'Balika Vadhu': 2000 and counting

With 2,000 episodes, the Colors show lays claim to becoming the longest daily fiction on air.

One of Colors' flagship shows, drama series, 'Balika Vadhu' has crossed the 2,000-episode mark. This is a record of sorts in the Hindi GEC sphere. The channel says that, over the years, the content of the show has stayed true to societal customs and beliefs. It has covered issues like child marriage, domestic abuse, marital rape, remarriage and girl child education, with its story set in rural India.

Among the other long running shows currently on Hindi GECs, 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' has touched 1,855 episodes, while SAB TV's 'Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' is at 1,779 episodes. Another fiction show that has gone the long haul is Sony Entertainment Television's investigative drama 'CID', which had an episode count of 1,281 last week.

Commenting on 'Balika Vadhu', Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors, said, "Over the years Balika Vadhu became a key identifier for our offerings, and its success is synonymous with our success as an entertainment channel. This journey has been incredible and we would like to thank our viewers for their unending love and support and the team that strived hard to make this milestone a reality. "

Manisha Sharma, Programming Head, Colors, adds, "As Balika Vadhu progresses, so does the Colors journey. Balika Vadhu pioneered the advent of social dramas on television... Going forward, the story will explore the emotions and the relationship of a mother and her estranged child as their paths coincide in a way desired by destiny."

Sphere Origins is the production house for "'Balika Vadhu'". To celebrate the milestone, Colors has organised an all-India photography initiative on social media, and has invited viewers to share some of their precious moments commemorating the mother-child relationship.