As film and television production has come to a halt from 19 March because a nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus, TV channels will be replacing many of popular running shows with other content.
The lack of fresh episodes has thrown a tough challenge to the GEC’s (General Entertainment Channels), to continue engaging the audience that is confined at home, and looking to their television, along with online streaming platforms, for their entertainment.
ZEE TV will now air three web series from Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji (video on demand platform) between the 9 pm and 11 pm slots. And the show will bring some popular television actors back on prime time.
The shows that will air include Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar-starrer ‘Karle Tu Bhi Mohabbat’, Sharman Joshi and Asha Negi’s ‘Baarish’ and Ronit Roy, Mona Singh and Gurdeep Kohli-led ‘Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain’.
These three Alt Balaji shows will replace popular daily soaps Kumkum Bhagya and Kundali Bhagya. The repeats of the two shows will instead be aired between 7 pm and 9 pm.
The content in the prime time slot will now be different from what daily soap viewers are generally used to. Karle Tu Bhi Mohabbat is about a struggling superstar (Ram Kapoor) recovering from his addiction to alcohol, and his new counselor (Sakshi Tanwar).
Baarish is the story of a Gujarati businessman (Sharman) and a Maharashtrian girl (Asha Negi). The two have contrasting values and personalities, but are pushed into a marriage by the families. Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain is a love triangle between a chartered accountant Rohit (Ronit Roy), his wife Poonam (Gurdeep Kohli) and an interior designer Ananya (Mona Singh).
Meanwhile Star Plus is banking on their brand new show Maharaja Ki Jai Ho to keep the audience interested at 9 pm, the slot which was supposed to go to Rupali Ganguly-starrer Anupamaa, which was postponed due to lack of episodes.
Colors TV is banking on the repeats of Bigg Boss 13 from 9 pm to 10 pm.
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