Can Raveena do what Karishma and Sridevi couldn’t do?
31st Mar 2004
11.47 IST
By ApunKaChoice Bureau
Karishma Kapoor ‘Karishma’ was a disaster, so is Sridevi ’s ‘Malini Iyer’, and now Sahara Manoranjan has roped in Raveena Tandon in a bid to revamp its primetime viewing and raise its meagre TRP.
The channel has launched Bimal Mitra's classic ''Sahib Bibi Gulam'', a 104-episode serial, to be aired four days a week from tonight.
Announcing the launch in Kolkata on Tuesday in a star studded ceremony, director Amitava Bhattacharyya said, ''It was a monumental effort to produce the serial and the satisfaction of having worked with an excellent cast and crew was even bigger.'' ''The serial, to be aired from Monday to Thursday every night, aims at the revival of classic literature that presents life in all its glory and gloom, splendour and ruins, pleasures and pain,'' he added.
The starcast is led by Raveena, fresh from her marriage, Ayub Khan and newcomer Rajesh Shringarpure playing the pivotal role of Bhootnath, earlier played by the likes of Guru Dutt and Uttam Kumar.
The serial also features senior and renowned artists like Rupa Ganguly, Arjun Chakraborty and Mouli Ganguly among others.
Speaking on the occasion Raveena Tandon said, ''It's a great pleasure working in a serial like this. It's a great challenge as minute details are to be taken care of.'' She added that the story and romance of Bengal lured her into doing this serial and enjoyed every bit of it.
Of the 104 episodes of the serial, 36 episodes have already been filmed, the director said adding that work was progressing at a great pace.
But the question is will Raveena do for Sahara what Karishma and Sridevi couldn’t do?
