Zee TV begins 2017 with new fiction offering – ‘Woh … Apna Sa’

Zee TV is all set to premiere ‘Woh … Apna Sa’, its first fiction offering of 2017, on January 23. Produced by Siddharth Malhotra’s Alchemy Films, the show will air Monday-Friday at 10.00 pm. 

Starring Ssudip Sahir, Ridhi Dogra and Disha Parmar in the lead roles, ‘Woh … Apna Sa’ questions prevalent mindsets, pre-conceived notions and the over-generalisations that surround the institution of marriage, love and the eternal quest of finding one’s true soulmate. The show takes a look at how some relations don’t go the way we expect them to while a few others, ones that we probably don’t expect, go on to make a huge positive difference in our lives. 

Commenting on the new show, Deepak Rajadhyaksha, Deputy Business Head, Zee TV, said, “Just as we are completing the audition phase of our upcoming reality series, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs’, we are delighted to announce ‘Woh…Apna Sa’ as the first fiction offering of 2017. This engaging and compelling story is produced by Siddharth Malhotra. It’s a mature and sensitive concept around three well-etched out characters that have been enacted by an impressive ensemble cast. With its unique storyline, the show will surely entertain audiences.” 

Sharing further insights behind launching ‘Woh... Apna Sa’, Rajadhyaksha said, “In a way, the show questions marriages and institutions. We have a lot many pre-conceived notions about marriage. Some marriages are continued just to be a part of the society, irrespective of whether we are happy with that relationship or not. It is a social pressure. Your family values are in danger in terms of mindsets, value systems, you yourself are not in a good situation. Should we save these things or should we continue with our bad marriage? In this show we are addressing these aspects of marriage, the baggage of marriage in a way that it should be a likeable and relatable solution for the viewers. You can’t always say that the third person in a husband-wife relationship is a bad character. That person could be a soulmate as well. He/ she could also bring happiness in your life, who will come with value-systems that connect with you and you move ahead in life. That’s the thought process behind ‘Woh...Apna Sa’.” 

“We have developed this show for a one-year span. Post that we will take a call on what happens with the show,” he added. 

The show is about Aditya Jindal (Ssudip Sahir), a man willing to sacrifice everything to keep his family happy; his wife Nisha (Ridhi Dogra), an extremely materialistic woman who believes that money is supreme and can buy love as well; and Jhanvi (Disha Parmar), a young woman whose simplicity, upbringing and values form the backbone of her mature personality. Jhanvi has an extremely positive outlook in life and believes that every problem comes with its own unique solution. Seasoned actor Amit Behl will essay the character of Dharmesh Jindal, Aditya’s Chachaji, for whom his family is his first priority and he believes in maintaining a perfect balance between professional and personal life. The show has been written by Raghuveer Shekhawat. 

The show has been produced by Siddharth Malhotra under his banner, Alchemy Films. The company aims to create content for various networks and online portals, eventually also branching into theatre and feature films. Malhotra was so far associated with his family company Cinevistaas. He recently branched off as a producer and has been creatively associated with shows like ‘Dil Mill Gaye’, ‘Ek Haseena Thi’, ‘Sanjeevani’ and many others. 

Malhotra commented, “This will be my first venture in partnership with Zee TV and the experience has been great so far. We’ve always wanted to present audiences with unique concepts that get people to pause and introspect and ‘Woh…Apna Sa’, with its differentiated subject and treatment, will certainly be a conversation starter. We are speaking of the power of a soulmate and the difference finding one can bring to your life. When some vital relationships fail and don’t go as per plan, one sometimes finds a glimmer of hope in a person other than your spouse. It does not have to mean an extra-marital affair, that soulmate could be anyone who gives you solace from the chaos of your life, reinstates your faith in love and companionship. It’s a mature subject that we plan to address sensitively. ‘Woh…Apna Sa’ is a novel concept on television. We look forward to entertaining audiences with this endearing and compelling story.” 

On creating differentiation for ‘Woh... Apna Sa’, which will compete with existing shows like ‘Kasam’ on Colors and ‘Ishqbaaz’ on Star Plus in the same time band, Rajadhyaksha said, “As I explained earlier, the theme of the show in itself is a differentiator. And I hope that it becomes a very relatable and likeable show because of the talented artistes. The presentation of the show, the way it has been written by Raghuveer Shekhawat, the way Siddharth has produced the show and with the well-etched characters – we are confident that viewers will get attracted to them and their journey, thoughts and emotions.” 

Speaking on Zee TV’s content strategy for 2017, he remarked that the only strategy would be to get the best of the best shows on Zee TV. “We are known to launch family-oriented shows, and we will continue to do the same with different angles and thought processes,” he added. 

While speaking on what kind of content worked best in the prime time slot, Rajadhyaksha said, “Television is a medium that directly deals with viewers and thoughts on a day-to-day basis. So, whatever viewers like, works. The power is with the viewers, not the channels. We are just the trustees.”