Saara Akaash

Sai Deodhar, the girl who stood out as Flight Lt Monica in <em>Saara Akaash</em> has bagged two plum assignments. In <em>Siddhanth</em> on Star One, Sai is scheduled to enter the plot in the next three weeks as a journalist called Himangi. In another, Sai will play the lead in <em>Le Jayenge Le Jayenge</em>- Contioloe's forthcoming romantic comedy on Star Plus. Vikaas Sethi is likely to be roped in for the male lead.

L K Advani's daughter, Pratibha (Swayam, Ghoomta Aaina), is getting ready with a serial, yet untitled, this time for Star One. The grapevine is that it will have Smriti Z Iraani (Tulsi of <em>Kyunki...</em>) and Sai Deodhar (Captain Monica Singh of <em>Saara Akaash</em>) playing saas and bahu. While Iraani will play a saas locked up in a few tangles, Sai will play a lawyer bahu who stands up for her saas. Quite a refreshing change from the usual soap sagas.

If you thought that only Sahara is getting (in)famous for pulling off shows midway, think again. Reliable sources inform us that Star Plus is keen to take at least three shows off air. Mind you, biggies! Monday's <em>Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand</em>. Tuesday's <em>Kehta Hai Dil</em>. Wednesday's <em>Sanjivani- A Medical Boon</em>. Thursday's <em>Saara Akaash</em> may just about escape. But the channel has a problem. They don't have shows which are ready to replace these. Even if they have one or two, as our sources say, Star wouldn't go ahead with those immediately.

Is the fact that it has become the highest rated Hindi weekly serial bringing the suave Anuj Saxena back to <em>Saara Akaash</em>? If industry gossip is to be believed, Anuj had turned his back on the Miditech produced show for Star Plus along with Manish Goel, complaining that the spotlight stayed too much on lead heroine Sai Deodhar. Manav Gohil too disappeared from the plot a few months ago. Now, while we don't discount their judgment, the channel and production house were said to be shifting the limelight to the pert and pretty Sai, going by viewer response.