Tulsi's death: Tears for Saas...?

It has been the most successful soap opera on television, with its protagonist Tulsi Virani (played by Smriti Irani) virtually becoming a household name.

But Tulsi, in Ekta Kapur's Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT), which in terms of TRPs has been amongst the top five serials on TV for over seven years, will die on Wednesday.

Advertisers, competitors as well as Star TV admit that Tulsi's death will impact the serial's overall popularity. Says Paritosh Joshi, president, ad sales and distribution, Star India, "Characters come and go. It is the story narrative that drives audiences to a show. The ratings might not be impacted in the short term, but in the long run we may have to rework the serial."

KSBKBT's ratings have slipped from an average of 11 during its peak to around 4.5, according to TAM Media Research. However, in terms of viewership it has always been amongst the top serials. Media-buying house Starcom, which has major clients that take slots on the programme, said viewership for the serial could drop.

Says Manish Porwal, managing director of Starcom India (south and west), "With a strong character going away, there could be a problem of viewership until Ekta brings innovativeness and freshness in the serial. Large format serials are as good as their TRPs." Advertisers pay Rs 2 lakh for a ten-second slot on the programme.

Competitors also say that Tulsi's exit will have an adverse impact on the serial. "Tulsi Virani and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi are synonymous with each other. The show has primarily been successful because of the character. Now, with the character dying it is natural that ratings will drop," said Asish Kaul, senior vice-president (corporate brand development), Zee Network.

However, the exit of advertisers is expected to be slower. Said a media expert, "Advertisers will not withdraw their ads simply because a character has been pulled off the serial. Advertisers sign long-term deals with broadcasters. At the same time, if Star's ratings continue to post a downward trend in the long term, advertisers are likely to reduce their ad spends on the show."

Smriti Irani's exit from the serial was a foregone conclusion after the actress charted out on her own, setting up her production house in a tie-up with Kumar Mangalam Birla promoted Applause Entertainment. Irani is also acting in other serials like Virudhh, being aired on Sony TV, but it has not matched Kyunki's.... popularity and TRPs.