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Shruti

@shruti

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Posted: 19 years ago

#21

After Parvati, it's Tulsi in Kiran Karmarkar's life!

DEEPALI DHINGRA

As Om in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki on Star Plus, Kiran Karmarkar managed to create a fan following of his own. But after he quit the show last year, the actor has not been seen on television. Now after a long breather of sorts, Kiran is back on the small screen in Thodi Si Zameen, Thoda Sa Aasmaan on Star Plus, where he's playing the role of a mentally challenged person. "A lot of actors have played these kind of roles but they have played it mostly in a childish manner. Here, I've tried to play the character differently," says Kiran. It may be recalled that the actor was fed up with television and that's one of the main reasons why he quit Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki. "At that time, I was giving 20-25 days in a month to the show. By the end of the day, I would be like 'bas karo yaar, ab pack up karo'. But now, after this break, I'm like 'shoot kab hai?'" he says with a smile. It's not that the actor took a break from acting all this while. "I acted in two plays and got to learn a lot," he informs. Remind him that after working with Parvati, he will now act with Tulsi (Smriti Iraani) and he laughs. "Yes, that's true. But I really admire both women. I'm so glad to be working with Smriti. An actor who's so successful, who can dictate her own terms has chosen to break out of her image of the 60-year-old Tulsi to 27-year-old Uma. It's a great challenge for her and I'm glad I'm getting to work with her," says Kiran. On the personal front, Kiran's also busy working out. "A cameraman friend of mine told me, 'what is this, you have no shape at all, how will you get work?'" he laughs. So Kiran took it up as a challenge and proudly says, "I've come down to 70 kgs from 86 kgs and I plan to stay that way."

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#22

It's ketchup, not blood!

Villagers mistook a reel murder for real during the shooting of Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan, and called up the police

Madhvi Chopra aka Sapna of Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan told us a funny story the other day. Madhvi plays the bereaved girlfriend of Pawan Shankar in the serial. She told us about the shooting of the sequence where Pawan is killed in the serial. During the shooting, onlookers actually thought it was a real murder, and called up the police!

"We were shooting Pawan's death sequence in Aksa village. It was shot during Ganapati immersion. We all had to dance our way to the sea. It was a two-camera set-up and our director Santram Verma asked us to wrap up the scene in single take. The villagers did not know that we were shooting. They didn't recognise us since we all had our faces coloured. Thinking our festivities were for real, they joined us. Seeing them join us, we looked at our director, wondering what to do. But he asked us to continue. Maybe he wanted the scene to look all the more real," narrated Madhvi.

"Then, the sequence had Pawan being killed by the goons who had been chasing him. Pawan screamed as the coloured pouch underneath his shirt, ruptured. The villagers thought it was real blood. They shouted for help and called up the police. Seeing the situation taking a wrong turn, our director spilled the beans and told them the truth. At this the villagers were both amused and embarrassed. Later, we invited them to join us again for the next sequence again, for continuity, but they refused," she said.

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#23

Interview of the week: By A.L. Chougule

Almost a year after he took break from television, Kiran Karmarkar is back to working in serials and is all set to make his comeback next week on TV in Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman, which will be followed by Sapatadi on Star One. The actor who hogged the limelight on prime time and got as much attention and recognition as Shakshi Tanwar who played his wife Parvati in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kiran is again back to doing the one-and-a-half shifts he had stayed away from for a year.

"I needed a break to get away from the monotony of doing one role for over five years. More than just a break I needed a change," he reasons while admitting that Kahani brought a major change in his life. "Before Kahani I was very much there doing shows like Itihaas and Ghar Ek Mandir but big recognition came with Kahani." Once he quit Kahani the sluice gates opened and he was offered several roles.

"I was offered leads in practically every serial, both on-air and new such as Yeh Meri Life Hai, Jassi, CID and Kohinoor. Ekta had also offered me two shows. Smiriti (Irani) had also approached me for Thodi Si Zameen. But I was not ready for any serial," he reveals. "Out of 365 days I worked for only 21 days, 10 days each for Darna Mana Hai and Don and one day for Saarthi."

But what kept him busy was theatre. He did Kachche Lamhe that's based on a short story by Gulzar and is directed by Salim Arif. "It's a beautiful play that explores assertion of her identity by a married woman through an extra-marital affair which becomes meaningless," says Kiran who really had to work hard on his diction. "We did a lot of shows in Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Singapore and Dubai. In November we are going to perform in the US as well." Mera Naam Joker is the other play that kept his creativity flowing. "It's an out and out comedy," he adds.

Though he had refused to do Thodi Si Zameen, a mill-to-mall story, eight months ago he is doing it now for two reasons. "One, the subject is absolutely different from family sagas. Two, it is a bi-weekly serial which will not require more than five to six days in a month. Besides the role is also good," he says. Though essentially the rags-to-riches story of Uma, played by Smriti, who is a survivor and how she transforms her life from a lower middle class existence to the rich echelons of the rich and famous while fighting for the rights of mill workers, Kiran says his character gains importance as the drama builds up.

But the serial that's really going to keep him busy is the daily soap Sapatadi that goes on air from October 3. "I am playing a dominating father of a girl whose kundali creates all kinds of problems in his life and family," he says.

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#24

'I have tasted blood'

After the success of Thodisi Zameen…, Smriti Irani is set to produce three more television shows

Subhash K Jha

Smriti Irani aka Tulsi of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has taken her role as producer very seriously. After her first venture Thodisi Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman, she is all set to produce three more serials now.

Talking about her production plans, she says, "I think I've tasted blood, now I want to produce more serials. I'm doing one more fiction and two non-fiction shows. All three shows belong to different genres."

The actress considers herself lucky to work with her old colleagues again. "For instance, Kiran Karmakar who's my co-star in Thodisi Zameen… When I had walked into Balaji to do Kyunki Saas..., he was already doing Ghar Ek Mandir. My other friends like Jaya Bhattacharya, Sanjit Bedi and Pawan Shankar are helping me grow as a producer too. My next fiction series will have some of the most brilliant actors from both cinema and television. Now when I see films like Maqbool, Omkara and Iqbal, I find audiences are ready for a change on the home front as well. The fact the Thodisi Zameen… has clicked only proves my point," Smriti says.

Meanwhile, Smriti is glowing as an aging character in Kyunki Saas… "I guess it's the glow of success. I am glad Thodisi Zameen… is doing so well. I think actors are dispensable. It's the technicians who make soaps happen. An actor hogs maximum space in the papers, but it's technicians who deserve to be written about," she says.

The shift from the old woman's role in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi to the young dreamer in Thodisi Zameen... has been a cakewalk for the actress. "It isn't a mind-boggling process to play such contrasting characters on two different sets. Being an actor is an easy job, but being a producer is far more difficult," she says.

How is she managing her time between being an actor and a producer? She says, "I'm not as busy as my boss, Ekta Kapoor. Now, I know how much planning it requires, before a show goes on the floors. Besides, I'm blessed with a very accommodating family. I don't have a social life. I'm one of the few actors, who never attends Ekta's parties," she says.

Any unfulfilled dreams? "I want to do a full-fledged comedy on television," she replies.

• I'm blessed with a very accommodating family. I don't have a social life. I'm one of the few actors, who never attends Ekta's parties — Smriti Irani

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=19&am p;articleid=922200604021265922200603934812

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#25

Russel Crowe inspires Om

After playing a responsible and ideal brother, husband, son and father in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kiran Karmarkar aka Om Agarwal quit the serial after five long years since he didn't want to stagnate. After some meaningful theatre, Kiran seems to have found his calling again on television. He is back with the Balaji co-production with Smriti Iraani aka Tulsi in the ambitious weekly Thodi Si Zameen, Thoda Aasmaan on Star Plus.

It is a challenging role since he will be seen playing a mentally challenged character Sudhanshu who is 35 years old, but inside the body of a grown up man, he is still a child reading books, playing with toys, reading fairy tales and believing them to be true.

His character is said to have a dash of Russel Crowe of A Beautiful Mind, Guru Dutt of Bahurani, Jeetendra of Jyoti and Sanjeev Kumar of Khilona thrown in. Sounds interesting already! Om and Tulsi have weaved magic on the small screen separately. Now let's wait and watch to see if their magic works together. (Sampurn)

http://www.deccan.com/TV%20Guide/TV%20GuideDescription.asp#P rofessionals%20who%20hopped%20into%20the%20world%20of%20tele vision

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#26

Just Pawan For You!

Thodi si bateein, thodi si shararath... Pawan 'Siddhanth' Shankar, now popular for his role the passionate Sanjay Apte comes to indya chat room, finally!

indya: Hi all, welcome to yet another eventful... Errr well chatful evening on indya.com
indya: He is a big man with many roles... Both in real and reel life, get to know him better on this chat...
indya: Hi Pawan and welcome to the chat
pawan: Thank you...
guest17: How was it being part of Siddanth?
pawan: Getting a role like that again is a tough task! That was a good role!
guest37: Hi, finally these indya guys got Pawan on chat, I was waiting for this for so long, especially during Siddhant. Thanks anyways indya, and Pawan, you rock, is there a sequel to Siddanth, wy don't you only produce it!
pawan: Talks are happening about the sequel! Let's see if it works out!
meeta_: Hi Pawan, I am your very big fan. I want to know about your life before getting into acting.
pawan: I am an MBA and I worked in the corporate world for four years!
guest48: Does smriti have a sense of humour at all? When she was on chat on indya she seemed reserved, how is she in real? Hope we have fun with you online!
pawan: For my role in Thodi Si Zameen…, Smriti is the one who helped me a lot and told me how to perform the role, she does have a good sense of humour too!
guest31: Why a long gap after Siddanth?
pawan: I had to do Time Bomb 's sequel but that didn't take off... I only want to do male-oriented roles
guest31: Sex, romance, love, fling, one night stand, - what's the biggest difference between them all?
pawan: There is no differance between them! It all depends on the state of the mind! Everything is justified…
guest17: If you had to choose between STAR One and STAR Pl us, which one would you choose?
pawan: Performance wise, I think it has to be STAR One, but popularity wise it has to be STAR Plus… It's like art and commercial cinema.
guest59: IIT to STAR? why?
pawan: It's destiny...
guest17: How did acting happen to you?
pawan: I started making documentaries and that's how acting happened!
guest59: Why did you take up a show where you will die, you are said to die in Thodi Si Zameen.... Why? What next?
pawan: After Siddanth, Sanjay Apte was the next best role that could happen to me, till the character is alive in Thodi Si... He is the hero of the story... Even after he dies, the story revolves around him as he is the central character in the plot.
guest64: Hello Pawan, whenever I see you, you remind me a of Sanjeev Kumar, please tell me about yourself.
pawan: Thank you so much for your compliment! I am very down to earth and I am the same guy from Alahabad that I was before stardom... Nothing had changed me...
guest17: Tell us about your first crush?
pawan: My first crush was my wife when I was 10 and she was 7... In between there were two crushes... But I am fortunate that I married my first crush.
guest47: Your favourite colour, dress, actor, actress, holiday destination?
pawan: Lavender, kurta pajama, Al Pacino, Drew Barrymore, Australia.
guest59: The cast in Thodi Si Zameen… seems very pro-BJP, your comments?
pawan: That's not correct! The cast is pro-performance!
ashalove21: Tell me about your wife, about her nature... You have one child, na?
pawan: Yukti, my wife, is very honest, she is straight, she is a very intelligent person but is a very difficult person to satisfy - She is a Leo and I am a Scorpian!
guest59: Who will win today's cricket match?
pawan: West Indies
rachu94: How would you compare the crew of Siddhanth and Thodi Si...
pawan: It's like the difference between the first love and the second love!
guest64: What are your views about vulgarity?
pawan: It depends on the circumstance of the scene. There is a very thin line between that and what should be shown.
indya: Pawan, any message for your fans? Any email id that they can write to you at?
pawan: Always think big! That's my message to all my fans... My email id - pawanshankarr@yahoo.com. Thank you indya for inviting me, bye!
indya: Thodi si politics, thoda sa acting aur bahut sara answers... - That was Pawan 'Siddhanth' Shankar for you on the chat!

http://www.indya.com/news/pawan_chat.html

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#27

TV's Bong brigade usher in Durga Puja!

Durga Ma is coming home. After a year's sabbatical, Bengal's
favourite deity is back amidst much celebration. Most Bengali's living
away from home are making a beeline for their hometown, or making
plans to celebrate the ocassion in their own style.
The bong brigade of tinseltown are not far behind.
Kavita Shyam spoke to the Balaji's Bengali brigade and asked them about their memories and plans of celebrating the beautiful festival.

Mouni Roy:

I love the preparations which go into Durga Puja and the festival has fond memories for me - the bhog(prasad), the pushpanjali and the lights cheer me up besides it's a reunioun time of sorts for me and my friends. I strongly believe in Ma Durga and wait for the mahalaya (which I hear unfailingly watch on Doordarshan ) every year as my birthday falls around that time. I enjoy the shopping t as well and as far as shidur khela is concerned, since I am not married I go with my mother to enjoy watching the same. This year I'd be going home (to Kuchbihar) on 30 September like every year though I've been out of home for five years and go pandal hopping with my parents and friends. Let's see how the people there react to me visiting my home town after becoming an actor.

Ronit Roy:
Durga Puja is definitely different now from what it used to be when I was young. As

a child I'd enjoy the preparations which included the cultural events in the evening for which we'd prepare skits one month in advance and also do masti at the kids corner which is there in every pandal . Buying new clothes and playing at pandals have been my childhood memories but the only thing that has remained constant is perhaps the bhog wherein the flavour of the bhog remains the same everywhere. Durga Puja means thanking Maa for everything and asking her for forgiveness. This year I plan to go to Lokhandwala puja which is done by a friend of mine.

Sushmita Mukherjee:

As a child Durga Puja in Delhi meant going to pujo bari in all our fineries. My aunts and mother would prepare the bhog and I'd help in cutting the fruits for the puja. I'd take part in plays and dance programs during the evenings. We'd buy nine set of clothes for Durga Puja and flaunt them everyday and on the last day we'd pile on to a truck to go to immerse the idol. After marriage (as I am married to a Rajput) I culturally moved away from celebrating the festival the usual way but I do visit pandals and enjoy the bhog. Most importantly I fast for nine days so for me it's an amalgamation of Durga Puja and Navratri. I feel Puja now a days is very modernized and too much money is spent on the entertainment bit. Today I take great pleasure in teaching my sons about the culture and the festival.

Jaya Bhattacharya:
I have been going to Santacruz and various other places for essentially the bhog.

But since last year I have been hugely involved in my society's puja. My childhood memories are of spending the entire day in the puja pandals and of my father being an active member of the Puja associations. Also it meant holidays, new clothes, watching decked up females and having no restrictions during the evenings. The bhog is something which can never be re created beyond durga Puja and I also enjoy the dhunuti dance( diya dance) , shidor khela and looking at Durga Ma's feet in the mirror.
Now I take my house maids to the pandals to give them a feel of the festival and my good friend Suhasini Mulay joins me for pandal hopping as she enjoys the Bengali culture.

Resshmi Ghosh:

Durga Puja means include the bhog (the Prasad), dhak (drums), the shidoor khela(newly weds splattered with sindoor), aarti, pushpanjali, the sweets and the junk food. My birthday falls in July so from then till the puja I'd end up collecting about 25 sets of clothes to be worn during Durga Puja. I have grown up in Kolkata where puja means the biggest festival of the year and I'd never miss the immersion of the idol. Puja brings good news, happiness and colour besides bringing in new hopes for all of us. Ma Durga comes home and brings peace and joy with her.
This year my life's revolving around Balaji, but I am not complaining as life's beautiful. I will take out some time during Puja to relish the bhog and offer prayers.

http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k6/sept/27sept/feature_durga.p hp

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#28

INTERVIEW | KIRAN KARMARKAR

"Initially I was offered Harsh Chaya's role"

Ashish Mitra
Posted online: Friday, September29, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

From playing a devoted husband Om in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. Kiran Karmarkar returns to the small screen with Smriti Irani's Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aaasman in which he plays a mentally challenged man, Sudhanshu Jadojia. A tete-a-tete with the actor... What is Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aaasman all about?
This is basically the story of Sudhanshu, a mentally-challenged man who is the eldest son of the richest business family in Mumbai. He is a victim of a sinister plot and is drugged since childhood after his mother's death because he should not stake claim to his father's property. Unlike other films or serials I am not shown as mad or dumb. How is it playing a mentally challenged person?
Well, this was a challenging role for me, not having played such a character before. People ask me if I had met and studied the mannerisms of any mentally challenged person earlier. Though I have come across a couple of such people before, I didn't look at them as a subject of observation for I never knew one day I will have to play one such character. All said and done, I felt it extremely exciting to step into the shoes of such a character for a person who is known to be a sober and subtle performer. You are returning to the small screen after a long haitus.
I wanted a break as I was tired of television, having worked continuously for five long years. The stress was too much and so was refusing roles right, left and centre. Smriti Irani (producer of the serial) initially offered the role which Harsh Chhaya is currently essaying, but for the same reason (stress), I showed my unwillingness. However, she called me again later and offered me this role. Gauging that this role would eventually give me self-satisfaction and adulation, I gave in and accepted it. Without work how did you pass your time?
I am not a man to sit home idly. In between I brushed my acting skills enacting in plays like Darna Mana Hai, Kacche Lamhe and Mera Naam Joker.

How are your relations with Balaji Tele Films.
I share a fantastic relationship with them. I am paid well and have got my name and fame through them. What happened earlier was not a spat as such. I didn't agree with them for working 25 days a month for reasons of my own. I the kind of person who will not risk my health for a few rupees more.

Your impression of Smriti Irani as a producer
On-screen, we are comfortable with each other. We have done more than 2,500 scenes. She is a very fine person and doesn't carry any airs as a producer.

Your take on director Santram Varma.
He is an extremely skilled director having earlier worked with him for Rihaaee. He knows his job and is very fast in executing takes. It's a pleasure working with him. I enjoy a lot working with him. How many episodes have you completed so far?
We have completed about twelve episodes of which seven to eight have been telecast. Any other serial you are working in?
Yes, I am working in Saathi Re that is scheduled to air on STAR One sometime in November.

How would you rank yourself as a person?
I am a sincere, determined, perfectionist and a home-loving person. Being an introvert, I take a lot of time getting to know people and like to stay away from a crowd for even a company of four people is a crowd to me. Yes, I can be an extrovert only with people close to me. In general, people take a lot of time to understand me and vice versa.

http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=13646

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 19 years ago

#29

Fraud alert for Karmarkar
By: Shaheen Parkar
September 30, 2006

Karmarkar with wife Rinku

A man posing as an authorised water purifier service personnel entered Kiran Karmarkar's Kandivili home yesterday morning. He claimed to be from Eureka Forbes and proceeded to check their Aquaguard system.

Karmarkar, who was home at the time, got suspicious and asked him for his identity papers, and kept probing till he found that the man was not from Eureka Forbes. The actor then took him to the Samta Nagar police station and lodged a complaint.

People beware

"For a moment, it was very scary. Luckily, I was at home and so was my wife, Rinku. I called Eureka Forbes and they were clueless about this man's identity. On further probing, I learnt that he was just posing as an Aquaguard service personnel," says Karmarkar, who is seen in the Star Plus show Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman.

Best remembered for his role as Om in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Karmarkar will also feature in the new Star One drama, Saathi Re.

"The reason why I want to highlight this incident is because I want to make people aware of such fraudulent people. I'm sure most people don't even bother to check the credentials of such people, and allow them to enter into their homes and even pay them for it. I want people to be alert."

Tamper tantrums

It was later revealed that the man was from a Malad-based company called Aqua Care. "These kinds of companies always mention 'aqua' in their names to confuse people. They ask for new contracts to be made and make a good amount of money in the company's name.

Moreover, I am informed that some of these so-called service personnel even tamper with the purification system and damage its parts so that gullible customers have to shell out money for its repairs. "

Incidentally, the actor had received a phone call earlier from the 'aqua' company asking him for his residential address, as their service personnel needed to check their water purification system.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/september/144361.htm

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Shruti

@shruti

Alumni

+ 9

Posted: 18 years ago

#30

From rags to riches?

I really did like Star Plus' weekend drama, Thodi Si Zameen, Thoda Sa Aasman, even though joint producer Smriti Iraani doubling up as a nubile 27-year-old lead, didn't make too pretty a picture. But the show managed to bring alive the ambience of Mumbai's textile mill heartland, and the characters looked real. There was potential for enough drama in the lives of the secondary characters too, if the main plot even threatened to be losing steam. But last week, the lead got married to Mr Moneybags, and the soap seems to be shifting location to a sprawling mansion. Will we lose Thodi si zameen..... to the lure of the mainstream, yet again?

Besides, the premise of the new track isn't very original. Uma has got married into a rich and apparently happy household, but the undercurrents of domestic politics are being felt strongly. And Uma's husband turns out to be a mentally unbalanced person, as she discovers on her wedding night. Deja vu, for anyone who's watched Koshish Ek Asha some years ago on Zee. To add to the feeling of deja vu, Zee itself is following a similar track in Dulhann. Don't they make normal husbands anymore?

http://www.indiantelevision.com/special/boxpopuli/y2k6/sep/b oxpopuli21.htm

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