TellyBuzz already reported about Zee TV's Special Episode titled 'Salute at 8' which will portray the patriotic fervor of Rani Lakshmi Bai (Kratika Sangar). The protagonists of all the fiction shows on Zee TV, recently got together to pay tribute to the warrior, Jhansi Ki Rani.

The actors donned white to sing the Indian National Anthem which will be aired in the episode at 8 PM on January 26th.

Our source states, "The shoot for the same was held few days back. And it was graced by all the leading artistes of shows on Zee TV, except for the channel's very Popular Jodi Manav (Sushant Singh Rajput) and Archana (Ankita Lokhande) and Anukalp (Nishant Malkani) and Mona (Sara Khan ) from Preet Se Bandhi Ye Dor Ram Milaayi Jodi".

"The leads from Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli – Suhasi Dhami and Karan V Grover, Ratan Rajput and Abhishek Rawat from Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, Iqbal Khan, Binny Sharma and Additi Gupta from Sanjog Se Bani Sangini, Gaurav Khanna and Vandana Joshi from Dil Se Diya Vachan, Aamir Dalvi, Rohit Purohit and Veebha Anand from Sanskaar Laxmi, Himmanshoo A Malhotra and Nivedita Tiwari from Bhagonwali Baante Apni Taqdeer, Sargun Mehta and Garima Ajmani from Apno Ke Liye Geeta Ka Dharmyudh were present to pay their tribute by singing the National Anthem", adds our source.

We hear that while Sara Khan and Nishant Malkani were at a channel organized promotional shoot at Delhi, Sushant and Ankita apparently refused to be part of the event for reasons known only to them.

Rohit Purohit of Sanskaar Laxmi told us, "It was an awesome experience to shoot for the National Anthem. I wore white Kurta Pyajama and when I was standing with all the other artistes to sing the Anthem, I remembered my school days. It was a nostalgic moment for me, and I talked to my friends after the shoot to tell them about my experience". 

Nishant Malkani who was not present at the event said, "We were already in Delhi for a promotional event of our show, Ram Milaayi Jodi. I got to know that such a shoot was going to happen, but we could not get back as we were engaged in Delhi".

The grapevine says that Sushant and Ankita were not present at the Anthem shoot as this was completely a free-of-cost shoot and no actor was being paid for it.

When we contacted Ankita Lokhande to ask her about their unavailability for the shoot, she gave us two different reasons while talking to us. "We were not informed by the production house", she quoted initially. Then when probed further, she said, "It was Sushant's birthday and we were out of town to celebrate the occasion. We got a call from the production house calling us for the shoot, but we could not go back".

When asked about the place in which she celebrated Sushant's birthday, Ankita had this to say, "I don't think I have to reply to your question".

We are sure that this would have been a one-off experience for the artistes who saw it as an honour of singing the National anthem on National Television..

Reporter and Author: Ranjini Nair