Gurmeet Choudhary and Drashti Dhami voted Indian television’s hottest onscreen couple

The lead stars of hit TV serial Geet – Hui Sabse Parayi, Gurmeet Choudhary and Drashti Dhami have been voted the hottest onscreen couple of all time on Indian TV. Fans around the world voted in force via social networking sites for a poll conducted by UK based newspaper Eastern Eye and elevated the two stars of the romantic drama, which is currently being repeated on Life OK, to the top. The two of them portrayed contrasting individuals named Maan and Geet who go on an emotional journey that leads to them falling deeply in love. “Fans showed they hadn’t forgotten the magic generated by Gurmeet and Drashti by voting in force for them even though the serial ended more than two years ago. Many of the fans who voted are hoping they will reunite in another serial,” said Eastern Eye entertainment editor Asjad Nazir, who put the poll together.

They beat hot favourites Sanaya Irani and Barun Sobti’s characters from Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, who came second in the list. The big surprise was Vrushika Mehta and Shantanu Maheshwari who star in teen serial Dil Dosti Dance because they beat off established names to come in third.

Colors TV will be happy that Drashti Dhami and Vivian Dsena from Madhubala: Ek Ishq Ek Junoon came in fourth because wrote Vivian out of the serial earlier this year before rehiring him.

Like Drashti Dhami, Karan Tacker made the top 10 twice with two television shows. Tacker’s pairing with Yashashri Masurkar in Rang Badalti Odhani came in fifth and his pairing withKrystle D’Souza from Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai came in ninth. “By being in the top four twice Drashti Dhami showed that she is the undisputed queen of Indian television right now. The volume of votes from around the world, more than 250,000, also showed how much of an important part Indian television plays in the part of everyday people,” said Asjad Nazir, who also puts together the very popular lists of the 50 Sexiest Asian Men and Women every year.

Even though Karan Singh Grover has left Qubool Hai, his pairing with Surbhi Jyoti from the Muslim drama came in at number 12.

Others in the top 20 list, which is published in full on March 28 include Rithvik Dhanjani and Asha Negi from Pavitra Rishta (6), Rubina Dilaik and Avinash Sachdev from Chotti Bahu (14), Nia Sharma and Kushal Tandon from Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai (15), Preetika Rao and Harshad Arora from Beintehaa (17), Soumya Seth and Shaheer Sheikh from Navya..Naye Dhadkan Naye Sawaal (20).

Varun Dhawan does a cameo in 'Emotional Atyachaar'
(credit: IF/Tellybuzz)

Big screen actor Varun Dhawan has shot a cameo on TV show Emotional Atyachaar to promote his forthcoming film 'Main Tera Hero'.
Though he had made small screen appearances galore when he promoted his debut film 'Student Of The Year', his association with Emotional Atyachaar is different in the sense that he will be seen as a character in a forthcoming episode of the show.
He will be seen playing Cupid, who will bring together two strangers at a club. He unwittingly helps the protagonist win over a girl's attention and love.
The episode will showcase a shocking story of conning, where the guest on the show, Aarush shares his dreadful experience of being conned by a girl.
The episode will air on UTV Bindass on Saturday.

"Kumkum Bhagya is all about making the best of your life." - Ekta Kapoor


(credit :If/Tellybuzz)

Coming back from Tiruptati where she had obviously gone to seek blessings as she usually does whenever she starts something new, noted producer Ekta Kapoor was in a good mood last night at the launch of her new show Kumkum Bhagya on Zee TV.
The show which stars Shabbir Ahluwalia, Sriti Jha, Mrunal Thakur and Faisal Rashid has the story of a simple, all women family based in Mumbai and how the mother who runs a marriage hall named Kumkum Bhagya wants to see her two daughters married and well settled.
Here is what Ekta had to say about her show and more...
"It is difficult to say whether Kumkum Bhagya is a family drama or a love story."
"It is very tough to talk about the show with so many characters and to assimilate them together in one story is difficult but it is a format breaking as a show. I cannot even say whether it is a love story or a family drama.
The essence of the show is that in life you meet many people who will touch your life through various things, different moments and different people will come and go and there are going to be different stages of love and relationships but the one person who sticks by you at your worst is the one that matters and if that person is the one who is weaved in your destiny through the Kumkum that is in your maang then that's a relationship to actually cherish for life and you never know that. Destiny for women at least till she gets married is different and after marriage destiny changes because it is linked with someone else."
"Kumkum Bhagya is inspired by Sense and Sensibility."
"It is inspired by the classic novel Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen which I liked when I saw the film based on it and then I started writing it in my own way. I changed scripts, writers when I thought that the base of the story was wrong so then I changed it all over again. When you write something but if it doesn't come from inside it doesn't work as a story. I think I left the classic long behind when me and my writers weaved a very different tale out of it."
"I make all my shows from the heart."
"Actually when I make a show the first thing I try to do is block out all external influences or what anyone thinks about the show. Shows have to be made from the heart and I love the characters, I feel part of this home in the show, part of the street that the family stays, I am part of their lives. Kumkum Bhagya is not a typical show in a typical zone and I am not even able to tell you whether it is a family drama or a love story. I am actually out of my comfort zone with this show. I thought there are so many family dramas on TV and yet there are so many stories which are not being told because at some point they are all complying to the typical rules of Television. We have made this show with a lot of heart and are hoping that the heart of this show reaches out to various hearts, various people so if I am expecting or hoping them to like it and I would rather use the word hoping."
"Every show has the same story told differently."
"There is nothing new in the show. Actually there are no new stories. In fact there are just seven stories which are repeated everywhere. What is new is the emotions and characters otherwise it is the same story which is depicted in different ways. If we have two people coming from a small town background and they are aggressive it becomes a Romeo and Juliet story and if we place the same two people in high society then it can turn into a European film. The way stories are told matters, it doesn't matter if the stories are the same. I hope when you see the show you will understand the essence of it. There are similar high points in different lives. The big game here is not to make different stores but to tell the same story differently."
"None of my shows have messages but just a thought."
"I never try to give any message to the audience via my shows. There is always a thought, a philosophy behind each of my shows not a message. In this show the philosophy is that emotionally and in any which way if anyone stays with you in good times or in bad times he is important for you. Kumkum Bhagya is all about making the best of your life and not looking the other way and wanting what others have."
"For me audience is most important."
"At the end of the day my show which runs for eight years because people watch it and if I could I will run it for 20 years if the audience is watching it. For me if the audience be it anybody - a dadi, a youngster, a housewife, any family member who is spending half an hour watching my show then I don't mind working 2 days or more on it. Films will keep on happening but I have decided to give more time to TV now since for me the choice of my Television audience is more important."
"With this show we have 'K' back in the title."
"Kumkum Bhagya was the title of a show we produced for down South and it had a very nice feel to it. This show however has a different concept and story and here the name of a marriage hall is Kumkum Bhagya. With this show K is back in my life and I hope success too comes back to me. I didn't think about it when we decided and after deciding the title we saw that K is back. These days all TV shows have typical titles which are lengthy and are adapted from songs from Hindi films which is so regular so we thought why not do something different."
"Pavitra Rishta doesn't need anyone's help."
"The show which replaces Pavitra Rishta and takes over the 9 pm prime time slot will also be shot on the sets of Pavitra Rishta which has moved on to another set. Pavitra Rishta set was very lucky and I wanted that luck to rub in on Kumkum Bhagya! At the same time Pavitra Rishta too is very important for me but Pavitra Rishta doesn't need anyone's help now as it has reached another level altogether. On whether this show will be as successful as Pavitra Rishta I don't know. I want it to happen but if it will or not I don't know."

Was Paridhi aka Jodha sexually harassed on the sets of Jodha Akbar?  

(credit :Tellynagari.com)

The recent buzz in telly land, of late, has been that Paridhi Sharma (aka Jodha of Jodha Akbar) might quit Jodha Akbar. A few reports have also claimed that this might be a mere publicity stunt and she might stick to her show. However, sources have told Daily Bhaskar that the actress has finally put in her papers and has more reasons than one to call it quits, the strongest one being sexual harrassment that she’s had to put up with on the sets, owing to the show’s director Santram Verma.

Sources from the sets of the show have told us — time and again — that this actress has been facing hell lot of trouble during the shooting due to the serial’s director. Else she wouldn’t have wanted to leave as the show has been ruling the charts (as far as popularity and TRTs are concerned), also adding to the channel’s positioning. Here’s the inside story.

A source reveals, “The director of the show Santram Verma (above in this picture) had been sexually harrassing Paridhi. Tired of this, she had even complained about this to the production team, but nobody could help her. Santram, who’s also directed the film Shh…Koi Hai, is apparently very close to Balaji Productions, and will hardly ever have to face the storm of the production team. Fed up of this, Paridhi has finally has decided to pull back her name from the show.”

Santram Verma, in the past, has had many allegations against him. Another actress from the same show Jodha Akbar, had said on record that the director has affected her mentally as well as financially. “I had to move out because of Santram as he was affecting me mentally and financially. I have been through the worst phase of my life in the past three months where I have suffered badly. My other colleagues too were troubled by him. It’s just that I was his main target and I think this was because I voiced my opinion. However, I never disrespected him. Isn’t it weird to learn that such a big director could spend his energy on troubling a beginner like me?” Ankita Dubey, who was once a part of Jodha Akbar, had claimed in an interview to a website.

A few months ago, around 90 team members from Jodha Akbar’s technical department had resigned, reportedly due to Santram’s intolerable behaviour on the sets of the show.

Adds our source, “Paridhi was also being mentally tortured there. She was aware that it is a daily soap and being the lead, she needs to work 18 hours a day, but still the director of the show would harass her professionally as well.”

Daily Bhaskar has tried to contact Santram to hear his side of the story, but all attempts to reach him have failed so far. When we contacted Paridhi to speak about her issues, she’s said that she does not want to comment on this.

Paridhi does not gel well with the team members and her colleagues from the show. According to our source, “Paridhi does not bond with the starcast and the crew members. She is already married, so she doesn’t interact much with Rajat Tokas and the male crew members there.”

Manish Paul-Sunil Grover tiff intensifies; will the showdown bring an end to Mad In India?

(credit :Tellychakkar.com)

As though Mad In India, Star Plus’ answer to Comedy Nights With Kapil on Colors, was not in trouble enough with its paltry TRP ratings, we now have reports of anchor Manish Paul threatening to quit the show.

However, a source from the team laughs off Manish’s walk-out as “nothing but empty threats”. “He can’t walk out.Koi mazaaq hai kya? He is under contract with the channel. If he leaves he will be taken to court. All these reports of Manish quitting the show are arm-twisting tactics,” added the source.

The source doesn’t deny that Manish and Sunil Grover have problems. “It is basically a tussle about the format of the show. While Grover wants Manish’s interviews with celebrities to be part of the comic act on the show, Manish wants the interviews to continue as a separate slab on the show. He wants to be Jay Leno.”

However the poor ratings of the show are being blamed on the show’s meager comic content.

Says the source, “The channel wants the comic element to be inter-woven into celebrity interviews . Manish’s ‘Jay Leno’ act is not working. In fact during the show’s telecast viewership dips during the interviews. Clearly the audience wants the humour and not the blah blah on Mad In India.”

Sources say that on several occasions Grover attempted to barge into the celebrity interviews. But attempts to humour up the conversations have not been appreciated by Manish Paul.

Says the source, “There is a conflict of interest on the show about the format and packaging. The film’s creative team is trying to sort it out.”
Another source says Grover needs to be pulled into the scripting .

Says the source , “Grover needs to be more participative in the scripting. He tries. But the show’s producers don’t allow him.”

Sources say after the first few episodes didn’t work Grover came with the idea of some self-deprecatory humour. On one occasion he suggested they do away with the audience in the studio and quip, ‘Arrey lagta hai sab Kapil ka show dekhne chale gaye.’ The suggestion was shot down by the creative team. Grover also suggested that they show audiences throwing tomatoes on the Mad In India team.

Says the source, “Grover is not too happy with the content. He would like the show to lighten up and not take itself too seriously. As for the Manish Paul factor, Grover doesn’t interfere at all. But the channel is going to take a call on how and where to fit in Paul.”

We are going strong: Kushal Tandon on girlfriend Gauhar Khan

(credit : Tellyexpress.com)

TV actor Kushal Tandon says his relationship with model-turned-actress Gauhar Khan, who he met on reality TV show ‘Bigg Boss 7′, is going strong with each passing day.

Love blossomed between the two on the controversial show, which Gauhar eventually won. “We are going strong. We are exploring each other. I am happy, she is happy. We lead normal lives and are doing what couples who are in love do,” Kushal said.

Gauhar and Kushal will be next seen together in stunt-based reality show ‘Fear Factor-Khatron Ke Khiladi’. The actor says having Gauhar on the show was a great help as they would pull each other up whenever there was an adverse situation.

“We would boost each other up whenever one of us would feel low or out of confidence. In some stunts we were partners, in some we were pitted against each other but there was no competition between us,” he said.

The fifth season of ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ will be hosted by filmmaker Rohit Shetty and will have celebrities like Dayanand Shetty, Salman Yusuff Khan, Mugdha Godse, Ranvir Shorey among others. The show will air on Colors from March 22.

Kushal had to opt out of the show after just eight episodes because of an injury on his shoulder. “I had this injury for quite some time and that is why I was apprehensive to participate on the show. But it healed and I was on the show. While doing a stunt I got hurt at the same place and had to quit. But I won that stunt,” Kushal said.

Kushal, who rose to fame with his role in ‘Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai’, says he is taking things slowly in terms of his career as he wants to fully recover and be fit and healthy first.

“I have got lot of offers for TV shows. But I am not in any hurry as I have to get my health in place. I have to undergo a surgery and for that I will have to take a break for 2-3 months. I have been working continuously for the past three years and I think it is time to take a break and recover,” he said.

Although Kushal’s claim to fame is the small screen, he hopes to fulfill his long-term dream of becoming a Bollywood actor and is looking forward to star in a movie.

“I don’t mind doing TV shows… there have been many good offers in terms of role and money. But I want to focus on my film career. I am looking forward to doing a solo film. There are scripts and I am in touch with makers. Hopefully, something will materialise by the end of this year or early 2015,” he said.

There were reports that Kushal had quit the show because of Ajaz Khan, who was also a contestant on ‘Bigg Boss 7′ and the two had major heated arguments during the show. But Kushal dismissed this saying Ajaz does not exist for him.

“Everyone knows why I quit the show. The day I left, Ajaz was called as a wild card entry. I don’t want to talk about him, he does not exist for me,” he said.

(PTI)