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Small wonders
Sukesh Motwani, the head of programming, fiction shows, Zee TV, says, "Jhansi Ki Rani has a long way to go. It's proceeding well and will continue for a while. As for the new show, we haven't decided which slot it will get because it's a sensitive show with kids. We think it has the potential to establish an instant connect with the audience. So, we'll give it a slot that's best for it."
The show follows the lives of two kids, Isha and Ira. Destiny packs in a nasty blow, changing their lives forever. The girls, undeterred, turn out to be strong, spirited and independent individuals. Richa Mukherji, who played Laali's (Ratan Rajput) younger sister Rekha in the recently concluded Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, plays Isha. Ira is played by newcomer Shruti Bhist.
Theatre and character actor Pavan Malhotra, last seen as a nasty cop in Laagi Tujhse Lagan on Colors, plays their father. Baring a few exceptions, most daily shows that start off with kids as lead actors, soon switch to new or relatively known faces following a multiple year leap. Would that be the case here too?
"I'm not sure whether the girls will grow up in the course of the show. As a channel, we were extremely keen to have a soap that's different from the usual kitchen politics. Here, we get a chance to show such wonderful bonding between the sisters, especially at a time when their own people turn their backs to them. It's in such situations that children get closer to each other, the older kid steps into the parents' shoes and they win over situations," says Sukesh.
Young stars
The show, extensively shot in Pahelgaum and Kasauli, is produced by JD Majethia's Hats Off Productions and reportedly has some of small screen's big names like Achint Kaur, Neena Gupta, Jasveer Kaur and Sushmita Mukherji playing pivotal roles.
Sukesh, without confirming the names says, "The show's focus is on the kids and their lives. It's not about the biggies."
