Zindagi channel, which became popular for bringing stories from Pakistan to Indian small screen, is now coming up with new Indian and Turkish dramas after announcing discontinuation of shows from the neighbouring country.
Zindagi was launched in 2014 and courtesy Pakistani dramas such as Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Maat, Shehr-e-Zaat and Dastaan, it soon found a loyal audience.
The channel also premiered a few Indian productions but none of them could match the popularity of their Pakistani counterparts.
Now, the channel has rebranded itself by launching new Indian shows and serials from Turkey. The new line-up, which will have finite series format, will go on air from October 3.
One of the shows is Bollywood actor Anupam Kher’s maiden TV production, Khwaabon Ki Zamin Par.
Featuring Ashish Kashyap, Megha Chakroborty and Deeksha Sonalkar in the lead roles, the series is about a young aspiring actor, Arya, who goes to Mumbai to fulfil his dreams.
Talking about the show, Kher said here, “I could see some moments of my life in the show because I also started from a small town and struggled my way to become an Indian actor. I also left a love story behind me when I came to Mumbai.
“So, I can relate to the show and I know a lot of aspiring actors/actresses will also relate to it,” said Kher.
The show’s screenplay and dialogue writer said he has been influenced by shows such as Humsafar and has tried to keep Khwaabon Ki Zamin Par grounded in reality.
Agar Tum Saath Ho is another upcoming production, which is a love story between a girl from an affluent Delhi family and a middle-class tuition teacher in Delhi.
“We have shot entirely in Delhi and Bhopal [where the characters are based] because we wanted the show to be realistic, like other shows which earlier aired on Zindagi.
“There is a different high in shooting finite series and I am hopeful other channels will take a cue to encourage more fixed-duration shows,” said Gulshan Sachdeva, who has directed and produced the show.
The show stars Hitesh Bharadwaj, Ritu Barmecha, Dolly Ahluwalia, Sabina Mehta and Kamal Tiwari in the lead roles.
A spoof on daily soaps titled TV Ke Uss Paar is a tongue-in-cheek sitcom about the obsession of Indian society with television shows. It stars Marathi actress Amita Khopkar and Aaksh Ahuja in principal roles.
A love story between a Gujarati and Punjabi titled Teri Meri Jodi will also air on the channel. It is an India-Pakistan co-production.
Turkish shows such as Fatmagul, Feriha and Little Lord will also be aired on Zindagi.
