It's all hush hush at the RajanShahi camp

by Meenakshi Shankar

Aug 28, 2008, Mumbai  

Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai is a success. We don't have to look any further than the TRP ratings which ring in the truth. But we aren't here to talk about the success of Bidaai, but more around the shroud of mystery surrounding Rajan Shahi's new show - a show which, again is set along the same parameters of simplicity and emotions woven around and presented as a beautiful story.

According to a close source, the show was supposed to hit the floor by 24th August. When we caught up with the producer who has been burning the midnight candle, he said, "I wish that was the case. But we are still putting our team together." Probing further, he revealed, "The lead has been finalized. But we are still in the process of finalizing the team."

Unlike the other producers who would reach out to known faces, Rajan prefers to bring to light young and fresh talent. And he strongly condemns the makeovers of 25 year old to 70 year old doddering roles. Instead, he taps the theater for his character portrayal.

When we heard that he's been closely monitoring the grooming of his lead actress for his new show on Star Plus, he admits that an intense grooming process is on. When we questioned him on the defination of 'intense grooming' he said, "Tutoring her on the way to walk, talk, handle questions, remain behind the scenes..."

A veteran in the industry, he says, "With Sara and Parul, I had walked a similar path. I wanted their work to speak for them. It is difficult to keep a leading lady under wraps, but I want her work to speak for herself. I don't want any preconceived notions making a wrong statement."

He further adds, "It's an unknown face and I want my actors to step into the limelight as a blank canvas. It's only when you come with a baggage that you run into hurdles, but when the canvas is blank, it's easier for everyone to paint a picture."

A thought process which won him accolades from the same media who asked him with cutting edge sarcasm "Are these your leading ladies" when he presented Sara Khan and Parul Chauhan. Little did everyone around know that the duo would become household names.

The hush-hush merely lends itself to speculation. But the producer is very confident and yet superstitious about his new show. Without revealing much, he states, "It is a simple story and I would prefer to retain the essence of simplicity." An ideology which he draws from Vivek Behl, the creative head at Star Plus.

Rajan is the man of the moment. Every eye in the industry is focused on Director's Kut. The industry is waiting with bated breath about his next showcase. And the hush hush around it merely lends itself to a whole lot of speculation. He's at the moment taking his Bidaai on an outdoor and is unsure on when the new show would hit the road. "It could be 5 or 15 days. I am just going with the flow..."

Till then, the enigma continues to wrap us around its little finger!

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