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What happens when a telly actor gets replaced overnight...
Amrita Mulchandani
Giaa now joins the 'replaced' stars' club of Priyal Gor (Preet Se Bandhi Yeh Dori...Ram Milaayi Jodi), Rati Pandey (Miley Jab Hum Tum), Mishal Raheja (Laagi Tujhse Lagan), Smriti Irani (Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi), Eijaz Khan (Shubh Vivah), Iqbal Khan (Karam Apna Apna) and Mona Wasu (Parichay) who were all dropped from their shows when they were at the peak! Blame it on tantrums, unprofessional behaviour or not-so-good equations with the production house/channel, the one time popular actors were replaced almost overnight. So, how do channels/production houses deal with a new actor in an already existing and probably successful show? Going by past record, stars have sometimes been summoned back (Smriti Irani, Rati Pandey and Anuj Saxena) owing to their popularity, or the show has shut shop (Laagi Tujhse Lagan). Producer-director-actor JD Majethia insists that while it's difficult to replace an actor, it's not impossible. "It is a risk as the audience relates to him/her. If Amar Upadhyay, who was very popular (as Mihir from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi), could be replaced then it can happen to anyone. No one is indispensable."
Producer Sudhir Sharma, however, feels otherwise. "Creatively it is a huge setback for a production house when a star leaves. We take months to cast an actor, and groom him." He adds, "Broadcasters have to be strict with stars who do not abide by the rules."
For actors, getting replaced is not something they would ideally ever want. Priyal Gor says, "When you move to another production house, people question you which is insulting."
Isn't it tough for audiences to connect with a new face? It certainly is, because history shows that replacements have always brought a show's ratings down, barring a few cases.
Priyal Gor and Mishal Raheja
Source: TOI
