December 22, 2022 | By Good Vibes

‘Hum Log’ - India’s first television drama - began telecasting on Doordarshan in 1984 and ended after touching a whopping 154-episode mile mark. It deftly showed an Indian middle-class family’s struggles, aspirations, and issues of that time, and nearly all the episodes were intriguing with the mature treatment of social content. It heralded the golden era of Indian television and was soon followed by other masterpieces, namely Buniyaad, Vikram Betal, Malgudi Days, Ramayan, Fauji etc.

These TV serials connected with their audiences deeply and offered opportunities for their creators to experiment with various themes and styles of storytelling. Gradually, with time, television serials evolved, accommodating genres not covered previously. The 90s TV programs reflected the rising aspirations and sentiments of the youth. Private TV channels began their operations, and programs like Boogie Woogie, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, and Kaun Banega Crorepati enthralled audiences, addressing their evolving viewing preferences.

The experiments with TV programs are intact even today when the viewership has increased manifold, and there are dedicated audiences for a unique variety of programs - from family dramas, crime anthology series, reality shows to name a few. To sum it up, when talking about the journey of Indian TV serials, it has an amazing past, and the present and future look promising. In other words, from wooden cabinet-enclosed television sets to Smart TVs, the shape and structure of televisions have evolved and so have programs aired on them.

But what are the ingredients that make some of these programs so popular? Why do they connect with viewers so easily? What is in them that is unfounded in less popular shows? Why do the mere references to old TV programs instantly transport one back to their fond childhood memories? Let’s try to find some probable answers to these questions.

We briefly examine a few key aspects of popular Indian TV serials across decades. Most serials have/had one or more of these aspects, contributing heavily to their acceptability among a demanding audience.

Table Of Content

An interesting and relevant genre
Relatable and believable characters
Original plot with a meaningful message
Conflicts that make sense
Gripping dialogues
Well-defined structure

An interesting and relevant genre

Genre refers to the storytelling, characterizations, dialogue, conflict, tensions and visual flair that follows a specific style. The changes in viewing expectations in audiences influence the selection of genres over time. Some shows firmly attach to a specific genre, while others switch between genres and subgenres. However, some genres strongly tend to remain in fashion regardless of age. For example, dramas are trendy for all they offer - conflict, tension, expectations, aspirations, struggles, identity and more. Today’s programs are wide-ranging and, based on the viewing priorities of an evolving market, accommodate many genres, including crime, tragedy, action, thriller, reality, comedy, music, and more.

Relatable and believable characters

Memorable characters are why viewers tune in to their TV sets daily. In other words, they are the foundations of great TV serials. One of the benefits of character development in television serials against film is that in TV serials, characterizations get more time to develop, progress and mature. Successful TV shows are those with interesting and believable characters - with aspirations, weaknesses, strengths and struggles that the target audiences can identify with. Many past and currently-running serials have protagonists and their share of stories that audiences appreciate and acknowledge.

Original plot with a meaningful message

The plot is the story, more specifically, the sequence of events that develop, unfold, and move in time that motivate and drive the characters and overall feel of a serial. Many notable serials with a huge fan following were the ones with original stories to tell. Rather than reimagining a story in ways that were told several times previously, they sought to add a fresh approach, bringing in new strategies and ideas, incorporating unique settings and strong characters - all of that helped develop serials with a unique point of view with powerful messages.

Conflicts that make sense

Many popular serials have intriguing plots in which conflicts take centre stage. It is the beauty of the direction and experience of actors that these conflicts are presented outstandingly, making audiences feel connected with all that the protagonists are facing. In other words, successful TV serials have well-presented conflicts that give a story crucial tensions and drive the narrative forward. The opposition protagonists face in achieving their dreams is beautifully presented in most successful TV shows.

Gripping dialogues

Dialogues have always been the hallmarks of several popular TV serials. There are witty dialogues adding life to characters. There are snappy and hilarious one-liners that comedians use to entertain audiences. Dialogues - written perfectly and delivered in perfect settings - reveal characters, intensify conflict, generate suspense, and move the plot. All of this is necessary for a program to become successful.

Well-defined structure

Other than the above, TV serials follow a well-defined three or four-act structure: They prepare the stage for the plot by introducing an interesting conflict, build tension and generate curiosity among viewers in the middle of the episodes, and finally resolve the conflict or follow a different approach (such as ending with suspense).

These are just a few core attributes, if not all that help TV serials to gain mass exposure run longer, and connect with audiences. In today’s digital age, despite the presence of OTT platforms, good TV programs are immensely seen and appreciated by Indian viewers. All it means is when it comes to viewing choices of people, quality content and superb production always take the lead.

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Good Vibes is a Delhi-based production company. Our creative professionals have years of skills, experience, and all the necessary tools to create outstanding TV content. As one of the fastest-growing TV production houses in India, we offer a bouquet of video production services that cater to different needs. Contact us today to learn more.