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Lets talk to Ekta on this. Here the answers from ekta
Your new show, Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna (TSPLS) does not begin with a K. That is shocking.
(Laughs) Frankly, we gave about 10-15 titles starting with K to the channel. But they didn’t like them. It was becoming a wild goose chase. So this time I am going ahead without a K. But it’s a one-off thing. The name of my next show will start with K.
What is TSPLS about?
It’s a Romeo-Juliet type of love story set against a village backdrop. After 40 episodes, the story will take a very interesting turn.
You must be happy about the bumper opening which the Tusshar starrer Golmaal Returns has registered?
I am delighted about Golmaal Returns . I haven’t enjoyed a film like this since ages.
Several digs have been taken at you and Balaji in Golmaal Returns . Did the makers show you the film before releasing it? Or, did they take permission from you?
No. But I didn’t mind it at all. It was all in good fun. Rohit Shetty (the director) and I go back a long way.
But Tusshar must have kept you abreast of all that was going on, on the sets?
No Tusshar took me for a big ride. Kuch nahin bataya usne . In fact, I learnt about Kareena Kapoor playing someone who was very stuck on my TV serials from a story in Mumbai Mirror. I couldn’t even see the film on the first day since I didn’t get tickets.
Tell us about your upcoming film, EMI.
It's a very entertaining film meant for the middle-class audience especially in today’s times of recession. It releases on November 7.
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Once the top soap for more than seven years, Kyunki...'s TRPs began to slide last year. The show, which spawn wannabe saas-bahu sagas and spun improbable plots around human emotions and even topics like terror and rebirth, bids adieu after losing a court battle to Star Plus.
The twisted saga of the traditional Virani family kept audiences across India and abroad glued to their television sets Monday-Thursday since its launch in October 3, 2000.
The show's protagonist Smriti Irani became a household name all over India and abroad too. The show went through a five generation leap through the years. Fittingly, the soap's last episode will end with another generation leap.
So as we bid adieu to the show, let us find out how the show changed the lives of those who made it all happen.
Amar Upadyay
The original Mihir Virani of Kyunki feels all good things should come to an end some day.
"Kyunki was the number one show for last six years and lasted for eight and half years. This is a big achievement in itself. This show should have ended on a good note between the channel and the production house," Amar added.
Amar played Mihir Virani for two and half years before his on-screen demise, which was mourned by the country. His character was so popular that he was brought back to the show. Amar later quit after a generation leap and was replaced by Ronit Roy.
His most memorable moment:
"Virani family decides that daughter-in-law Tulsi (Smriti Irani) should get married to Anupam Kapadia (Aman Varma). I enter the hall with a Ram idol in my hand just before the wedding takes place. The entire scene was shot beautifully. The reunion was the best and most memorable one for me. When this particular episode was aired the viewers started bursting crackers in joy. I got a lot of congratulatory calls from friends, fans and relatives."
'I will always be remembered for this show'
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Daksha Chachi's Arr ra raa is one tagline that epitomises Ketaki Dave, who says that the show has given her recognition even though she was in the show for only two and half years.
"Daksha made me popular and I know that I will always be remembered for this show," she says.
She thinks that it is better to end the show when people are still watching it. "I know Ekta Kapoor (chief of Balaji telefilms) will not be happy because it is one her best shows but it is better to end when we are still getting TRP ratings," she adds.
Her most memorable moment:
"My son Chirag leaves Shanthineketan (The Virani home) with a note. I assume that he had committed suicide and held my husband responsible for this. I shouted at my husband saying that he always compared Mihir (Chirag's cousin brother) to Chirag and that is why he left the house. Finally Mihir finds Chirag and brings him back. I like this scene because it is so real. Even the audience could relate to it."
'Watching Kyunki had become a part of my life'
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She is one having one of the most continuous presence on the show. She played the popular Baa, who finally died at the age of 100 plus, just before the sixth generation leap.
Understandably, Shivpuri is disappointed with serial's end. "We read in the newspapers about the dipping TRPs. Ups and downs are part of any show. I think a show that changed TV history deserved a better ending. Watching Kyunki had become a part of my life," she says.
Her most memorable moment:
"My husband Govardhan Virani's death scene where I ask him why he has left me. It is the most memorable because I could connect to my real husband's death.
"The second most memorable moment would have to be when Tulsi (Smirti Irani) leaves Shanthineketan for Mandira (Mandira Bedi). That scene was emotional for me because we were like a family in real life too."
'I never thought this show would end this way'
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Mouni became popular for her role as KT and her sizzling chemistry with Lakshay (Pulkit Samrat).
Understandably, she too is sad about the show's end. "It is very sad that the show is ending. I am emotionally attached to this show as this is my first show and I was part of it for two and half years. Whatever I am today is only because of this show. I never thought this show would end this way," she says.
Her most memorable moment:
"The first day of my shoot, I was in full make-up, in a new city (Haridwar) and among total strangers. I had to stand in front of the camera and smile without any dialogues. I was very nervous and conscious as everyone was watching me."
'The show had to end some day but not with such a shameful ending'
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Jaya Bhattacharya played Payal, a positive as well as negative character in Kyunki.
Talking about the show, she says, "It's a milestone for a lot of us. The show had to end some day but not with such a shameful ending. It deserved a glorious ending."
Her most memorable moment:
"It was a dandiya scene. Smriti Irani (Tulsi) and I had a flight out of Mumbai on the same day. We had just started shooting the scene when the choreographer insisted on choreographing the dances. We told him that we had no time to practice and that we would manage. Anyway, I accidentally hit Smriti's finger very badly. Smriti asked me if I planned to kill her. Finally we finished our shot and reached the airport without incident."
'Audiences will not be happy with this kind of ending'
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The actress became very popular for her portrayal of Mohini, a comic-negative character in the show.
Like the others, Sheikh isn't happy about the way the show is being shown the door. "Every show has a life span but this show was not meant to end this way. I am sure the cast, crew and the audiences will not be happy with this kind of ending," she says.
She continues, "Honestly, this show has helped me to explore myself as an actor. The character I played was not easy to perform because it was a comic-negative role. Everyone appreciated my acting and it was a learning experience for me. I will definitely sit and watch the last episode tonight," Tassnim adds
Now, Ekta Kapoor is ready to fight it out: Television star Ekta Kapoor is not giving up on her flagship serial, ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, without a fight. Her company, Balaji Telefilms, on Wednesday once again moved Bombay High Court in appeal against Monday’s court order refusing to stay the termination notice served by Star TV for the serial. On Monday, the court had rejected Kapoor’s plea for an interim stay on Star TV’s termination notice. Balaji’s appeal against the order will be heard on Friday.
Star TV, which has hosted the Virani family saga for the past eight years, decided to pull the plug on the show owing to “viewer fatigue” and “falling TRPs (television rating points)” on October 10, giving Kapoor a 30-day notice. The notice period lapses on Monday but Thursday’s show could be the last as the serial is telecast only on weeknights. The HC hearing on Friday will determine the show’s fate.
Star TV has contended that Kyunki… has “outlived its life” and that its decision to axe the show is based on falling TRPs, which determine advertising revenue. Balaji gets paid Rs27 lakh per episode. The show’s TRPs fell by 32% since July.
Kapoor contended that the serial continues to be among the top-10 primetime serials and cannot be ended so abruptly. It blamed the dip in TRPs on Star’s failure to promote the show.
The court had said in its order that “a minute study of data is required to find out whether the decrease was due to failure of respondents (Star) to promote it or because of lack of ability to attract viewers.”
Kyunkii... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi..., Ekta Kapoor’s flagship saas-bahu soap that everyone loved to hate and still watched, is going off air.
But the news is that from Star TV, the channel that took Ekta’s production house Balaji Telefilms to court to get Kyunkii ... off air, the show might move to another channel, 9X.
The alarm bells first went off in the production house when, last month, Star group’s SGL Entertainment Ltd told them that since the viewership of the show had dropped, it should be taken off air. The TRPs of the show – in double digits till last year - dropped big time, worrying the channel and the advertisers. Balaji was given time till November 10.
However, they filed a case against the channel saying that they had breached the contract, because according to the contract, the soap was to be aired till March 2009. On Monday, the Mumbai High Court dismissed Balaji’s petition against Star’s termination notice, because it accepted the channel’s stand that ‘viewer fatigue’ had set in for the soap.
When contacted, Ekta replied by SMS, saying, “Please speak to Star and get their version. I’m not going to quote.” Star TV responded to an official email regarding this case – Yashpal Khanna, corporate communication head of Star TV, said, “We are not speaking officially on anything to do with Balaji as of now.”
Industry sources, meanwhile, say that Balaji has been in talks with 9X to air Kyunkii... because its other shows on the channel have been doing well. However, when contacted, 9X representatives refused to respond to the speculation. Balaji also remains mum on the topic of shifting channels.
Meanwhile, a show anchored by Kiran Bedi is going to fill the 10.30 pm slot on Star after Kyunkii ... goes off air. But is this not the end of the association of Star TV and Balaji. The 10 pm slot that earlier featured Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii has been replaced by a new Balaji soap – Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajana.
However, according to industry insiders, Star TV had also asked Balaji to wrap up Kasturi and Kayamath. Both the shows have not been doing well and the advertisers have been backing out of these time slots. Both, the channel and the production house’ve not commented on this either.
Smriti Irani, who made it big playing the role of Tulsi Virani in Kyunkii ..., says she’s not going to be sentimental. “I learnt about the legal tussle from media reports. I guess it’s a channel’s prerogative to run a show and the production house’s decision to make a show and how they want to make it. I am not a party to either. I’d rather look back at the eight years with a lot of happiness because whatever I have today is because of this show. I am melancholic but I am definitely not chipping into to add to the mud-slinging that’s happening,” she says. “I would not say that all that is happening is unfair and get melodramatic about it. I’d say that in all practicality, look at the slot that this soap created for eight years, also look at the fact that the 10.30 pm slot has no competition. So I am glad that Kyunkii... has held its own in that respect.”
Actress Rakshanda Khan says, “I haven’t shot for the serial for the past five months. But it is a terrible thing because Kyunkii ... is the mother of all Indian TV soaps. This is where it all started. And all of the actors associated with it would definitely be very upset with it going off air. I cannot think about it objectively as a viewer and say that it should have been off air earlier or not at all. I have been a part of it, have very fond memories of the serial and will miss it very badly.”
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