The five-year journey hasn’t been without its ups and downs. A couple of years into the show its lead characters Reena Kapoor and Arjun Punj preferred to quit rather than don grey hair when the serial had a generation leap. While Arjun quit after a death scene, Reena agreed to stay back because she got to play her own daughter Pari, and since last July, she is playing Pari’s adopted daugther Rani, courtesy another generation leap! Phew! That’s a novel way of staying young forever. Smiles Kavita, “I have realised that it doesn’t really matter who is playing a role, it’s the show that connects with the audience. Once your show is a hit, viewers go along with the changes, just like you forget a old saree when you wear a new one.”
Analysing the reason behind its success, Kavita explains that in a Rajshri show there is always an attempt to have an emotional connect with the audience. “Most importantly, all our negative characters invariably become good later,” reveals Kavita. So, even if the current track in the serial is about a rift between four brothers, “it has been brought about not because they are selfish, but because they are trying to make each other happy,” offers Kavita. Soon the rift will end and towards mid-November a new track with “interesting twists” will be introduced.
Meanwhile, Kavita is all set to launch two new shows Do Hanso Ka Joda on NDTV Imagine and Yahan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli on Zee. Both the shows will be bringing back veterans like Reema Lagoo and Smita Jaykar on television after a long gap. Kavita knows Reema for over two decades, since the time she was assistant director to Sooraj R. Barjatya in Maine Pyar Kiya. “I had struck a bond with Reemaji then and had offered her a role earlier but she had refused saying she wasn’t doing television. This time I knew she would agree because she’s got a powerful role,” lets on the producer. Reema will be seen along with Prithvi Zutshi, Nupur Joshi, Ali Merchant and the protagonists played by Shubhangi Atre and Shaleen Bhanot in Do Hanso Ka Joda. While the main love story is between Shubhangi and Shaleen, there are parallel tracks depicting mature relationships between the older artistes. “To give an idea, it’s in the Baghban mould, though our story is different,” offers Kavita.
Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli is about family relationships, the highlight being the daughter’s immense love and respect for her father. Alok Nath plays a rich Thakur and Smita plays his wife. “She’s the one who suits this strong role perfectly,” says Kavita. Smita has earlier worked in a Rajshri film Ek Vivaah...Aisa Bhi. Suhasi Goradia plays their daughter. “The story is about this Thakur who lives in a beautiful mansion with his family. But fate intervenes and everything is not hunky-dory. It is about how the daughter struggles to keep things fine,” is all that Kavita’s willing to say. Both the serials according to Kavita are an attempt to try something different from what the Rajshris are known for. “Of course, the Rajshri flavour will be there with beautiful original compositions, emotions etc., but at the same time, they will be slightly unconventional,” says the young producer. Yahan... is being written by Irshad Kamil, who has penned the lyrics of Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. This will be their first show on Zee. “The platform and the slot matters but if your show is good, it automatically connects,” reasons Kavita.
