Pratyusha Banerjee steps in as Anandi on 'Balika Vadhu'

Mumbai, July 22 (IANS) Jamshedpur-based Pratyusha Banerjee has stepped into the shoes of child prodigy Avika Gor as Anandi on Colors' popular TV soap 'Balika Vadhu', it was finally revealed in the episode aired Thursday.

There was a strong buzz last month itself that Pratyusha had been zeroed in for the role. However, the channel conducted a nationwide poll to let the viewers decide the perfect replacement for the role of Anandi, through SMS.

Pratyusha pipped Lucknow-based Nivedita Tiwari and Ketaki Chitale from Mumbai to play the character, now that the show is taking a five-year generation leap.

Even male child actor Avinash Mukherjee, who played Jagdish, is being replaced by an older actor. But no poll was conducted for the casting for his part.

According to a source, the actor who has bagged the chance to essay Jagdish in the show is also a fresh face.

'Balika Vadhu' became the most popular show as soon as it was launched on Colors in 2008. It started by depicting child bride Anandi, who is married off to an equally young boy Jagdish. It traced the journey of the girl, who fails to have a joyful childhood and gets bound by her in-laws' strict customs.

The girl is sent to her parents' house once she attains puberty, and the new story after the leap starts from there.