Tumhari Paakhi presents a fresh and unseen take on the relationship between a husband and a wife - Producer Sumeet Mittal

Shashi – Sumeet Productions Pvt. Ltd., makers of popular and successful shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum, and the two seasons of Punar Vivah which are brand names in itself are now gearing up for the launch of their next ambitious show on Life OK, titled Tumhari Paakhi. The show which has a great ensemble cast will give a new Jodi to Indian television in talented actors Iqbal Khan and Shraddha Arya. With Tumhari Paakhi all set for a launch on 11 November 2013, we at Tellychakkar.com caught up with the Producer himself, Sumeet Mittal for a brief chat on the show and the expectations he has from his new project. Excerpts: Tumhari Paakhi as we know is based on the novel of Sarat Chandra. Can we know the basic premise of the novel? Yes it's based on the novel named Navvidhaan. Hope is the core emotion that runs through the story…an emotion that runs through all our lives as well! It is a simple yet gripping story that traces the journey of a naive yet strong, down to earth girl waiting for her husband to resurrect their love. Why this particular novel? Was it the story that captured your vision as Producer? In today’s dynamic TV industry where the viewer is spoilt for choice, it’s important that the audience is given something interesting so that they keep coming back to you. We loved the story when we read it and we are delighted to present it to our viewers. What sets it apart is its concept which satisfies the basic need of entertainment for our audience while allowing the connect to develop since the emotions of this show are very real, simple and relatable. It presents a fresh and unseen take on the relationship between a husband and a wife. At Shashi Sumeet Productions, we always try and tell stories that entertain the audience while generating curiosity to keep him hooked. Tell us about the vast cast in the show? I have always believed that a good cast provides that strong foundation, which makes or breaks the show. The story of Tumhari Paakhi is simple yet complex and we wanted a cast that could deliver this complexity of emotions well. I am delighted with the team we have on board. Iqbal, Shraddha, Ritu Vij and all of the others are an immensely talented bunch of artists who fit their character perfectly. I couldn’t have asked for more. Shraddha Arya has been part of your earlier show on Life OK? Why did you want to repeat her? Having previously worked together, we share a beautiful rapport and a very comfortable working relationship. She is an extremely talented and dedicated performer and extremely professional…she has the ability to step up and deliver exactly what is asked for. As Paakhi, who is a petite, soft character with a strong inner will, Shraddha suited the bill perfectly. Actors like her bring a lot of life to the sets and make the grilling task of everyday shooting appear seamless. How did you decide to cast Iqbal Khan for the lead role? What’s the attribute in him that you think fits his role perfectly? Iqbal is a suave, good looking and highly talented actor. He is the one we wanted from the first day as we could just visualize him as our stylish business tycoon! I am very excited and thankful that Iqbal is working with us and he brings a lot to the table. There are very few actors like Iqbal today who are so popular, yet so grounded and professional. They just make it a dream team. Aaja Dhola sung by Sunidhi Chauhan has caught on with the audience. How was this song conceived and planned? The song has gotten a very good response and we are happy, as it’s a huge plus for the show. The song was conceived to portray a beautiful moment between Shraddha and Iqbal and it rings out the sentiment of the moment perfectly. The rich Rajasthani flavour is very visible in the promos that have hit so far. Tell us about the backdrops that you have shot in? As the character - Paakhi is from Rajasthan, we wanted it to have an authentic feel and shot extensively in Rajasthan. A major part is shot in the unexplored regions of Chittod to give it a realistic look. What do you want to achieve as Producer with this new show Tumhaari Paakhi? With every show, including Tumhari Paakhi the one message we want to give out is that the story is the winner, always. If you are true to your story and bring out emotions correctly in the script, then there is no way that the audience will not connect with it. Your earlier show on Life OK, Main Lakshmi Tere Angaan Ki started off well, but failed to sustain viewership. How do you plan to resurrect things here? Main Lakshmi Tere Angaan Ki was a well-received show and people talk about it till date. It might not have had a very long run on TV but we are happy with what we put out. As I said, our effort is always to tell simple stories that the audiences can relate to. To put our best efforts in terms of scripting, casting, production values and execution which ensures that the audiences connects with the emotions you are trying to tell through your story.