On the face of it Bhaskar Bharti, Jugni Chali Jalandhar, Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari and Chhoti Bahu are as different as chalk and cheese. Bhaskar Bharti is about a playboy who turns into a woman. Jugni is a comedy about a girl who comes from the US to change the conservative outlook of her boyfriend’s family in Jalandhar. Mere Ghar highlights the importance of a girl-child, while Chhoti Bahu is about two sisters who get married to the same guy. Surprising as it may seem, all four shows come from the same banner—Tony and Deeya Singh’s DJ’s. While Tony remains inaccessible for interviews, Deeya enthusiastically discusses the production house’s plans for the future.

The duo is prolific and their success rate is high. It was with Zee TV’s launch in 1994 that the ad filmmakers ventured into making fiction shows for TV. Banegi Apni Baat, the first offering from the DJ banner, discussed all sorts of taboo issues—pre-marital sex, drugs and divorce— and introduced many talented actors like

Irrfan Khan, Shefali Shetty, Achint Kaur and R Madhavan.

The serial ran for almost six years. By then many more channels had launched and Sony, in particular, was a contender for the top position. The Singhs decided to produce Just Mohabbat for the new entrant. Based on the international hit show The Wonder Years, it dealt with the growing pangs of a 10-year-old boy. The serial successfully ran for four years and launched the career of another would-be star, Vatsal Seth.

... contd.