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Fresh appeal
Twenty-somethings are the flavour au courant of television
Alaka Sahani
PLOTTING revenge against the Walias can wait. Bani, of Kasamh Se, is celebrating her success in HSC exams. With the serial from Balaji's stable propelling Panchgani's 18-year-old Prachi Desai to telly stardom, studies had taken a backseat for a year.
But the onscreen mother of two isn't complaining about bartering teen fun for fame even as she packs her bags for a
10-day shoot in Turkey. Neither does her family. "We always wanted her do something different," says mother Amita.
Prachi isn't an exception. The heady combination of fame and lolly (six-digit pay packets for some) has several 20-somethings (like the leads of Kayamath, Jay Bhanushali and Panchi Bora, Pulkit Samrat or Lakshya of Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Deepti Devi of Parivar —Kartavya Ek Pariksha) taking a plunge into television ignoring the killer schedule lore. With production houses churning out serials with the regularity of brushing teeth, and soaps adopting the 20-year leap format, it isn't difficult if these young ones are equipped with right chutzpah. In fact, a number of NewGen characters of Kasuatii Zindagi Kay and Kyunkii are college kids.
What makes these actors' task easier is a search for "fresh faces". "Ekta (Kapoor) prefers taking new faces. They don't come with any baggage or the label of another character. So it's easy to mould them," says Nivedita Basu of Balaji Telefilms. Echoes Ashwini Yardi, head of programming of Zee: "New faces bring in a freshness which viewers love. It's not so much about their age, than their acting talent. With the number of daily soaps increasing, there is scope for such actors too."
"Freshers can commit and give time. However, if the programme demands a veteran, we won't compromise," adds Basu. Interestingly, many of them happen to be from smaller towns. Take the case of Prachi, Ghar Ki Laxmi Betiyaan' s lead Twinkle Bajpai, who comes from Lucknow or Banoo Mein Teri Dulhann's Divyanka Tripathy from Bhopal. Twenty-two-year-old Divyanka is a star in Bhopal, among couch potatoes she is famous as Vidya. Needless to say, she's enjoying every bit of it. "I'm having a great time in Mumbai, the set is like my extended family," says Twinkle, all set to buy a house in Mumbai next year. That will be another accomplishment for the 21-year-old, in addition to her new Honda City.
However, Twinkle, who came to the limelight with Zee's Talent 2005, like Neha Bamb, also 21, hasn't been able to complete her degree.
They might have missed out on academia but TV has given them much more. "I feel so grown up," says Neha. "I don't mind the hard work as long as it gives me money." Despite a monthly 25-day schedule, Twinkle claims, "I'm not missing out. I can reach out to so many while many youth of my age are struggling to find success."
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