Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur) - Hindustan Times (Jaipur) - City
I am obsessing over my son, says Sumeet
Clearly, gods are reigning supreme during the lockdown. At least, that’s what TV viewing pattern — during the Covid-19 induced shutdown — seems to indicate. So, while reruns of Ramayan and Mahabharat topped the TRP charts at the start of the lockdown [around March-end], the ‘religious reign’ continues even now. As per the latest data by Broadcast Audience Research Channel (BARC), Doordarshan’s Shri Krishna is the most watched TV show for second consecutive week. The top five shows also include Mahima Shanidev Ki, Mahabharat [new version] and Ramayan on various channels.
“To start with, people have been feeling low for the last three months, and so, these classic shows make them feel good, and also give them a sense of emotional strength. Plus, you can watch these shows with the entire family, and there’s a lot of nostalgia involved, too,” says TV producer Shashi Mittal.
Besides reruns of Ramayan and Mahabharat, a number of gods-based shows as Karmaphal Daata Shani, Uttar Ramayan, Paramavatar Shri Krishna, Vighnaharta Ganesh and Mere Sai - Shraddha Aur Saburi among many others have been running successfully on television during the lockdown.
“If you notice the pattern during the lockdown, people have gone back to not just old TV shows but also classic movies. As for out-and-out religious shows, it’s like going to back your comfort food when you are upset or angry about something. The sheer universality, relatability and the joyful nostalgia involved with such shows make people
Compiled by Shara Ashraf Prayag turn to them,” says exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi.
Money-wise, too, mythologicals worked their magic. Apparently, six new TV commercials of a top dairy brand were launched during lockdown with the shows. “For any brand, this was the best time because of great viewership. The investment in Ramayana and Mahabharat was like a lottery. We got 100X back,” RS Sodhi, managing director of the dairy brand has said in an interview.
Lastly, a 47-year-old homemaker, Swati Paliwal puts things in perspective: “Watching religious shows give me a lot of mental peace, and it alleviates my tension during such stressful times. It gives me a feeling that all will be fine.”
On June 4, actors Sumeet Vyas and Ekta Kaul became parents to a baby boy. Vyas announced on Instagram that they had named him Ved. “It’s only been a few days, so we are getting into the rhythm of things. We got back home yesterday and are settling in. Right now, we are in the phase where we have sleepless nights. Ekta hasn’t been able to sleep properly and she sleeps when she can in the day,” he says.
“You see people obsessing over their kids and you think you won’t behave in the same manner.
But ever since, I’ve held my son, I am obsessing over him,” he says.
Vyas adds that he is thankful that they could have the delivery at his aunt’s maternity home, where they were the only patients, so there was no “cause for concern regarding Covid19”. “My aunt even arranged home-cooked food while we were in the maternity home,” he says.
The actor adds that the lockdown gave him a chance to spend quality time with his wife. “It has made me appreciate and reflect on life and things we take for granted,” he signs off.