Another South vs North battle is brewing in Tamil Nadu.
Over the past four years, a new secondary market has developed for top notch Hindi general entertainment fiction shows in the state. Tamil television networks have been picking up Hindi series, dubbing them into Tamil and putting them on air.
Among the Hindi shows that have got a Tamil home figure: Naagin, Ballika Vadu, Thapki Pyar Ki, Swaragini, and KumKum Bhagya, Udaan, and Uttaran, Na Aana is des Laado, Tu tu Main Main, Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi.

These have been shown on channels such as Polimer TV, Raj TV, Sun TV, and Vijay TV and have generated good ratings.

But that market is coming under threat on account of two developments - large networks such as Viacom18, Star India, Zee TV, are moving into launch their own Tamil GECs (either their first or second channels) and hence they are discontinuing the licensing of the dubbed Hindi shows – at least the more popular ones - to other Tamil channels.

On another front, the Tamil TV fraternity is coming up in arms against the increasing invasion of Hindi shows on the small screen. In fact, a day-long protest has been planned for 14 August at Valluvar Kottam, a monument dedicated to the famed poet Thiruvalluvar, in Chennai. Taking part in the protest will be small screen actors, producers, directors and technicians.

Estimates are that dubbed Hindi series account for 40 of the 80 slots for fiction on all Tamil television channels. The reason: the lower cost of acquiring the series and dubbing them. The production cost of a single original episode is anywhere between Rs 60,0000 to Rs 2.5 lakh; the acquisition price for a single ready dubbed Hindi series episode is anywhere between Rs 35,000-Rs 50,000 per episode.

The production values however are much higher in the case of Hindi fiction and the shows which are normally acquired already have a successful track record. Hence, Tamil TV channels have been banking on them. And over the past two years, more and more of these dubbed series have been attracting and retaining Tamil audiences.

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