Producer Sunjoy Waddhwa and his esteemed production house, Sphereorigins, renowned for creating captivating and timeless television dramas such as Balika Vadhu, Saat Phere etc, are presently having Meri Bhavya Life on Colors. The show boldly addresses critical themes surrounding beauty standards and the societal pressures that accompany them, engaging viewers in a much-needed conversation. Sphereorigins has a rich history of introducing fresh talent to the entertainment industry, and their projects often feature authentic depictions of pressing social issues, making them a significant player in contemporary television storytelling. With Meri Bhavya Life, they continue this tradition by offering a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences and challenges conventional perceptions of beauty.
Producer Sunjoy Waddhwa talks exclusively to IWMBuzz.com about his ongoing show, the recent trends in the TV industry and much more.
Read here.
How has the response been to Meri Bhavya Life?
The concept is good, and the response has been good. Now, we will see it getting much better because we launched the show about a month back, but at that time, the IPL was happening. Later, the war situation started, and then again IPL resumed. So now, a clean run has started since last week, after the IPL.
Broadcasters are under pressure for performance. But honestly, one or two months is not enough to judge a show.
How is it with your team when the show does not rate as expected?
There are many reasons for that. See, it’s a very young show. It takes time. We have hardly done about 30–32 episodes so far. It takes a little time for characters to get properly set. And also, we were at 7 pm, and the matches would start at 7:20 pm. Now, I think because we have a very strong storyline, it will grow. The ratings have been between 0.7 to 0.8. The time spent is also fluctuating between 15 to 16 minutes. So it’s a good base, and from here, it will only grow.
In recent years, broadcasters have not been as patient as before. Earlier, great shows ran for a long time. As a producer, how do you feel about shows getting cut short?
Even though the concept may be good, sometimes shows are taken off the air urgently. Yes, but even broadcasters are under pressure for performance. But honestly, one or two months is not enough to judge a show. That is true. They need to improve their patience level. A lot of this has happened because of the mergers. Decisions like what to keep and what not to keep are always discussed. But yes, answering to your point, patience level needs to improve. To give a fair chance to any show, at least 100 episodes should be given. That was the norm earlier. Shutting a show in two months is not good for anyone.
Meri Bhavya Life will now see Rishank and Bhavya’s lives merging after marriage, and that will give a different viewing experience.
When this happens, how does it affect you as a maker and your team, especially when we know that creating a show takes a lot of time and effort?
I will answer this in two parts. Fortunately, it has not happened with us so far. So I am not in the same boat as those it has happened to. Our effort is always to work in such a way that we don’t face this situation. But honestly, these things are not 100% in your hands. When a show is shut down in two months, the producer suffers huge losses. A lot goes into making a show. In the first one or two months, you are setting up characters, you are not yet in that daily rhythm where you can start making money. It takes time. So if any show ends in two months, it is unfortunate for the producer. It’s just that you can’t plant a seed and expect it to become a tree in two weeks. Patience is necessary. If, after three or four months, you still don’t see any traction, it is fine to take a call. But two months is not fair.
Coming back to Meri Bhavya Life, Prisha Dhatwalia and Karan Vohra have been getting good traction as a couple. How does it feel?
It feels good. It’s an impossible love story, and that’s what is catching attention. Both characters are very strong, and their banter is working. After some time, people will start rooting for them to come together. Now, the major wedding track is on air. After the wedding, our show will open up. So far, we have shown what the two leads are doing in their individual lives. Now their lives will merge, and that will give a different viewing experience.
Prisha deserves a special mention. She’s doing well for a newcomer. How does it feel to discover new talent?
Yes, Prisha certainly needs a special mention. She’s doing very well. She is confident. What she is in real life, she brings into the show. We could see this from the very first promo. When we met her, we were sure. But we still did other auditions, because that’s the process. But in our company, we were 100% sure she was the one, and we backed her fully.
Sphereorigins has, over the years, unearthed great new talents who have gone on to have established careers. Tell us about it.
Yes, over the years, we have launched many new faces. It takes a lot of hard work and it’s not easy. But we have always done that. From Saat Phere to Balika Vadhu to Ganga, we have given the industry new talents. Now, Prisha is bagging the limelight.
What’s happening on the OTT front?
We have a new show coming. It’s an espionage spy thriller.
