The mythological show, Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, has scored over all the shows on Indian television. Airing on STAR India's general entertainment channel (GEC), Life OK, the show has got the highest viewership ratings for any show this year. The special 74-minute episode on September 9, has surpassed the record opening TVR (TV viewership ratings) of Sony Entertainment Television’s Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), as well as the that of the grand finale episode of Zee TV’s popular dance reality show Dance India Dance (DID) Li’L Masters.
According to data from TV ratings agency TAM Media Research (sourced from channels), the special episode of Mahadev clocked a whopping 8.2 TVR. Amitabh Bachchan-hosted KBC had opened at a 6.1 TVR, while the finale of DID Li’l Masters had scored an 8 TVR.
Ajit Thakur, general manager of Life OK, said, “Having recorded an 8.2 TVR on Devon ka Dev... Mahadev this week, we are delighted to see that audiences have acknowledged our efforts towards providing wholesome family entertainment. While the show is about a mythological story, we ensure that our audience is treated with top-quality content, using today’s cutting-edge technology. This is a stepping stone for us and we hope to further live up to the expectations, offering a never before entertainment experience to our viewers.”
| VYING FOR EYEBALLS Top 5 ratings this year | ||
| Show Name | Channel | Rating ( inTVR) |
| Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev | Life OK | 8.2 |
| DID Li's Masters finale | Zee TV | 8.0 |
| DID Li's Masters (Salman episode) | Zee TV | 7.5 |
| Diya Aur Baati Hum | Star Plus | 6.7 |
| KBC (Sony) | Sony | 6.1 |
| Source: TV ratings agency TAM Media Research | ||
In the 80s, mythological shows were a rage among viewers. With a limited number of TV sets and only one channel — Doordarshan — to watch, shows like Ramayan and Mahabharat captivated the audiences. Later, with satellite channels, many tried to copy the formula.
While some succeeded, others failed. But lately, it has been a normal practice to launch a channel with at least one mythological show. Imagine TV (which ceased operations this year) launched with Ramayan, while Colors launched with Jai Shri Krishna. Both shows rated well for the respective channels. So, when STAR India decided to revamp its second GEC, STAR One, and relaunch it with a new name — Life OK — it also selected Mahadev for its roster.
It is important to note here that the story of Lord Shiva is not being aired for the first time. Like Ramayan, which has been made three times already, Mahadev is the second time a channel is telling the tale of Lord Shive and Sati/ Parvati. Earlier, Dheeraj Kumar’s Creative Eye had made Om Namah Shivay for Doordarshan in 1996, which ran for over five years. Till today, Creative Eye is syndicating the rights of the show to many countries in many languages.
Talking to Business Standard, Kumar said, “Mythological shows will remain in existence in the future also, as the stories are imprinted on the mind and soul of the audiences. The public knows about the Gods and when these stories are in visual form, they appeal to the viewer in a very strong manner.”
Zee TV has also recently launched Ramayan in the Sunday morning slot, which is being simulcast on national broadcaster Doordarshan.
