The fundamental mantra for making an Indian television serial is so it should be never ending. It's to be on till scrapped by the channel producers.
Based on observations over the years the next guidelines have been listed as most essential.
The Storyline: As we've already mentioned the must mantra above the storyline should ideally have maximum elasticity. Means the storyline has to be structured in this way so it can go on endlessly taking in new angles or triangles or developments or shock treatment or altruistic twists or directorial wish and so it should never get caught with a dead end. You merely cannot afford to aim at a most logical end, because you have to aim at earning the utmost revenues possible-both for you and the TV channel. If revenues are observed to be dipping the channel producers will automatically and abruptly end it. This does not imply that the storyline ends there.
The Characters: Following as a corollary from the aforementioned the characters of your serial ought to be immense in numbers and stupendous in characterization. Mostly huge joint families are preferred with distant relatives thrown in as and when necessary. Please do not set any limits on the varied couple you can produce which range from the granddad-grandma anyone to the great grand son or daughter vs. great grand in-law couples, if possible. You must likewise have a rich reserve of dormant characters just to create them alive and kicking depending on the twist-wish necessity. And, also for the dreadful eventuality of the serial inevitably heading for a most logical end you are able to just withdraw from the reserve and manhandle it to the never ending track again. Say no to the frowns and scowls of the channel producers. Always.
The Location: You have no choice here thanks to the aforementioned conditions. You must always have a huge posh bungalow with a gigantic hall and inner staircases ultimately causing the galleries and rooms above. This requirement is regardless of whether your serial is urban or rural based and perhaps the protagonist is a computer software billionaire or a right down to earth cultivator. You must understand, you will need the area to maneuver your abundant quantity of characters around and showcase their emotions. You will need the demonic hall, because during a dramatic moment you have to make all of your characters there and go on taking their reaction close ups endlessly with the cameras doing go-rounds or vertical assaults.
Before we proceed to other crucial guidelines let's have a break. We do this in sympathetic acknowledgement of the nut breaking importance of breaks for a serial.
