by promotion on similar basis. If the same episodes of Mukti were to be broadcasted, with similar effort; the charm would definitely lower down. Need of present era has to be understood. Giving up is not the solution; it's rather the way of keeping treasure filled room wide open letting someone else to enter and take away the treasure. We always have wonderful treasure filled stories, what we are lacking is attempt, promotion, presentation because the market is still watching Television.

Published in The Rising Nepal's Friday Supplement of 7th September, 2018.