Aladdin comes alive once again on small

NEW DELHI: Narrating the tale of a 15-year-old boy who loses his parents under a cloud of mystery is Zee TV's new tele-serial "Aladdin." The soap opera, which was premiered on November 16, follows the legendary Aladdin on his journey through a maze of curious developments in his life.

During his adventurous journey, Aladdin stumbles upon the magic lamp, crosses swords with the villainous Jafer, manipulates the genie to his advantage and falls in love with Princess Jasmine.

Produced by Applause Entertainment, the serial has a vibrant young cast. While the protagonist's role is being played by Mandar, actor Nazea Hasan plays Princess Jasmine. Ranvijay Razdan of serials "Kasamh Se" and "Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai" fame plays the evil Jafer.

Before taking up the acting assignment, 21-year-old Mandar says he discussed the character of Aladdin with scriptwriter Meenakshi Sagar. "I saw the film 'Arabian Nights' and read books on the subject. The director was looking for someone who resembled Aladdin and I am gifted with the features of the fictional character!"

Stating that it was a dream come true to play the popular fictional character, Mandar says: "More than an experience, the serial has been a challenge for me because we are presenting this fictional character as a real boy facing real life hardships. As a boy I aspired to be a part of 'Aladdin Ka Chirag' and today I am playing the most popular fictional character!"

Described as total entertainment for the entire family, the serial is based on the age-old Arabian folk tale but some deviations from the story have been made. The serial's shooting is being done at Vadodara, where a huge set with an Arabian touch has been constructed. The animation department is working in Mumbai.

Bringing alive on television the all too familiar story of Aladdin that we have all grown up reading, the serial has used amazing special effects that will surely amuse the kids. When the show begins, Aladdin is portrayed as a reticent boy. His only friend is Junaid with whom he shares his joy and sorrow. Genie's entry brings about a change in Aladdin and he becomes confident and courageous….

Arjun Dutt, who plays the genie, says: "As a child, I acted in Ramanand Sagar's mythological show 'Amar Chitra Katha'. I have seen Aladdin's cartoon show and know that the genie keeps changing his character."

Commenting on the series, Punit Goenka of Zee TV, says the launch of "Aladdin" in the weekend primetime is part of the channel's endeavour to innovate and enter fresh domains of entertainment. "Fantasy as a genre is relatively unexplored and our series with its magical appeal, novel treatment and exciting special effects will definitely connect with the audience."