Watching a show or watching
an ad?
Ekta
Kapoor, producer of Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi
Bahu Thi on Star Plus, uses her daily soaps to promote her other
productions as well. And the channel thinks this is perfectly acceptable.
How
far should a channel go in cross promotions for its popular shows? This
question has assumed greater significance, recently, in connection with Star
Plus and some of its top rated serials.
For
some time now, Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kyunki Saas Bhi kabhi Bahu
Thi have been flirting with each other and then indulging in a spot of
cross fertilisation. Not only did the entire cast of Kyunki appear on KBC
with Mihir and Tulsi as participants, but the dear departed
Daksha was perpetually trying to get through to the KBC telephone
number in order to participate. She did in fact become eligible to appear in
front of Amitabh Bachchan, but perhaps because of her sudden departure
from the serial, she never appeared on the show.
This
interplay was just the beginning. Ekta Kapoor, producer of Kahani Ghar Ghar
Ki and Kyunki, uses her daily soaps to promote her other productions as
well. For example, when her brother Tushar’s debut film Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai
was released, there were repeated allusions and references to the film in Kyunki.
More recently, the release of Kapoor’s first film production, Kyunki Mein
Jhoot Nahin Bolta, has been celebrated on the soap with posters of the film
on the sets of the show.
In
October this cross promotion has assumed new dimensions. As Kahani Ghar Ghar
Ki approached its first anniversary, we had characters in Kyunki
sitting down to watch Kahani Ghar Ghar (only they called it Ghar ki
Kahani) and discussing the relations between its characters in some depth.
If
you thought that was outside of enough, wait on. Kahani’s leading
daughters-in-law, Parvati and Pallavi, appeared on KBC. They won only
Rs.3.2 lakhs. No sooner had they quit the sets of KBC than we saw them on Kahani
Ghar Ghar Ki (which succeeds KBC on Star Plus), where they
are shown to have just returned from their poor performance on KBC. They
are in tears, until their father-in-law tells them how proud the family is of
them. Then there is a surprise celebration. Their appearance on the game show
occupies centre stage in the episode. Talk about free advertising for Kaun
Banega Crorepati, which is rapidly sliding down on the viewership charts.
Star
Plus claims this is a very useful and clever marketing device. That it might
be. However, it should be said that it is somewhat tasteless and obvious. Also,
TV productions in other countries don’t resort to such gimmicks-----at least
not so blatantly.
Shailaja Bajpai is
television critic of the Indian Express
Contact shailajabajpai@hotmail.com