Sun TV to launch new soap `Manaivi’

Sun TV will be launching a new serial, Manaivi (Wife) from June 21, 2004 on weekdays at 10 pm in place of Kungumam, which is coming to an end. C J Bhasker who had earlier created Chitthi, which had garnered very high TRPS, is directing the upcoming serial. The soap will be co-produced by New Age Entertainment and Home Media and the former will market it as well.

Talking about the new serial, Hansraj Saxena, VP, Programming, Sun TV, said, “We have already strengthened our 10 pm time band with Kungumam, the Khusbhoo starrer, which will soon come to a close and we are bringing in a new serial with another popular actress in the lead role and it is directed by C J Bhasker who had given successful serials like Annamalai and Chitti.”

Speaking on the new venture, Santosh Nair, VP (all India), New Age Entertainment, “We have been associated with Sun TV in different serials like Metty Oli, Vikramadhityan, Thadayam, Soolam and Velan and this is yet another initiative, which we are very optimistic about. The director has already spun success and this is his third venture. Adaptability to changing viewer trends and an easy style of story telling are some of the unique features of Manaivi. This contemporary soap is backed up by months of experimentation and research.”

The storyline is expected to be different, sporting characters who do not possess extremities in the good and evil side of their natures but are normal people who give vent to both positive and negative emotions. The serial is an emotional melodrama that revolves around a family and movie actress Kausalya, who is being introduced in the small screen for the first time, plays the lead character. She plays a double role in the serial with sufficient differentiation in both the roles. The general make up of the serial is expected to be positive with a good measure of humour thrown in for effect and to differentiate itself amidst other serials. Says Sujatha Vijaykumar, Managing Director, Home Media,“ The serial that Manaivi will replace has Khusboo in the lead role. She had created an expectation from the serial and the time slot and hence we wanted to introduce a known name from the big screen to retain that level of expectation. Humour is also a differentiating factor though the general plot is a serious emotional subject.”

Kausalya who plays the lead role as the `wife’ has in her the essence of all the five elements namely the patience of Earth, the adaptability of Water, the warmth and also the temper of Fire, the freedom of Air, and the generosity similar to the expanse of the Sky. The important role a wife plays in a man’s life and the power she has over his destiny forms the plot of the story. Delhi Ganesh who plays the role of Kausalya’s father would be responsible for the humour doses in the soap.

Interestingly, Ram Kiran Dina, the 12-year-old son of music director Dina, is composing the music for the serial including the title song and Devi Bala, a famous writer, has written the screenplay and dialogue.