#Delusional & LID 32#Yaad aa rahi hai teri yad## - Page 13

While Bollywood biggies float rumours about the stars of their films as part of a marketing strategy, telly couples manage to create scorching screen romance by play acting!

In the Teflon coated world of Bollywood romances, it's almost a given that on screen couples end up getting romantically linked up --sometimes to sell films (as part of the marketing strategy), and sometimes because these affairs are also for real So barely days after the Tamil flick, 3hit the screens, when reports of Tamil teen icon and current national sensation, Dhanush being romantically involved with Shruti Haasan his co-star from the film made the rounds, no one really batted an eyelid or made an immediate dash to the theatres. Most automatically assumed that the film's lukewarm initial reports were reason for this publicity stunt, a desperate effort to evoke curiosity in the film. For followers of B-Town leads, the illusion that the lead pair of a film might be in a romantic relationship is important, it creates hype and eyeballs in the initial weeks. So, you have Ranveer Singh talking about his 'fondness' for co-star Sonakshi Sinha openly, now that their Looterais getting ready for release, Amy Jackson and Prateik claiming to be in "love" when their first screen outing together was set to hit the screens.

In telly biz, life's much simpler for the leading couples though. Probably because a prime time show doesn't always piggyback ride only on a lead couple's chemistry. Changing dynamics (that necessary evil called TRPs) and the presence of an ensemble of secondary characters are often as important as the lead pair's screen chemistry. In many instances, the lead pair of a TRP-tripping show share ice-cold vibes and continue to churn out intense romantic sequences. Hina Khan and Karan Mehra(Naitik-Akshara of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlaata Hai), Pooja Gor-Arhan Behl (Krishna-Pratigya of Mann Ke Awaaz Pratigya), Nandish Sandhu-Tina Dutta ( Uttaran) have not been known to be on the best terms off screen, yet they were professional enough to keep their personal vibes aside once they slammed make-up and faced the camera. "I don't talk to Hina much," Karan's diplomatically admitted on record many times and chooses to devote his energy to his work. Arhan, was at one time dating Avantika Gondal, Pooja Gor's reel sister in the show and had no interest of a romantic nature in his reel love.

Telly audiences don't seem to care much about how their favourite jodis behave in their personal space. So, even though Barun Sobti and Sanaya Irani are in committed relationships with different people, their fab screen chemistry gives Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? its high TRPs. Deepika Singh and Anas Rashid are polite co-stars and yet their intense relationship's made Diya Aur Baati Hum, a TRP-topper for the last four months. Shashank Vyas and Pratyusha Banerjee are known to be thorough professionals on the sets of Balika Vadhu - Kachchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishte, yet their romantic scenes are much talked about. Ditto for Ram Kapoor and Saakshi Tanwar. Their smouldering love scene and liplock in Bade Achche Lagte Hainset the viral world in a tizzy a month ago. Ram's happily married and shares an amicable rapport with Saakshi. That doesn't take away the intensity from their love scenes. Ram has in the past also shared tremendous screen chemistry with teenager Prachi Desai in Kasamh Se. Gurmeet Chaudhary might be married to Debina Banerjee in reality, but his sizzling chemistry with Dhrasti Dhami in Geet Hui Sab Se Parayiwon the two stars, millions of hearts. Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand were dating different people, but when they romanced the camera in Dill Mill Gayyefive years ago it seemed so real that their fans kept on wanting to see them together again.

And no, production houses and channels have never been known to market the on screen vibes of their lead couples to sell a soap. Surprisingly television audiences seem to have accepted the reality that their celluloid jodis are simply spinning a romantic fantasy for them, and the reality is something else. Ironically, the same set of audience also goes to watch a Bollywood flick. Isn't it weird that producers think they can take the audience for a ride by floating rumours of a romance before a film hits the screens just for some publicity? Chemistry, biology etc can be created in a make believe world too, wish some B-Town makers realised it too!