&TV seems to be going through a bad patch. None of its shows, except Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain and its spin-off, Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, is doing well as per &TV standards.
As it happens when shows don’t rate, the fear of chopping starts.
According to our source, this sister channel of Zee TV is contemplating whether to end the sci-fi social weekender, Shaadi Ke Siyape, starring Sheen Das, Mishkat Verma and Bhavya Gandhi. However, no final decision has been taken as yet.
Our khabru further added that the theme of fighting social evil in an alien milieu might not have clicked with audiences in critical Hindi-speaking markets.
Lead actress Sheen Dass, who is playing a Bhojpuri speaking alien, admitted to having heard the off air buzz, “But we have not got any official confirmation.”
Producer Sonali Jaffer denied the buzz. But our sources confirm that the warning has been given, for other cast members are already auditioning elsewhere.
When asked as to what is not clicking, Sonali said, “I am just a writer/producer and not a researcher who can comment on successful trends.”
Interestingly, Mishkat Varma, who plays a street smart Dj, says, “Someone had officially announced that nothing of this sort was happening.”
On the reason of the concept not working, he said, “It could be partly attributed to the IPL, and above all, it is too early to make any call as we are just 14 odd episodes old.”
Bhavya Gandhi too, while denying the scanner, refused to comment on low ratings, “As that is not my concern as an actor. As a maker, I would have been worried for sure.”
We tried to get in touch with &TV business head, Vishnu Shankar, but could not get through till the time of filing of this story.
