tv

Updated: Nov 07, 2016 16:04 IST

Content on Hindi general entertainment channels is often termed regressive by industry experts. But TV czarina Ekta Kapoor feels television writers should be applauded for churning out unique story lines without taking a break, and still managing to hold the viewers’ interest.

Ekta says the medium is not regressive, but is for the masses.

“TV has become for the masses. Why don’t we call Game of Thrones regressive? It is the same thing - you watch a woman give birth to dragons there, you have a red woman killing, a red wedding,” Ekta told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

In Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke) doesn’t actually give birth to her dragons, however. She just steps into the funeral pyre of her dead husband with the three dragon eggs gifted to her on her wedding day and emerges out of the ashes, unburnt and with three live baby dragons. (HBO)

“I think we (in India) write some great stories. When I had gone to America and met an American TV producer, I was told that she was actually amazed with the kind of writing that we do here,” she added.

On the small screen front, the daughter of Jeetendra had an impressive beginning in 1995 with the comedy show Hum Paanch. She is credited for ushering a new wave on the television with different content, and starting ‘saas-bahu’ era with kitchen politics in spotlight.

Smriti Irani in a still from Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. (Star Plus)

She is remembered for shows like Koshish... Ek Aasha, Kyunkii... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kkusum ... Ek Aam Ladki Ki Kahani and Kasautii Zindagii Kay.

Drashti Dhami and Arjun Bijlani in Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil. (Star Plus)

Ekta says “we should applaud the writers who actually write one show for eight years - reinvent the characters day in and day out without taking a break, no season break and continue having similar ratings”.

“These are the people we should somewhere applaud because in America, if I had the liberty to write only about twenty episodes of one hour and take six months to write it, then I think I would do a great job. But to write a show everyday without a break for eight years and retain ratings, needs to be applauded,” she added.

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