MUMBAI: They are women of strength; brave carriers of culture, rich tradition and all-embracing devotion to one divine force – Lord Krishna. Kick-starting the year, Colors presents an untold tale of the Devadasi community shrouded in secrecy and mystique with its newest offering Krishndasi. The show will trace the story of three generations belonging to the Devadasi lineage with Kumudini (Indira Krishnan) being at the helm of it. She holds pride in her legacy and strongly upholds the Devadasi tradition passing it on to her daughter Tulsi (Chhavi Mittal), who, to protect her daughter Aradhya (Sana Amin Sheikh) from this legacy hides the truth. But in pursuit of her real identity, Aradhya ends up uncovering the truth about her lineage and reopens pages of history that her mother worked hard to keep hidden.
Produced by Optimystix Entertainment India Pvt. Ltd with Vaishnavae Media Works Ltd stepping in as Creative Producers, Krishndasi, an hour-long proposition, will go on-air starting 25th January 2016, with subsequent episodes to be telecast every Monday to Friday from 10:30 PM to 11:30 PM.
Commenting on the launch of the show, Colors CEO Raj Nayak, said, “With every new show launch, we strive to meet the audience expectations by presenting something unique and diverse. Exploring different ideas and genres has always been the channel’s priority and we are taking a massive leap by presenting a show that is based on the ancient Devadasi system that was outlawed many years ago but is still rampant in some parts of the country. We have consistently strived to showcase socially relevant content and with Krishndasi, we are looking forward to taking our contribution towards societal awareness one step further. The show has been a runaway hit down South and we’re certain that the newer version, now on COLORS, will appeal to viewers in the rest of the country as well.”
Speaking about the content to be showcased on the show, Colors programming head Manisha Sharma said, “Our programming mantra has focused on creative storytelling bringing stories that are buried in folklore to mainstream. While traditions might have changed, the way they impact women remains the same. Over the years, women have been depicted as mothers, caregivers, and relationship-drivers. This is passé, and with Krishndasi, we are delving deeper into the untold story of women of God with Aradhya’s life story. Krishndasi is a story of today’s time and era where Aradhya belongs and how she discovers her own identity as she moves ahead in life. Backed by a strong concept and riveting storyline making for a gripping hour-long watch, the show will be high on drama and intrigue factor built around the elements of love, mystery, struggle and self-discovery.”
Set against the backdrop of present-day Pune, Krishndasi will showcase the story of three generations whose heritage holds secrets that shape their contrasting personalities. Kumudini, the authoritative matriarch of the family is a devotee of Lord Krishna and takes immense pride in being a part of the age old Devadasi custom. On the other hand, Tulsi is a gentle and compassionate woman who is forced to embrace the Devadasi culture and follow her mother’s footsteps. Having experienced a gruesome life as a Devadasi, Tulsi protects her daughter from getting caught in the web of exploitation and humiliation. Though she is born into an over-protective environment, Aradhya grows up to become an independent girl with a modern outlook but struggles to find her identity and the truth about her father. Her struggles escalate her personal insecurities and relationships but her life takes a turn for the better when she meets Aryan (Shravan Reddy) and finds herself falling in love with him. But her ancestry strains their love story under the pressure of conflicts and traditional differences between their families.
Optimystix Entertainment producer Vipul Shah said, “The production value builds on the grandeur of the tradition while showcasing Aradhya’s dilemmas about her roots and pedigree. Kutty Padmini and Vaishnavae Media Works Ltd. have tremendous experience when dealing with the Devadasi concept; with help of dynamic creative team at Optimystix we have touch upon a fresh perspective to this property. With this show, we are extending our partnership with COLORS and look forward to combining our energies to make this show a national success.”
Speaking about the concept of the show, Vaishnavae Media Works Ltd creative producer Kutty Padmini said, “Krishndasi explores an age-old practice; a concept that has been lost in the pages of history but continues to exist in the bylanes. We have made an effort of maintaining a contemporary backdrop to build present-day relevance engaging viewers across the country. After tasting success with the Tamil version of the show, we are excited to recreate the drama for the Hindi viewing audience and replicate the success once again with Krishndasi. ”
