Raahil Azim and Mouli Ganguly in Resham Dankh

This Monday, from the makers of hit television comedies like Instant Khichdi, Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai and Baa, Bahoo Aur Baby, comes Resham Dankh, Hats Off Productions’ first major foray into daily dramas.

Starring big names from the world of telly like Mouli Ganguly, Raahil Azim, Apara Mehta, Sumit Raghavan and Rajeev Mehta, Resham Dankh is based on a weekly story by Aatish Kapadia and Mahesh Yagnik that used to come out in the Gujarati magazine Chitralekha and was later converted into a novel.

“The serial has navarasa... all the ingredients for a successful soap,” producer J.D. Majethia tells Metro. “Where it differs from other soaps on TV is that Resham Dankh is a finite daily. We have a beginning, middle and end and we know exactly where we wrap up.”

That was very crucial for Mouli who has been selective about her small-screen assignments. “As an actress I am very happy because I know at the very outset where my character is headed,” she says. “Initially when I got a call from Aatish and JD, I thought it must be a comedy and was disappointed to find Resham Dankh a drama. But when I heard the script, I was excited with the detailing of the various characters in the soap.”

To be beamed on STAR One, the new serial will air from Monday to Thursday, every night at 9.30 pm. “Family-oriented dramas are very much an intrinsic part of TV-viewing in India,” says Shailja Kejriwal, senior creative director, STAR India. “Resham Dankh targets the audiences who are looking at a contemporary story that retains the traditional ethos of our country.”

Resham Dankh revolves around young parents and how their life changes when the first son in the family is born. “It is a super-rich multi-millionaire family that hasn’t had a son in years,” explains Majethia. “The elder brother is not married and the younger one has two daughters. What happens when the middle brother finally has a son, the heir to the empire, is the crux of the story.”

To play out in a period of 12 to 15 months, Resham Dankh will replace the Siddharth Basu celebrity quiz show Heart Beat — Dil Thham Ke Khelo in the prime-time slot.