Varun Badola reflects on the shift in television content from the early 2000s to now

Mumbai, Oct 10 (IANS) A popular name in the television industry, Varun Badola, reflected on the shift in the content of television from the early 2000s to now.

During an exclusive interaction with IANS, Badola was asked, "You've been in the industry for much longer. Many of us have grown up watching your work. How do you view the shift in television content from the early 2000s to now?"

Claiming that the shift has been paramount, Badola shared, "Back then, storytelling was tight, accurate, and strong. Shows like Astitva told meaningful stories. These days, unfortunately, content is often dictated by public demand."

He added that channels now regularly tweak storylines based on weekly feedback, interrupting the storytelling process.

"I really wish that producers and networks would stick to their narrative plans. Every story has highs and lows — that’s natural. But if you start changing things overnight based on TRPs or audience polls, the story loses depth," he added.

Badola will soon be seen reprising his role as K.D. Bansal in the second season of the beloved drama, "Jamnapaar"

Spilling his excitement about the return of the show, he said that he is more anxious than excited.

"There was definitely a lot of enthusiasm during season one because it was a fresh concept — something new for the audience. With JamnapaR Season 2, we’re back with the same family, though we’re tackling a different set of challenges now. But there’s pressure, undoubtedly, because the first season was a runaway success," he revealed.

When asked if the success had set high expectations, Badola said, "Absolutely. The response wasn’t just good — it was overwhelming. If I remember correctly, we crossed over a million views within the first month or so. And, at that time, the second-most watched show on the platform had less than half of that. That scale of response raises the stakes — and yes, the anxiety."

--IANS

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