Sony moves soaps to show ‘Indian Idol’ specials

Sony Entertainment Television Asia is taking full advantage of its current ratings winner ‘Indian Idol’.

The channel has lined up a four-day special of ‘Indian Idol’ specials starting on Monday 4th June in the 21:00 slot. This means the 90-minute episodes of ‘Indian Idol’ will result in primetime dramas ‘Ek Ladki Anjaani Si’, ‘Virrudh’ and ‘Durgesh Nandinii’ being taken off air for the duration of the specials.

The strategy may work in Sony’s favour as ‘Indian Idol’ seems to be the only show that has garned popularity in the race for TRPs. The channel will then in the subsequent week (Monday 11th June) revert back to its normal programming and hope its ‘Indian Idol’ viewers remain with it for its other shows.

The channel’s creative director Sandiip Sikcand says, “A strategy like this serves a dual purpose. ‘Indian Idol’ is expected to attract good viewership. And, on the back of it, we will promote ‘Durgesh Nandinii’, ‘Ek Ladki Anjaani Si’ and ‘Virrudh’, so that when they return on 11th June, it also gets a slice of the huge traffic that is hooked onto Idol.”

In ‘Durgesh Nandinii’, Shweta Gulati makes an entry as Lakshya’s (Mohit Mallik) wife. “The storyline will show how Lakshya’s past has caught up with him,” says Sikcand.

Producer Shobhana Desai says, “I’m optimistic of leaving the show on a high point…it should help us get in more viewers. It’s a golden chance to build a bank make life easier for everyone and shoot regular hours once we return on air.”

In ‘Ek Ladki Anjaani Si’, the storyline is focusing on Nikhil (Shakti Anand) trying hard to keep the fact from Ananya (Sai Deodhar) that he will be saving his son from leukemia by undergoing a bone marrow transplant. The surgery is a risk and he doesn’t want Ananya to stop him.

The ‘Kasautii Zindagi Kay’ actor, Cezzane Khan, who quit Balaji Telefilms recently will be the new entrant in ‘Ek Ladki Anjaani Si’. His character will be shown in episodes post 11th June. Khan will enact the role of a suave millionaire doctor who is very confident of his capabilities.

“Cezzane’s fans will fall in love with him all over again. The role is very different from anything seen on TV today,”says Sikcand.