Chhanchhan producers to 'rein in' their actors

If ever a show would be ranked just on the basis of media blitz then it would have to be Sony Entertainment Television's Chhanchhan. This Sanaya Irani project has dominated media headlines since the past week ever since lead actor Farhan Khan got replaced by Anuj Sachdeva.

Ironically this Optimystix Entertainment show has never raced ahead on the TRP charts ever since it started during the IPL. According to sources, this very expensive show is rating similarly to other serials which are less on money like Anamika and Khoobsurat.

It was a shocker for all when the channel and production house finally replaced lead actor Farhan blaming him for not getting the right chemistry with Sanaya thereby derailing the show.

Farhan instead of keeping quiet lost it and went to town blaming Sanaya for not cooperating with him. An angry Sanaya who normally never talks to the media also retorted in equal measure calling him a liar. The social media went crazy with everybody taking sides. Even other cast members (Charu Asopa) got into the fiasco lending support to Sanaya.

At first the channel kept quiet but seeing things going out of control, we hear that they gave a call to Producer Vipul D Shah and asked him to rein in his actors, lest the show suffers more damage.

An actor who did not want to be named said that he had been asked to keep quiet. But he apparently asked the production house, as to why they had not intervened when the drama first began. "The buck should have stopped with Farhan," the person confided in us.

Incidentally the production house had tried to offer a face saving device to Farhan by letting him claim that he had quit the show. However he did not relent forcing Optimystix to pull the plug on him, indicated one of our sources.

The channel's realization however belated, seems to make sense as the latest ratings have not shown any jump. This goes on to prove that all the mudslinging has not helped them at all.

We sent text messages to Producer Vipul Shah, Sanaya Irani and Sneha Rajani, Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television, asking for a response, but they preferred to remain silent.

When we sent the same message to Anuj he replied, "Sorry, I have no idea about this