If you recall it was just some time back that there was a spate of marriages happening on almost every alternate TV show. If a TV serial was going through a drop in ratings up came a marriage track and up went the ratings. This has been the practice since the past two years and it continues to work. You saw that Pavitra Rishta zoomed up to the number one spot as soon as Manav and Archana tied the knot. Chand Chupa Badal Mein, Pratha, Phulwa, Geet and Saathiya had dramatic wedding sequences and there was Gulaal, where the protagonist married her kid devar. There are more marriages still happening in Sanskaar Laxmi, Lapataganj and Tere Liye. In fact even on reality shows marriage was the flavour of the season. After the Shaadi 3 crore ki you now have Ratan Ka Swayamwar. And since most of us are suckers for marriages and everything surrounding it a marriage sequence often goes on for more than one episode. Soon after the season of marriage is over it was evident that there would be a pregnancy track. And sure enough the leading lady is shown with a baby bump. Pregnancy helps makers infuse love and romance in the serial. This too was happening simultaneously on a lot of shows and one can say it was almost like a trend to be pregnant. Currently Tapasya is pregnant in Uttaran, Archana was pregnant in Pavitra Rishta (she just miscarried), Akshara too had the same fate, if all goes well Disha will soon be pregnant in Sasural Genda Phool, Kesar is pregnant in Pratigya, Rasal of Kesariya Balam …is also pregnant. In Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo Bharti will get pregnant in the coming weeks but she may face problems. For all shows which have a pregnancy track there will be episodes of godh bharai or morning sickness and even some anxious moments waiting outside the doctor’s office. All this adds to the drama element thereby elevating a show’s TRPs. Now not all are lucky to deliver their babies and some will have to suffer miscarriages. And that is what is currently shown in Pavitra Rishta where Archana just suffered one and also in Yeh rishta where Akshara lost her baby. The reason for introducing such an emotional track is to ensure that there is enough drama that is created and also to retain the youth flavour of the show. Such a track can go on for quite a few episodes and add so much drama that audiences would be emptying their tissue boxes. Mission accomplished. Ratings up. A channel official admits that marriage and pregnancy are two evergreen twists which always work in daily soaps. And now adding to this is the miscarriage twist. Probably some creative genius is even thinking of a concept on this for a reality show. So after a swayamwar/marriage how about pregnancy and then child birth? Any takers? Read more...