IPL to begin, TV channels ready to bat

The entertainment blitzkrieg Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner. And though it may not be as big a threat as it was to prime-time TV shows when it began, it cannot be dismissed either. Over the years, channels have learned to cope with the competition, albeit with caution. 

Most of them have introduced a slew of new shows either before IPL, i.e in March, or kept their big-ticket shows post IPL, i.e in June. For instance, Zee launched Ishq Subhan Allah and Dance India Dance Li’l Masters last month, and Sony brought back Kapil Sharma with Family Time With Kapil a couple of weeks before the IPL. They, however, have kept their big-ticket show, Salman Khan’s 10 Ka Dum for June. Colors launched Bepannah recently and is planning to bring the third season of Naagin post IPL. &TV got its reality show High Fever Dance Ka Naya Tevar three weeks before IPL.

Interestingly, Star Plus is all set to take on the Twenty20 series with Khichdi, which is returning to TV after a decade. The show will begin airing exactly a week after the cricketainment begins. We spoke to a cross-section of the industry to find out how they are planning to compete with cricket for eyeballs?

Learnt to co-exist  

Ashish Golwalkar, SVP, Sr Creative Director Content, Sony says that TV and IPL have learnt to co-exist. “Last year, we launched Kapil Sharma’s show during IPL. This year, we got his show a couple of weeks before it. Whether a show does well or not is dependent on the content. But yes, IPL is a popular event, which happens 45 days in a year. There is bound to be an effect which leads to erosion of numbers for the shows. But that is no different than what happens during Diwali or some big festival.” 

In February, Sridevi’s death saw the ratings of entire GECs go down because the viewers had diverted to news channels. As far as IPL goes, if there is any reason that less or no shows get launched during that time, it’s because a lot of (advertising) money gets directed to the matches and the sponsor’s interest is reduced,” he explains. Agrees Shailesh Kapoor, CEO, Ormax Media, a leading media planning agency, “Channels don’t launch shows during this period because they’re not sure if they will be sampled. This is the case with reality shows in particular because they need advertisers from day one, while fiction shows can get them as they go along. The sponsors of a number of reality shows are similar to that of IPL’s because they both target the youth. Also, most reality shows are aired on weekends and that’s the time IPL has some of their bigger matches.”

Big shows aren’t affected

However, Shailesh points out that the running serials, especially the big ones with appointment viewing, don’t get affected that much. “It’s the smaller shows that see a drop of 20-25 per cent. Shows like Kumkum Bhagya, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Kundali Bhagya will not get affected much, maybe just 10-15 per cent. The matches are of three-hour duration. Many families negotiate and decide to see one-and-a-half hour of the game, so that others don’t have to let go of their favourite shows. Also, most channels launch a few weeks before IPL so that by the time the sport begins, these serials will already be sampled. Case in point being Bepannah and Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala, which will be in their third week when IPL starts.” 

Can Comedy compete with IPL?

But what happens to a show like Khichdi that will launch during IPL? JD Majethia, who is producing as well as acting in the show, says, “If there’s anything that can compete with IPL, it’s comedy. In fact, the former will bring in a new set of audience for the show. If the match is not going well, or there is a break, the male audience, which is generally watching cricket, turns to comedy. I know usually there is a drop of 10-15 per cent during IPL, but since we are on the same network that will telecast the matches, it will work for us. Also, Khichdi has a huge brand value and that’s an added advantage,” he says.

However, Asit Kumarr Modi, whose longest-running daily comedy Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah, is aired on SAB TV, has a different view. “Comedy channels have a huge male viewership, which gets diverted during IPL as it is a big event. Though it does not cause a major dip in viewership, like it used to earlier, it is still competition as cricket is a religion with Indian viewers. We are planning to introduce tracks with current topics like the big bank scam (Nirav Modi-Punjab National Bank scam) to keep the viewers with us,” says Asit.

High points in shows during IPL

Zee TV’s Deputy Business Head, Deepak Rajadhyaksha, has no special strategy to combat IPL. Their recently-launched shows like Ishq Subhan Allah and Kaleerein will have shaadi sequences as high points. “There will also be a mahasangam episodic between Jeet Gayi Toh Piyaa Morre and Aap Ke Aa Jaane Se and an unimaginable twist in Kumkum Bhagya that will change the entire landscape of its storytelling canvas. So, even without new launches, there is plenty for viewers to keep tuning into,” he quips. In fact, that is the mantra being adopted by most producers across channels. For instance, Colors is planning a mahasangam between four shows like Udaan, Tu Aashiqui, Ishq Mein Marjawa and Shakti to celebrate Baisakhi on April 20. Foreign shoots are also being planned to create more interest in the shows. The team of Ishq Mein Marjawa and Tu Aashiqui will be travelling to London and shoot at iconic places. 

Clearly, IPL has become a routine fare for channelwallahs who have figured out how to take it on. So, as they say, let the games begin!