Chennai: It will be appropriate to say that Nagini was an eye opener for Sun TV Network….., as the Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam version of the show launched in its respective language GECs Sun TV, Gemini TV and Surya TV has shown the real potential of the platforms to its Programming team and exposed what kind of turnaround they can achieve by delivering the right content that can match with the expectation of the audience.
On Sun TV the Tamil Version of Nagini launched at 10 PM time band has marked a 100% growth in viewership in the very first week itself by pushing the average TVR from 4 TVR to 8+ TVR. During the week 32, Nagini on Sun TV has scored 13+ TVR and it was an impressive shot-in-the-arm scenario for the Programming team that was unsuccessfully experimenting various genres like Horror Comedy, Thriller Fantasy apart from the regular Family Dramas, whereas its ratings kept dropping with a new-low-is-new-high kind of scenario.
On the other hand, in Surya TV and Gemini TV Nagini has emerged as the channel leader right from the beginning that has started re-writing the fortune of both the channels. On Surya TV it opened with 2.93 TVR in its 9 PM time band that was previously delivering 0.6 TVR and on Gemini TV at 9 PM it opened with 4.05 TVR that was delivering 1.5 TVR. It went on to grow further to 8 TVR on Gemini TV and 5 TVR on Surya TV as on week 32 .
This breakthrough was a much needed relief for both Surya TV and Gemini TV that was reeling under severe erosion of Fiction GRPs in their respective markets despite their efforts to arrest the same with many new launches in Fiction and Non Fiction front. However, the Impact of Nagini was so much that the potential of respective channel has increased manifold and thus paving way for easy opening comfort for the newly launched programs and build a strong ladder of programs surrounding it.
On Gemini TV they made use of the growth of Naagini to bring in new show Keratalu @ 8:30 PM replacing its old warhorse Srawana Sameeralu and managed to open with 6.5 TVR. Earlier, this prime fiction slot of Gemini TV used to deliver less than 3 TVR. This also helped Agni Poolu at 8 PM time band to increase to 2.5 TVR to 4.5 TVR. It may be noted that Radha Gopalam and Thodikodalu that was launched before the entry of Nagini has failed miserably despite huge promotions.
Similarly, Malayalam GEC Surya TV has become No. 2 in Prime Time and new show Ennum Sontham Johny launched in its 9:30 PM (Next to Malayalam version of Naagini) managed to open with 4 TVR and after four weeks it got stabilized around 3 TVR. Without Naagini this would have been Himalayan task for Surya TV to pull in such numbers. Now, the Channel has launched Amme Mahamaayi – a story based on Goddesses Kollur Mookambika in its 7:30 PM in order to take its rivals head on in the evening time band itself. While the Programming Team is very optimistic on the outcome of the show and reviews so far, it will surely be an important development to be watched in the Malayalam GEC space.
Despite all the above positivity, Sun TV Network would have also realised the fact that unlike its other Fiction shows that runs for years together, Naagini is limited episode show that will be approaching its end in couple of months and they need to “make hay while the Sun Shine”.
Sun TV has taken a bold step by replacing its show Devathai with the repeat telecast of Naagini, a move that was seen as a positive approach by Industry veterans as 12 PM time band was not living up to its potential for the past couple of years and Injecting Naagini is expected to create ripples in the entire afternoon time band of Sun TV.
While this is the scenario of the Impact created by Naagini. Market Sources reveal that Sun TV Network is brazing up for replacement of Naagini in October 2016 and its plans of roping in a Big Director from Kollywood and his Production House will be announced in couple of days.
Sun TV is under pressure to bring in an Original content as replacement for Naagini due to the growing protest by Tamil Nadu Television Producers, who are up against the growing influence of dubbing content in Prime Time.
The protest was mainly due to the unprecedented success of Naagini on Sun TV @ 10 PM and Ini Irumalargal on Zee Tamil @ 7:30 PM (dubbed version of Kumkuma Bhagya on Zee TV that became the channel driver, delivers around 3 to 4 TVR despite pitted against Kuladeivam on Sun TV) that created a sense of uncertainty among the TV Producers in Tamil Nadu.
Nevertheless, Naagin has also taught big lesson to Sun TV that it is possible to regain its peak of 28 to 30 TVR average in Prime Time that was scored during the days of “Metty Oli” and “Kolangal”, rather than settling down for new-low-is-new-high tendency that has brought down its Prime Time Average to 17 TVR…..!!!!
