Gujarat is big market for TV channels

Guajrati actor and director JD Majethia who’s now a big name in the world of small scree entertainment was in Ahmedabad this week to promote his new serial ‘Sukh By Chance’ on Sony TV. Here is what he said while talking to DeshGujarat about his serial and more.

Gujarat is in demand

Gujarat is big market in India and TV channels feel they should cater something specially for Gujarat. You would see television set “ON” in almost every home in Gujarat. Every time somebody or the other is watching TV in Gujarati households. I was called by Sony TV and told that the channel wants to give something to Gujarat. Then came my latest show on Sony TV is Sukh By Chance – a TV serial featuring lower middle class Gujarati family that gets Rs 3 crore. In this serial you would see some dialogues in Gujarati. Actually the channel has given me this freedom. They have even said that leave all the other cities, they want this serial to become hit in Gujarat. Gujarat is their clear focus area, so far as this show is concerned.

Celebrating Gujarati families on TV screen

I have given 10 TV serials featuring Gujarati families on screen. Earlier there was a perception that something related to Gujarat or Gujarati on screen must be full of comedy and only comedy. We know how Gujaratis were portrayed decade back. The community was used for comedy and nothing else. Actually Gujarat is not just comedy, Gujarat means culture, Gujarat means values, Gujarat means wisdom. When I made Ba Bahu and Baby, the journalists outside Gujarat started writing that this was a comedy serial. I had hard time to convince them that this was not a comedy serial. In my last 10 shows, I have tried to feature Gujarati families in different ways. My shows portraying Gujarati families are now more enjoyed for light humor and emotions.

Reality shows are fake

The problem with reality shows is that most of them are fake. Barring talent shows such as singing competitions or Kiran Bedi’s Asp Ki Kachahri, the other shows are fake. I don’t subscribe a view that Big Boss is threat for TV serials.

Inspite of the fact that Amitabh Bachchan is there, Big Boss season 3 enjoys TRP rating same as Sony TV’s reality show – Is Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao which didn’t have Amitabhji. In fact, Big Boss season 3 is weakest of all three seasons. Reality shows are like twenty twenty cricket. You can’t run a reality show for a year. But a good TV serial would work for a year and even more.

Sukh By Chance

Sukh By Chance is story of Mohanlal and his family. This lower middle class Gujarati family gets 3 crore Rs, what happens then after is interesting. We have completed 6-month story. The central character – Mohanlal reminds me of my father. At 9 pm all family members watch TV together. This serial is fit for family viewing.