Ekta's Kumkum Bhagya to replace Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV!

Narrating tales that have captivated audience attention for almost two decades now, the master storyteller Ekta Kapoor is back with a new offering on Zee TV, this time replacing her own immensely successful show 'Pavitra Rishta'. Does that spell The End for the former show?  Not really! Giving primetime viewing a whole new meaning, 'Pavitra Rishta' will now be aired from Monday - Friday at 6:30 PM on the channel.

Based loosely on Jane Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility', the show will be its Indian interpretation, following the life of a mother who runs a marriage hall and lives with the hope of seeing her two daughters - poles apart in bearing, outlook and disposition, happily married some day! Known for making shows that are women-centric, the pivotal characters of Ekta's new show 'Kumkum Bhagya' are a bunch of strong, feisty women, living together in an all-female, matriarchal family. Actor-turned-producer Shabbir Ahluwalia, who has shied away from facing the camera  since 2012, has been roped in to play a Rockstar with a cult following on the show. The charming and talented Sriti Jha has been locked to play the elder amongst the two sisters. Ekta's hunt for the most apt faces to play the rest of the central protagonists continues ...

Talking about the time shuffle amongst her projects on Zee TV, Ekta says, "Pavitra Rishta has been on-air for over 4 years now and the journey has been most gratifying for me as a maker. After 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' if there is any other show which is close to my heart, then it is Pavitra Rishta.The characters of Manav, Archana, Arjun, Purvi and now Ankita-Naren have endeared themselves to the audience, so much so that they are an inseparable part of their lives. While the audiences who are hooked on to Pavitra Rishta will continue to enjoy the show at 6:30 PM, the new show Kumkum Bhagya' will open at 9 PM, drawing maximum eyeballs." She adds about her new show, "All I can say is that is it's a very passionate story of love ...!"

Ekta Kapoor's association with Zee TV dates back to almost two decades ago when the partnership produced one of the greatest successes of satellite television - Hum Paanch. Her soaps, be it Kasamh Se, Pavitra Rishta or Jodha Akbar, the latest historical to rule the roost on Indian television, have been universally appreciated and have enjoyed long glorious runs on the tube.