Shabbir Ahluwalia turns producer

Though a brand new company,Shabbir is happy with the fact that several biggies from the TV and film industry are associated with the project. He is co-producing the serial with Harry Baweja’s ‘Baweja movies’,which has produced Bollywood films like Main Aisa Hi Hoon and Love Story 2050. Also acting in the serial will be veteran actor Kabir Bedi and Ashwini Kalsekar.

Despite being an actor,Shabbir will not be seen in the show. “I will not be acting in Ganga Kii Dheej for sure. You need to plan before you take up TV as it is a long- term commitment. However,it is not like I am bidding adieu to acting in television, for me the role is important,not the medium.”

Ganga Kii Dheej goes on air from November 15,every Monday to Thursday at 10 pm on Sahara One.

Makarand Deshpande,the sutradhar

We have seen him in plays,serials and films. But this is the first time that talented actor Makarand Deshpande is playing a sutradhar for a new Zee show Bhagowali-Baantein Apni Taqdeer. In what could be a first-of-its-kind,Makarand’s voiceover will be used in the show’s promotional campaign to introduce the show.

According to channel sources,since the show is based in Kannauj,Uttar Pradesh,the channel was in search of a man with a distinct rustic edge to his personality,a great voice and a remarkable screen presence and zeroed in on Makarand. Riding a bicycle rickshaw in the garb of a villager,the actor will introduce the audience to the world of Runjhun,the lead protagonist of the show.

Speaking of his role in the show,Makarand said,“Being selected for the role of a sutradhar to introduce the concept of Bhagowali is a huge compliment. The role of a sutradhar is usually offered to men with powerful voices and a strong personality. The premise of Bhagowali sounds simple yet compelling and narrating it was quite interesting!” Makarand will also be a part of the first episode of the show,which is tipped to go on air from November-end.

Fans host season 4 of Hannah Montana

The eight winners of the The Hannah Montana Biggest Fan Forever contest are all set to host the fourth season of the popular teen show Hannah Montana on Disney Channel. The new season of Hannah Montana will introduce all-new songs,music videos and sets.

The storyline finds Miley questioning whether she has the best of both worlds and if she can continue with her alter-ego,Hannah Montana,or leave it all behind forever to be an ordinary girl.

“Hannah Montana has defined a generation of kids and Tweens,not just as a television event,but as a significant phenomenon in popular culture. The fourth season is our commitment to ensure that Hannah will live forever in the hearts and minds of kids and families,” said Natasha Malhotra,VP & GM,Walt Disney Television International India.

Chemistry matters

Vishal Karwal,who was last seen in Bhagya Vidhata on Colors,will now romance Shalini Chandran (of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii fame) in the channel’s new fiction show Rishton Se Badi Pratha.

The serial that will be aired from Monday to Friday from November 15 at 7.30 pm replacing Thoda Hai,Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai deals with the topical issue of honour killings.

The story revolves around Surbhi (Shalini),who is in love with Abhay (Vishal). But complications arise as their families are related to each other since Abhay’s sister Ratna is married to Surbhi’s brother.

Explaining his character,Vishal says,“In the show,I come from a conservative family that hails from a town in Uttar Pradesh and stays in Noida. I play a guy who lives in Delhi and is extremely scared of his father.”

Talking about honour killings,he says,“I was born in Himachal Pradesh but studied in Chandigarh. So I know that in the interiors of Punjab,daughters are considered as a honour of the family.” The actor is also excited to share the screen space with Shalini and exclaims,“I love the character of Geet played by Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met. And in the show,Shalini’s character is just like her. Our on-screen chemistry is so real that I’m sure the audience will think that there’s something brewing between us off-screen.”

‘Aanchal is my kind of girl’

Rahul Bhatt’s eviction from Big Boss 4 has been a huge shocker for the inmates of the house,especially for model Aanchal Kumar who wept after hearing the news. But Rahul has no complaints.

Instead he says that he is very happy to have been evicted prior to Sara Khan and Ali Merchant’s wedding. The aspiring actor says,“I had just started getting comfortable in the show. My eviction did take me by surprise initially. But I am very happy to have left the house before the ordeal (Sara and Ali’s wedding) begins on national TV. In my opinion it is fake and unreal. However,I wish Sara and Ali lots of luck and a happy married life.”

When Rahul entered the Bigg Boss house he was a recluse who kept to himself and rarely interacted with the other inmates. But things changed drastically after Khali’s entry. Rahul found a friend and confidante in the WWF wrestler. “Yes,along with loads of great memories,I am lucky to have befriended Khali. I got to know Manoj Tiwari better and found a friend in him. Aanchal and I hit it off really well in the last couple of weeks. She is my kind of girl,” he says.

The beefy actor also opines that Shweta Tiwari is India’s Meryl Streep. He says,“Shweta has a huge fan following and has been playing her games really well. Veena Malik is the epitome of fakeness as she is in the house to get her big ticket to Bollywood. I will miss Dolly Bindra’s omelettes. Dolly was sent to the house for a clean-up. She is a jinx in the armour and had to stir things up. In my opinion, she has been briefed thoroughly by the channel authorities. But she has been very nice to me and I have no problems with her.”

All for a hug

After months of seperation,Maanav (Sushant Rajput) and Archana (Ankita Lokhande),the lead pair of Zee’s Pavitra Rishta were finally allowed to meet each other,in the serial that is.

Not only were the viewers happy to see them together on-screen but the actors,who are a real-life couple,were also ecstatic to do the re-union scene. The scene required them to board a bus and hug each other. They had no qualms cozying up publicly.

In fact,they kept giggling and blushing through the scene and as a result ended up giving 37 takes! Not that the duo minded!

Manish Raisinghania to do Odhani

Manish Raisinghania,who was last seen in Hum Dono Hai Alag Alag on Star One a year back,is gearing up to return to the small screen with Yash Patnaik’s Rang Badalti Odhani.

This good-looking actor is all set to play a parallel lead in the show and his entry promises to bring lots of twists and turns. He plays a character who has settled abroad and comes to India for some work. He meets Shaan (Karan Tacker) with whom he has an interesting past that will be revealed as the serial progresses. Manish will soon start shooting for the show. After Hum Dono.. Manish,who was missing in action,had started a play group. He took up this serial as he has earlier worked with producer Swapna Waghmare Joshi.

Sara-Ali already married?

Buzz is that Sara Khan and Ali Merchant are already married and the November 10 shaadi in Bigg Boss 4 is their way of making it public. Apparently the duo,who met at an award function over two years ago,has had a court marriage.

Ali entered the Bigg Boss house amidst reports of his beau Sara getting closer to inmate Ashmit Patel. She was seen cozying up with Ashmit and confiding in him about being unhappy in her relationship. Ali kept saying that it was a gimmick for TRPs and then went into the house to take the whole thing to a new level.

He proposed to Sara within a day of entering the house and now preparations are in full swing for the grand wedding to be organised by the channel. Dare we say it’s a neatly managed stunt?

With inputs from Rinky Kumar,Anita Aikara and Onkar Kulkarni