By Anil Merani: The current Bigg Boss season is not a ratings guzzler (average) and has yet been extended. What could be the reason? Let’s look deep into it.
Colors TV is smartly moving Bigg Boss 18 weekdays an hour and a half, later to 10.30 pm. The Weekend Ka Vaar will continue in its 9.30 slot.
Colors fiction slate scores poorly post-10 pm; hence, if they bring in new shows, it is not a worthwhile investment. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak averaged around 0.8 TVR.
On the other hand, if you push Bigg Boss into late at night (10.30p,), you will at least get traffic, and some of the audiences might stick to later fiction shows.
Bigg Boss populates at least 2/3 slots, so an average of 1.3 across three slots will help Colors GRP.
Had Bigg Boss 18 rated well, it would have continued at its prior time slot, but continuing it at super Prime Time with lower take-homes was not an ideal situation for Colors mandarins.
This is not the first time Bigg Boss has aired at 10.30
Also, Bigg Boss is a tent pole property, bringing much attention to the channel. The varied celeb list adds a lot of social media heft, which everyday staple family dramas can’t compete.
But yes, the format is beginning to wane. The public is tired of voyeurism and constant fighting. Most contestants come prepared well, so Bigg Boss must think harder to create drama.
It’s clear that several factors contribute to the decline in Bigg Boss’s ratings. This is a clear sign for the makers to take a step back and rethink the show’s direction, considering the audience’s changing preferences and expectations.
The format is expensive. Now, we also have Bigg Boss OTT, which seems overkill. The novelty factor is dead, given it has been around for 18 years.
A break could be the breath of fresh air that Bigg Boss needs, allowing the creative team to think outside the box and bring in new, exciting elements.
A lot also depends on the contestant mix; if you get that right, you have a blockbuster. This season’s mix is a little to write home about. Vivian Dsena and Karanveer Mehra are the only contestants who are universally talked about. Others have yet to impress.
The makers tried to add a glamour element courtesy of Wildcards (Yamini Malhotra, Edin Rose, and Aditi Mistry). Still, they have yet to show their mojo and significantly boost the show’s ratings.
So, the present season is not a great prospect, yet it has longer legs, which could be a strategic move or a sign of the show’s enduring popularity despite its current ratings.
The makers might hope that there could be a last-minute turn of fate.