The Bombay High court sealed the fate of Star TV’s longest running soap, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The last episode will feature on November 10th.

Vacation judge Justice J H Bhatia refused to grant a stay on the termination notice served by Star TV to the producers. Star had decided to scrap the serial following a drop in its television rating points between July and September and Balaji had decided to fight this notice given by Star.

It had engaged legal giant Ram Jethmalani as its counsel but the judge accepted the channel’s argument that it would face an irreparable loss if the eight-year-old serial was allowed to continue despite fallen TRPs.

Last month, Star TV had issued a termination notice to Balaji to change the story line for Kyunki… and end it by November 10. Balaji dragged Star to court saying the termination was uncalled for and violated their agreement.

But the judge upheld the channels contention that the TRPs for the show had fallen more than 20% since its July rating, in fact that had fallen by 32%.

Jethmalani, countered that at one point, the show ranked five among the top 10. But in his final analysis, the judge held that there was substance in Stars arguments that viewer fatigue, as reflected by fallen TRP, had set in. He also said the channel had shown its bona fides by not ending any of the other five shows produced for it by Balaji.

Star was paying Rs 27 lakh per episode to Balaji for Kyunki… and feared that it might lose its market leadership if it continued with the show.

The story now ends on November 10th.