Telly shaadis and the surrounding hungama are becoming very common in television soaps these days.After elaborate weddings in Shanno Ki Shaadi, Ek Ladki Anjani Si and India Calling, Rajshri Productions will have a week-long wedding in Pyaar Ke Do Naam Ek Radha Ek Shyaam.
Kavita Barjatya (head honcho of Rajshri's televenture) has introduced a new track in the show involving the clash of two Rajput families. This also gave Barjatya the alibi of making two members of both families fall in love and have a wedding ceremony in the serial -- something that has proved to be a sure-shot winner for the Barjatyas on the big screen (like in Maine Pyar Kiya ).
But it is not the lead pair Radhika and Krish (Barkha Bisht and Indraneil SenGupta) who are getting married, but two other members of the Rajput families.
When we went on the lavishly decorated sets at Madh Island (a Mumbai suburb), we spotted the heavily bedecked bride Shikha (Karuna Pandey), and groom Ajay (Tarun Khanna).
Gayatri Singh, creative director of the serial, says, "Rajashri Productions are known for their big screen wedding scenes -- be it in Maine Pyar Kiya or Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! With that in mind, we planned this wedding track in the serial. It will be a four-day on-screen celebration."
A peek at the sets and a chat with cast and crew convinces you that these four days will be a crash course in Rajasthani wedding culture.
Monday will see the typical custom of haldi peethi and Barkha will dance to the HAHK hit number Mai ni mai. This will be followed by the mehndi ceremony on Tuesday. Barkha and Shweta Gulati (who makes a new entry in the show) will dance to the Bani bani bani main bani number.
Rucha Gujrati will make a guest appearance on Wednesday as a Rajasthani gypsy and dance to Dholna.
On Thursday, Shikha and Ajay will finally tie the knot.
Singh says, "Throughout the four days, you will get the essence of HAHK in the serial -- the film's songs will keep playing as a theme during these days."
Apparently, the Barjatyas did not have budget constraints for the wedding episodes. "We wanted to do it in a big way," Singh explains. "We had plans of including special appearances. But since we are running behind schedule, we could not include most of those."
The bridal attire is designed and supplied by Seasons, a popular north Mumbai store for Indian formal wear, while the bridal jewellery has come from Sia.
Catch the wedding episodes this week from Monday to Thursday at 8 pm on Star Plus.
