On Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s birthday, revisiting his first show Saraswatichandra

While the show was designed and created by the filmmaker and even sold with the SLB banner, in just about six months, it changed hands. The business of TV is different from that of cinema and works on a day-to-day rating system, that comes from drama and not theatricals. In just about six months, the channel had a meeting with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and they mutually decided to part ways. Post which Sphereorigins took over and the show had a run of around a year after that. Given the setup was based on SLB’s vision, the new production team also managed to continue with the same look and feel. However, they upped the pace and more dramatic moments were added to the storyline. There were also a few unrealistic and ‘typical tracks’ brought in, and the story deviated from the novel. This disappointed fans, who had wanted to watch SLB’s magic on their small screen.

Recalling his days with Saraswatichandra, Anshul, who played the antagonist Pramadan, shared how he bagged the show while shooting for Ram Leela. Speaking exclusively to indianexpress.com, the actor said that he was playing a small part in the Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone film when he was offered the show. “Sanjay sir must have seen something in me and given me this powerful character. I still remember TRPs shot up with the entry of my character.”

Anshul added that he had no idea that it was SLB himself who picked him for the part. It was the former CEO of the production company who gave him the information. “I was so humbled when I got to know about it. Honestly, I was so naive and raw as an actor then. It was just the second year of my being an actor. The show worked big time for me, gave me popularity and made me a household name. Whatever I have become today is all because of that one opportunity given by the maverick. I am indebted to him for life. I wish I get to be a substantial part of the magic he creates on celluloid in the future. For me, he is no less than God. I wish him health and a zenith of creativity on his birthday. More power to this magician,” the actor said.

So what was Saraswatichandra all about?

The show opened with the introduction of Saraswatichandra aka Saras (Gautam Rode), an aristocrat in Dubai. After his mother dies by suicide, the young man has a strained relationship with his father Laxminandan (Chetan Pandit) and stepmother Ghuman (Monica Bedi). He gets to know that his father has fixed his wedding with a woman in India, Kumud (Jennifer Winget). Not ready to accept the match, he heads back to Gujarat to tell Kumud’s family about his decision. But he soon falls in love with her and the two decide to get married. However, days before the wedding, Saras gets to know that his mother committed suicide because of his father, leading him to call off the wedding.

To save her family’s prestige, Kumud rushes into a marriage with Pramad (Anshul Trivedi), the son of a local politician. Moments after the wedding, she realises he’s an alcoholic and abusive man. However, she pledges to change him but he goes on to create trouble for her. Seeing Kumud getting associated with his father’s party, he plots to kill her but is saved by Saras. She separates from him and goes back to her family.

Later, Kumud’s sister Kusum (Shiny Doshi) gets married to Danny (Varun Kapoor). As Pramad facilitates the divorce, Kumud and Saras also get married and she helps him reconcile with his father. Soon after Laxmianand meets with an accident, colling with the car driven by Kabir (Ashish Kapoor). Through Kumud we get to know that Kabir is trying to seek revenge from Ghuman while pretending to be aiding her plans. We are then informed that Saras’ mother Saraswati delivered a stillborn baby 21 years earlier. After she was blamed by her husband for the same, she committed suicide. Kumud and Saras go on a hunt and realise that Ghuman had exchanged Saraswati’s baby and put him in foster care. It’s revealed that Saraswati’s son and Saras’ younger brother is Kabir, who comes back to avenge being separated from his family. Ghuman tries to once again kill Saras, Kabir, and Kumud but they get saved. Laxmianand also wakes up from the coma and disowns Ghuman after he gets to know about the truth.

Towards the end of the show, Kumud and Saras are seen in Mumbai for a business project. Once there, they deal with a stalker landowner, who gets obsessed with Kumud. They also get attacked by an unknown man, leaving Saras in the hospital. It’s revealed that Ghuman is back to make life hell for the couple. Once she gets caught, Ghuman feigns to be mentally unstable and is admitted to an asylum. Once there, she gets a shock seeing Saraswati alive. As Kumud gets to know about the same, she helps her mother-in-law regain her memory. While the family gets united, Ghuman is sent to jail and the show ends with Kumud delivering her first child.