Thrillers and spooky serials have always been the crowd pullers, ever since the cable television came to India. Serials like the Zee Horror Show on Zee TV, Aahat on Sony and Mano Ya Na Mano were the forerunners of horror shows on television. While these shows were marred by the rising popularity of the saas-bahu soaps, there has been a rise in the line up of horror-themed shows on television. Zee TV?s Shree, Shhh…Phir Koi Hai on Star One, 9X?s Black and Colors? Koi Aane Ko Hai as well as a new genre of ?horror comedy? introduced by SAB TV?s Bhootwala Serial are some of the recent offerings.
Number game
Danish Khan, Marketing Head, Sony Entertainment Television feels that horror shows are capable of generating a positive interest. ?Horror is an exhibition-driven genre and if executed and produced well, it can lead to high Television Rating Points (TRPs),? says Khan. According to television rating agency, aMap, shows like Koi Aane Ko Hai managed to acquire a high TRP of 3.2 on its debut episode. Shree followed close with a rating of 3.1. While paranormal thriller Black and Bhootwala Serial garnered 0.4 and 0.6 respectively, Sshhh..Phir Koi Hai?s ratings dwindled between 0.6 to1.3.
Marketing mantras
Thriller and horror shows have its loyal audience and can be quite captivating. However, there have not been many innovative concepts to popularise this genre as it has not been explored enough in India. Thus, marketing these shows in the right manner can generate the initial interest among viewers.
SAB TV, for its show Bhootwala Serial, had men dressed as skeletons and stilt walkers dressed in ghost costumes, disseminating information about the show. Anooj Kapoor, Business Head, SAB TV says, ?Horror shows require an effective and intrusive method of marketing. Thus, the strategy we used for endorsing our horror comedy series was identifiable as well as innovative. Due to the promotional stunts that we carried out, our viewership escalated. At a non-prime time slot where we experience a viewership of 12 lakh, we were able to double that figure and experience a viewership of 24 lakh through the first episode itself.?
Special effects
Deepak Ramsay, one of the producers of the Zee Horror Show feels that the format of contemporary horror shows may not be up to the mark. ?As far as costumes, locations and production values are concerned, the new horror shows on TV are great. This is mainly due to the improved budget of these shows as well as the constructive interference of the channel in terms of creative inputs.? However, he quickly points out that the content of these shows is ?trashy? and has degraded over the years. ?When is the last time you heard someone praise a spooky story on TV? Horror shows should leave a lasting impression on one?s mind. Music and background score also play a crucial role in popularising horror shows,? he mentions.
Another factor that dampens the haunting feeling while watching horror shows on TV is the lack of a proper viewing experience. Film analyst Vinod Mirani opines, ?Scary movies have always had more appeal than spooky TV shows as India still consists of single TV homes, where TV viewing is a family affair. While people enjoy watching horror films in a dark cinema hall with enhanced surround sound effects, distractions at home dilute the impact of the spooks.?
Advertisement driven
Ravi Menon, EVP and GM, Star One says, ?Certain advertisers find it superstitious to advertise with horror shows as they consider it to be ominous. Horror is more palatable when intertwined with other elements like a social message of good triumphing evil.? However, most broadcasters mention that the inventories of these shows are always full. The target audience for these shows mainly comprises middle-aged men and youngsters below 24 years of age and hence the categories of brands that advertise with these shows cater to this specific group as well.
Sunil Agnihotri, Producer of Black mentions, ?The storyline of any horror show has to appeal to the audience. The genuineness of any thriller or horror show is influential in deciding its fate.?
He further adds that the show was launched at a crucial time when 9X was already amidst reports that advertisers did not want to associate with the channel. ?The launch of the show soon elicited a positive response from sponsors,? says Agnihotri. With the tribe of the horror shows on television increasing, it remains to be seen if it?s just Bollywood effect or channels are exploring this genre for the sake of variety.
