These promos on Star Bharat are brilliant

Television, especially GEC TV, is all about storytelling. But somehow, storytelling in Hindi GECs in India has been confined to show concepts. OK, let me revise that statement to ‘storytelling efforts in Hindi GECs in India have been confined to show concepts’, and that’s another story.

In this one, I want to share with you an exceptionally delightful, stand-apart piece of creative narrative that literally cuts the crap one sees on most Hindi GECs. No, this isn’t about a show; it’s about a brilliant series of on-air promos.

Let’s see now. Where does one begin? A perfect cast brilliantly becomes superbly real, likeable characters: a bright, smiling, helpful young bank-helpline   lady; a kindly, protective, grandmotherly lady showering tender love on a little infant whose young working parents lave it in her care; a sweet, positive, sincerely smiling aggregator-service cab driver… all in very real, heart-warming tableaux, set the tones of the promos.

See how the narrative unfolds, in superbly scripted, produced, shot, edited fashion to dramatic effect – each promo seems to have been produced like a little movie, telling its superb story.

Why I haven’t named the show is because in the quite unlikely event that you haven’t watched any of these promos, that would be a spoiler for you. So let me first share the promos right here for you

Here. Watch:

The sweet and helpful bank customer-care executive:

The saaf-sutthra, smiling-sincere taxi driver of a cab aggregator service:

Aren’t these promos brilliant little stand-alone films in themselves? I love how these narratives quietly sidestep your guard and smash you one in the solar.

I haven’t been able to source the third promo about the caring grandmotherly baby sitter, but it’s on Star Bharat.

The show, as you know, is Savdhaan India, returning with its new series mid-July on Star Bharat. What the promos have achieved is superb storytelling of a quality that will put enormous pressure on the narration of the series to match up. One hopes the episodes are shot in a way that lives up to the promise of the promos. Knowing Star’s penchant for creative and execution, one is confident, but the promos have set a very high standard indeed.

Aren’t these promos brilliant little stand-alone films in themselves? I love how these narratives quietly sidestep your guard and smash you one in the solar!

I’m already leaning forward in acute mental anticipation  for the new series of Savdhaan India that these promos are announcing. Sushant Rajput has a great voice and presentation style, and I hope he will return as the series presenter.  It’s slated to  play out from 18th July as a stripped show, Mondays to Saturdays, at 10 pm on Star Bharat, and I can tell you – these are some of, if not the, most memorable Indian  TV show promos I’ve watched in over the last two dozen years.

On an aside, as a genre, crime shows are great. But what I particularly like is how Star Bharat shows actually walk the talk of helping Indians, especially women, find their voice, courage, even their feet in some very challenging circumstances. Like an episode presented by Rajput, where, in the midst of a gripping criminal doctor’s case narrative, even as he advises and cautions the viewer about being careful, he also informs and inspires important social protagonists and other players in general to understand, respect and support women. Without slowing down the gripping story narrative.

Good TV content on a GEC is the result of great synergy amongst its creative, marketing and, of course, the on-air promotions teams. And for these promos, all three at Star Bhart need to take a bow. What do you think?