BRIDES CONFIDE: ‘You’re looking so pretty on the TV promo. The changes in your look have come out really well,’ whispered Majhli Bahu Rupa Ganguly to Chhoti Bahu Raveena Tandon at the launch of Shri Bimal Mitra’s Sahib Biwi Gulam. Picture by Aranya Sen

Calcutta, March 29: Tollywood grabbed a big bite of the primetime Sahara Manoranjan pie when the “Devdas of small screen” invaded cable homes on Monday night.

Apart from adapting the 19th Century saga of decadent babu culture, Sahara has roped in the director, studio, sets, supporting cast and crew from the Bengali film industry to mould the resplendent period piece, Shri Bimal Mitra’s Sahib Biwi Gulam.

In the first of the 36 episodes shot at Technicians Studio since January, Raveena Tandon will come alive as the Chhoti Bahu of the conservative Choudhury family, who moves towards self-destruction trying to win back her philandering husband.

Under the direction of Amitava Bhattacharya, a bunch of Calcutta-based actors, including Arjun Chakraborty, Rupa Ganguly, Rita Kayral, Locket Chatterjee, Piu Sarkar and child artiste Neha will share screen space with the Bollywood beauty and likes of Ayub Khan and Benjamin Gilani.

“Ever since Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny, we have been on an upward swing. We are trying to bring the heroes and heroines of Bollywood to households across the country,” said a Sahara Manoranjan spokesperson on Monday.

And following in the footsteps of Karisma Kapoor and Sridevi, Raveena is all too excited about her first brush with the small screen.

“My heart is fluttering and I am keeping my fingers crossed. We have all worked very hard and have put in long hours,” said an animated Raveena.

“The bond I have forged with the novel and the team is an emotional one. Things here are done in a bit more professional way than Bollywood, where we have the tendency to be lax. I am learning from Chhoti Bahu, from her experience,” she added.

Though tagged as “a very expensive production”, producers Sahara and city-based Golden Moments refused to divulge budget estimates for the venture.

Fashion designer Anna Singh has given Raveena an opulent look with a rich wardrobe of zari-bordered saris and chunky jewellery. “It will be the Devdas of small-screen,” is the promise held out by Raveena.

The serial boasts of some soulful lyrics by Javed Akhtar and Rashid Iqbal, with Hariharan as the playback singer. Director Bhattacharya aims to finish 50 episodes out of the total 104 in a few weeks more.

This apart, Sahara also has Pratima, a Hindi serial with a Bengali backdrop, and a Bengali channel in the pipeline.