Ami Trivedi

If Sony’s Jassi reintroduced our TV addicts to the Plain Jane with extraordinary dreams, then Zee’s Kareena Kareena got even more cosy doing the desi wannabe’s aspirations. And now two daily soaps are all set to carry the middleclass dream even further. Sahara’s Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai which went on air on November 14 and Sony’s Ek Ladki Anjaani Si which kicked off a week later on November 21, are both about the hopes, dreams and travails of the average middleclass girl.

While the lead in the Sony serial is played by Kanchi Kaul, the chosen girl on Sahara’s serial is Ami Trivedi. “We auditioned at last 50 girls before we zeroed in on Ami Trivedi. She has all the requirements for the role. We needed someone fresh-faced and able to connect with the audience?It’s the story of one middle-class girl’s journey in life.

“What sets Kituu apart is the fact that it’s set in the media world. No other soap has done that,” says producer Manish Goswami who’s currently enjoying the success of his political soap, Sarrkkar, on Zee. “We’re trying to do something different all the time. The glamorous business families are like dessert. Finally, the audience wants its favourite daal-chaawal. I want to make serials with real characters. That’s where my earlier Kittie Party, then Sarrkkar and now Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai score,” asserts Manish. Does he foresee any competition from Sony’s Ek Ladki Anjaani Si? “I’m not even aware of this serial. All I can say is, let’s welcome soaps about real middle-class characters,” laughs Manish. Tarun Katial of Sony has a different take on this. “Yes, Ek Ladki Anjaani Si is about a middleclass girl. But her journey is so jolting and so unexpected, and her experiences so far removed from what home viewers have seen so far that we feel Ek Ladki Anjaani Si will crack a new genre among the working-class serials.”