Saanjhi Dopahar - New beginnings for Colors

Indian Premier League (better known as IPL) began in the year 2008 and was a huge success. The success of IPL dealt a heavy blow to the TRPS of Hindi serials. Most of the daily primetime shows took a heavy beating in terms of TRP numbers as women too switched their loyalties and their channels from Tulsi to Tendulkar and from Star Plus to Sony. However the second season of IPL (2009) saw a complete turnaround as it was IPL that failed to recapture the magic and awesome TRPs of 2008. In fact in 2009, IPL was convincingly beaten back by serials like Balika Vadhu, Bidai, Na Ana Is Des Mere Laado and so on.

The third season of IPL begins on March 10th and channels are already feeling the heat as this season the matches will be played on Indian soil unlike season 2 where the venue was South Africa. Channels and production houses are in a mad scramble to launch off as many new shows as possible before IPL 3 begins so that they can retain and hold on to loyal viewers by giving them a mixed bag of old favourite shows together with some interesting new ones. Colors is one such channel that will be launching a couple of new serials in the afternoon time slot (1.30 pm-2.30 pm) that it has christened ‘Saanjhi Dopahar’. The two new soaps being launched from 15 February are Agnipareeksha Jeevan ki… Ganga and Aise Karo Naa Vidaa.

The promos of both the new shows are on and they are quite promising. Agnipareeksha Jeevan Ki...Ganga is the tale of a young girl Ganga who hails from a small town in U.P. called Sunder Nagar. Ganga, unlike the might river after whom she is named is not worshipped and loved by her near and dear ones but is ostracized by one and all with the exception of her father. She is a pretty, obedient daughter and a talented singer, but people prefer to keep their distance from Ganga as they believe that she is cursed. Ganga’s journey like that of the river promises to be an interesting one.

Aise Karo Naa Vidaa is the story of young and effervescent Reva who hails from a small sub district of Bundelkhand. Reva’s charm soon attracts the attention of Prince Randheer, the young prince of the palace. He molests her on the day of her wedding finding her alone and helpless. Reva is completely shattered and to add to her humiliation her family is set to marry her off to the man who sullied her honour. What does Reva do? To find out the answer to this question we will have to wait till February 15th.

Saying goodbye to Kis Desh Mein Hai Mera Dil and Tujh Sang Preet Lagayi Sajana!

What do you do once a serial loses its steam, its key actors and of course the much needed TRPs? Sensible makers tie up all the lose ends and bring down the curtains; while those who pray for a miracle (that of improving TPRs) keep flogging the dead horse till such time that the channel just yanks off the offending serial. Thank God the makers of Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil and Tujh Sang Preet Lagayi Sajana belong to the former group! Very soon Star Plus will bid adieu to these two afternoon shows after tying up the lose ends.

Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil began as an evening daily and focussed on the star crossed couple of Prem and Heer. It began with a bang as the fresh pairing of Harshad Chopra (Prem) and Additi Gupta (Heer) worked their magic on viewers and their loyalties. Soon they had become the toast of tinsel town as their on screen chemistry set the television screen ablaze. As their stories became more tangled and complex with numerous near death sequences, viewer interest and TRPs began to taper off. Soon it was shifted to the afternoon slot, considered by many to be a demotion. Now the serial is all set for a grand farewell where lose ends will be tied. Heer and Prem will ride off into the sunset as a happy couple.

The other show, Tujh Sang Preet Lagayi Sajana began as the televised version of Subhash Ghai’s film Saudagar. Thus there were the two neighbouring villages who were sworn enemies and the hero (Yug) and heroine (Vrinda) belonging to these two warring groups. In Yug and Vrinda we found another fresh and youthful pairing. Soon the lovebirds were battling all odds trying to save their love story. But sadly the two had to part ways. Vrinda is married off to Rajbeer. She finds it difficult to settle down and accept Rajbeer as her husband. Slowly she gets to understand and appreciate her husband’s honest charm and falls in love with him, pushing to the back of her mind all thoughts of Yug.

As the show is about to wind up viewers were expecting Yug and Vrinda to end up together as Vrinda and Rajbeer have been facing difficulties in their relationship. But keeping in mind the Indian culture of marriages being for keeps, Vrinda will stay with Rajbeer. Had some untoward incident taken place with Rajbeer, it would have been alright to unite the two lovers. However Yug too will find a new love and begin his journey anew. So here’s a warm adieu to both the serials for having entertained us for so long.