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Hats Off Productions could not work up the magic this time or so it seems as their social family show Resham Dankh on Star One will go off air by the end of this month.

J D Majethia and Aatish Kapadia of Hats Off, who have given hugely popular TRP charters like Khichdi, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Instant Khichdi and family social Ba, Bahu Aur Baby had a different experience with Resham Dankh.

Despite Aatish's brilliant script of a child who is a catalyst in a joint family, a huge star cast of Apara Mehta, Raahil Azam, Moulli Ganguly and Sumeet Raghavan, the serial has taken a beating, which could be related to its deviation from the main plot. Speaking on this, Aatish elaborates, "We found the storyline was not catching up with the viewers, so we had to deviate into sub-plots, which again did not make sense. It's Mercy's Law at work - if something has to go wrong, it will go wrong!" declares Aatish Kapadia when queried about the reason for the serial going off air.

Was it to save their reputation that they are winding up? Says Aatish, "Apart from our reputation, which is no doubt very dear to us, we (JD and Aatish) are answerable to ourselves. Somewhere along the way, we felt that the show was not shaping up the way we wanted it too. Unfortunately, the sub-plotting had meandered too far from the original story and it was difficult to come to any logical ending in relation to the original."

So, was it a mutual decision to end the show? To which Aatish says, " the channel did offer us options but then we as producers want to be more respnsible. So, I I would say it was a mutual euthanasia for the show."

We spoke to the protagonist Aditya Balraj played by Raahil who got to essay the role of a businessman, a husband, a son and a father for the first time, according to whom, "I was lucky to have bagged the role of Aditya Balraj after a huge round of auditions. When I read the bound novel, I was very thrilled and excited and had made up my mind to do it. It was a wonderful experience to work with the production house. Probably there are reasons for it to have changed half way through and for it to go off air."

Raahil had waited for eight months to get this role without accepting any other offer, so from that point of view he should be the most disappointed. But he says, "Yes, if it had followed the original script I would have been disappointed. But from the way it turned out, I am not all that sad."

Another actor who is sad is Sumeet Raghavan, who played Aditya's brother in Resham Dankh, "I am feeling bad; the original story was fantastic, it was a start to finish serial, without any leaps or saas-bahu thing. We tried to salvage the situation but the patient was sinking," referring to the serial.

Meanwhile Hats Off will get busy with 2 new serials that are on the anvil and some new serial will replace this slot on Star One as the show must go on!

http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k6/dec/1dec/news_resham.php

Resham Dankh might have been dumped by Star One after a lukewarm response, but leading man Raahil Azam's life is rocking as he enters Betiyaan Apni Ya Paraya Dhan as Manish Goel's replacement. He talks about this new role and how he plans to spice up his latest act.

Q In Betiyaan Apni Ya Paraya Dhan, are you going to play the love-interest of the second sister played by Shilpa Shinde?
Yes, I am joining the show and I will play the love-interest of the second sister. It is somewhat like the character of Sunny Deol in Jeet. In fact, I was waiting for this kind of a role as it is very challenging. I remember Manish Goswami had offered me a similar type of role a few years back and I had also worked in that serial but unfortunately it didn't go on air.

Q How were you approached for the role?
After Resham Dank got over, I was sitting at home waiting for the right break. The producer of the show, Sunjoy Wadhwa had three names in mind and when he came to know that I was free he approached me immediately and it was finalised.

Q You have replaced Manish Goyal who was reportedly unhappy with the role. How differently will you play the character?
Frankly speaking, I don't know about the problem Manish had. There is no doubt that the serial is based on the lives of six sisters and I am going to play this character in my own style. It's also different from my image of a sophisticated suit-boot type of a guy, the kind of stuff I had done before. So definitely people will see a different Raahil in this serial.

Q Have you started shooting for the serial? How are you finding the experience?
Yes, I have worked for a day so far. The director is technically sound and he tried to make me very comfortable on the sets. And as far as Sunjoyji (Wadhwa) is concerned, since the last one year, I was waiting to work with him. He is a very nice human being.

Q How is it working with the new girls? Also are there any veteran actors in the soap?
I have nothing much to say as I have worked only for a day as of now. But I found them very professional and talented. Also, I believe there is always something to learn from your co-workers whether they are new or old.

Q How difficult was the separation from your Resham Dank co stars, Mouli Ganguly and the others, who you were close to?
I have to say that I haven't come across this type of a script in television so far. It was the best. It's very unfortunate that serial went off air.

Q How disappointing was it to know that the serial was not getting popular and it's going off-air?
Yes, I was disappointed. But I have to say that I have given my best in the serial and I am still very proud of the character I played, Aaditya Balraj. You know what; the whole television industry was screen-tested for this character. The original story was of Atish Kapadia who has written scripts for actors like Amitabh Bachchan. I think the story was getting diverted from the main track and it may be the reason why the serial was not getting popular.

Q Do you have more time now to play the characters in other serials post Resham Dankh, where you were playing the lead?
At present I am only doing Betiyaan Apni Ya Paraya Dhan and just want to concentrate on this as I have waited long for this type of a character. Here too I have to give my best.

Q Any Bollywood dreams!
I won't talk big but I too have Bollywood dreams like every TV actor has. But I am not in a hurry to reach everywhere at once.

Q Your favourite directors in Bollywood?
I would love to work with Abbas-Mustan and Ram Gopal Varma.

http://www.deccan.com/TV%20Guide/TV%20GuideDescription.asp#' Resham%20Dankh's%20story%20was%20going%20off%20its%20main%20 track'