Against the odds

They were shooting for the show a few months ago when the cast and crew of Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha were informed that the show will soon be coming to an end. "We were told then that it would be replaced by Bigg Boss Season 6. The entire team was upset since the show was unconventional — a love story between a widow and a journalist — and its followers seemed hugely disappointed," recounts Aakanksha Singh, who played the lead role of Megha. However, a week before the team shot for the final episode, the channel, Colors, informed them that the show will return in its second season in January.

In a brave decision on part of Colors, Na Bole... returns on screen on January 14 after a three-month hiatus, having taken a 12-year leap. The show was critically acclaimed for its realistic characters, slice-of-life touch and lack of over-the-top drama. Yet, this never translated into ratings. After a run that lasted less than a year, the channel decided to take it off air. "But the feedback we received from viewers on our online forum when we shared this news, made us rethink the move," explains Prashant Bhatt, Fiction Head, Colors.

Given the way television programming is evolving, the channel, says Bhatt, had been contemplating the introduction of seasons for some time. "The popularity of characters and show's recall value are not as fickle as is perceived by us industry members. We realised this and decided that at least an attempt should be made in the direction. The audience feedback regarding Na Bole... going off air coincided with it and we made up our mind to bring the show back," says Bhatt.

This, believes Bhatt, has also allowed the show to strengthen its content. The story has moved on — Megha and Mohan, who got married by the end of the first season, have now separated and the former feels animosity towards the hero. "But the driving point is that Nanhi — Megha's daughter from her first marriage who played a crucial role in bringing them together — also dislikes him," explains Kunal Karan Kapoor, who plays Mohan.

... contd.

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