Saraswatichandra (TV series) explained

Genre:Soap opera
Channel:STAR Plus
Creator:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Runtime:22 minutes
Producer:Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sunjoy Waddhwa
Comall Sunjoy W.
Director:Arvind Babbal
Sharad Pandey
Mayank Gupta
Himanshu Singh
Arshad Khan
Cinematography:Deepak Pandey
Arjun Rao
Company:SLB productions (2013)
Sphere Origins (2013–2014)
Starring:Gautam Rode
Jennifer Winget
Varun Kapoor
Monica Bedi
Theme Music Composer:Aadil-Prashant
Opentheme:"Kuch Na Kahe" by Shreya Ghoshal and Javed Ali
Country:India
Language:Hindi
Num Episodes:403

Saraswatichandra is an Indian Hindi-language musical romance drama television series produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, written by Saba Mumtaz, Shruti Vaidys, Utkarsh Naithani, Ved Raj and Abhijit Sinha, and is based on Govardhanram Tripathi's 1887-1901 four volume novel of the same name.[1] It aired on Star Plus from 25 February 2013 to 20 September 2014.[2]

Due to issues arising from the original production company, in August 2013, Saraswatichandra switched its production house to Sphere Origins.[3]

Plot

Young aristocrat Saraswatichandra Laxminandan Vyas, a.k.a. Saras, who lives in Dubai is introverted due to his mother's suicide and rejects an arranged marriage by his father with his friend Vidyachatur Desai's daughter Kumud, informing her by letter. She challenges him to inform her father and so Saras travels to her village named Ratnanagari in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, India, gains familiarity with her family and gradually falls in love with her. On his return to Dubai, Saras finds a letter from his mother Saraswati, explaining that she committed suicide due to his father having an affair with Ghuman. That letter was written by his step mother Ghuman. Saras disowns his father and decides not to marry Kumud because he cannot support her without his family's wealth.

To save her family's reputation, Kumud rushes into a marriage with Pramad, the son of a politician. Saras realizes his mistake and tries to stop the wedding, but is beaten up by thugs. Kumud finds that her husband is an abusive alcoholic but resolves to change him. Pramad's sister Alak finds Saras and brings him to the family home to recover. Saras vows to change Pramad's ways. Pramad's father also wants Pramad to change, and hires Saras as his secretary which makes Pramad jealous.

Pramad pretends to be a changed man, but tries to kill Kumud with the help of maid Kalika. Saras rescues Kumud, who separates from Pramad and returns to her family home. However, Kalika enters the household by marrying Kumud's cousin Yash. Pramad attempts to abduct Kumud but his goons take her sister Kusum. Saras saves Kusum, who develops feelings for him but agrees to marry another. Pramad sends evidence of Kusum's kidnapping to the groom's family, who call off the wedding. To save the family's reputation, Kumud convinces her family to allow Saras to marry Kusum. Saras agrees, but plots to have Kusum married to his younger step brother Danny, who loves her. Kusum gradually recognizes Danny's love and returns his feelings. Pramad travels abroad for medical treatment, abandoning Kumud and facilitating her divorce. Kumud marries Saras, who reconciles with his father Laxminandan. Laxminandan meets with an accident with car of a man, Kabir.

After the wedding, Kabir helps the families when Laxminandan falls into a coma. Kabir is secretly working for Saras's stepmother Ghuman to create problems between Danny, Kusum and Saras in order to gain Laxminandan's wealth. Actually he is pretending to help Ghuman to take revenge from her. Kumud finds out Kabir's truth. Kumud learns about Ghuman's elder sister Menaka and Ghuman's secret. Kumud goes to that place where Ghuman used to work as a dancer before marrying Laxminandan. Kumud is kidnapped and again rescued by Saras. Ghuman's friend Sunanda reveals to Saras and Kumud that Ghuman had paid a governess to kill a baby 21 years earlier. Vidyachatur's younger sister Dugba who was Saraswati's friend tells Saras and Kumud after that Saraswati was pregnant for a second time but she suffered a miscarriage and Laxminandan blamed her for the miscarriage, that's why she killed herself. Then she searches in that hospital in which Saraswati was admitted at the time of her delivery. She learns that her baby was alive and was swapped with a stillborn baby and Dugba tells this to Saras and Kumud. They doubt Ghuman. Saras and Kumud confront Menaka for her and Ghuman's secret and Menaka reveals Kabir's identity as Saras's younger brother, thought to have died in infancy, and that he is actually seeking vengeance on Ghuman for separating him from his family. He was raised by Menaka because Menaka wanted to take revenge from Ghuman and to take her property. Ghuman learns of this and has Kabir kidnapped in London, with Saras and Kumud going to save him. Meanwhile, Ghuman uses Kalika to try to separate Danny and Kusum. Kalika reveals the truth and is divorced and disowned by Yash. Ghuman tries to kill Saras, Kumud and Kabir, but they are saved. Laxminandan awakens and disowns Ghuman, who is arrested. Saras and Kabir both reconcile with their father.

Saras and Kumud move to Mumbai for a business project for six months. Their landlord Prashant Tyagi becomes obsessed with Kumud, who is a lookalike of his girlfriend he murdered. The landlord kidnaps them both and tries to murder Saras, but they find evidence and have him arrested.

During Kabir's wedding to Kusum's friend Anushka, a young man attempts to kill Saras and Kumud, extorting Anushka's cooperation because he had kidnapped her younger brother Avinash and blackmailed her. Saras is hospitalized saving Kumud and Kabir breaks off the engagement. Kabir and Danny save Avinash, and Kabir forgives Anushka. Ghuman is revealed to be behind the plot.

Ghuman feigns mental illness and is transferred from jail to a mental asylum, where she finds her rival, Saras's mother Saraswati who is alive and suffering amnesia. Ghuman informs Kumud but still tries to take revenge. Kumud helps Saraswati regain her memory and mental health, and the family is reunited. Ghuman is returned to jail. Saras and Kumud have their first child.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Guest

Production

The production of the series began in May 2012.[13]

The grand set of the series and the production cost ₹5.5 crore (55 million rupees).[14] Initial scenes were shot in Dubai and Rajkot.[15] In August 2013, Sphere Origins took over the production of the series from Sanjay Leela Bhansali Films Pvt Ltd,[16] after which, in January 2014, the storyline deviated from the novel as Saras and Kumud marry.[17] [18]

Reception

Critics

Hindustan Times said, "Style is good but substance is better."[19]

Ratings

The series garnered an average rating of 2.5 TVR in its first episode and 2.1 TVR in the premiere week.[20] However, the following weeks it improved.[21]

Awards and nominations

YearAward Category Cast Result Ref
2013Gold AwardsBest ActorGautam Rode
Indian Television Academy AwardsBest Actress – DramaJennifer Winget[22]
Best Actress – PopularJennifer Winget
Best Actor – PopularGautam Rode
2014Gold AwardsBest ActorGautam Rode[23]
Indian Telly AwardsBest Actor in a Lead RoleGautam Rode[24]
Best Actress (Jury)Jennifer Winget

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Saraswatichandra not a love story. Live Mint. 30 March 2013 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328112036/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/JLEYRaHV7KJgbDyUTWarKJ/Saraswatichandra--Not-a-love-story.html. 28 March 2020.
  2. Web site: Saraswatichandra to go off air, Gautam Rode tweets last day pics with Jennifer Winget and crew. daily.bhaskar.com. 16 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20170307141032/http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/ENT-TV-saraswatichandra-set-to-go-off-air-gautam-rode-tweets-last-day-pics-with-jennife-4749075-PHO.html. 7 March 2017. live.
  3. Web site: Change is constant: Sanjay Leela Bhansali out of Saraswatichandra. Hindustan Times. 19 August 2013 .
  4. Web site: Varun Kapoor to enter Saraswatichandra. The Times of India. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010075629/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Varun-Kapoor-to-enter-Saraswatichandra/articleshow/20495668.cms. 10 October 2016. live.
  5. Web site: I have never worked so hard in my life: Shiny Doshi. The Times of India. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20151205220759/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/I-have-never-worked-so-hard-in-my-life-Shiny-Doshi/articleshow/19380104.cms. 5 December 2015. live.
  6. Web site: Ashish Kapoor to play Gautam Rode's brother in Saraswatichandra. The Times of India. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010075643/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Ashish-Kapoor-to-play-Gautam-Rodes-brother-in-Saraswatichandra/articleshow/29556208.cms. 10 October 2016. live.
  7. Web site: Saras to die in Star Plus' Saraswatichandra!. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160328070934/http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=26891. 28 March 2016. live.
  8. Web site: Vijay Badlani back; Shahrukh Sadri in Saraswatichandra. The Times of India. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010075557/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Vijay-Badlani-back-Shahrukh-Sadri-in-Saraswatichandra/articleshow/21081747.cms. 10 October 2016. live.
  9. Web site: Never felt sidelined by Jennifer Winget in 'Saraswatichandra': Monica Bedi. 26 January 2014. The Indian Express. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160330232440/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/never-felt-sidelined-by-jennifer-winget-in-saraswatichandra-monica-bedi/. 30 March 2016. live.
  10. Web site: Bhansali turns to TV, with Saraswatichandra. 16 May 2012. Rediff. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160330195801/http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/bhansali-turns-to-tv-with-saraswatichandra/20120516.htm. 30 March 2016. live.
  11. Web site: Mehul Kajaria in Bhansali's Saraswati Chandra. The Times of India. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010075712/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Mehul-Kajaria-in-Bhansalis-Saraswati-Chandra/articleshow/17364245.cms. 10 October 2016. live.
  12. Web site: Vahbbiz Dorabjee in 'Saraswatichandra'. 11 July 2013. dna. 19 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161012191019/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-vahbbiz-dorabjee-in-saraswatichandra-1859758. 12 October 2016. live.
  13. Web site: Bhansali turns to TV, with Saraswatichandra. Rediff. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330000510/https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/bhansali-turns-to-tv-with-saraswatichandra/20120516.htm. 30 March 2019.
  14. Web site: The super soaps. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328112035/https://m.telegraphindia.com/culture/the-super-soaps/cid/1669499. 28 March 2020.
  15. Web site: Saraswatichandra: A lavish love story. The Times of India.
  16. Web site: Sphereorigins takes over 'Saraswatichandra'. India TV News. 27 August 2013 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328112034/https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/bollywood/saraswatichandra-serial-9460.html. 28 March 2020.
  17. Web site: Saraswatichandra to go off air in May end?. DNA India. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328112035/https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-saraswatichandra-to-go-off-air-in-may-end-1984089. 28 March 2020.
  18. Web site: Saras, Kumud to tie the knot on 'Saraswatichandra'. The Indian Express. 23 January 2014 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328112037/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/saras-kumud-to-tie-the-knot-on-saraswatichandra/. 28 March 2020.
  19. Web site: Game-changers in television: from saas-bahu sagas to controversial reality shows. Hindustan Times. 24 December 2013 .
  20. Web site: Bhansali's TV debut 'Saraswatichandra' opens with 2.5 TVR on Star Plus. Indian Television dot com.
  21. Web site: Steady but now. The Indian Express.
  22. Web site: Indian Television Academy Awards. awardsbyindianshows.weebly.com. 7 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20150417054203/http://awardsbyindianshows.weebly.com/indian-television-academy-awards.html. 17 April 2015. live.
  23. Web site: Zee Gold Awards 2014 Complete List Of Winners. Narayan. Girija. 20 May 2014. filmibeat. en. 7 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191007093126/https://www.filmibeat.com/television/news/2014/zee-gold-awards-2014-list-of-winners-list-jodha-akbar-beintehaa-diya-baati-140309.html. 7 October 2019. live.
  24. Web site: Gautam Rode claims Indian Telly Award. The Times of India. en. 7 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930060259/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Gautam-Rode-claims-Indian-Telly-Award/articleshow/42177040.cms. 30 September 2018. live.

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