The IPL versus TV serial debate

IPL is more about entertainment, and less about cricket. So say most cricket puritans and they are not entirely wrong. Be it the scantily clad cheerleaders or the singing competition before the matches, or the Bollywood celebrities, IPL has arguably been the biggest and most successful entertainment outings in recent years. So much so that television producers and channels think twice before launching a show during the IPL, film distributors prefer to postpone their releases while theatre screens find showing IPL matches instead of movies more profitable! In fact, last year there were rumours of the strike at theatres being prolonged because distributors did not want to have any releases during the IPL. But, how big is the IPL threat to Indian television shows this year? Till last year, there were hardly any shows launched during the cricketing event but this year seems to be different. Geet and Rang Badalti Odhani were launched on Star One, while Godh Bharai, Jamunia, Kashi and Gutur Gu went on air a little before IPL began on Sony, Imagine and SAB respectively. Does that mean producers and broadcasters have found a way out to beat the IPL matches? Yes and No – while everyone acknowledges that the T-20 matches do take away their viewership, at the same time they also feel that it is like a tidal wave which will come and go before you even took note of it.