Star Plus: 'Nisha Aur Uske Cousins' to replace Mahabharat

The mythological show is going off air after a successful run of 11 months.

One of Star Plus' most successful properties, Mahabharat, is nearing the end of its run. The show that was launched on the back of a huge marketing campaign on September 15 last year will air its final episode on August 16.

Star Plus is replacing the epic show with a daily soap, Nisha Aur Uske Cousins that will air Monday to Saturday at 8:30 pm. The show highlights relationships between cousins who are related by blood and also the friends one keeps forever. Targeted at the youth, the show also aims to capture the differences of opinion and friction caused by the generation gap between the elders of the family and the youngsters, especially when it comes to topics like careers, relationships, lifestyle and fashion choices.

Nikhil Madhok, SVP marketing and programming strategy says, "In many ways Nisha and her cousins represent the Star Plus of today - young, energetic, wanting to break the mould and do something new." He adds that they respect 'Dadaji' and other elders, but don't always agree with their stereotypical views. "The show also deals with issues of today's youth and their desire to challenge stereotypes," he points out.

The show has been produced by Sukesh Motwani's (the former fiction programming head of Zee TV) Bodhi Tree Productions. Adds Motwani, "Cousins hold a special place in our lives. They are our first friends, first play buddies, rivals and partners in crime. There are some episodes in our lives that only our cousins can relate to. 'Nisha Aur Uske Cousins' showcases that bond."

Based in a joint family in Jaipur, 'Nisha Aur Uske Cousins' brings to the viewers a bunch of motley characters who are relatable and real - whether it is the "shy romantic geeky" cousin, the "beautiful attention-seeking" cousin or the cousin who is the natural leader and who everyone looks up to, each character has been beautifully etched out. While none of the cousins' fear dreaming big, their only terror is the fear of confronting the head of the family, Dadaji.

The story revolves around how despite living in a patriarchal system, each of them wants to break free to achieve what is unconventional and not stereotypical in a traditional family. The channel is running the promos of the show on the network promoting it through OOH as well.

In an interesting digital marketing innovation, on World Cousin's Day (24 July), Star Plus launched an app that let people create a personalised video using the images submitted. The app on www.starplus.in allows visitors to select their favourite pictures with their cousins and make them into a personalised video with fun quotes and messages. Consumers can also visit cousinsare.starplus.in to create these videos.