10 rules for a hit TV show

10 rules for a hit TV show

1. Half the batter is won if you have a good story and good characters. There is no known formula for success. What works for one serial might not work for another.

2. Get the cast right; make lovable characters. You must choose the correct artiste for a particular role. Take your time until you find the right person.

3. Be innovative. You must try out something new every week.

4. What do you like in your man? Put all those qualities in your hero. Likewise, make your heroine have all the qualities that you would like to see in a woman.

5. The villain should have all the qualities you don't like in people.

6. The serial should have a husband you would never meet in real life -- the husband that does everything for his wife. So the housewife watching this serial falls in love with him. He is everything her husband is not. And the wife in the serial should also be so loving that every man watching it wants her to be his wife. This is a dream we create and people fall in love with that dream.

7. Style your characters well. Many women choose their saris according to what they see their favourite characters wearing. If it is set in a village, they should wear village costumes. If you are showing Lucknow, make them wear clothes from there.

8. Select a good director, who not only understands the story but also its nuances. This is crucial. Being dramatic is easy. Being subtle is difficult.

9. The serial should have a distinctive flavour. The costumes, dialogues and the settings should have a distinct flavour.

10. Follow your heart. If you don't have it in you, then pick the best in the market.