Hasna Mana Hai

Tellychakkar investigates why there are no good sitcoms today It is said that even re-runs of Sarabhai versus Sarabhai manage to earn a better TRP than most of the new shows being telecast on television today. It is also a known fact that compilation DVDs of Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi sell more than a number of new movies. At the same time, it is also not unknown to anyone that a list of top five sitcoms in the history of Indian television will not feature any show from the last five years. Sad, but true is the fact that in the recent past the Indian television industry has not been able to produce any good comedy serial which will make you forget all your woes and laugh the way Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Idhar Udhar and Sarabhai versus Sarabhai did years back. While a number of reality shows based on comedy (Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Comedy Circus, etc) have been successful, apart from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, not a single comedy serial has been able to manage good TRPs and make viewers laugh. Most industry insiders seem to think that high risk of failure and low profitability of sitcoms are reasons why producers and broadcasters are not too keen on making new shows.