KHMK Articles/Interviews/News Corner - Page 4

   


   




   


Yes, Ekta's Mahabharat is on 9X



Despite their denials on the epic it is now almost confirmed that Ekta Kapoor is making Mahabharat and yes it is to be aired on 9X.


A well placed source in the channel says, "Ekta's Mahabharat is undoubtedly for 9X. It is expected to air on the weekends that is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting from 15th of August."


"The show will have all the Balaji's loyal actors from Makrand Deshpande, Ronit Roy, Akashdeep Saigal, Sakshi Tanwar, Hiten and Gauri Tejwani," adds the source.


Another source says, "Ronit Roy, Akashdeep Saigal and Hiten Tejwani will play Bheeshma Pitamah, Duryodhan and Karna respectively. Chetan Hansraj may play Bheem and Sakshi Tanwar may play Kunti (mother of Pandavas). The production house is also considering Gauri Tejwani. The muhurat took place on the 7th of April."


When contacted, Chetan Hansraj informs, "I was earlier offered to play Bheem which I agreed to but now I have not heard anything from Balaji."


A source from the production house says, "Sakshi may not play Kunti in Mahabharat as she is not very comfortable with the whole idea."


All efforts to contact Indrani Mukerjea of 9X were in vain.


Hey, but can someone tell us that with all the Balaji stars in it won't the epic look like another Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi?
http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k8/apr/9apr/news_mahabharat.ph p

Mahabharat at balaji...


Don't get ideas, we are talking about Ekta Kapoor's new project for TV, the Mahabharat


Back to Section Stories Posted On Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Recommended tags :
Ekta Kapoor's new project for TV, the Mahabharat, Chetan Hansraj, Naman Shaw, Ronit Roy, Shabbir Aluwalia, Aamir Ali, Jay Bhanushali, Karan Patel, Ram Kapoor and Hiten Tejwani, Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi is also making the Mahabharata
Popular tags :
plagiarism unoriginal Add Tag
   


Kunal M Shah


Ekta Kapoor

Ekta Kapoor is all set to hark back to the mother of all drama. She has decided to film the Mahabharat. And she's obviously planning to do it on a magnum scale. The show is expected to star all the top actors of the Balaji stable. It will go on the floors in the last week of February or the first week of March and will be aired mid-2008, on one of the recently-launched TV channels.

Even Ekta Kapoor has a first, after all these years in the TV industry. This will be her first attempt at mythology.

Our well-placed source says, "Ekta is filming the Mahabharat. And, knowing her, she will not leave any stone unturned to make it one of the biggest shows of our time. The preparations for the shoot are already underway and Ekta has already started speaking to all the major actors in Balaji. It will be a daily and will have a huge budget."

Our source has some of the names of the stars too. "Some of the actors who Ekta has already spoken to include Chetan Hansraj, Naman Shaw, Ronit Roy, Shabbir Aluwalia, Aamir Ali, Jay Bhanushali, Karan Patel, Ram Kapoor and Hiten Tejwani. She has also spoken to Gauri Pradhan and Saakshi Tanwar. However it is yet unclear who will play the five Pandavas and the important characters among the Kauravas. The character of Krishna will be finalised soon," says the source.

When contacted, Ekta Kapoor refused to comment on her grand plan.

Incidentally Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi is also making the Mahabharata, which will also go on air at around the same time. There are also reports of the Ramayan being remade by the Sagars.


Rate Me...
Mail this Article   Print this Article


BACK TO SECTION STORIES


http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article&se ctid=12&contentid=2008012920080129024236500cba98ffa

Ekta's Mahabharat with a K - Article
Excl: Ekta's Mahabharat with a K

Finally, Ekta Kapoor has titled her ambitious project Mahabharat. The show will be called Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharat Ki. Ekta was in consultation with numerologist Sanjay Jumaani and tarot reader Sunita Menon to decide the name of the show. There were also reports that it won't start with letter K.




Sanjay Jumaani, who is in Australia, told us, "The name for her Mahabharat was suggested by me like all her other shows. And of course it will be good for her and the show."

Sunita Menon refused to give us any details about her part in deciding the name.

A few scenes for the show have been shot in Ladakh, Jaipur and Mumbai. Huge sets worth crores have been erected in Mumbai. Majority of the cast has been finalized but Balaji is maintaining secrecy over the main characters. The makers say the show will be very different from the original Mahabharat.

Ekta's only shows which did not have the letter K at the start were Hum Paanch and Itihaas. Both the shows were big hits. Hum Paanch used to be telecast at prime time on Zee while Itihaas was aired on DD in the noon slot.

Early this week, Sakshi Tanwar fainted on the sets of Ekta Kapoor's Mahabharat in Ladakh because of lack of oxygen. Sakshi had to be rushed to a local hospital and administered oxygen.

When contacted, Suraj Rao — creative head of show, confirmed that Sakshi had collapsed in Ladakh. Rao said, "Yes, Sakshi lost consciousness because she could not breathe since the oxygen levels were low. We had to move her to a hospital and she was put on oxygen. We decided to shoot in Ladakh because it has beautiful locales. While other actors were fine Sakshi had a major problem."
According to Rao, Sakshi resumed shooting after a day. "She recovered after hospitalisation and we shot with her for the remaining scenes," Rao added.

According to our source, Sakshi had to call off her shooting of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Yeh Hai Jalwa. Creative Head of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Nivedita Basu, said, "Sakshi did not shoot with us on Wednesday. She was not well."

Says our source, "Sakshi is better now, but it was quite a serious matter when she collapsed in Ladakh."

Sakshi remained unavailable for comment.


What causes altitude sickness?

The concentration of oxygen at sea level is about 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. As altitude increases, the concentration remains the same but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. In order to properly oxygenate the body, your breathing rate (even while at rest) has to increase. This extra ventilation increases the oxygen content in the blood, but not to sea level concentrations. Since the amount of oxygen required for activity is the same, the body must adjust to having less oxygen. In addition, for reasons not entirely understood, high altitude and lower air pressure causes fluid to leak from the capillaries, which can cause fluid build-up in both, the lungs and the brain. Climbing higher altitudes without proper acclimatization can lead to potentially serious, even life-threatening illnesses.

Related Stories

Ekta: 'K' keeps coming back to us!
4 Jun 2008, 0000 hrs IST, DEEPALI DHINGRA ,TNN

Print EMail Discuss New Bookmark/Share

Save Write to Editor


Ekta Kapoor (TOI Photo) More pics
The last time BT spoke to Ekta Kapoor, she had said that there were no plans of changing the name of her show Mahabharat on 9X. After all, isn't it a trend for all Ekta's shows to begin with the letter 'K'?

But looks like the producer has changed her mind after all. The new title for the show is... hold your breath... Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharat Ki ...!

So why the title change? "We could not keep the name of the show Mahabharat as it is a registered title with BR Chopra. In fact, even his show was called BR Chopra's Mahabharat. I could have kept the title Ekta Kapoor's Mahabharat but felt that it would really be megalomaniac as it would seem like a copyright on a huge brand," says Ekta.

She adds that she chose a few titles, including 'Humara Mahabharat' and 'Bharat Ka Mahabharat' and sent them to her astrologer Suneeta Menon for approval. "I value Suneeta's opinion a lot. Surprisingly and luckily, the title with the best sounding aura was Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharat Ki," Ekta says. The title was later sent to numerologist Sanjay B Jumaani for spelling correction.

And believe it or not, Ekta says that she actually wanted this to be her first show which did not start with the letter 'K'. "I wanted Mahabharat to be the exception as everyone assciates 'K' with us now. But I think it's cool how 'K' keeps coming back to us," she laughs and adds that in the near future, they will surely come out with a title which does not begin with 'K'. The producer admits that she's extremely nervous about the show as it's a huge responsibility. On the other hand, it's her reality show Kaun Jeetega Bollywood Ka Ticket that's not giving her the jitters. "It's the contestants who will be creating the drama on this one so I'm really excited about this show. I'm testing new waters with this show and it's got me in touch with my fun side," she concludes.

Too fat to be Duryodhan!
No problem if I am fat', that's what Akaashdeep Saigal may be saying to himself. Saigal, who was chosen to play Duryodhan in Ekta Kapoor's upcoming serial, Mahabharat, will not play Duryodhan. Instead, Kapoor has asked him to play evil Kans mama.

Our well-placed source from the TV industry says, "Akaashdeep was asked quit doing Duryodhan's role because lately he has put on a few extra kilos. Duryodhan's character needs a very well-framed body. Hence Aryan Vaid, who looks fitter than Akaashdeep, was asked to step into Akaashdeep's shoes."

But wasn't Akaashdeep Ekta's blu-eyed boy? "Akaashdeep is a good actor and Balaji always recognises talent. So, Ekta asked Akaashdeep to play Kans mama instead. Akaashdeep is fine with his new role, so there's no problem. Of course, Duryodhan's role is meatier but Akaashdeep can't do much about Ekta's decision. Aryan is now final," our source tells us.

Ekta too confirms that Akaashdeep is not playing Duryodhan. She says, "The fact that Akaashdeep is busy with my other show, Kuch Is Tarah, is one of the reasons why he won't play Duryodhan."

Related Stories

From the bad man Raunak in Kasturi to the goodie-goodie brother Sahadev in Kahani Hamare Mahabharat Ki, Jatin Shah has done it all.

The handsome heartthrob of Indian television seems to be going through a well-deserved career growth. What started off with innocuous advertisements soon transformed into a cameo role in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, and finally a role in Kasturi and Ekta Kapoor's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki.

"I consider myself lucky to have got such a good role in Mahabharat even though it means a lot of hard work for me. I have to learn horse riding and sword fighting for the battle scenes and also work out for two hours daily to get into shape for Sahadev's character," says a grateful Jatin, whose rise to fame, like many other actors, can be attributed to Balaji Telefilms.

But why a mythological character? "People started liking me as Raunak in Kasturi. When my character started developing negative shades, they started hating me. So I took Sahadev's role to get a positive image. Hopefully, they will start liking me again," Jatin smiles.

"I consider myself very lucky to have been identified for the biggest project on Indian television today," he continues. "Plus, I feel an actor's actual test is in doing different types of roles. I have done soaps, now I feel doing a mythological character will add to my portfolio and help me mature as an actor."


Jatin will start shooting for the show in a couple of days.

Apart from the epic, Jatin is also getting ready for a reality show titled Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Kabhi Kabhi Yaar in which participants have to dance with their real and reel life partners.
Lucky to be a part of Mahabharat
"This is a tough one because I suffer from dance phobia! After shooting for Kasturi the entire day, I practice dancing for a couple of hours daily!" says the actor. He will be seen with long time beau, Priya Bathija, in the contest.

Is marriage on the cards? "That's too private. My viewers will get to know once I am married. Let it be a secret for now," he signs off.
http://www.theadda.com/bollywood/?p=1654

Ekta Kapoor talks about Mahabharat
What made you turn your attention to mythology?
We realised we couldn't go on doing the same thing though soaps are our daal chawal at Balaji Telefilms and they'll always be in demand, but we felt the need to move into different areas.

But why Mahabharat?
Because there's a whole generation out there who hasn't seen it. I wanted to give the epic a totally new feel. And I'm infusing new visuals and interpretation to Mahabharat. Although it's a traditional subject it is full of state-of-the-art visuals and treatment.

Won't you offend purists?
Let them first watch my Kahaani Hamaare Mahabharat Ki (KHMK), we'll see about what they have to say later. For me, KHMK is the biggest challenge ever. Everyone is going to be shocked once the first visuals are out. Good, bad or ugly, this is my version of Mahabharat and once it starts, viewers can throw stones at me if they dislike it. I'm not treading on safe zone. I'll take both, the bouquets and the brickbats.

Was it fair to replace Gautami Gadgil with Smriti Irani in Kyunki…?
I'll make sure Gautami doesn't get even one day off from Balaji. I'm giving her a vehicle that's worthy of her. Getting back Smriti is like a double whammy. My new project with Gautami is a rare challenge for me at this stage of my career.

Is it a fiction?
I won't say that. But it's something totally new to me. I'm so happy Gautami is part of it.


How did Smriti Irani make a comeback in Kyunki…?
She started shooting again on April 6, which was a very auspicious day in the Hindu calendar. Smriti as extremely gracious about dancing at my first Global awards. And she refused to take money. It's all about personal equations. When an actor works with Balaji you've to go by my rules. You can call me a dictator, or whatever else you like. I met Smriti again with an open mind and was ready to close discussions if the issues were not sorted out. Luckily Smriti was okay with most of our conditions.

Did the channel Star ask you to get Smriti back?
No channel has the guts to ask me for any actor. They never do it. They never will. When Smriti came to our office, I found that we were very comfortable with each other again. Looking back we realise there was a lot more to our relationship than Kyunki…

Would you say Smriti's absence from the show made no difference?
I'd say she's a very powerful performer. She gave Kyunki… a lot. When she wasn't on the show, everybody missed her. But she made no difference to the ratings. People didn't stop watching the show because of Smriti's absence. The TRPs are decided by the content, not the actors.

Related Stories
http://www.theadda.com/bollywood/?p=879

Work now, party later


Ekta Kapoor postpones her birthday bash because she is too nervous with the release of Mission Istanbul and Kahaani Hamaare Mahabharat Ki


Back to Section Stories Posted On Saturday, June 07, 2008

Recommended tags :
Ekta Kapoor, birthday bash, Mission Istanbul, Kahaani Hamaare Mahabharat Ki, Tirupati
Popular tags :
Please contribute tags or words which you deem relevent to this articles. Add Tag
   


Subhash K Jha


Ekta Kapoor

On Friday morning, a self admittedly nervous and anxious Ekta Kapoor left for Tirupati, as she does each year, for her birthday, which is today. She is on tenterhooks currently as two of her most prestigious projects are about to take off. Ekta took the trouble of slimming down and bought herself wardrobe-full of new clothes for her birthday bash, which she has now postponed.

"I celebrate my birthday on July 11 every year, but this year I postponed it to July 19. I'm too nervous and tensed to have fun till Mission Istanbul releases and Kahaani Hamaare Mahabharat Ki goes on air. I am very anxious as both are big projects. I just can't party before they're out," says Ekta.

"On Friday I'm in Tirupati and on my birthday on Saturday, I'll visit the Siddhi Vinayak temple and have a quiet dinner with my close friends. The birthday bash will just have to wait," she adds.

Ekta looks back on the year gone by with much gratitude and says, "God has been kind. There's this inner urge to keep pushing myself beyond the given parameters. I just keep moving ahead. There's no formula for success. Ideas come instinctively to me."

When we come to ask her about the rumours of bickering at Balaji Telefilms, she laughs it off. She defiantly says, "People from the television industry often warn new comers that we torture our actors. Well, sometimes we do work for 30 hours at a stretch. But that's when we have a deadline to meet. Besides, when our actors don't mind, why should the others?"

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?Page=article&se ctid=30&contentid=200806072008060702555599184bf441d

Mahabharat at balaji...


Don't get ideas, we are talking about Ekta Kapoor's new project for TV, the Mahabharat


Posted On Tuesday, January 29, 2008

   


Kunal M Shah


Ekta Kapoor

Ekta Kapoor is all set to hark back to the mother of all drama. She has decided to film the Mahabharat. And she's obviously planning to do it on a magnum scale. The show is expected to star all the top actors of the Balaji stable. It will go on the floors in the last week of February or the first week of March and will be aired mid-2008, on one of the recently-launched TV channels.

Even Ekta Kapoor has a first, after all these years in the TV industry. This will be her first attempt at mythology.

Our well-placed source says, "Ekta is filming the Mahabharat. And, knowing her, she will not leave any stone unturned to make it one of the biggest shows of our time. The preparations for the shoot are already underway and Ekta has already started speaking to all the major actors in Balaji. It will be a daily and will have a huge budget."

Our source has some of the names of the stars too. "Some of the actors who Ekta has already spoken to include Chetan Hansraj, Naman Shaw, Ronit Roy, Shabbir Aluwalia, Aamir Ali, Jay Bhanushali, Karan Patel, Ram Kapoor and Hiten Tejwani. She has also spoken to Gauri Pradhan and Saakshi Tanwar. However it is yet unclear who will play the five Pandavas and the important characters among the Kauravas. The character of Krishna will be finalised soon," says the source.

When contacted, Ekta Kapoor refused to comment on her grand plan.

Incidentally Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi is also making the Mahabharata, which will also go on air at around the same time. There are also reports of the Ramayan being remade by the Sagars.