In popular parlance TV is the 'small screen' as opposed to the movies, which are referred to as 'silver screen', 'big screen' etc, etc. Considering that entertainment television has such a huge Hindi movie hangover and shows go to the extent of copying entire sequences, lift songs and shoot them with stars, you'd have thought that like the films, popular TV couples who command impressive fan following would get to do an encore after the successful completion of their first show. Only in the TRP-driven world of telly, reel jodis who weave romantic dreams for millions of viewers and all but burn up the screen with their intense, scorching vibes, never get to work together again. Sounds ironic?
Iqbal Khan and Neha Bamb (Angad-Kripa ofKaisa Ye Pyaar Hai), Cezanne Khan and Shweta Tiwari (Anurag and Prerna of Kasautii Zindagi Kay), Rajeev Khandelwal-Aamna Shariff (Sujal-Kashishof Kahiin To Hoga), Eijaz Khan-Anita Hassanandani (Kavya and Anjali ofKavyanjali), Hussain and Juhi Parmar (Sumit-Kumkum ofKumkum), Ram Kapoor and Prachi Desai (Jai-Bani ofKasamh Se), Rajeev Khandelwal and Priyanka Bassi (Rajveer-Naina of Left Right Left), Karan Wahi and Shweta Gulati (Ranveer-Tia ofRemix), Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand (first as Armaan-Riddhima ofDill Mill Gayye, then as Armaan and Shilpa in the same show), Harshad Chopra and Additi Gupta (Prem-Heer ofKis Des Mein Hai Mera Dil), Gurmeet Choudhary and Dhrasti Dhami (Maan and Geet ofGeet Hui Sabse Paraye), Mohit Sehgal and Sanaya Irani (Samrat and Gunjan ofMiley Jab Hum Tum), Arjun Bijlani and Rati Pandey (Mayank and Nupur ofMiley Jab Hum Tum) - were once soapbox sweethearts who ruled hearts, and made their audiences laugh, cry and probably fall in love with them too. Until the shows or one half of the lead (Rajeev Khandelwal, Prachi Desai, Cezanne Khan and Shilpa Anand) left for better career moves.
Another common thread binds most of these sizzling TV pairs - they continue to have a loyal fan following that routinely sends emails/makes phonecalls to channels and production houses asking their idols to be signed up together again. But doesn't look like anyone is in a relenting mood. In an industry where the actor's actual shelf-life is dependent on TRPs and the success of the show, he/she is seldom in a position to recommend a favourite co-actor. And unlike Bollywood filmmakers who love to cash in on a successful and accepted screen pair, in television, the rules are different. Soap bigwigs prefer to work with newer female protagonists (because it cuts costs) and an established male star, to create 'fresh screen chemistry'.
Sometimes, of course the channel/producers give in to audience request and indulgently try to rope in successful couples together with mixed results. Hiten Tejwani and Gauri Pradhan were the fist telly couple who found themselves signed up for another show (Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi) after their first hitKutumbwent off air and did cameo appearances in others, besides doingKaisa Yeh PyaarHaiwhere both were paired with other stars. Karan Kundra and Kritika Kamra who oozed amazing screen chemistry inKitani Mohabbat Haiwere brought back for the second season of the same show by popular demand, but the show fizzled out. Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand, another much in demand screen couple were paired opposite each other again inDill Mill Gayye,two years after Shilpa had quit the show, but sadly a changed storyline and internal problems hastened her exit from the show the second time around. As Mohit Sehgal was given the 'look' test to see if he fit in the role of the male lead inIss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? opposite Sanaya Irani, a role which was eventually offered to Barun Sobti whose screen rapport with Sanaya makesIPKKNDthe huge success it is. Arjun Bijlani was offered the lead role opposite Rati Pandey forHitler Didi, but things didn't work out at the last moment and Mrunal Jain stepped in the show.
Dreams are best seen with rose-tinted spectacles. Even small screen dreams about a favourite couple returning together to rule the screens and hearts again. In an industry where numbers are important, sometimes magic can't be repeated, something that Grover himself points out when he says that while he'd be, "open to working with Shilpa again", on television shows, "no star pairs are repeated because some of the audience wants to see a fresh, new couple and fresh chemistry." For those who need to see their fave reel couples together, the best place is a channel that's doing a re-run of the shows, or the faithful youtube. Until of course a miracle brings any of them back together!
Source: Times of India?
