MUMBAI: It's not got a slotting on any channel as yet but a new soap (working title Missing), being directed by Arun Frank with a backdrop of the WTC tragedy, is under production. It is planned for a February 2003 launch.

While negotiations are on with both Sahara TV and national broadcaster Doordarshan, Frank says in all probability the show will be telecast on the private channel.

The show revolves around the people who have lost their loved ones in the tragedy and the impact of it on the psyche of those that were witness to the events. It's about those people who are mentally suffering in agony & pain and how it affects people connected to them, Frank says.

Frank, who is best known for soaps involving relationships, emotions and conflicts like Andaz, Amar Prem and Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani among others, says: "I am not talking about terrorism. I don't want to, I am not getting into that at all. I am looking at it from the other side, the emotional side, as to what happened after the attacks." He points out that it's also about those people who are still living with the hope that their dear one's might just come back some day.

NRI Ashok Ambardekar and Vilas Salunkhe are producing the serial under their banner Amba Arts International. Ashok Ambardekar has given the story concept and Sanjay Chouhan has written it.

Producer Vilas Salunkhe, Vinay Jain, Nirmal Pandey, Mrinal Kulkarni with Director Arun Frank on the sets of Missing The starcast includes Nirmal Pandey, Ayub Khan, Salil Ankola, Mrinal Kulkarni, Avtar Gill, Vinay Jain, Murali Sharma, Sonia Rakkar, Shakti Singh, Madan Jain and Purvi Sanghavi.

The first schedule is being done at the hill stations of Lonavla and Khandala near Pune. The crew expects to move to Washington in December for the shooting of further episodes (which will actually form the first part of the story).