TOI: Once popular actors back on TV

It seems to be a year of 'comebacks' on the small screen. Popular actors, who had once made their mark on television and then disappeared, are making a return. It was probably actor Sakshi Tanwar who triggered the trend by re-appearing in the serial Bade Achche Lagte Hain almost three years after her popular show Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki came to an end.

Following her foot steps now, is Narayani Shastri who had impressed the audience with her charming face as Rimjhim of Piya Ka Gharwhich ended in the year 2006. She is now a part of the new show Phir Subah Hogi. "I used to receive a lot of fan mails and calls urging me to make a come back. But I wanted to do something different from my earlier roles and hence was waiting for the right opportunity. My role in Phir Subah Hogi where I play a young girl's mother, gives me lot of scope to explore different facets of being a mother." says Narayani talking about her comeback.

Actor Mouli Ganguli who had shot to fame as Shaina in the thriller Kahin Kisi Roz in the past, too has made a comeback in the serial Kya Hua Tera Vaada that premiered in January this year. This time around the actor has shed her simpleton image unlike earlier and is enjoying playing a dark character instead. "As an actor, I always wanted to experiment. I am very happy the way my role is shaping up in Kya Hua Tera Vaada."

His good looks had made actor Manav Gohil the heartthrob of many, when he first made an appearance on the small screen in the serial Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo. Actor Manav Gohil who is set to make a comeback soon in an upcoming project says, "I always to play my age and didn't want to make any compromises on that part. The concept of this new show really excited me and so I went ahead with it."

But does roping in these popular faces attract more eyeballs? "The audience is already convinced of the acting skills of these actors and can relate to them better than anybody who they haven't seen before. Their established fan base also is happy to see their favourite stars back on screen which keeps them glued to the show and eventually increase the TRPs," says producer Hemal Thakkar. But according to producer Sudhir Sharma, known faces attract a lot of eyeballs, but only in the initial phases. "A known face also has to fit into the requirement of the character. But sometimes when that does not happen, then the actors return may not work in his favour." he says.

While their return has benefitted some actors, not all have been so lucky. For instance, actor Apoorva Agnihotri recently made a return to television with the show Aasmaan Se Aage, but the show is going off air in few weeks. Actor Mohnish Bahl who made a comeback with Kuch Toh Log Kahenge parted ways with the serial because of creative differences.

Actors who disappeared:
Urvashi Dholakia
Anuj Saxena
Manish Goel
Cezanne Khan
Juhi Parmar
Hussain Kuwajerwala