Anuj Saxena and Nausheen Sardar Ali slate

Actor-anchor R Madhavan shot for the Sony game show Deal Ya No Deal under the most trying times on Wednesday. A day earlier, his paternal grandfather passed away.

He had to immediately leave for his hometown, Chennai. On Wednesday morning, after the cremation, he flew back to Mumbai for the shoot.

The Deal Ya Na Deal shoot could not be cancelled as the shoot was for a special episode with several celebrities. At the last-minute the channel could not call it off as the guest stars had blocked the dates for the shoot.

When asked about the bereavement, a grieving Madhavan said, "My grandfather passed away on Tuesday. I flew back to Mumbai for the shoot after the cremation on Wednesday morning in Chennai. I would not like to face such a situation ever again. I don't think all this needs to be talked about."

Celeb guests list

It is learnt that the episode that was being shot was for a New Year's Eve special telecast. The celeb guests in this episode include telly stars Sumeet Sachdev, Amit Jain, Apara Mehta, Tassnim Sheikh, Amit Sareen, Sudha Chandran besides Saurabh Shukla and Sanober among others.

The telly actors were from all channels and not only Sony. Apparently the winners of the special episode were Tassnim and Amit Sareen who shared the Rs 4 lakh prize money.

Desi version

Deal Ya No Deal, which went on air last month, is the desi version of the internationally known game show Deal Or No Deal. Produced by Miditech, the reality show tests an individual's ability in making the right choices.

The contestant faces 22 cash boxes, containing cheques varying from a small amount to Rs 10 million.

Without knowing the contents, the contestant picks one box. The participant has to apply his mind for the prize money that ranges from a small amount to lakhs. It is shot at a studio at MIDC, Andheri (E).

The show has episodic and celeb guests besides the aam janata as the participants.

Last night Jassi-Nandu were the guests; there's also Shaktimaan (Mukesh Khanna), the Kkusum pair of Anuj Saxena and Nausheen Sardar Ali slated to feature besides a Christmas special with Madhavan as Santa Claus.