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The longest running soap on Indian Television ended yesterday

by Ravi Dixit | November 6, 2008 at 09:24 pm

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Thursday 6th November 10:30 PM, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT), the longest running weeknight soap on Indian television broadcast its last episode on Star Plus. The show produced by one of the biggest production houses in India Balaji Telefilms was on air for 8 long years and has broadcast in excess of 1500 fresh episodes till yesterday. The show has caught the fancy of each and every housewife (Almost!) in India and managed to retain the tag of most watched Hindi show on Indian television for most of these eight years. It managed to enjoy appointment viewing in Indian Homes for years making Star Plus Unshakable.

Mumbai: After eight years of love, tears, passion and schemes; Balaji Telefilms’ biggest soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi comes to an end. It has crossed the 1500 episode mark and even though the struggles of fictional Virani family continue, the curtains will come down on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Thursday night because the show's producer Balaji Telefilms is locked in a legal battle with the Star TV that has been airing the saga for the last eight years. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi first went on air in 2000, and soon the show and its characters became a household name. Every weeknight millions tuned in to watch the story a Gujarati family and its ideal bahu Tulsi, played by Smriti Irani, who fought to keep the family together. Even in its fifth year, the serial was at the top of the charts.

KSBKBT started its journey with the rise of Star Plus as a Hindi General Entertainment Channel in 2000 where the channel boom had not hit Indian Television and audiences were still entertainment poor and time rich. Star Plus started moving up the ratings chart by Launching Kaun Banega Carorpati – KBC (An adaptation of Who Wants to be a Millionaire) at 9 PM. Balaji Telefilms enveloped the timebands before and after KBC with Family dramas viz. Kasauti Jindagi Kay (Trails of life) at 8:30 PM and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki (Story of all households) at 10:00 PM right after KBC. KSBKBT followed this at 10:30 PM and reigned supreme ever since. It was proverbial AIRED HAPPYLY EVER AFTER for Star Plus.

End 2007 and beginning of 2008 saw a slew of new launched in the Hindi Entertainment Domain from various broadcasters like INX Media’s 9x (9 times entertainment), NDTV’s NDTV Imagine and most recently Colors from Viacom 18’s stable. Though the former tow launched were aimed at the number two spot, Colors went for the Jugular and managed to pull off an unimaginable Launch and within weeks its breathing down the neck of the numero uno Star Plus. Star Plus’ fare was directed for family viewing and chose the time tested strategy of least objectionable programming and family soaps, the new entrants tried different things like Mytho, Weekday reality and finally COLORS got it right. The story of Indian Television gets interesting by each passing day.

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Sanjay Jha

at 21:26 on November 6th, 2008

Thanks Ravi, I think you have got some formating problem. Please try and remove it if you have problem let me know. Also i would suggest that you use Highlighter tool as you are referring to external news sources

Ravi Dixit

at 21:58 on November 6th, 2008

Hi Sanjay,

Removed the formatting problem but how to use the highlight is still an issue. I have downloaded it though.

Sanjay Jha

at 22:03 on November 6th, 2008

Thanks Ravi, What browser are you using? Instructions are written at http://my.nowpublic.com/newsroom/tools/highlight/highlight, so please follow it otherwise PM and i will solve your query, Cheers