The Weight of Legacy

The landscape of media has undergone a tectonic shift in the past two decades.

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

Digital has emerged as the levier de croissance, reshaping content creation, distribution, and consumption; consumers have moved from appointment viewing to binge-watching; and housewives—the primary consumers of family soaps—have moved from kohl-smudging tearjerkers to reality-TV flamboyance.

Against this backdrop, will Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT), which concluded in 2008 after an eight-year run, be able to stage a comeback?

Back in 2000, during the satellite TV era, KSBKBT had captivated audiences across households, becoming one of the most-watched TV shows alongside Kaun Banega Crorepati. The soap, which also made Star Plus the most-watched Hindi general entertainment channel, will start its new innings on the same channel on July 29 with daily episodes at 10:30 p.m. It will also be available for digital audiences on JioHotstar. A JioStar spokesperson says the new season offers a modern lens on themes that younger, digitally native viewers care about, such as family dynamics, parenting, relationships, identity, and emotional complexity.

"The dual-platform approach of linear TV and digital reflects today's evolved viewing behavior, where audiences fluidly navigate between television, connected TV (CTV), and mobile," he adds.