Zee TV launches Shobha Somnath Ki & Mrs Kausik Ke Paanch Bahuein

Premiering today, Shobha Somnath Ki claimed to be biggest ever historical nagnum opus.

June 20, 2011:

Following the glorious success of its immensely popular primetime show Jhansi Ki Rani, India's leading entertainment channel Zee TV carries on its legacy of bringing viewers the most impactful stories from India's rich history. Reopening a remarkable chapter lost in the by-lanes of Bharuch and passed on as a legend by mothers to their daughters in Gujarat, brings you 'Shobha Somnath Ki', a historical drama that narrates the awe-inspiring story of India's unsung heroine Shobha who stood tall and strong in the face of a fiery invasion by Mughal emperor Mahmud of Ghazni. No! She didn't wield the sword, she wasn't exactly the master of guerrilla warfare ... but she held an army of over 2 Lakh plunderers at ransom with the dexterity of a shrewd, agile mind. Ushering in a fresh wave of sparkling programming content on the channel in the wake of its brand revamp exercise, 'Shobha Somnath Ki' premieres on Zee TV at 8 PM on Monday, 20^th June.

Born to a mother who succumbs to the pain of delivering her, Shobha is bereft of parental love all through her childhood, particularly from a bitter father who holds her solely responsible for her mother's death. But the eternally hopeful and bright-eyed Shobha isn't one to give up easily. The story follows her journey as she learns all about love, life, valour and sacrifice from her closest relatives, the noble King Daddachalukya and his beautiful wife Maharani Gayatri Devi of Bharuch. The beauty of her bond with cousin Chaula as the two girls blossom into strikingly attractive women and the twists and turns of fate that drive Shobha to emerge as a torch-bearing heroine of her time form the crux of this tale. Her shrewd game-plan for saving her beloved homeland from the clutches of Mahmud Ghaznavi will be remembered by generations in the land of the Narmada.

Built on a sprawling plot of over 9 acres, the magnificent set of 'Shobha Somnath Ki'is a vision to behold. The sweat and toil of over 500 skilled artisans working day and night for over a year and a half has indeed borne fruit, what with most passers-by mistaking the grand replica of India's ancient Somnath Temple for the original.  The sheer splendour of the palaces, the beauty of the re-created landscapes and the minute detailing of elements such as the traditional sun-dial used for telling time all create an illusion that one has stepped into a time-machine and been transported back to 11^th century Bharuch. Sukesh Motwani, Head- Fiction Programming, Zee TVsaid, "We've gone the extra mile to ensure that we get the finer nuances right. Over a year of extremely meticulous research and development on the set, costumes, jewellery, dialects and diction, traditions and rituals has resulted in an extremely authentic re-creation of the royal lifestyles of Bharuch and Patan from over 10 centuries ago. The show will be shot on a Red HD camera with post-modern production techniques and state-of-the-art technology, giving it an extremely slick look!"

The cast of 'Shobha Somnath Ki' is an interesting melange of popular faces from the television and film fraternity. Playing Daddachalukya, the noble king of Bharuch is actorYash Tonk in a never-seen-before avatar. Lending her grace, charm and dignity to the role of Maharani Gayatri Devi is model-turned-actor Amrita Raichand. Baby Ashnoor Kaur who was last seen playing the incredibly cute Prachi in Zee TV's Jhansi Ki Rani will step into the shoes of young Shobhana. Veteran big screen baddie Sadashiv Amrapurkar will make his Hindi television debut as the evil priest Rudrabhada and send shivers down the audience's spine. Also making an impressive debut as the powerful Mahmud of Ghazni is newcomer Vikramjeet Virk. Other prominent names in the cast include Pankaj Dheer, Avinash Wadhawan, Roma Bali and Sudhir Dalvi.

Akash Chawla, Head- Marketing, Zee TV & Zee Cinema said, "At a time when most channels are making a beeline for high-TRP recipes with three basic ingredients - stars, controversies  and reality shows, Zee TV has chosen to take the least trodden path of digging into unexplored chapters of Indian history that have the potential of making a remarkable story when told interestingly."

Produced by Indira Media and Candlestick Productions, Shobha Somnath Ki is, doubtlessly, an epic drama you cannot afford to miss!

Mrs Kausik Ke Paanch Bahuein

There's a thin line that separates the control freaks from the benevolent dictators! The former just drive people up the wall by constantly trying to dominate them. The latter know what's best for their loved ones and manage to influence them to follow their rules of wisdom with the sheer force of their strong personalities. Come Monday, June 20 at 10 PM, Zee TV will premiere Mrs Kausik Ke Paanch Bahuein and introduce you to Mrs. Bindeshwari Kaushik, someone who clearly belongs to the latter category. As the formidable matriarch of a joint Rajasthani family, she has rather ably held the reins of her household, made the most significant decisions in the lives of her husband, her five sons and four daughters-in-law.

Proud of her impeccable sense of what's right for her people, she's currently set out on a mission – to find the most suitable bahu for her youngest son Kartik who she simply dotes on! While Bindeshwari is on the lookout for a girl who has the finest mix of all the virtues of her 4 bahus, she most importantly wants her paanchvi bahu to be an honest, upright girl who never tells a lie!

Enter Lovely - a free-spirited, fun-loving, beautiful young girl who believes in making her own rules rather than following anybody else's. Lovely thinks it's perfectly acceptable to lie in order to help someone! Quick in her thinking, she can spin a yarn at the snap of a finger but her lies are harmless and never intended to hurt anybody's sentiments. What ensues is a light-hearted family drama that follows Lovely's journey into Bindeshwari's heart despite their distinctly different approaches towards life. Playing the woman who rules the house with an iron hand but has a heart of gold - Mrs. Bindeshwari Kaushik is actress Vibha Chibber who has a prolific theatre background and has also acted in movies like Chak De! India, Saawariyan and Ghajini. Playing her husband Satyadev Kaushik, a warm, genial family man is veteran actor Rajiv Verma. Gehna, the first bahu who's grounded, stable and symbolises the element 'earth' is played by Gunn Kansara. Playing the vivacious Nimmi who stands for the element 'air' is Swati Bajpai. Intelligent, calm and serene like 'water' is the third bahu Simran played by Rubbina Shergiil. Wild and untamed just like 'fire' is the London-returned bahu Riya played with finesse by Deeya Chopra. Making an impactful debut as Lovely is newcomer Ragini Nandwani while Mukul Chhablani, last seen in Zee TV's Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo will play the male lead, Kartik. The show is produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms.

Commenting on the show, Sukesh Motwani, Head- Fiction Programming, Zee TVsaid, “Every mother-in-law has her own idea of what a perfect daughter-in-law should be like ... the contrast between the real and the ideal always makes for interesting content. Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein is a story of two extremely endearing women who are as different as chalk and cheese in the way they approach life ... While one is a strict disciplnarian, the other is a little bit of a rebel! The show is a light-hearted drama that follows the two ladies as they try and learn how to adjust with each other... I'm confident that this family drama will surely touch our viewer's hearts and help in giving a new meaning to relationships.”

So let's see what fate has in store for Mrs. Kaushik and Lovely? Will Lovely find a mother in her strict Saas? Or will Bindeshwari accept Lovely the way she is?

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