BALH:Ode to everlasting love in arranged marriage

Agra, May 22 : As strained marital relationships and frequent heartbreaks become the norm in this age of 'fast forward love', a show seeking to focus on 'Long lasting love' in arranged marriages in India is all set to be aired on Sony General entertainment channel from next week.

Presenting the concept of 'Love After marriage' characterised by arranged marriages, which are still the norm in a major part of India especially small towns and cities, is 'Bade Achche Lagte Hain', a new show to be aired from May 30.

Produced by Balaji Telefilms and featuring popular TV actors Ram Kapoor and Skshi Tanwar, 'Bade Achche Lagte Hain' was launched here by yesteryear's cine star Jeetendra, amid the backdrop of the Taj Mahal, the symbol of 'everlasting love' that forms the basic concept of this show.

The show, which will go on air on Sony on May 30 on the 2230 hours time slot and will be aired from Mondays to Thursdays, is about how two mature individuals-Ram, a business tycoon in his late 40s (played by Ram Kapoor) , and Priya, a working woman in her late 30s (played by Sakshi Tanwar)- learn to love each other after being brought together in the bond of marriage.

Launching the show, Jitendra, father of Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Films, said he loved the concept of the show that of love after marriage.

"It is a touching tale of how love blossoms after marriage and how the two evolve as partners," Jitendra said after launching the show at Taj Khema overlooking the Taj Mahal.

Jitendra said he was here as his daughter Ekta Kapoor could not come due to her busy schedule. He said the script of the show had been written by Ekta many years ago.

The serial got delayed as Ekta, who had written the script keeping in mind Ram and Sakshi as the protagonists, did not want to go ahead with someone else, ;preferring to wait for them to give the nod.

I feel that Ram and Sakshi, who have earlier worked with Balaji Films in shows like 'Ghar Ek Mandir' and 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii', are the perfect couple for the show. They look so nice together as the mature couple who learn to love each other after entering into a bond of arranged marriage, he added.

Together, I am confident that they will make the show a big success, Jitendra said.

Speaking on the occasion, the lead actors of the show Ram and Sakshi said it was heartening for both of them that Ekta had written the script keeping them in mind.

Talking to reporters, Ram Kapoor said,"What was heartening for me that Ekta conceived the show with both of us in mind. Not only that, she said she would not do the show with any other actor and chose to wait for me for two long years to launch the show." Talking about the show, the Business head of the Sony entertainment network Sneha Rajani said, 'Bade Achche Lagte Hain' explores the two different personalities of the protagonists Ram and Priya- how through their different personalities they get together in the bond of 'long lasting love.' She said the launch of the pathbreaking show was part of the efforts of the channel to strengthen its fiction band.

"Non fiction will always remain our forte, being the pioneers of the genre. However, fiction will be our main focus in months to come. Our effort will be to ensure that Sony is among the top three channels by the end of this year, something which I am confident we will be able to achieve with our impressive line up of fiction shows in the coming months. Also, we hope to regain the number one slot in the next two years," Rajani said.

Speaking at the launch, the COO of Multiscreen Media, N P Singh said "Last year had been very good for the channel which has doubled its GRPs.Our aim is to now be the number one channel in the next two years." Talking about the show, Mr Singh said,"We have earlier done very successful shows with Balaji like 'Ghar Ek Mandir' and 'Kutumb'.

While Ram has done 'Ghar Ek Mandir' for us, Sakshi's association with us has been through shows like 'Bhanwar', 'Devi' and 'Crime Patrol'.

'Bade Achche Lagte Hain' is a show with a beautiful concept.

"I hope that our association with Ram, Sakshi and Balaji will prove to be a successful one," he added.