We don’t like to be party poopers at the start of the new year. But then, it is our job to keep you up to speed with the latest tellyland gossip.
As per informed sources, Zee TV is seriously contemplating pulling the plug on once very popular Muslim social, Ishq Subhan Allah (ISA), given its current low ratings.
The on-going high drama may be regarded as a last-ditch creative effort to stay in the race.
Sources add that if things Don’t. perk up soon, something might give as early as this month itself.
This original triple talaq-themed show had been steadily losing traction over the past few months but suffered a body blow when female lead actor Eisha Singh quit to head for the film industry.
“Today, lead actors have become more significant than the story, which, while assuring great numbers, can have a blowback if they leave. This is precisely what has happened here,” added our source.
An actor on the show, who preferred to remain anonymous, added, “The above precarious situation called for very deft creative handling, which again went off the curve as the show moved hands from producer Dheeraj Kumar to Essel Vision. So at the end, it becomes a case of too many cooks spoil the broth. New lead Tunisha so far has been unable to fit into Eisha’s big shoes as well.”
The story has also fallen into a trap. With Kabir (Adnan Khan) now being married to Rukhsar (Shipsy Rana), they can’t show the romance between him and Zara to save the day as well.
While ISA fans might feel short-changed with this probable axing, given that other shows on the channel rate far lower, in a way, ISA has become a victim of its own heady past. “With channel bosses still expecting the property to keep delivering like before (2.7), it is current rating of 1.2-1.4 is akin to loose change,” ended our source.
Anupam Bhattacharya, who plays Kabir’s father, says that the next couple of weeks will be critical. “Though the off-air buzz has been around for a while, we are yet to be officially intimated about the same.”
Our attempts to reach Adnan and the channel spokesperson came to nought.