Ekta Kapoor plans five new soaps

Ekta Kapoor plans five new soaps
Mumbai, Feb 13 (IANS) Ekta Kapoor has decided to take a page from her own life - her fantastic climb to the position of a television tycoon - and turn it into a soap on the STAR One channel.

Kapoor told IANS: "I think it's a very cute soap because the story takes off in a way that's quite similar to my own life. The serial is called 'Kannu Ki Kismat Mein Kya Hai'. And I'm quite like Kannu.

"She's supposed to be exactly the way I was in my pre-television days. The entire family thinks she has no career to look forward to. While her two sisters are hotshot models, Kannu is very un-happening professionally - the kind of daughter parents feel would make an ideal wife-mother material.

"Like me, Kannu has no interest in doing anything spectacular with her life. Like Kannu I was pretty sure I'd make nothing of my life. I too was happy being a nobody."

So is Kapoor herself playing Kannu? The TV tycoon laughs: "Nooooo! Not me. I haven't cast the serial yet. First I need to get 'Kavyaanjali' on STAR Plus on the road.

"Then I need to work on my show for Sony Entertainment, which goes on air March 10. It's called 'Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai'. It's a romantic soap. Like 'Kkusum' on Sony this is a hardcore commercial attempt. The third show on Zee will be a weekend soap. I also have another show on STAR One called 'Karbon Kopy'. In all I have five shows going on air in the next few months."

Kapoor has given up the fight to go against the expected. "What can I do?" she asks. "Let the different shows be done by different people. I can't go against my brand. Unconventional shows can only get a niche audience. But it's a family serial that gets the whole nation hooked.

"A complete soap has to have something for everyone to enjoy. That's what I've realised. I tried to do something different in soaps like 'Kahani Terri Merri' and 'Kehna Hai Kuch Mujhko'. They didn't work! Obviously my audience expects a certain kind of entertainment from me, and I'll give them that. What choice do I have?"

The new Ekta Kapoor season has begun with "Kavyanjali", which went on air on STAR Plus Jan 25. "'Kavyanjali' is my homage to the cinema of Karan Johar. I'm completely a fan of his cinema. I hope I don't disgrace myself by mucking up the homage. Amrita Singh is my show's USP. She's stunning. Right now we're establishing the family ties, a la 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'. It's a very critical show for me.

"There's a lot of hope attached to 'Kavyanjali'. It's just a few episodes old. 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' took 20 episodes to get going. The 9.30 p.m. slot is even more important than the 10 p.m. slot. It's dinner time when the entire family rallies around the telly.

"I can't afford to let viewers down with this one. In fact I had another serial ready to go on air on STAR One. But to me, the soap on STAR Plus was more important. I want to please the families before I take on the youngsters."

Says the workaholic: "As for my Top 3 soaps...a major time transition is happening 'Kasauti Zindagi Ke' on Feb 7. It's time for the next generation of characters...My time has come again. I've never been busier."

And for fans Sakshi Tanwar in "Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki" and Rajiv Khandelwal in "Kahiin To Hoga", neither is leaving the show. Khandelwal, however, will be giving the soap only 10 days every month.

Sighs Kapoor, "The casting is a perennial problem. I try to find the right faces for all the roles. I've had a tremendous response to the return of actress Vidya Sinha in 'Kavyanjali'. People say she never looked so good even in her heydays when she did hit films like 'Rajnigandha' and 'Chhotisi Baat' and 'Pati Patni Aur Woh'."

Oh God. Five more of Ekta's shows. 😆