Shortly after Ekta announced the replacement of her own hit show Pavitra Rishta at the 9 PM slot on Zee TV by another fresh show ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ produced by her own production house Balaji Telefilms, there were reports of how her blue-eyed boy Shabbir Ahuwalia has been locked to play the role of a rockstar Akki and the talented Sriti Jha has been signed on to play a serious, deep, thoughtful, if somewhat geeky character of Pragya on the show.
The latest buzz is that Ekta has signed on the beautiful and vivacious Mrunal Thakur to play Pragya’s younger sister Bulbul. Based loosely on Jane Austen’s classic ‘Sense and Sensibility’, the show will be its Indian interpretation, following the life of Sarla, a mother who runs the ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ marriage hall and lives with the hope of seeing her two daughters Pragya and Bulbul – poles apart in bearing, outlook and disposition, happily married some day! Known for making shows that are women-centric, the pivotal characters of Ekta’s new show ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ are a bunch of strong, feisty women, living together in an all-female, matriarchal family.
Confirming the news of her latest assignment, Mrunal said, “I am excited about the role of Bulbul. She’s a dreamer, has her head in the clouds. Has romantic ideas of a dream man … she’s perky, stylish and full of verve. Quite unlike her elder sister Pragya in most ways, she is not particularly devoted to helping out with her family’s financial crunch or being of any real support to the all-female, matriarchal family. She lives in a bubble of her own!”
