New trend of storytelling in Eid drama

Once Eid dramas used to be comedies only. Producers, directors and television authorities had an invariable leaning towards comic stories. This rom-com genre continued for a long time.

Seemingly that tend is about to be changed this time. Realistic and contemporary stories are being prioritised in Eid drama now. And these storylines are highlighting various human stories of individuals, families and society.

Even a few years ago, audience used to watch several comedy dramas like ‘Jomoj’, ‘Shei Rokom Cha Khor’ and ‘Sikandar Box’ on Eid. A number of comedy drama including ‘Jaigai Khai Jaigai Break’, ‘Pinik Man Sequel’, ‘Matha Gorom Jamai’ were telecast on the last couple of Eids.

The scenario is changing a bit this time as human stories are being portrayed in dramas alongside comedy. Actor Mosharraf Karim said, “Despite everything, the audience of television drama prefers watching comedy stories during Eid. These stories too are human. There are meaning to these dramas and they are not just any old stories either.”

“There are different messages in these stories that intrigue the audience. But this time, quite a few stories have focused on human subjects alongside comedy in the field of this work. These life-centric stories are also being received well by the audience,” he continued.

For a long period of time, actor Niloy Alamgir has worked in comedy dramas one after another. The audience has long been complaining about the quality of his dramas.

However, Niloy couldn’t break free from the cycle of doing dramas of the same genre because there was high audience demand for them. Although, he worked in a few family dramas based on social reality in between comedies, they used to have less view.

Despite continuing with comedies due to audience demand later, this actor leaned towards life oriented dramas this year. He started with the drama ‘Mamar Bari’ based on the subject of daughters’ rights in ancestral inheritance.

Here, the sister goes through a unique experience in acquiring the ownership of inherited land from her brother. Quite a few scenes from this human drama involving the brother and the sister went viral on social media.

In most of these dramas, Niloy has been paired up with actress Jannatul Sumaiya Himi. She said, “The beginning of this change came with Niloy Alamgir. He was the one talking to the directors first for something different. We gained success right in the beginning. We have worked as a pair in six or seven Eid dramas. Just as there is comedy in these stories, the humanitarian subjects are also being highlighted.”

After the success of ‘Jaigai Khai Jaigai Break’, a sequel of the drama named ‘Jaigai Break’, starring Mosharraf Karim and Tania Brishty is releasing on this Eid. Director of the drama, Zakiul Islam said, “The taste of the audience is undergoing changes now.”

“Recently, I made a serious drama titled ‘Bhat’ which reached a larger audience than I had initially expected. But, we have this idea that the audience prefers comedies only. This trend is changing this time. I have made five dramas and all five of them are based on serious stories. For the audience demand has shifted towards contemporary issues now.”

Director Rafat Mazumdar said, “I had been commended for making family-centric humanitarian stories even before. The audience prefers serious stories now. This time, I have decided to make serious stories only. Even the producers are showing interest. It’s only normal that if the audience’s taste changes everyone will naturally go into that direction.”    

More than 500 dramas including ‘Keno Dekha Holo Na’, ‘Noroshundori’, ‘Mastan’, ‘Noor’, ‘Noyontara’, ‘Rupkotha’, ‘Rod Brishtir Golpo’ and so on are awaiting release. The television channels are designing their programmes with a number of realistic stories centered on topic like long term medical treatment, wrongdoings of local miscreant gangs and their impacts, lost lovers being reunited after long time or a woman’s struggle to run the family from working as a barber.

General manager of the programme division at private television channel, NTV Alfred Khokon Said, “We always try to show the stories of audience’s preference. Now the viewers are enjoying life oriented stories more. We want to strike a balance to attract all the different types of audience. There is variety in our drama this time as well.”