Yeh Rishta gets its highest ratings since launch..

Rajan Shahi and Star Plus' Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai has bettered its ratings this week, and has achieved the highest TRP since its launch with 7.4 TVR, with the main wedding episode touching the 8 mark.

The very much detailed marriage celebrations of Naitik (Karan Mehra) and Akshara (Hina Khan) created a record of sorts, as it was the longest marriage to be shown on television.

Says Producer Rajan Shahi, "The credit to this accomplishment goes to our entire team. Starting from the writer to director and the production team, all put in their best shot. It was a total team effort, without which the entire wedding sequence would have fallen flat. We wanted to give a lot of detailing to the entire process that leads to the fruitful marriage, without giving much prominence to dramatics".

Rajan Shahi's flagship show on Star Plus, Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai also had the remarriage sequence of Alekh and Sadhana being aired at the same time. Bidaai got an average of 5.5 TVR this week, and went on to be the #2 show across channels.

With the culmination of the wedding season in both the top rated shows of Star Plus, we now look forward to more interesting plots.

And as Rajan Shahi puts it, "Bidaai is now heading to a major revelation which will lead to certain hidden facts coming out. As for Yeh Rishta, the journey of the couple has just started. Viewers will get to see many more interesting story plots in the coming future".

Hunar Ali in Yaha Pe Sapne Baste Hai.. Karol Bagh.

Hunar Ali who was seen essaying the character of Sohni in Star Plus' Grihasti has bagged the lead role in Sunshine Productions' Yaha Pe Sapne Baste Hai… Karol Bagh on Zee TV.

As reported earlier about the news of Karol Bagh coming on Zee TV in a prime time slot.It was mentioned that this will be the first television show purely based on the life of Delhites. Here's some more info on the storyline of the show.

The story is based on a middle class family who live in Delhi. The family is headed by the parents, who have three daughters and a son. Hunar Ali who was last seen in COLORS' Koi Aane Ko Hai with Raj Singh Arora will be playing the lead in the show. She plays the eldest daughter of the family who is very bold, happy-go-lucky types, who is very protective about her two sisters.

The show will be launching sometime in the third week of August. Contiloe's Jhansi Ki Rani is also slated for a launch around the same time in August. With Maayka and Betiyaan ending on August 14th and August 13th respectively, Karol Bagh with either get a time slot of 8 PM or 10 PM. However, the decision has not been taken on the time slots to be given for Jhansi and Karol Bagh.

Other than Hunar Ali, the cast in the show are mostly new faces.

Our attempts to get a confirmation from the channel went in vain.

Jay Bhanushali to enter Iss Jungle...

Jay Bhanushali the chocolate boy of television will now be seen doing daring tasks in the jungles of Malaysia, as he is all set to enter Sony's Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao next week.

With Shweta Tiwari staging a walkout, the channel has decided to send in their next celebrity wild card in Jay Bhanushali. He will be entering in the coming Monday's episode. Jay who had recently gone on a trip to Bangkok developed a liking to indulge in dangerous sports; hence he gave it a nod as soon as he was approached for Iss Jungle.

Jay was recently seen hosting the very successful reality show on Zee TV, Dance India Dance. He was last also seen in a cameo role in Star Plus' Kis Desh.

Let's wait and watch how Jay fares in the jungles of Malaysia.

Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat shifted to 2:00 pm

Our sources gives you the exclusive breaking news on the new time slot of the show Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat. The show has been shifted to a noon slot of 2:00 pm.

As per inside sources, “The producers think that the time slot of 2:00 pm is not so bad. At 1:30 pm there is the highest rating show Humari Devrani and as soon as this show ends, audience will glue to Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat”

We called up Kapil aka Yudi to know his reaction. “It’s very sad to know that such a good show like this is shifting to a noon band. At the late evening slot it had its own viewership. Don’t know what will happen now.”

Another source revealed that, “The star cast of Raja is not at all happy with this decision, but then they have to continue with it. This news was declared to them just a few days back, and nobody was prepared for such a huge change.”

Now a big question remains- Will the show remain on-air with such dipping TRP’s?

Tarak Mehta to go in Guinness Records?

Besides catering to different genres in comedy, SAB TV is unique for many reasons. It is the only channel of its kind to air just comedy shows.

On the occasion of Tarak Mehta…completing 200 episodes marketing head Anooj Kapoor divulged to media, “Tarak Mehta has majorly contributed to the channel’s success. This kind of success to any comedy show was never received before. So we are working to get the show registered in the Guinness book of world record.”

A year back when Sony took over SAB TV and repositioned the channel, Tarak Mehta was one of the show that was aired then. The show has emerged out of a small column of Gujarati magazine ‘Duniyane Undha Chashma’ and now goes international.

With the success of such niche channel and its comedy shows, we can safely say laughter is the best TRP!

'Being truthful is very difficult' - Rajeev Khandelwal

Rajeev Khandelwal who got enormously popular as Sujal in Kahin Toh Hoga is back on television after a long time, and got lured into hosting Star Plus' Sach Ka Saamna. He tells us why...

What made you agree to host this show?
See if after doing a very different film like Aamir, I'm returning to television to do a show, then obviously something about this show must have touched me. In between my other films I've squeezed in this show because I liked the format of this show. It evoked a passion inside me. No other show has dealt with the 'integrity of an individual' as the central theme. That is what makes it so unique. This is a true show. Literally! My contestants would be answering very personal questions and with no option but to tell the truth. That was what made me like it in an instant. And I'm very happy and proud to be hosting such a show.

Do you think just your presence would earn TRP points for the show?
(laughs) This only time can tell. But I don't think of TRPs before taking up any show.

How hard is it to confess to truth? If you were on the hot seat how much percentage truth would you have told?
Being truthful is, I realize, very very difficult. Be it myself or any other person, I feel the amount of difficulty faced in being a contestant on this show will remain the same. Whenever any of my contestant answers a particularly tough question I often wonder if I would have done such a fine job too. So you see, even I have not yet understood my full capacity to be truthful.

Okay try now then. Were you or not seeing Aamna Sharif?
(Laughs) I was never seeing Aamna Sharif. If I would've I would've told it right then. In fact now that I'm actually seeing someone, I am frank about it isn't it? You already must have read it several times in the paper that Rajeev is seeing someone.

Do you think you were an expert in making contestants confess to truth?
I don't 'make' people tell the truth on my show. I just give them an opportunity to tell the truth for a particular question. Then it depends on them whether to answer the question or not.

With so many reality shows on air would people actually tune in to watch Sach Ka Saamna?
I don't know if people will watch this show. But there is one thing I know- If you can't tell the truth then you have no right to advice others to be truthful. This is true especially in the case of parents. They always coax their children to be truthful. But are they following their own rule? Somehow I have an inkling that people will accept this show and salute those who are gutsy enough to accept the truth on national television.

How did you handle the contestants?
The contestants go through a lot of highs and lows during the course of the show. But I make sure that they are comfy. I give them all the time they need to answer a question. I even repeat the question if I feel they've lost the thread of it. I never pressurize them. I respect the contestant for it is all about his life's issues. So I think I have handled everything with a lot of sensitivity.

Did you find a difference in the comfort level between a common contestant and a celeb contestant?
No, I did not find any difference between a celeb and a non-celeb contestant. Probably because they go through the same tense situations before sitting on the hot seat. And only those who are sure they can face the challenge after considering the option well for about 20-30 days are featured in the show. So all of my contestants were pretty comfortable and on the same level.

Did you not have any reservations like I would not take up any project until my film- Peter Gaya Kaam Se is released?
Yes actually I had. But the show was so appealing that I spoke to my producer whether I can sign up for it and he being a fan of "Moment Of Truth" which is the English version of this, happily agreed. And today I'm hosting this show!

Which other projects are you currently involved in?
Apart from Peter Gaya Kaam Se, the shooting of which is due to start in October, I also have Chenab Gandhi in the pipeline.

Message to your fans-
Confessing the truth is not all that bad an experience. Truth may be bitter but once the truth is out there is only sweetness. All the contestants of this show are heroes for me. Whether they stand heroes for you, you will only know when you tune in to watch the show.

Aap Ki Kachehri at 8 PM; Raja moved to afternoon

After having reported about Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil making way for Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai on Star Plus, there is more shocking news coming your way as Kiran Bedi's successful show Aap Ki Kachehri is now taking the slot of 8 PM, Monday to Friday, from August 5th.

This means Sunrise Productions' Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat will now be getting a change in time slot.

Raja will most likely be shifted to the afternoon band, and will probably get the time slot of 3 PM. However, the time slot has not been finalized yet.

We called up Producer Rashmi Sharma, who said, "I will be able to give a clear picture on Monday, not before that".

"With Kis Desh likely to be shifted to the afternoon band of 2.30 PM, Raja is likely to follow suit, and is tipped to get the 3 PM slot", adds our source.

"Aap Ki Kachehri which had a very successful run in the first season at the 10.30 PM slot had to go for a time change as Star Plus has come up with Sach Ka Saamna at the same time slot. Having recreated history at the prime time fiction band of 10.30 PM with Aap Ki Kachehri, the channel has now decided to put Kiran Bedi's show as a counter to the successful COLORS show Balika Vadhu, which also airs at 8 PM", adds our source.

We called up Kapil Nirmal, the protagonist of Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat who said, "Raja is getting shifted to an afternoon band as of now. In all likelihood, we might get a time slot of 3 PM".

"Having said this, there is also a probability of Raja getting a time slot of 2 PM as Star Vivaah, the matrimonial show on Star Plus which airs from Monday to Friday at 2 PM will go on a seasonal break in the first week of August", further adds our source.

We had earlier reported that Kis Desh, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and Sabki Laadli Bebo have a chance of moving to the afternoon band.

With two prime time shows getting shifted to an afternoon band, wonder what the next strategy of Star Plus will be... Let's wait and watch..

Bharti in big trouble again!!

‘Bhaskar Bharti’ is the highest rated show of Sony after its re launch. The funda of Lalola has worked down here and the actors are praised for their hard work too. With that, the twist and turn in every week episodes makes the audience go gaga over the serial too.

The latest will be when Bhaskar’s parents drops in Mumbai. Bhaskar’s mom (Vaishnavi) and dad (Lalit Parimoo) drops in Mumbai to know where Bhaskar is, as he has not been taking their call since lon.

They feel that there is something fishy going on and are just eager to meet their son. As soon as they land up at Bhaskar’s residence they are shock to see Bharti. With this there will be a high drama sequence and lot of misunderstanding between Bharti and her (Bhaskar’s) parents.

There is a reason for them (Parents) coming in search of Bhaskar. “They wanted to convey a message to Bhaskar that their haveli is all set for sale, and it’s just not possible to get back its possession,” concludes the source.

There is lots of emotional drama coming in, as Bhaskar realizes how difficult the life of woman is

Sajan Ghar at 8.30 PM; Kis Desh shifted to afternoon band

It was earlier reported that one of the prime time shows on Star Plus will be moved to an afternoon slot to accommodate Shashi and Sumit Mittal's new show Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai.

There was a big chance of Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil getting moved to an afternoon slot. Well, things are bit more clear now, as it is Kis Desh which indeed gets a time change.

Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai will launch on August 5th at the 8.30 PM slot, and this means that Kis Desh will get a new slot.

"It looks as though Kis Desh will most likely get a time slot of 2.30 PM in the afternoon band. This change comes as a shocker as Kis Desh is giving the channel good TRPs, and the recent leap has been well accepted by the audience. However, the channel feels that the slot of 8.30 PM could fetch them more ratings, and hence this change", adds our source.

We could not get a confirmation from the channel on this.

Television's biggest wedding on Pavitra Rishta..

The countdown has begun for television's biggest wedding which will be organized at R.K.Studios, Chembur on the 25th of July, 2009.

Yes, we are talking of the grand and lavish wedding of the leads of Balaji Telefilms' Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV, Archana (Ankita Lokhande) and Manav (Sushant Singh Rajput).

Invitations for the marriage has been sent to people all across the nation. Savita Prabhune who plays the character of Sulochana in the show is keeping no stone unturned for her daughter's wedding. Last Saturday she boarded a local train from VT station to Dombivli and distributed cards to all the ladies, inviting them for the wedding of her eldest daughter Archana.

Savita Prabhune also visited the BBD Chawl in Worli last Sunday and distributed cards amongst the families. She went door to door inviting the families to be a part of the wedding. The people were so touched by this gesture of hers that on the spot they conducted a ' Otee Ceremony' wishing good luck to the bride's mother.

It is heard that more than 500 commoners from all across the nation will be allowed to witness the wedding inside the grand sets organized at R.K. Studios.

In addition to the humongous crowd that is expected, celebrities from Zee TV's most popular shows like Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, Choti Bahu, Aapki Antara etc will be seen gracing the wedding and blessing the couple.

The wedding will also have some well-planned song and dance events.Mayuresh Wadkar and Vrushali Chavan, contestants of Zee's Dance India Dance will be seen performing a spectacular dance act just before the wedding. The talented kids from Zee's SaReGaMaPa L'il Champs will be seen rendering a song performance too.

The shoot of the wedding will take place on 25th July, and the extravaganza will be aired on 27th and 28th July.

Madhura Naik to enter Bhaskar Bharti..

Madhura Naik seems to be a busy actress these days, with quite a number of shows in her kitty!! After we reported recently that she will play the role of Motibai in Zee's upcoming show Rani Lakshmi Bai, the actress has bagged yet another role, and will soon be entering Sony's light-hearted show Bhaskar Bharti. This new role comes as a birthday gift for Madhura who turned a year older on 19th July.

Confirming the news, Madhura says, "My screen name is Annu. I play the daughter of Amarjeet, who is Bharti's boss at office. My character is very modern, and as the track moves, I give a tough time to Bharti. Later on, there will be a love triangle between Armaan, Bharti and Annu".

Madhura will enter in the coming week when Bharti gets to know that Gyaan and Raichura are behind the sabotage. She accidentally dashes into Annu and lands up fighting with her. Annu asks Amarjeet how Bharati can be appointed without consulting Bhaskar, and that what will happen when Bhaskar returns. She argues that both brother and sister cannot be on the board. Amarjeet agrees and insists that he will talk to Bhaskar before giving the cheque and appointment letter to Bharti.

Also entering the show will be Bhaskar's parents. Noted actor Lalit Parimoo will play Bhaskar's dad while Vaishnavi plays his mom. The couple will now come to Mumbai to stay with Bhaskar aka Bharti..

Sameer Soni approached for COLORS' Bade Acche Lagte Hai..

Balaji Telefilms and COLORS join hands for the first time for a daily show, tentatively titled 'Bade Acche Lagte Hai'.

The show is a romantic comedy based in a rural area. And the big news is that Sameer Soni who wooed all his female fans as the dashing Purab in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi years back, is tipped to play the main lead in the show.

Sameer Soni confirms that he is all geared up to stage a comeback to television. "Four years has been a decent break from television. After Jassi, I had been working on films. But it's time to get back to television. Yes, I have been approached to play the main lead in COLORS and Balaji show, Bade Acche Lagte Hai. The channel and production house are eager to work with me. Talks are surely on, but let's wait and see whether this show materializes or there is something else in store for me".

"For the female lead, hunt is on for a simple looking girl like Laali, the protagonist of Zee's Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo. Earlier, the show was to be based on a Punjabi family, but the script has recently undergone a change and the focus will be on a Marwari family", adds our source.

Our source further informs, "Gracy Singh who made her debut in television with Amaanat before getting into the limelight with her success in Lagaan has also been approached to play the main lead. But nothing on this has been confirmed yet".

The Creative Director of the show is Sandiip Sikcand.

The show will be a daily and is expected to launch in September.

She is happily married now: Eijaz Khan

Eijaz Khan gets candid in an interview and shares the Bhaskar-side of him. He talks about his relationships and how they helped him grow as a person.

How was your first relationship?
For the first one year I did not accept it, but eventually we started seeing each other. It was very immature on my part that I believed; being a guy I am always right. She was comparatively more mature and stronger person. But when you are out of it you get to know how wrong you are. She is happily married now.

Were you ever dumped?
I traveled a lot when I use to do dance shows. There was a girl from abroad; I told her that I am coming to see her. When I went there she did not take my calls at all. One day I was in the nightclub and I thought I saw her walking out with someone else. I did call out her name but she did not respond then I consoled myself thinking it was not the same person. My friends told me that they did tell her about me being there but her reply was “so what if he is here”. It was because I had not called her from long.

Do you have commitment phobia?
It used to happen in college days. It’s a kind of fear that I will be stuck with one girl throughout my life. But now when I am in love I give two hundred percent.

Any embarrassing experience during romantic romps?
Onscreen - once I was doing a heavy duty make out scene in ‘Kavvyanjali’. Scene was OK in one take but I thought camera didn’t catch my actions while panning so I asked for the re-take then Anita turned around and gave me a look and said why do you want a retake, I had to explain her. I felt very stupid about it. I make romance perfectly in real life.

On a lonely island…
I guess island would be in Mauritius and I would take Megan fox along.

What’s your opinion on ‘Public Display of Affection’?
As I have live very individualistic life, I don’t see anything wrong in it. If a person wants to kiss while saying ‘good bye’, and is feeling romantically inclined what’s the harm in showing some affection.

Can you dare to bare, like John and Neil?
I am quite comfortable with my body so I don’t have any qualms in exposing, but only if script demands.

Which men magazine do you read?
GQ

One Night Stand or Live-in relationship?
As of now I aim at settling down so ONS is complete No-No.

What do you prefer Beauty or Brains?
Both

Given a choice big banner film or 17 kisses?
Script is king

What’s our opinion on an open relationship?
Stupid

Pack up of Bindya aka Madhurima Tuli from Shree...

Bindya aka Madhurima Tuli has won many accolades from her audience for her performance in Hats Off Production show, Shree. After the beautiful journey of three to four months, finally her character is coming to an end.

“It’s my pack up from the show now and I had been missing the star cast and the sets. It was a nice journey and I enjoyed myself. After this, I am planning to go for a mini vacation with my family to Bangkok,” says Madhurima.

Revealing about the storyline, “She is out of the maya jaal of Kangana (Vibha Anand) and realises that she has created much havoc in the family. Thus Bindya decides to go back to her home town.”

“Now the story track will focus on the murder mystery of Kangana. There is lot more; the creative are deciding on how to go further with the track. One thing is for sure, there will be more drama involved in the life of Shree and Hari”.

Well with Bindya’s exit, there will be a new entry in the show, again. The production team is planning to introduce the mother of Kangana, Putlibai in the show. The search for the same is still on and things will be finalised in this week, hopefully.

Viewers get ready as Shree unveils the mystery of Kangana’s murder.

Jaspal Bhatti's 'Thank you Jijaji' on SAB TV...

SAB TV which has recently made inroads with its good line-up of comedy based fiction shows will be adding few more shows to its kitty in the coming months like Thank you Jijaji, Sonu Sweety, Yeh Chanda Kanoon Hai and FIR.

'Thank you Jijaji' produced by Mad Arts and Jaspal Bhatti Film School Presentation (MAD Presentation) will be launching sometime in August.

Producer and actor Jaspal Bhatti gave us some details on the show. "As the title suggests, the show is based on the pleasant yet difficult relationship of an IAS officer with his Jijaji".

Jaspal Bhatti plays the central character of Jijaji while his real life partner Savita Bhatti plays his wife in the show too. The role of the brother-in-law will be played by theater actor, Sanjay Solanki.

Says Jaspal Bhatti, "The show will be completely shot in Chandigarh as the story is about people living there. Many students who are placed in our Film School will be seen essaying important roles in the show".

Jaspal Bhatti and Savita Bhatti were earlier seen together in Nach Baliye, and were also recently seen doing stand-up comedy on Star One's Hans Baliye..

Shweta Kwatra and Varun Badola back...

Shweta Kwatra has given viewers sleepless nights as the evil Pallavi in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki. And now the talented actress is back on television in a new avtar, and is geared up to tickle the funny bones of audiences..

Shweta will be seen along with Varun Badola in SAB TV's new show titled 'Sonu Sweety'. Varun Badola who was earlier seen in Star Plus' Aek Chabi Hai Pados Main also stages a comeback to television with this show.

Talking about the concept of the show, Shweta said, "The story is about a Punjabi couple which involves their life, misunderstandings, confusions and their problems. I play the character of Sweety who is a very lovable, typical Punjabi girl. She always has the knack of getting pulled into troubles and her husband, played by Varun Badola is burdened by the responsibility of saving her every single time".

The show is expected to launch sometime in August..

Well, looks as though SAB TV is getting ready to wage a serious battle for numbers with their entertaining comedy line-up…

Amit Sareen in COLORS' Koi Aane Ko Hai...

Weekends on COLORS with Balaji Telefilms' Koi Aane Ko Hai will get more spooky with their next story titled 'Sowbhagyavathi Bhava'... which will see the comeback of popular actor Amit Sareen.

The story will be about a girl who is a Manglik, because of which she does not get a suitable alliance. The female lead is played by Anupama, who was seen in Kasturi earlier. Later on, she gets an alliance from a rich Thakur family, and this is where Amit Sareen comes into the picture. The guy has a physical defect, wherein one of his hand is paralyzed. But before going thro' with the rishtha, the girl's family decides to get her wedded to a peepal tree to ward off her manglik dosh, and then get her married to the boy.

However, the girl gets attracted to the tree after her marriage to it, and just vanishes at nights and is always found sleeping on the branch of the tree. Later it is found that an atma exists on the tree which believes that it has got married to the girl. The role of the ghost will be played by Shakeel. Sanjay Thaneja, Asimji Bhatt, Sukesh Anand, Jayshree Venkataraman are the others cast for the story.

We called Amit Sareen who confirmed his presence in the show. "Yes, I am playing the lead in the new story of Koi Aane Ko Hai. I will be able to talk about it in a day or so".

The new story will begin this Friday on COLORS...

Sajan Ghar Jana Hai on Star Plus

Star Plus and Sumit-Shashi Mittal’s new offering Sajan Ghar Jana Hai is all set to air on the channel soon. The show has all the new faces and the storyline focuses on the romantic track.

“It’s our new offering to Star Plus. A love story which has almost new faces I can’t reveal any further details, for more information contact the channel or wait for two weeks,” says Shashi Mittal, the producer.

Our sources reveal that the new face includes, “Neha Saxena and Kunal Wadia as lead. The channel is still contemplating on the time slot. The evening band has no space so there might be some shifting of the shows in the noon slot.”

Till then you have to wait for sajan ke ghar janemain…

'Karol Bagh' on Zee TV...

After giving viewers the super hit show on Star One Miley Jab Hum Tum, Sudhir Sharma's Sunshine Productions is coming up with a new show on Zee TV.

After the classy, college based show on Star One, the new show will be much different. The show is tentatively titled 'Karol Bagh'. The story is based on a middle class family and their struggles in life.

One unique aspect is that the entire shoot of this show will be based in Delhi. This is the first show on television which will be purely based on the life of Delhities. The show will be a prime time daily.

The show is expected to launch in August.

It's finally time to say 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao'...

You have seen celebrities sing, dance, crib, gossip and even perform some deadly stunts on your television screen. If you think you've seen it all, think again… because you ain't seen anything yet!!

Sony Entertainment Television brings a reality show like none other for the first time ever on Indian television. 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, is an adaptation of ITV Global Entertainment's format show I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The show brings together 10 celebrities to face the ultimate challenge – swapping a life of luxury to survive in the Malaysian rain forests, in a bid to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle.

The show which goes on air from July 13, 2009 is being shot in Malaysia's' oldest and largest Taman Negara Tropical Rain forest. Mini Mathur and Yudi taken on as hosts and the ten celebrity contestants who have dared to accept this grand challenge of living through the tough jungle life are Aakashh Deep Saigal, Aman Yatan Verma, Anaida, Fiza, Chetan Hansraj, Marc Robinson, Shweta Tiwari, Mona Vasu, Palak (Gurmeet Kaur) and IshQ Bector.

It's a deep-dense forest and our daring contestants will have to fend for themselves… survive on meagre ration, perform dangerous tasks, live with the creepy crawlies, encounter the wild … all this under 24/7 scrutiny of the cameras. To make things a little more challenging, everyday, Monday to Thursday, one celebrity will have to take the dreaded Jungle Challenge, which involves overcoming a fear and collecting "Stars". The number of stars collected determines how much food the camp gets for the night. Apart from the Jungle Challenge, there is Celebrity Chest which they must find. The winner of this gets the Jannat. You will see these celebs live through hunger pangs, loneliness and boredom. Their struggle for survival, the grueling jungle and the fear of elimination will bring out never- seen- before personality traits in each one of the ten celebrity contestants.

On Monday, the phone lines open for viewers at home to call in or sms their votes in favor of their favorite celebrity, to keep them on the show. The phone lines will stay open until Thursday 12.00 pm. On Friday, the hosts will reveal the results of the voting, and the two celebrities with the least votes will have to go through the Maha Jungle Challenge to find a place in the camp.

According to Gurdip Bhangoo, Programming Head of Sony Entertainment Television, "As part of our re –launch, we made a commitment to our viewers to be uniquely different and introduce content that is refreshing and never seen before on television. Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao is a unique format where for the first time you see celebrities swap their luxurious life to survive in a jungle. The series has been well received by audiences internationally and we are sure that the innovative concept will entertain and keep the viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what next?"

ITV's I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has been the number one rating format in the UK, USA, Germany and Hungary, and its Indian version Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao is co-produced by ITV/Silverback and Miditech.

Catch the survival of the fittest celebrity in Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, starting July 13, Monday – Thursday @ 10 p.m. & Fridays @ 9 p.m. Only on Sony Entertainment Television

Malika-e-kitchen on Colors

COLORS are all set to come up with another unique reality show called Malika-e-kitchen, very soon. It will have celeb guest in each episode and will be hosted by Shruti Seth.

“It’s a cookery show for house-wives. It has a unique concept where one uses a traditional way to cook a dish, while other uses microwave. At the end the one whose dish taste better wins the episode,” state Shruti.

Talking about the celeb guest on the show she revealed, “There are many like Mona singh, Tanaaz Bakhatiyar, Monica Bedi. Each episode will have a special guest who will judge the dish.”

This show will consist of 13 episodes only, “Yes the first season has limited episodes and if it works, we will soon come up with a second season too,” she concludes.

Mona Singh shared her experience in the show and said,“It was nice and for a foodie like me I have learnt few things. I didn’t know that cooking in microwave taste as delicious as in traditional way. From next time I will be using this way to prepare the dishes.”

So viewers get ready for some delicious recipes as the shows starts from July 12 at 12:00 pm.

Laali on the path to realization...

Swastik Pictures' Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo on Zee TV has been going great guns, doing amazingly well on the TRP charts.

The present track has Laali (Ratan Rajput) fighting a lone battle with her destiny, as she finds herself on crossroads. She cannot go back to her parents after knowing that they had sold her off; also she has no place in Ganesia's heart as he is getting married to her little sister Rekha.

The coming episodes will be a turning point in the life of Laali, wherein she comes to terms with her destiny and decides on her next destination. She comes face to face with her friend Shanichari again in tonight's episode. Shanichari who had been sold by her parents earlier is now a sex worker, living the life of a prostitute in a brothel. All the shocking revelations ultimately lead to her taking a decision of going back to the haveli.

After her confrontation with Shanichari, the story line will focus on the manner in which she realizes that she has no other option left, but to go back to the Haveli. This will be an interesting little journey full of realizations for Laali.

The coming week will see her getting back to Loha Singh's haveli on her own.This will bring in horrible reactions from each and everyone in the Thakur family. Shekar (Abhishek Rawat) will initially misunderstand her, and will go on to think that it is the opportunity to get big money that brings her back to the haveli.

The story line after Laali getting back to the haveli will have some very interesting turns that will explore the future of Laali. There will be certain catalysts in the story line that will initiate the next turn of events in her life..

Now that Laali gets back into the life of Shekar, it will be interesting to watch how the story proceeds from here…

Ragini Khanna indisposed..

Ragini Khanna, who plays the 'MAN' in Sony's Bhaskar Bharti has now realized that 'Jaan Hai toh Jahan Hai', and that she has to take care of her health and get adequate rest whenever possible.

Well, the reason for this sea-change is that the actress had fainted on the sets recently, as she could not cope up with the stress levels of hectic shoot. Says Ragini, "The moment I fainted, I told myself 'Welcome to the daily soap scenario' (laughs). The thing is that I do not play a typical protagonist's role in the show. My every scene and dialogue demands extra energy from me, and at the end of my day's shoot I am completely drained out. To top it all, we do not get enough rest and all this paved way for me taking ill. The doctor has now advised me that I need to be getting a minimum of seven hours sleep daily. I am now determined to follow this, and am feeling much better now".

Talking about the production house, the actor states, "They give me the best support they can. They have painted my make-up room with the colors I wanted, they also see to it that I do not strain myself much".

Truly, 'Health is Wealth', Ragini!!

Jennifer Winger replaces Shweta as host in Dekh India Dekh..

Shweta Gulati had just got in as host of Sony's new format of Dekh India Dekh, but the news is that she will be replaced by her co-star in Dill Mill Gayye, Jennifer Winget for the next two weeks.

Shweta suffered a hairline fracture on her toe, and is not hosting the Sony show for the next two episodes. So taking her place as host will be the gorgeous Jennifer Winget.

Shweta said, "I need to be careful for another two weeks. Though I am shooting for my fiction shows, I will not be hosting Dekh India Dekh for two episodes".

The excited Jennifer Winget who comes in as the stand-in host says, "It will be a great experience to host this show. I simply adore the entire team; I was here in the show last week to perform, and will now be seen as anchor for two episodes. I am shooting for my first episode right now".

Dekh India Dekh which saw popular TV personalities enacting gags in different avtars has now moved into the Comedy Circus format from last Saturday. The show is being judged by Shekar Suman and Archana Puran Singh.

As we wish Shweta a speedy recovery, we wish Jennifer all the best for her new role..

Aap ki Antara - Zaina Vastani

Zaina Vastani is the new small wonder who has got popular on television. The little girl who plays Antara, in the Zee show Aap Ki Antara portrays the role of an autistic child so beautifully that she has become an instant hit with viewers.

Here is the five year old in an innocence-filled, sweet conversation with Telly Buzz..

Are you enjoying working in the serial- Aap Ki Antara?
Yes. I enjoy a lot.

Tell us about Prabhleen didi?
Prabhleen aunty is very beautiful. She loves ice creams.

Prabhleen Aunty or Didi?
I call her didi.

Didi in front and aunty at the back?
Yes.

Why? She asked you not to call her aunty?
Yes.

Who is your favorite among the co-stars?
Abhishek Bhaiya and Prabhleen Aunty.

Do you do masti on the sets?
Yes. Lots. And then mummy shouts at me. But I don't lessen up.

How did you prepare yourself to play Antara? What instructions were you given?
I did not prepare anything. Whatever director uncle tells me I do that.

Does Director Uncle(Sanjay Surtar) pamper you?
Yes. He lets me sit on his lap. He gets me loads of chocolates!

Which is you favorite chocolate?
Perk. Because it's very crunchy.

How do you manage your studies?
In the morning I go to school and in the evening I shoot.

When do you do your homework?
I do my homework on the sets. In fact I'm doing homework right now. I'm doing my spellings. (At this point Zaina goes on to read all the words from her homework book…)

Are you a teacher's pet?
Yes. She sometimes calls me Zaina and sometimes Antara. But I don't like her when she calls me Antara.

You don't have too many lines to say? Are you okay with it or do you feel you should have more?
I have dialogues no? I say…Antara icecream…Antara icecream…

Do your friends treat you in a special way, now that they see you on TV?
Yes. They all love me now.

How do you feel when you see yourself on TV?
I feel nice.

Who are your favorite actor and actress?
Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. I met them on L'il Champs. They kept calling me Antara.

Do you like applying make-up?
I don't do make-up.

Tell us about your twin sister Ziah and elder sister Simin?
My sister Ziah is working with Darsheel Safary in a Bollywood film and its name is Bum Bum Bole. My elder sister is not doing anything.

Do you guys have fun together?
Yes we do.

What do you do in your free time?
I read magic books. You know the one where you can make a bird come out of your sleeve? Like those.

Have you learnt any magic tricks yet?
No not yet.

Well, wish you all the best for your magic tricks Zaina…and for the magic that you perform in front of the camera too!

Star Plus extends Bidaai and Yeh Rishta timing..

It looks like Star Plus wants to really cash in more on their two top-rated shows coming from Directors' Kut, Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.

According to the latest news, both the shows Bidaai and Yeh Rishta have a festive environment with the weddings of Alekh-Sadhana and Naitik-Akshara coming up respectively. So the channel has decided to increase the duration of both shows to 45 minutes starting from 8th July, and this 45 minutes special will be seen till 14th July, 2009. As a result of this, Endemol's Sabki Laadli Bebo which is aired at the 10 PM slot will be pushed to 10.30 PM.

We tried getting a confirmation from Rajan Shahi of Directors' Kut, but he remained unavailable for comments.

Our source in Sabki Laadli Bebo was also clueless about such a time change.

In Bidaai, one can look forward to the engrossing remarriage of Alekh and Sadhana while Yeh Rishta is focusing on Naitik's dilemma whether or not to marry Akshara.

After this small phase, Star Plus will be launching their new show Sach Ka Saamna on July 15th at the 10.30 PM slot from Monday to Friday..

Corporate calling for Aashka Goradia

Aashka Goradia who was last seen in Madhur Bhandarkar’s mini-series on Sony has been busy these days with her production company. Mirabell is the name by which her company holds events for the corporate companies.

“I’ve been busy with the events for some corporate companies. This keeps me on my toe and it feels good to do something different. These events are very private and not commercialised,” says Aashka.

She is enjoying her stint as an entrepreneur. “This is a different world altogether and you are exposed to so many things. It’s nice to get introduced to this field. I have a next event in September; so I am just busy scheduling out things,” she adds further.

Talking about acting, the actress chirps; “I do miss acting. It’s been six years and I have done lots of dailies. There was a habit but I have been looking out for something different that I haven’t played on television. Let’s see what happens,” she concludes.

The actress is also planning to produce a show on television but its still lot of time. Another actress to join the bandwagon as a producer! We wish you luck.

Saumya Tandon to do a Punjabi film..

Saumya Tandon who was recently seen partnering Jay Bhanushali as host in Zee's Dance India Dance has now taken up a Punjabi film.

Says she, "I have signed up for a Punjabi film. The shooting will take place in India, London and Canada. Therefore I won't be in the country during July-August." Saumya has high hopes for her film career as she goes on to say, "I want to do some quality work, something that I can be proud of later. I want to be part of not just Bollywood but of world cinema."

Saumya truly has dreams to reach beyond sky. She says, "I want to feel what its like to rub shoulders with the best among the world. And if I have to dream, I'd rather dream big. So I'm not slowing down until I get my Oscar."

There's another reason for the charming girl to be happy as she has been declared the Best New Anchor (female) in a recently held award ceremony. She cannot contain herself as she says, "I'm really happy that we are being recognized and encouraged. It has surely added to my enthusiasm to be a part of this field."

She is also slated to continue as host for the second season of Dance India Dance. The actress was also seen playing sister of Kareena Kapoor in the hit Bollywoof flick, Jab We Met.

We wish her all the best for her career!!

Bhaskar Bharti actress Ragini Khanna on her upcoming movie..

Two-serial-old Ragini Khanna is all set to join the bandwagon of actors who are hopping between film and television. She’s starring in ‘Mare Mere Dushman’ opposite veteran television actor Ninad Kamat.

“This film happened to me before I signed Bhaskar Bharti”, she informs. “It is too early to talk about the film, all I can say is that, it’s a dark comedy and I am playing a simple small-town girl in it”, she reluctantly briefs on the film.

As of now actors are tight-lipped to divulge any details. Besides Ragini and Ninad, television actress Ravee Gupta will also be featured in the film.

Jeevan Sathi gets an extension

One of the first serials on Colours was facing trouble when the TRPs hit an all time low all of a sudden. However, while the series was supposed to terminate on in July 2009, it has got an extension to February 2010. This means the crew will shoot at least another 120 episodes until they finally wrap up.

Happy days again for Archana in Pavitra Rishtha..

Zee's Pavitra Rishtha, produced by Balaji Telefilms has seen a big leap in its numbers in the past one week, and last Thursday's 45 minute special episode earned them their best figures so far, 3.5 TVR.

Well, there are more surprises in store for viewers in the coming episodes, as the love bug is all set to hit Manav (Sushant Singh Rajput) and Archana (Ankita Lokhande).

According to the storyline, after the heart-breaks that resulted in Archana's marriage being called off, there will some nice moments in the show. Marriage of Manav and Archana is the next highpoint in the show, and this grand affair will be aired on 13th July.

However, there is a twist in the tale. Archana's family will be misguided that Manav hails from a rich family, and that he is well educated. This actually will be a conspiracy by Rasika and Manjusha, as they want Archana to get wedded to the mechanic and not a rich guy. But destiny has already decided upon a 'Pavitra Rishtha' for Manav and Archana, and the marriage takes place in a lavish manner. Only after marriage, the truth dawns on Archana's family that Manav's family actually belongs to lower middle class, and is not even financially well-placed as them. This comes as a big shock to Archana's mother who has always dreamt of getting her daughter married to a rich and well educated man.

There will also be a parallel track shown of Varsha (Priya Marathe), Archana's sister. Varsha who emphasizes on her point of view in every situation will have more and more tiffs with her mother. She also has her own style of living, and to go by that, she ends up telling lies to her mother. Varsha's office life and her friends will be introduced very soon. Ultimately the mother-daughter tiff will go so bad that Varsha will walk out of the house, and start staying with her friends. This is one interesting twist in the tale.

The coming week will also see the introduction of Manav's brother, Sachin (Raj Singh). Varsha might also get a man in her life, and the creatives might end up linking Sachin and Varsha together as the story goes on, but nothing is decided yet.

Well, all this and much more drama is sure to keep the TRPs of the show on top…

Aap Ki Antara gets all the critical acclaim..

Zee TV's Aap Ki Antara, produced by Drishtant Media Pvt. Ltd has received critical acclaim from all parts of India and also from abroad.

According to our source, "The channel and production house have got great responses from USA, UK and Indonesia. There have been calls coming from mothers who have autistic kids, applauding the team on working on such a concept and portraying it in a very realistic manner".

One such incident has really encouraged the entire team to strive harder. "A woman from Johannesburg, South Africa had come down to India for vacations, and she happened to visit Mumbai. She had been to the Siddhivinayak temple, and from there she enquired the taxi driver whether he watches a show called Aap Ki Antara on Zee. When he could not help her, she asked him to take her to the main office of Zee TV, and there she happened to meet the entire team working on the show. She also met the team from the production house, and profusely thanked all for making such a show".

"The lady was very much moved because she is the mother of a 19 year old autistic boy. The boy was always being called names by his friends who had literally nicknamed him as 'Devil'. She told the team that the show launched in South Africa just 20 days back, and after seeing the kid Antara and her symptoms in the show, the people in her locality understand her kid's problems better and are being very considerate now", adds our source.

We called up Producer Mohnish Sekhri who shared his happiness with us and said, "This incident was really remarkable, and the lady's story has really motivated us even more to deal with this subject and bring awareness about autism to the viewers watching the show".

Well, we really hope and pray that shows like this create all the awareness possible in the minds of masses!!

Few new entries in Aap Ki Antara..

Zee's Aap Ki Antara, produced by Drishtant Media Pvt. Ltd. will now focus on the medical and social part of Autism.

The present track has the father Aditya (Darshan Pandya) noticing certain non responsive behavior in Antara (Zaynah Vastani); at the same time he also finds out that she is very good in maths as well as drawing.

According to the future storyline, Soon there will be an entry of a doctor who is a specialist as well as therapist in treating autistic patients. The doctor's role will be played by known actor Sachin Khurana. The story will now get into a socio-emotional track wherein the family gets to know of Antara's inabilities and even the special traits that she possesses.

In addition to this, the parallel track of Aarti (Monica Khanna) and Sameer (Himmanshoo Malhotra) will develop. "Sameer's parents will be introduced in the coming week. The father's role will be played by noted actor Milind Joshi while Madhuri will play his mother. There will be some happy moments in the family with the engagement of Sameer and Aarti taking place.

Yet another twist in the tale awaits the audience, with Vidya revealing to Sameer for the first time, that she is actually pregnant with Aditya's second kid. Vidya has keot this a secret till now, as she plans to abort the kid, as her marital life with Aditya is in doldrums. Again, it will be Sameer who convinces her to tell the truth to Aditya about her pregnancy, and not arrive at any decision without his knowledge.

Will the longing eyes of Antara bring about a change in Vidya's mentality? Will Aditya be able to convince Vidya to keep their child? And above all, how will Antara's medical therapy take shape?

To get your answers, keep glued to Zee's Aap Ki Antara..

Shanichari returns to Agle Janam in a new avtar..

The innocent and loving friend of Laali, Shanichari who was earlier sold by her parents for money, will soon be seen making a comeback in Zee's Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo..

Supriya Kumari aka Shanichari will don a new look, and will be shown in a brothel. Since the girl will be shown as a Kothewali, it is heard that she was asked to watch Ashwariya Rai's mannerisms in the number 'Kajre Re' from the movie Bunty Aur Babli.

After gaining a call from Anil Kapoor's production house for their forthcoming film, this comeback to Agle Janam albeit a diverse role is yet another feather in the cap for the talented Supriya!!

Major drama at the Purani Khoti in Zee's Shree..

Zee's Shree will see in the coming episodes,high-voltage drama, action sequences, gripping graphical scenes never seen before on Indian television. Read the twists here...

Zee TV's Shree, produced by Hats Off Production will see major drama, some intense fight sequences never witnessed before on Indian television, in the coming episodes.

As the Raghuvanshi family gears up for the wedding of Bindiya and Hari, Kangana who is in Bindiya's body throws a surprise at the entire family by taking them to the Purani Khoti.

According to our source, "The shoot for this special sequence at the Purani Khoti will kick-off from today at Naiga, where the sets of Sony's show Meet Mila De Rabba was erected earlier. The Raghuvanshi family get a shock when Bindiya brings them to the Purani Khoti. They are in fact surprised as nobody else knew about the existence of such a haveli. Meanwhile, Shree also comes to the Khoti to try and stop the wedding. She realizes that if the marriage happens, the entire family will be destroyed by Kangana, and eventually Kangana will not spare her cousin sister Bindiya too".

"Kangana brings in three other ghosts to the haveli, who come in the guise of Kangana's father, mother and pujari. The three characters have been given a different kind of look, and will appear very fictitious. There will be lot many graphical shots that will enthrall the audience in these episodes. Kangana will go on to create an invisible wall that separates Shree and the family members. With this, the family cannot see the presence of Shree in the haveli. Shree who can see them cannot talk to them, or go near them", further explains our source.

This track will also see Kangana appearing as a ghost for the first time before Hari and the family members. "Kangana now intends to destroy the entire family, and appears before Hari. Once Hari gets to know that this is Kangana, he refuses to marry. Kangana starts harming the family members one by one; she hurts the wheel-chair bound Tribhuvan,father of Hari. She also locks Darshan and Anant in their rooms and tortures them".

The high voltage sequences at the Purani Khoti will run for more than 120 minutes, and will be shown in six episodes, starting coming Thursday. "The highpoint of these episodes will be the awesome graphics that the production house has planned to give the audience. This will end in a huge action sequence to be shot between Kangana and Shree, with eventually Shree succeeding in saving her family and Hari from the clutches of Kangana", states our khabroo.

Well, the drama does not end here, as after this, viewers will finally witness the flashback wherein the mystery over Kangana's death will slowly unfold.

For now, audience can look forward to the six gripping episodes which will focus on the victory of good over evil...

Karan Mehra to play Ganesia in Agle Janam..

We all know that Laali is wedded to Ganesia in Zee TV's Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo. Finally the moment has arrived when Ganesia will be shown in the show.

Karan Mehra who was last seen in Sony's Hum Ladkiyaan has been roped in to play Ganesia. Laali on coming to her village gets to know the bitter fact that her parents had sold her for money. She will soon face a worse blow when she gets to know that her kid sister Rekha is getting married to Ganesia.

Karan Mehra confirms this news and tells us, "This is a very challenging role for me. I have had to work on my Bihari dialect and that was really an uphill task. I have started shoot from today and my entry will be aired on Monday."

Elaborating on his look and role Karan quips, "I will don a simple pyjama and a kurta; I play a typical farmer in the village. The only addition I have given to my look is that I added a black teeka on my forehead."

Well, we are now all set for a confrontation between Laali and her Ganesia...