The season of romance is here and Zee TV is all set to treat its viewers with two romance filled episodes on this Saturday and Sunday i.e. (9th and 10th  of February). Titled ‘Dil Dhamaal Dhoka’ and ‘Ishqwala Love’, the Valentine’s Day special episodes will have all the Zee TV hunks and diva’s perform on various love themes. Viewers will see Rithwik Dhanjani and Asha Negi (Arjun & Purvi of Pavitra Rishta) enact the epic romance of iconic Bollywood celebs like Guru Dutt & Madhubala, Raj Kapoor & Nargis and Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha.  Divyam (Ansh of Punarvivaah) and Shruti Visht (Indu of Hitler Didi) will depict the innocent love between two kids. Mahima Makwana (Rachna of Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke) & Ankit Sarang (Soham of Pavitra Rishta) will portray the mushy love between two adolescents. Shakti Arora & Asha Negi (Onir & Purvi of Pavitra Rishta) will elaborate the sensuous and layered love between a married couple. The mature and unconditional love between two old people will be portrayed by Chetan Pandit and Zaida Parveen (Sooraj Pratap & Gayatri of Punarvivaah) whereas the funny bone of love will be explored by Himani Shivpuri & Rishabh Sinha (Sunaina of Housewife and Ayaan of Qubool Hai) and Rajiv Varma, Neha Laxmi Iyer and Mrinalini Tyagi (Mr. Kaushik of Mrs. Kaushik ki Paanch Bahuein, Najma of Qubool Hai & Teju of Pavitra Rishta). One will also see Suhasi Dhami & Annirudh Dave (Sona & Kanhaiya of Housewife) do a desi sensuous act to bring forth the flavor of rural romance.  Apart from the above, there will be a special act by superstar Vivek Oberoi and Neha Sharma who will be dancing on the tracks of their upcoming movie Jayantabhai ki Love story.  Ratan Rajput and Kapil Sharma will team up to tickle the funny bone of the viewers with a standup comedy act. Iqbal Khan will be playing a pivotal role in this special episode and will add to the charm of Valentine with his incredible good looks and chivalrous demeanor.

For all this masti, magic and more don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Dhamaal with ‘Dil Dhamaal Dhoka’ on Saturday, 9 February @ 7.30pm and ‘Ishqwala Love’ on Sunday, 10 February, @7.30 pm only on Zee TV, Sky 788!

Viewers, get ready for an engaging & action packed evening! Come Sunday, 20 Jan, Zee TV will showcase a Mahaepisode of Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, which in every sense of the word will be entertaining as well as thrilling. The episode which is titled as ‘RACHNA KI SAGAI SPECIAL’ will have some A-list actors of tellywood performing and wooing the audiences. The list boasts of names like Ankita Lokhande, Karanveer Bohra, Sara Khan, Rubina Dilaik, Suhasi Dhami, Ritwik Dhanjani, Ashish Sharma, Ekta Kaul, Kanan Malhotra, Neha Janpandit, Annirudh Dave, Vibha Chibber, Vindhya Tiwari, Pankaj Kansara, Swati Bajpayi and Preet Kaur.

Ankita and Ritwik  from Pavitra Rishta will dance on Manmohini (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin. Ashish Sharma, Ekta Kaul , Kanan Malhotra and Neha Janpandit from Rab Se Sona Isshq will shake a leg on Saans (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) and Jee Lein Zara (Talaash). The newlywed couple from Zee TV’s new offering, ‘Housewife Hai…Sab Kuch Jaanti Hai’, Suhasi Dhami & Annirudh Dave will dance on Pandeyji (Dabbang 2), Chikni Kamar (Rowdy Rathore) and Fevicol (Dabbang 2). The saas bahu team from Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein, Vibha Chibber, Vindhya Tiwari, Pankaj Kansara, Swati Bajpayi and  Preet Kaur will groove on Sasural Genda Phool (Dilli 6), Womaniya (Gangs of Wasseypur), Aga Bai (Aiyaa) and  Electric Piya (Gangs of Wasseypur 2). Handsome hunk Karanveer Bohra, the lissom Sara Khan and the beautiful Rubina Dilaik will dance on Lat Lag Gayi(Race 2), Ishq Shava (Jab Tak Hai Jaan).

The plot will revolve around Rachna and Vihaan’s engagement function where Gunjan very strangely will go missing from the scene. The Garg family will realise that Gunjan has been kidnapped.  The characters from Rab Se Sona Ishq, Ranbir and Sahiba will be shown coming to Benares to earn some quick money by performing in an event. Gunjan will be shown locked in a nearby location where the event is taking place. Will Sahiba & Rachna be able to rescueGunjan? Will Rachna’s engagement happen with Vihaan?? To catch all the dance , drama and entertainment do tune into the special Mahaepisode of Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, this Sunday 20 January at 7:30pm only on Zee TV!

With Prashant back in the lives of Aarti and Ansh, do you think that Aarti’s relationship with Yash will take a turn for the worse? What should Aarti do to save her relationship with Yash?

Watch a special episode of Punar Vivaah TONIGHT 9:45pm on #Zee TV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyu2XTcxvtk

Watch the following shows at a new time from 12 November on Zee TV:

Mrs Kaushik Ki Panch Bahuyein original every Monday to Friday at 7pm

Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke original every Monday to Friday at 7:30pm

Rab Se Sona ishq original every Monday to Friday at 8pm

Zee TV’s upcoming offering, ‘QUBOOL HAI’, presents an inter-generational family saga set in the Muslim milieu!  It explores the lives of three individuals (Zoya, Ayan and Asad) who are starkly different from each other and yet their lives are beautifully entwined by the threads of destiny. Zoya is a modern, vibrant, new-age girl who questions stereotypes. Ayan, is a happy-go-lucky boy without a care in the world. And the angry young man, Asad’s  sole purpose in life is to become successful.  It is not often that viewers get a slice of Urdu-speaking people’s life on television.  Qubool Hai is a mixture of drama and romance showcasing Muslim culture and values in a modern setting.

Talking about the aim of the show, producer Gul Khan of Four Lions Productions said, “With Qubool Hai, I want to remove misconceptions regarding Islam in the minds of people. There are many myths like women don’t have rights in Muslim families, they don’t get proper education, etc. But I want to showcase, among many other things, that women in Islam have equal rights as men to get educated. It is a refreshing story that revolves around the life of a progressive Muslim girl and a modern Muslim family. The protagonist Zoya, is an intelligent young girl who derives her strength from the Holy Quran. The show highlights empowerment of women in Muslim society.”

The show introduces the vivacious Surbhi Jyoti as a lead protagonist, Zoya. Surbhi is not new to the entertainment industry despite Qubool Hai being her debut on Hindi television. A spunky Punjabi kudi from Jalandhar, she is a very popular face in Punjab.  With a background in theatre, Surbhi has also played the lead roles in a superhit Punjabi movie, ‘Raula Pai Gaya’ and a soap, ‘Kathdiyan Wange’ on ETC Punjabi.

Look out for Zee TV’s brand new show ‘Qubool Hai’ starting on 30^th October, Mon – Fri @ 8.30pm only on Zee TV, Sky 788.

Floored by Bebo …!

The ‘Heroine’ left Gurmeet speechless when she danced with him on ‘Punarvivaah’ sets

The stunning Kareena Kapoor recently promoted her upcoming film ‘Heroine’ on Zee TV’s popular primetime drama ‘Punarvivaah’. The man who was excited the most was the hunky lead of the show, Gurmeet Chaudhary,who plays the intense, brooding Yash Scindia. But as the day of shoot neared, the mere thought of sharing screen space with the ravishing beauty who he has always admired, turned the usually easygoing and extroverted Gurmeet into a bundle of nerves.

His inhibitions, however, were put to rest within minutes of interacting with Kareena.  She put him at ease when she recognized him from their brief meeting at the preview of her previous film. On realizing that the release of ‘Heroine’ coincides with Kareena’s birthday on 21st September, Gurmeet wished her in advance for a glorious opening and a fantastic birthday. The two even waltzed a little for the media cameras, just for fun!

The show’s lead actress, Kratika Sengar (Aarti), however wasn’t able to shoot with the nation’s ‘Heroine’ as she was required to shoot at a different location with Kareena’s cousin, Ranbir Kapoor! “Although I would have loved to shoot  with Kareena, I am thrilled to bits having got an opportunity to work with the charming Ranbir Kapoor instead!” says Kratika “So while Gurmeet got to meet his dream girl, I was very happy to have had the ‘dream boy’ of millions of women all to myself! Ranbir ‘Barfi’ Kapoor was actually a dream to work with – a complete gentleman and sweeter than barfi!”

Watch Kareena on Punarvivaah on Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10pm only Zee TV!

Rajeev Bharadwaj, who was last seen in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, is all set to play the lead in this Sunday (9^thSeptember) episode of Zee TV’s Fear Files - Dar Ki Sachi Tasveerein. The story is very interesting as it revolves around a father and daughter. The father usually narrates ghost tales to his daughter and unfortunately when he is telling one such story, certain incidents related to the story starts happening with them.

The filming of the climax has been quite grand, which will surely send a shiver down your spine. When contacted, Rajeev Bharadwaj confirmed the news and said, “Yes, I completed the shoot for the very successful Fear Files recently.  The screenplay was wonderful and the manner in which the whole episode has been shot is worth a watch. That it’s based on a real story is scary.”

This episode will air on Sunday, 16 September 2012, 9pm only on Zee TV.

Ranbir Kapoor, the lead of the highly anticipated film ‘Barfi’ and heartthrob of millions of girls across the country spent the day shooting with the leading ladies of Zee TV’s popular primetime shows - ‘Hitler Didi’, ‘Punarvivaah’ and ‘Phir Subah Hogi’. Actresses Kratika Sengar (Aarti of ‘Punarvivaah’), Gulki Joshi (Sugni of ‘Phir Subah Hogi’) and Rati Pandey (Indira of ‘Hitler Didi’) were in an upbeat mood at the prospect of sharing screen space with the talented young star. It will be aired on Thursday, 13^th September at 9:30 PM on ‘Hitler Didi’, 10:00 PM on ‘Punarvivaah’ and 10:30 PM on ‘Phir Subah Hogi’ only on Zee TV!

During the shoot, Ranbir was seen attentively listening to the director’s instructions while adding some of his very original chutzpah to the scenes in question. It seemed that the actor also shared a few fun moments with the l’il star of the day - child actress Shruti Bisht who was positively over the moon at the thought of meeting and shooting a scene with her favourite actor. A thorough gentleman and a charmer at that, Ranbir was warm and friendly with all the actors and children of various crew members who queued up to click pictures with him.

“Ranbir was a complete and thorough gentleman. I really couldn’t believe that I was going to be in the same scene with him. My stylist had to keep pinching me through the day so I knew that it wasn’t a dream. Ranbir is one of the finest actors we have in the current generation and to be able to work with him is quite an honour.” said Kratika all smiles. “I have liked Ranbir right from his debut in ‘Sawariya’. I think all the women in the country were fidaa after that towel dance! He is the chocolate boy of millions of women and to think that I had him all to myself in that one scene.” she continued with a blush.

The ‘Barfi Marathon’ which airs on Zee TV on Thursday, 13^th September will see ‘Barfi’ (played by Ranbir Kapoor) make an appearance in three of Zee TV’s most popular prime time shows. In ‘Hitler Didi’, ‘Phir Subah Hogi’ and ‘Punarvivaah’, ‘Barfi’ will be seen trying his best to win over the lead actresses on the show by making them forget their troubles and smiling, if only for a little while. In ‘Hitler Didi’, he will be the peacemaker between lil Indu (Shruti Bisht) and Zara Khan (Rati Pandey) by giving them flowers and chocolates. Barfi’s lovable and upbeat attitude along with his cheerful dancing will help Sugni (Gulki Joshi) temporarily forget her worries on ‘Phir Subah Hogi’ while he helps Aarti (Kratika Sengar) realise the reason for Yash’s anger on ‘Punarvivaah’.

With an upbeat attitude and a lovable demeanour, ‘Barfi’ is the sure shot way to leave all your troubles behind. Watch Ranbir Kapoor in this special ‘triple’ cameo on the ‘Barfi Marathon‘ on Thursday, September 13^th at 9:30 PM on ‘Hitler Didi’, 10:00 PM on ‘Punarvivaah‘ and 10.30 PM on ‘Phir Subah Hogi’ only on Zee TV!

When one thinks of a show on Ramayan, every actor would vie to play the title role of Lord Rama. Actor Neil Bhatt, who wowed viewers as the male lead Abhi in Zee TV’s 12/24 Karol Bagh, is no exception. The actor confesses that when he was approached for Ramayan, he was keen to be cast as Ram. “As an actor, it is only natural to want the meatiest role that allows one to fully showcase his range of histrionics. So while I was definitely more keen to be cast as Ram at first, I now clearly see that it is all three – Ram, Sita and Lakshman who are the key protagonists of Ramayan and the role holds ample scope for me to perform as an actor.”  

Neil Bhatt is currently using his time to read the Ramcharitmanas and capture the finer nuances of the great epic and more specifically, his role. He is also investing time and energy into getting into his finest form for the role as he shortly begins shooting in Baroda. His regimen includes Power Yoga, Pilates and intensive cardiovascular training. Neil has also acquainted himself with his extensive wardrobe and elaborate make-up for the role of Lakshman. It presently takes him over an hour and a half to get fully ready but the actor plans to master the art of getting his look together in less than 30 minutes before he starts shooting so that he minimizes time wastage on the sets.  

Neil Bhatt added, “I am told I was cast as Lakshman because I had the lean, athletic physicality required for the role. Also this show will not have archaic, difficult-to-grasp Hindi dialogues. The language will be kept simple and lucid. This, I think will aid us as actors in connecting better with our audiences as you can emote with better conviction when you feel the lines! Moreover, everybody will be able to quickly relate to the characters and not feel alienated by language they do not use.”

With many editions of Ramayan show on TV previously, what response did he get for the premiere of the show on Sunday, August 12? “The show has opened up to a very positive response. The music by the ace composer Ravindra Jain has been widely appreciated and the soundtrack of the show is simply outstanding. The make-up team must also be commended for an extremely proficient job…one can see it in the look given to Lord Vishnu. The casting, authenticity of the sets, the first-rate cinematography and the catchy visual effects only add sheen to the content. We are working hard to showcase this epic in a manner that gets families to sit together on a Sunday morning and learn from it, besides being entertained…wish us luck!” Neil ends.

Watch Zee TV’s epic ‘Ramayan’ from 19 August, Sundays 11am.

Who is your favorite freedom fighter?

Bhagat Singh

One of your favorite patriotic song?

Md. Rafi Saab’s - Kar Chale Hum Fida

The difference between celebrating Independence Day when you were a kid and the difference now when you have grown up?

When I was in school it was a different feeling altogether. Singing patriotic songs and reading about the freedom struggle made me feel closer to my country. There was a time when I wanted to join politics coz I wanted to change my country.

I had big dreams to change my country and use to sit with likeminded friends and plan extensively over long hours of group discussions. Now it just means a day off and watching some TV shows at home.

What do you feel about the Independence Day?

I personally feel that Independence Day has lost its relevance and it’s just a tag these days. We should not do anything special on this day. The feeling of Independence and the zeal for the betterment of our nation should be in our hearts all 365 days of the year.