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Porus and Prithvi Vallabh’s canvas is vast and splendid…will it pass the audience test?

Sony TV’s Porus and Prithvi Vallabh: Making small screen large 1

Ambition when backed by belief and hard work becomes destiny. There are a rare few who strive hard, battle challenges, endure like no other…but never give up.

The content paradigm in Indian television industry currently is in a state of flux. Hordes of ideas circle in the beaming galaxy, some connect with the audiences while most become irrelevant and enter the abyss of nothingness.

The need of the hour are endeavors which can break the monotony. And the shock, awe and admiration appeal has been brought by Sony Entertainment Television, thanks to its two power-packed ventures, Prithvi Vallabh and Porus.

To use the cliché, both shows have the ‘larger than life appeal’. Grand setting, impactful imagery, charismatic cinematography and impeccable visual effects, these elements gift viewers with a gratifying viewing experience, drawing solace from the fascinating world of make-belief.

The promos of Prithvi and Porus tug at your heart, raising curiosity and expectations. So which looks a better product? Well, Porus is all about grandness minus the punch while Prithvi strikes deep into your senses. Characters blend seamlessly with the visual magnanimity in Prithvi, holding its own whereas in Porus, it’s more of the setting that does the talking.

“Porus is hypnotic, trance like whereas Prithvi invokes memories of Lord of The Rings and Baahubali,” are the words of a fellow journalist, also a television programming enthusiast.

Here, we would like to connect with our opening statement. Sony, as a channel, has enjoyed being notional market leaders, always. Being early bloomers, it is registered deep in the consciousness of the masses. Over the last few years, the channel has doled out multiple fiction concepts, but has failed to strike gold. It’s currently hit a purple patch, thanks to its cult venture KBC becoming immensely successful.

When many would play defense owing to its fiction failures, kudos to Sony and its decision makers for pushing the envelope. As they say, fortune favours the brave. With quality, comes price. Porus and Prithvi are costly projects. Its success could very well open new doors of possibilities for not only Sony but the entire TV industry at large.

However, can small screen ever be large? Baahubali is better experienced at a theater. Agreed that best of visual effects and performances can be put in a TV project as well, but even if the hero makes a 100 feet dramatic death defying dash, the medium restricts its impact and appeal, given its size and visual bandwidth.

The key would be to develop characters which connect, relying only on largesse can prove suicidal, case in point Star Plus’ Aarambh. The VFX wave is here and lot rides on Porus and Prithvi to ascertain its future.

Lot of effort has gone into making of these projects and we hope they prove to be efficacious. Any business to spearhead depends on risk taking ability and with Porus and Prithvi…it’s now or never.

Let the show begin…

About The Author
Siddhartha Laik

With over 10 years of experience in media and entertainment, Siddhartha believes in the importance of attitude over aptitude. With Masters in English Literature from Fergusson College, Pune (First Class) and a Diploma in Journalism, he has immense knowledge in diverse fields of editorial, content creation, effective communication, team building, leadership, motivational speaking, personality development, success principles, digital, print and broadcast media, soft skills et al. “In today’s time it is all about multi-tasking. An individual has immense potential to break notions and conventions and explore unchartered territories. All one needs to do is work hard on self development and BELIEVE”-Siddhartha After being part of editorial teams in organizations like Times of India, Mid Day, Magna Publication, Indian Express, Sakaal Times, Indiantelevision.com Pvt Ltd Group, in capacity ranging from a reporter to Managing Editor & Head of Business, Siddhartha is the Founder & Editor-in-chief at IWMBuzz (earlier known as IndianWikiMedia). His role includes heading editorial, building and motivating teamforce, crisis management, business strategy and launching new properties. A communicator par excellence, a motivator, a leader, an innovator, a risk taker, Siddhartha was awarded the Best Student in his journalism course and has also featured on India TV as a commentator, Bigg Boss as a news seeker, and is a visiting faculty in multiple media institutions. His hobbies include playing a guitar, reading and writing fiction literature, debating and discussing on current affairs and watching superhero movies.