MUMBAI: It had been pacing on the sidelines for the past seven weeks, waiting to reoccupy the second slot in the Hindi GEC sweepstakes. And week 34 of the TAM calendar 2012, saw the Raj Nayak-led Colors getting there courtesy its fiction and non-fiction properties registering improved viewership ratings.

As per TAM data (C&S, HSM, 4+), provided by Hindi GECs, Colors added 20 GRPs to its last week’s tally to record 258 GRPs in the week ended 25 August. The channel saw growth in viewership of shows like ‘Balika Vadhu’ (4.8 TVR), ‘Uttaran’ (2.8 TVR), ‘Zindagi Ki Haqiqat se Amna Samna’ (2.2 TVR) and ‘Jhalak Dikhhlaja’ (4.3 TVR).

Star Plus, which had slipped to second place last week following a great showing by the DID Lil Masters finale on Zee TV in the previous week, clawed its way back to the No1 position this week. The leader added 10 GRPs to close the week with 264 GRPs (only six ahead of Colors, mind you). Its fiction show ‘Diya aur Baati Hum’, which is top gun among all fiction shows in the Hindi GEC space, crossed the 6 TVR-mark clocking 6.7 TVR (last week 5.7). Other shows like ‘Saathiya Saath Nibhana’ (3.7 TVR) and ‘Pratigya’ (2.4 TVR) registered gains while Arjun, which opened with 2.3 TVR on 11 August, rated 1.7 TVR (last week 1.3 TVR) . Meanwhile, ‘Teri Meri Love Story’ also grew to record a 1.2 TVR (last week 0.8).

Last week‘s leader Zee TV lost 46 GRPs this week to take the No 3 position, despite the fact that its DID lil Masters-2 replacement, ‘Dance ke Superkids’, opened with 5.6 TVR on 25 August. The show, an extension of ‘DID lil Masters,’ will run for five weeks until the channel launches another season of its blockbuster Sa Re Ga Ma on 29 September. Ramayan which racked up 2.7 TVR on debut dropped to 1.8 TVR in its second episode. Fear Files continues to generate good numbers with 3 TVR.

Though the shows like Crime Patrol (3.9 TVR), CID (3.6 TVR) and Indian Idol-6 (2.6 TVR) have seen increased eyeballs, Sony Entertainment Television (Set) with an overall loss of three GRPs continued its run at fourth place. But expect its ratings to move northwards in the coming weeks with KBC slated to launch during weekend primetime.

Meanwhile, Set’s sister channel Sab, lost 7 GRPs and ended the week with 126 GRPs. A GRP away from Sab, Life OK followed with 125 GRPs. It lost eight GRPs in the week.

Sahara One with 37 GRPs (last week 35) remained at the bottom of the ladder.