| MUMBAI:
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the soap drama which once dominated Indian
TV, will end its over eight-year run this Thursday on Rupert Murdoch's Hindi general
entertainment channel Star Plus after the Bombay High Court on Monday rejected
its producer's plea for a stay halting the serial's cancellation.
Television content production house Balaji Telefilms had last month moved the
vacation bench of the Bombay High Court challenging Star Group's decision to terminate
its prime time daily soap. "Such
relief is not possible," said justice JH Bhatia. Flagging
ratings and a premium charge for the content had fuelled Star to send a termination
notice.
Balaji Telefilms's contention was that their show, the longest running soap on
Star Plus, wasn’t promoted by the channel. But the bench refused to accept
Balaji's argument.
"The
programme has outlived its life. We had no motive to hurt Balaji," Star's
counsel Ravi Kadam told the court. The serial has to be taken off the air because
the channel was losing viewers of prime time slot to other channels, he said. But
Balaji's counsel Ram Jethmalani argued that the agreement between the two parties
provided that the show will run at least upto March 2009.
Balaji
Telefilms, however, has three days to come up with an appeal. Kyunki...gained
popularity with its 'saas-bahu' theme centred around daughter-in-law Tulsi
played by Smriti Irani and stretched over more than 1500 episodes, but newer shows
marched ahead.
Star
Plus, which established its market supremacy with Amitabh
Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati? and
the three Balaji-created 'K' soaps (Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii,
Kasautii Zindagi Kay, and Kyunki...) since July
2000, is now moving into a more varied content mix of soaps,
reality and infotainment programming.
As
part of this strategy, Star Plus has started promoting the show which
will replace Kyunki...The leading Hindi GEC will now bank on Aap Ki
Kachehri, a reality-based infotainment show which has Kiran Bedi in anchor
role, at 10.30 pm while bidding adieu to Kyunki... Also
Read: Balaji
Telefilms moves court against Star on 'Kyunki' | 
