Many years ago, Aahat kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The show on Sony had a long and successful run.
Then came the Zee Horror Show . The show did not have as popular a run as the previous one but it was successful in giving viewers a change from family soaps. Now, Zee TV is bringing fear back on television with its new show Fear Files – Har Mod Pe Darr . The show approaches fear from an interesting perspective- you can run but you cannot hide, it is closer to you than you think because fear can haunt you every step of the way. It is not just about ghost, gore and bloodshed. The show goes on air this weekend completing the channel’s bouquet of different types of shows like Neeli Chatri Waale , Maharakshak Devi and DID Super Moms.
Shedding light on the second season of the show, Pradeep Hejmadi, Zee TV Business Head, says, “At Zee TV, we have always looked at weekends as quality time for the entire family. So, when it comes to content we plan for this band, the attempt has always been to bring in variety such that there is something for each member of the family. At 7 p.m. we have a local super hero story ( Maharakshak Devi ), at 8 p.m. in the funny zone we have ( Neeli Chatri Waale ), then we have the DID Super Moms - a talent based show. The only thing missing was a horror show. So, we have completed the proposition and the 10-30 slot is conducive for such a show.”
Zee TV has engaged four different producers and given them four different themes to work on to provide more variety to the fare. The production houses engaged are Essel Vision, BBC India, Bodhi Tree Productions and Shree Jagganaath Productions.
Unlike Hindi films where fear is generated through a ghost walking in the darkness or a headless image coming towards you, here simpler elements will be used to induce the same feeling.
Sukesh Motwani of Bodhi Tree Productions, says, “The first season of Fear Files have received good TRPs which means the audience likes to get scared. To peep into some other’s life interests us.
This time we have come up with more interesting things like we are trying to create fear by a leaf or even a shadow, a lift gate which is not closing or a crow sitting on the window and not willing to go and so on.
These small -small things are definitely going to scare the audience.”
The show has no big stars as the story is the king and the presence of stars would have taken the focus away from the story.
The story too would have appeared contrived. Tells Motwani, “There are no big stars playing the characters as we want the show to appear more real so we have engaged theatre actors.
These actors are lesser known and not familiar faces.”
Motwani says, "In Hindi horror films we have more sex but television being a family entertainment medium we will avoid this thing.
We tell family stories for instance how a mother feels or senses when her son is going out, someone going on a road journey and find something unusual.”
( Fear Files – Har Mod Pe Darr on Zee TV on April 25th, every Saturday and Sunday at 10-30 p.m.)
