Zee TV replaces 'Jodha Akbar' with a love story

Starting August 10, 'Tashn-e-Ishq' will be aired from Monday to Friday at 8 pm.

Zee TV, the flagship Hindi GEC from ZEEL, is launching a show titled 'Tashn-e-Ishq' on August 10. The show replaces one of the channel's top-rated historical drama 'Jodha Akbar'. The show, from Balaji Telefilms launched on June 18, 2013, became so popular that a Sinhala dubbed version of the series is currently being aired on Hiru TV in Sri Lanka.

The channel is now betting big on 'Tashn-e-Ishq' as it aims to retain the viewership that 'Jodha Akbar' had amassed. The show, which will be aired from Monday to Friday at 8 pm, is being produced by Essel Vision Productions, the content engine of ZEEL.

Pradeep Hejmadi, business head, Zee TV, says, "'Tashn-e-Ishq' replaces one of our most cherished marquee properties - the historical magnum opus 'Jodha Akbar'. So, you can well imagine the faith we repose in the new show. The charm of 'Tashn-e-Ishq' lies in the world it is set in - modern-day, fiercely competitive, flamboyant Punjab. It highlights how finding true love often comes with its fair share of conflict. With its unique setting, apt casting and the premise of a young woman gradually maturing in terms of her understanding of true love, the show will be quite different from the content we currently have on air. It has all the elements needed for a complete dose of entertainment; there's comedy, drama and romance. It is the kind of concept that will go a long way in attracting newer audiences, as its appeal cuts across metro as well as small-town sensibilities as well as the youth."

Akash Chawla, business head, Essel Vision Productions, adds, "Following our consistent success in the non-fiction genre with shows like 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs', 'DID Super Moms' and now 'DID Season 5', we now plan to march into the weekday fiction space with 'Tashn-e-Ishq'. It is one of our most ambitious projects and aims to set a benchmark in the fiction genre. We have on board an ensemble of some extremely impressive actors and a few promising fresh faces who beautifully fit the parts they play. So, it sure looks like we have a winner on our hands!"

The theme soundtrack of the show is produced by Zee Music and renowned music composer Lalit Pandit.

The show is about a Punjali girl Twinkle whose life is set against the vibrant backdrop of upscale, upwardly-mobile Punjab, where, at times, business rivalries and games of one-upmanship colour the personal equations between entrepreneurs and industrialists. She falls in love with a guy named Yuvraj and, as luck would have it, Twinkle's mother and Yuvraj's mother are both sharp-as-nails, ambitious and competitive businesswomen. Anita Luthra and Leela Taneja have scores to settle both personally and professionally.