Soapy start

Sony's got a new creative director and he's carrying his roots with him. Sandiip Sikcand, who has been the creative head for Balaji for years, is now the chief creative director of Sony Entertainment Television, and within days of his joining the entertainment channel, reality TV is making way for fictional soap.

So while Jhalak Dikhla Ja starts later this week and an Indian version of Big Brother is on the cards, Sony will be starting a new daily serial from end-September called Kaajjal.

"It's everything to do with numerology and we have taken it upon ourselves to spoil everybody's spellings," laughs Sandiip. "But the title starting with a 'K' is strictly a coincidence. I am very proud of where I have come from and if my shows for Sony are even a patch on theirs (Balaji), I will know I have achieved something."

Kaajjal will be produced by production company K Sera Sera's TV wing Twenty Twenty Productions and directed by Kumkum maker Ashish Patil.

"It is about an optimistic girl named Kaajjal who stays in Mussoorie and works in the radio station there," reveals Sandiip. "She has no friends or siblings as such but has a special bonding with Lord Ganesha whom she calls 'Gannu Bhaiyya'. All she prays to him for is her own love story and what happens next is straight out of a fairy tale."

While Sandiip is not willing to reveal the name of the "familiar TV face" who will be playing the title character, he does mention that Apoorva Agnihotri will be playing the lead. "You have last seen him as Jassi's Armaan and now you will see him in a completely new avatar," promises the Sony man.

But serials like Kaajjal won't spell the end of reality shows on Sony. "We will just be adding a lot of youth-based soaps and after this transition phase, the channel will emerge stronger," Sandiip signs off.