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 Karisma
Kapoor’s debut on television is significant. For unlike the
rest of her like Madhuri Dixit and Govinda who have anchored shows,
she’s the first star who will play a pivotal role in a 250
episode prime time daily. Karishma, the Miracle of Destiny has the
lavish packaging of a multistarrer, and the channel Sahara TV are
leaving nothing to chance to ensure that serial gets its due publicty
and exposure. Karisma has been fortunate in that, as the last time
a marquee name did a pivotal role for a TV serial, that was Shabana
Azmi in Anupama on a channel which was largely unseen, hence here
was a performance which went unnoticed. However, the attention that
Akashdeep, the serial’s helmsman and the channel are according
the star and the daily serial, it is very reminiscent of Star Plus
and Amitabh Bachchan prior to the launch of KBC. What remains to
be seen is: will Karisma do to Sahara what Amitabh Bachchan did
to Star Plus?
Karisma Kapoor’s
debut on TV will not be perceived as being the first Kapoor on the
small screen. For in the mid 90s, Shammi Kapoor had played a negative
role in a serial called Shikast, which was telecast on In Mumbai;
while Rajeev Kapoor (Chimpu) produced a serial called Vansh for
Doordarshan. Karisma herself earlier forayed into television as
SABe TV’s brand ambassador. And now as she plays a pivotal
role in Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny, she is the second actress
after Shabana Azmi to be in that unique postion to do television
with her film career intact.
It would do
a talent like Karisma’s grave injustice to even consider that
her TV foray would be her swan song for films. Perish the mere thought.
For the actress will continue to do films. But it will be television
that will be that much richer in glamour, grace and talent, for
Karisma has chosen wisely to do a eponymous serial which offers
her the scope to play a range of ages, as she plays a grandmother
and then again the granddaughter. If prosthesis plays an important
part in aging a youthful face, sheer acting prowess alone can make
all the difference between a young woman and an older woman played
by the same actor. As many other top stars (including Madhuri Dixit
and friend and costar Govinda) who have made their television bows
(albeit unsucessfully) as game show hosts, reality TV anchors, and
the like, Karisma prefers to do it the best way and one she’s
comfortable in - playing a dramatic role of a woman of substance.
For Karishma - The Miracles of Destiny sweeps through the life of
a rural woman and goes into a modern girl. As the serial’s
producer and conceiver Akashdeep says, “Karishma is a journey
of a woman from the ages of 22 till 67. This multi track story is
an author backed role for Karisma.”
 Akashdeep
who is also the creative head for Sahara TV met the actress in connection
with 25 films (in five parts) that Sahara TV are venturing into
with directorial heavy weights like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani,
Tinnu Anand, Priyadarshan and others. The telecast of these films
are part of Sahara TV’s drive to get on par with channel leaders
like Star and Sony. The channel will telecast these films as part
of the channel’s enhancement programme when it goes digital
in October. These films could usher in an altogether new trend,
since they will have an overseas relase, a five part premiere on
TV and then a theatrical release in multiplexes acorss India.
Should all go
well, “If we have a bank of episodes and a promotion and publicty
campagn in place, we hope to go on air this November, and not in
2003 as has been reported,” says Akashdeep. The latter was
looking for a big star who could do a role across ages. When approached,
the actress it seems told him that “If everything is right,
I’ll give it a shot.” Anyway ever since her recognition
among the parallel cinema fraternity with Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa,
Karisma has been selective about the films she does. Akashdeep adds,
“I am making her do what she knows best - acting, looking good,
emoting, etc. I am not telling her to anchor a show. Look at Govinda,
such a popular star, but he wasn’t accepted as a game show
host.”
The value add-ons
for Karishma are to begin with co-stars who include another big
screen name Sanjay Kapoor along with Arbaz Khan, Arshad Warsi, Jugal
Hansraj, Sheeba, Apoorva Agnihotri, Vijay Raj, Pawan Malhotra, Salil
Ankola, Parmesh Sethi, Reshma Seth and Reshma Modi. The other big
screen marquee names associated with this venture are music director
Anu Malik, lyrics by Javed Akhtar, Manish Malhotra will enhance
the look of the serial which is being directed by Anurag Basu (Balaji
Telefilms’ Koshish ek Asha), written by Sachin Bhowmick, screenplay
R Talukdar with dialogues Naeem Aijaz. The serial will have 52 songs
by nine music directors including Anu Maliik.There is a likelihood
that Ramesh Sippy will head the team as creative consultant. Karisma
- The Miracles of Destiny has been conceived and created by Akashdeep
who had earlier got Govinda to do Jeeto Chhapar Phaad Ke on Sony
TV. The inclusion of high profile film professionals is consistent
with Karisma Kapoor’s star draw and status. The serial will
be shot in foreign locations like New Zealand, more stars and other
locations will further enhance Karishma - The Miracles of Destiny
.
To be aired
at prime time five times a week, Karishma may be a small screen
venture but this 250 episode daily primetime serial has the ambience
of a multistarrer.
—Piroj
Wadia
pirojwadia@hotmail.com
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