Ardent fans of Zee TV’s top show Pavitra Rishta, watch out for a big time leap on your favorite soap! Producer Ekta Kapoor has taken the remote control out of your hands and pressed the ‘fast forward’ button, taking the touching story of India’s darlings Manav and Archana ahead by a whopping 4 years from Thursday 23 June.

The ideal Indian lovers are now the proud parents of a tiny tot, and Manav has had a change of fortune - the very family that rescued him after his car accident observes him to be an honest, upright man and appoints him as a senior official in their construction business. Manav, once a mechanic, now takes home a pay-check of over a lakh a month. The progress and success of the Deshmukh family comes as a ray of hope to millions of fans across India who identify with and vicariously lead the lives of Manav-Archana.

But then again, life wasn’t meant to be that simple for this beautiful couple. With Archana’s sister Varsha unable to conceive, Manav and Archana will be seen to have made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their own child in adoption to Varsha and Satish.

On the other hand, following the death of Manav’s younger brother Sachin, Manav and Archana will take on the responsibility of parenting his son. Archana will barely get any time with Manav as he gets into a rather hectic phase at work. But for the star-crossed lovers, even the ten minutes they spend at the end of each day are sufficient to keep them going. Wicked Manjusha continues to scheme and plot in order to drive her mother-in-law Sulochana out of the house. Not much has changed with Savita Tai either, who continues to be thirsty for material possessions. A surprise for the viewers will be the re-union of Vaishali and Dharmesh, who will be seen staying happily together despite having been shown to have opted for a divorce pre-leap.

To find out what lies in store for Manav and Archana, stay tuned to Pavitra Rishta every Monday to Friday at 9pm on Zee TV.

Pavitra Rishta, the show that has consistently topped the TRP game on Indian television, will complete a glorious run of 500 episodes on Zee TV on Tuesday, 3 May 2011. The show which tells the heartwarming story of a lower middle-class Maharashtrian family staying in a suburban chawl of Mumbai has laid claim to hearts of viewers and critics alike. In times when shows swing up and down on popularity charts on a weekly basis and fade into oblivion without as much as making a mark, Pavitra Rishta has ruled the roost at 9 PM across all GEC’s, making actors Sushant Rajput & Ankita Lokhande who essay the roles of lead protagonists Manav and Archana the most sought-after dinner table companions on the tube!

Beaming with pride, Sushant Rajput reveals, “The most gratifying aspect of being a part of Pavitra Rishta is the passion with which the junta advises me on what to do next and what not to do, as if I really am Manav. This happens to me practically every time I step out into a public place. It speaks volumes about how real the show is, how closely the audience relates to all its characters and cares for them as if they were real people!”

Pavitra Rishta focuses on the life of the virtuous and self-sacrificing Archana. Being the eldest daughter in her family, she chooses to take on the responsibility of her siblings rather than focusing on her own education. As Archana grows up to a marriageable age, her mother realizes that her daughter has been deprived of all the good things in life during her younger years. She vows to get Archana married to a well-educated and sophisticated guy. But destiny has other … perhaps, even better plans for Archana! In Manav, she meets a soul-mate who completes her in every way and soon begins a tender romance that blooms into a meaningful relationship. Despite being a man of modest means, Manav wins over the hearts of Archana’s family members and the two get married … quirks of fate and vagaries of the Indian middle-class existence see the two separate. The solitude in their lives without each other and their strong undying love re-unite the two. The show now follows the challenges thrown in Manav-Archana’s path as they walk hand-in-hand through life!

So, what is it that sets Pavitra Rishta apart from the clutter of mediocrity on Indian television? “It’s beauty lies in its simplicity,” says Mr. Sukesh Motwani, Fiction Programming- Head, Zee TV. “There is no melodrama, no excess negativity, just a simple yet inspiring story of struggle and love. If the characters are relatable, the casting is impeccable. Apart from Manav-Archana, Usha Nadkarni and Savita Prabhune as their mothers add an extremely realistic touch.”

Apart from all the love and appreciation from ardent TV viewers, the show has also received many accolades over the last 2 years that include the much coveted Jury’s Special Prize & theBest Foreign Drama award at the Seoul Drama Awards and The International Drama Awards respectively. The most recent feather added to the show’s cap are the awards across categories of Best Actor and Best Show at FICCI Frames 2011.

So, how long can we expect to have the soap on air? “There’s no time limit we’ve set to Pavitra Rishta,” says producer Ekta Kapoor. “There is a lot more to tell. We are following the natural course of events in the couple’s lives. Each time we go through an issue, it throws us to the next turn of events.” God bless Manav and Archana and keep their Pavitra Rishta alive!

The world’s largest South Asian TV network, Zee TV, will be showcasing UK talent in its latest episode of Pavitra Rishta, its most popular primetime soap and winner of international accolades.

Purvi Jhalla, a 25 year old aspiring Bollywood actor from Slough in Berkshire had been picked out of thousands of hopeful actors as the winner of a nationwide competition in the UK to win a walk-on role in Zee TV’s hit Indian soap, Pavitra Rishta, watched by over 500 million globally.

Pavitra Rishta has consistently ruled the ratings roost in India and recently won a noted international award. Pavitra Rishta has been awarded the much coveted Jury’s Special Prize at the recent Seoul International Drama Awards 2010. It is the first Indian show to be noticed and presented with an honour in Korea, taking the heart-warming story of a middle-class Indian family across international frontiers.

Purvi was flown out to Mumbai for an all expenses paid trip where she received training from the stars of the show and Zee TV producers before stepping in front of the camera for her moment of fame. The episode featuring Purvi will air on Zee TV on Tuesday 25^th January 2011 at 9pm. Furthermore, the episode will also be featuring worldwide in over 168 countries.

The talent hunt competition toured the UK throughout November and saw more than 1,800 people audition for their chance to win the part. The roadshow, which visited Glasgow, Manchester, Brent, Leicester, Birmingham, Croydon and Slough, has brought together people from all ages and backgrounds to show off their acting skills for their chance at fame in Pavitra Rishta.

Watch the episode of Pavitra Rishta with this UK touch on Tuesday 25^th January 2011 at 9pm on Zee TV.

Raising a toast to the completion of 18 glorious years of its precious relationship with audiences in India, Zee TV presents ‘Zee Rishtey Awards 2011’ - Jashn 18 Saalon Ka. The awards ceremony will be a grand celebration of the spirit of Zee TV – a channel that has brought endearing & relatable stories which beautifully encapsulate the ethos, culture & traditions of India. Zee TV has showcased the soul of India with clean family entertainment, developing a strong emotional connect with its viewers.

In the week leading up to the telecast of Zee Rishtey Awards 2010, Zee TV will showcase lively interactions of the channel’s primetime actors with their fans from across the country in a special daily segment called ‘Rishton Ki Saugat’ at this week. And, on 1st January the Red Carpet special will showcase Zee TV actors walk in their finest threads at 9pm, followed by the grand spectacle ofZee Rishtey Awards 2010 at 9:30pm.

It will be a memorable evening when the entire constellation of Zee TV’s most popular stars will descend on a single platform and set the stage ablaze with breathtaking performances bound to set your pulse racing.

The evening will commence with an opulent rath yatra wherein the lead protagonists of each show will make a grand entrance with a procession of dancers following them. The most exciting performances of the evening include a jaw-dropping magic act by India’s most popular sweethearts Manav and Archana, a fun-filled dance-off between the old-timers and the newbies of Zee and a rain-dance symbolizing the passion of “first love” by Iqbal Khan and Binny Sharma. The evening will also be peppered with comedy acts, dance performances by the cast of Zee TV’s popular primetime shows and of course, the much-awaited awards ceremony recognizing the invaluable contribution of the artistes that have driven the channel from success to success.

With an extravaganza of entertainment awaiting you on the channel in the coming month, ardent TV viewers will not want to miss Zee Rishtey Awards 2010 -Jashn 18 Saalon Ka for anything in the world!

What choices will Manav make to look after Archana now that they are together? Watch Pavitra Rishta Mon-Fri @ 9pm only on Zee TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq5d4LOT1BQ

Although Manav and Archana are back together, there is still trouble ahead.

Watch Pavitra Rishta Mon-Fri @ 9pm only on Zee TV!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA7i4fG9snA

Have you had a chance to see the latest promo of Zee TV’s popular soap Pavitra Rishta? The one that has main leads Sushant Rajput (Maanav) and Ankita Lokhande (Archana) running hand-in-hand, boarding a BEST bus and hugging passionately? The promo comes as a ray of hope for millions of fans across the country who wish to see their favourite Manav & Archana re-united at last. Well, here’s what happened while shooting the much-talked-about promo!

Bringing alive the essence of an urban romance between the two middle-class lovers, Sushant and Ankita were to board the BEST bus and dissolve in each other’s arms, oblivious to public glare. Given that the duo have been know to be good friends and had no qualms cozying up publicly, they kept giggling and blushing through the takes and displayed more than the intensity required of them. The count of takes kept mounting and reached an insane 37 and they didn’t seem to mind it at all!

A source from the sets revealed, “We were beginning to wonder if the two would lose their patience. But we were surprised to see Sushant and Ankita in great spirits, absolutely relishing every bit of the shoot.” He added with a wink, “Perhaps, what worked was the fact that the scene required them to engage in behavior that comes most naturally to them!” Now that’s what they call “natural acting”!

So when will the duo tie the knot … ahem … in reel life, that is? Watch out for the interesting twists in their lives on Pavitra Rishta, Mon-Fri at 9pm only on Zee TV!

Zee TV and Balaji Telefilms Pavitra Rishta is surely getting much appreciation from the critics and viewers alike. A month ago, it was a recipient of the recent ‘Jury’s Special Prize’ at the recent Seoul International Drama Awards 2010 which was held in South Korea. That wasn’t all! Last week it has also received a nomination to represent the Indian television industry at the International Drama Awards that was recently held in Tokyo. If the nomination itself wasn’t an honor enough, the show also picked up the Best Foreign Drama Award beating nominations from five other countries.

On viewers demand, actresses Savita Prabhune (Sulochana Karanjakar) and Pooja Pihal (Shravani) from the cast of Pavitra Rishta were specially invited to the awards ceremony in Tokyo where they had the special privilege to hoist the Indian flag as well. It was indeed a proud moment for both of them on international soil.

Pooja Pihal was bubbling with excitement on her return from Tokyo. “It was a wonderful experience to be in Tokyo and meet the lovely people there. The award function itself was a wonderful experience with the most delightful audience at the venue. It was a great honor to be able to represent the entire team and The Indian Television Industry as a whole in Tokyo. It is absolutely wonderful to be associated with Pavitra Rishta and I hope we continue to wow the audiences,” she ended.

Continue watching Pavitra Rishta Mon-Fri @ 9pm only on Zee TV

www.zeetv.co.uk

Zee TV’s popular drama ‘Pavitra Rishta’ has bagged the special jury award at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2010.

The award was received by Charu Singh, deputy vice president, ZEE TV, at the ceremony held at the Korean Broadcasting System Hall in Seoul.

“The beauty of Pavitra Rishta lies in its simplicity. We were confident that the show would captivate the audiences in India. But the honour at Seoul Drama Awards comes as a delightful surprise,” Sukesh Motwani, programming head, ZEE TV, said in a statement.

“It goes a long way in establishing that a show with superior content cuts across barriers of language, culture and geography.”

The Seoul International Drama Awards, started in 2006, aim to felicitate the best international television dramas.

Continue watching your favourite story of Archana and Manav’s pure love - Pavitra Rishta Mon-Fri @ 9pm only on Zee TV.

Manav Archana’s on-screen divorce to hit the couple’s off-screen togetherness?

So the divorce is actually to go ahead! Did you predict that would happen..?!

With the divorce between Manav and Archana on Zee TV’s Pavitra Rishta looking like its going ahead, actors Sushant Singh Rajput (who plays Manav) and Ankita Lokhande (Archana) are a little worried about the quality time the two of them will manage to spend together in the coming days.

Given that the on-screen couple is also a real life couple, the two thoroughly relish every moment they share on the sets of the popular serial. Cooling their heels in their shared vanity van between shots, all the meals that they invariably have on the sets together, the quick, spontaneous shopping sprees the two take off on from the sets are likely to come to a halt if the plot of the show has their characters getting divorced and separating.

If the much touted on-screen divorce between Manav & Archana takes place, Sushant & Ankita may not be required on the sets of Pavitra Rishta at the same time. Apparently, this is turning out to be quite the matter of concern for the lovey dovey twosome who are said to be cribbing about it to practically every sympathetic listener. So will producer Ekta Kapoor pay heed and keep Manav and Archana together on screen?

Lets see what the future of this Pavitra Rishta is…on-screen and in real life…