GECs

Old Hindi TV shows make a comeback to light up primetime again

Published

8 months ago

July 14, 2025

MUMBAI: Ready for a trip down Tele‑vision Lane? Indian TV networks are reaching for the rewind button, dusting off iconic serials from the 90s and 2000s and re-hashing them with a modern twist. From crime procedurals to kitchen politics, old favourites are back to reclaim viewer loyalty, and early signs suggest it’s working. From Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and CID to Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, broadcasters are betting big on nostalgia to revive TRPs. These revamped shows began dropping between December 2024 and July 2025 CID 2 returned last December, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 4 launched in June, and Kyunki 2 is all set to make its grand comeback come 29 July.

Why the flashback fix? For starters, the 25–45 age group grew up with these shows, making them more than just content, they’re memories. Channels are cashing in on this emotional bond to draw back viewers amid the OTT onslaught. Legacy titles offer not just a TRP rescue but a cost-efficient revival strategy complete with ready sets, familiar faces, and low marketing spends. As a source at Star India put it, it’s a smart way to “mitigate screen fragmentation.” Plus, the pandemic proved nostalgia’s power when Ramayan and Mahabharat re-aired, they smashed viewership ratings records, outpacing even fresh content.

CID

Ormax Media head of business development for streaming, TV & brands Keerat Grewal said: “Over the past three to four years, shows with strong protagonists such as Anupamaa, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Ghum Hai Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein, and Kumkum Bhagya, have managed to sustain high viewership even across multiple leaps. This has been largely driven by the strong emotional equity their lead characters hold. The shows have skillfully introduced a new generation of characters who inherit familiar personality traits while addressing more contemporary issues, allowing the audience to feel a sense of continuity and evolution.

“The growing preference for shows with known characters and familiar storylines is not just a trend – it’s deeply rooted in how the human brain works. Neuroscience research shows that nostalgia and familiarity activate the brain’s reward centers, triggering comfort, trust, and emotional safety. Audiences are neurologically wired to return to content that evokes positive memories or past emotional resonance. That’s precisely what the return of a show like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi will tap into.”

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi

Based on Ormax’s extensive tracking in the HGEC category, we know that the Kyunki brand still holds strong equity among viewers today. This is reflected in the exceptional performance of the show’s new promo on our proprietary awareness tracker Ormax Showbuzz. Within just two days of the promo’s release, the show has recorded unaided awareness levels typically seen only after three to four weeks of sustained marketing in this genre. The data underscores the power of nostalgia, combined with trusted storytelling and iconic characters, to drive early interest and engagement.

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–2008) is set to return with Smriti Irani reprising her iconic role of Tulsi on Star Plus. CID (1998–2018) made its way back in December 2024 with most of the original cast. Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 4 debuted in June 2025, introducing a next-gen romance against a familiar emotional backdrop. Also making a play for comeback glory: Shaktimaan, slated for an audio reboot and a blockbuster film starring Allu Arjun; Aahat, the spooky staple now re-airing nightly; and evergreen titles like Khichdi, Office Office, Shrimaan Shrimati and Ramayan, all back on air or rumoured to be.

Bade Achhe Lagte Hain

A JioStar spokesperson said, “Bringing back a show like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is not just hinged on nostalgia, it is a strategic storytelling move designed for today’s viewers. At Star Plus, we see legacy IPs as powerful cultural assets that can be reimagined to reflect today’s evolving values. By blending familiarity with freshness, we aim to bring together households, unite generations, spark new conversations and reaffirm the enduring relevance of stories rooted in family, identity, and resilience.”

A source at Balaji Telefilms revealed that the decision to bring back Kyunki wasn’t an easy one. The creator Ekta Kapoor initially resisted, reportedly saying, “You can’t compete with nostalgia. Why shake it up?”

One of the reasons she said yes, sources close to her say, is the creative challenge to make it connect with today’s evolved audience and make an impact by tackling issues which don’t find their way into the current roster of shows on air. (On a lighter note, it will give Balaji Telefilms an opportunity to take the show past a record-breaking 2,000 episodes; remember, it was taken abruptly off-air in its 1,833rd episode).

The clincher for the channel and OTT was not just ratings, it was legacy. Internal research commissioned had once shown that Kyunki helped amplify women’s voices in Indian homes. It tackled domestic abuse, ageism, and marital consent long before these were TV buzzwords.

The reboot, sources said, is less about chasing numbers and more about “reclaiming the power to reach millions and change mindsets.”

Sources familiar with the strategy at Star noted that Kyunki’s return serves both sentiment and business. “Broadcast reach is still far greater than OTT,” one executive explained. “Advertisers too have bought into the show because of its familiarity, going by the sponsors who have been tied up: Procter & Gamble (a classic soap advertiser), Colgate and Fortune Oil.”

They added that older viewers with their own families who first watched shows such as Kyunki as youngsters or young adults or are now settled, have disposable income, and more free time. “This group is now reachable again especially in slots like 10:30 pm,” said she.

With Kyunki, CID and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain leading the charge, the revival roster is far from done. Insiders suggest shows like Naagin, FIR, and Shrimaan Shrimati could be next in line. Meanwhile, connected TVs and Fast (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels are helping extend the reach of these classics into smaller towns and rural households, where smart TVs and budget broadband are becoming the norm.

Indian TV isn’t stuck in a time loop, it’s cleverly remixing the past. This wave of strategic nostalgia blends cultural memory with broadcast savvy, reminding us that some stories never really go out of style. In fact, they just get retold with better twists, lighting, cast and production values.

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

1 month ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

1 month ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

1 month ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.