MUMBAI: Devotion or ‘Bhakti’ is considered as one of the most supreme human emotions. For every God, there is a devotee, but it is Lord Hanuman’s unyielding devotion and selfless dedication to Lord Ram that truly sets him apart and makes him the epitome of ‘Bhakti’. Similarly, God’s constant guidance and presence in a devotee’s life strengthens a disciple’s devotional journey. Such is the story of Santoshi Maa whose presence brings about peace and contentment in her ardent devotee’s life. Capturing this pure connection between ‘Bhakt and Bhagwan’, &TV is all set to present two captivating stories - ‘Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein’ premiering on January 28th, 2020 at 9:00 pm and ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’ premiering on January 7th, 2020 at 9:30 pm, every Monday-Friday.
Produced by Peninsula Pictures, the story of Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram will present the true essence and purpose behind Hanumanji’s ‘bhakti’ towards Lord Ram, capturing many unexplored aspects of his power and devotion. The show will feature a stellar ensemble cast including Ekagra Dwivedi essaying the lead character of Bal Hanuman; Sneha Wagh and Jiten Lalwani as Anjani and Kesari (Lord Hanuman’s parents) respectively, along with television actor Nirbhay Wadhwa essaying the ferocious character of Bali. Celebrating this boundless devotion, celebrity Manoj Tiwari, graciously lent his melodious voice for a soulful rendition of the universally hymned Hanuman Chalisa at the grand launch of the show in Delhi, followed by the show title track Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram.
Showcasing another fresh narrative on the pure devotional connection between the Deity and Devotee, &TV presents ‘Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Katheyein’ produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms. Maa’s guidance comes in the form of various vrats – the stories behind them, the reasons, the beliefs and the right way of performing them. Conveying a message of the ultimate triumph for the sincerely devoted, in a storytelling format, the show marks the comeback of popular Bollywood actress Gracy Singh as Santoshi Maa. It also features Tanvi Dogra portraying the role of Swati, an ardent Maa devotee, who tackles various life’s problems under the guidance of Santoshi Maa and Ashish Kadian, who is portraying the role of Indresh.
Sharing his testimony of faith and the power of bhakti, renowned celebrity Manoj Tiwari Ji said, “Faith has been the guiding force in my life. I believe if you have a divine power guiding you, you can achieve anything in life. And devotion is an essential part of faith. When we speak of Devotion, one cannot think of another name but of Lord Hanuman, who exemplifies supreme devotion towards Lord Ram. I am honoured to present his story through this soulful rendition of Hanuman Chalisa and the title track of the show, in praise of Hanuman’s undying and selfless devotion and dedication. I am hoping the attendees here enjoyed this wonderful rendition as much as I have enjoyed singing it live for them.”
Commenting on the two new show offerings, Vishnu Shankar, Business Head, &TV said, “It is said that where there is a devotee, there is God. Devotion is that one true path which brings the devotee closer to his God and brings God closer to his beloved devotee. That is why it is believed that the cosmos/universe is incomplete without devotion. Bringing alive this spirit of devotion, &TV is launching two new shows - Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram and Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrath Kathayein. While in one show, ‘Shiromani’ Hanuman takes birth in a ‘vanar roop’ to seek blessings of his ‘aradhyay’ Lord Shri Ram and helps Him destroy the evil Ravana; in the second one, Santoshi Maa’s guides her ardent devotee Swati through the medium of ‘vrath-kathay’, which serve as a source of strength and enables her to tackle challenges successfully and live a happier life. Also, on popular demand, we have brought back Gracy Singh as Santoshi Maa and we hope our viewers, old and new, are excited to see her. Through both these shows, we hope to inspire and intensify the spirit of devotion in our audience’s heart.”
Commenting on Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri show, Producers, Alind Srivastava and Nissar Parvej, Peninsula Pictures said, “As a genre, mythology breaks through various demographic barriers. Our show Paramavatar Shri Krishna got a great response from the audience. With ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’ we intend to narrate previously untold stories of Lord Hanuman from his childhood. We have all grown up hearing his stories and our show will further throw light on his childhood and his equation with his family. The show will highlight different facets of Lord Hanuman’s life and showcase why he is called the ‘param bhakt’ of Lord Shri Ram”.
Making his debut on television with the character of Bal Hanuman, Ekagra Dwivedi said, “I have always held a great fascination for Lord Hanuman’s stories. I am excited to have received an opportunity to portray the role of Bal Hanuman and look forward to my friends and family seeing me portray their favourite lord, on-screen. Hanuman Ji is my superhero, and I wish to, one day, possess the same devotion as he does.” Adding to this, the actor Sneha Wagh who is portraying the role of Anjani, said, “Essaying a mythological role is both, challenging and exciting. The character of Anjani is quite unlike the characters that I have played until now and it gives me the scope to broaden my horizons as an actor. I am delighted to have launched our show in the capital city, the very same place that boasts proudly about its Ram-Leelas. With the role of Anjani, I will once again get an opportunity to portray a powerful character, of a mother to one of the greatest devotees to have ever existed, Lord Hanuman.” Jiten Lalwani, who is portraying the role of Kesari concluded, “Kesari is known to be a brave Vanara who despite having immense power, has the ability to stay utmost calm and maintain his composure in any situation. Essaying such a character requires you yourself to have a calm, peaceful and determined mind to be able to justify the character. Although I have essayed several mythological roles, each role is equally unique and challenging. Experimenting with such roles provides a fantastic opportunity to further nurture our acting skills and become more versatile in our roles.”
Commenting on Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrath Katheyein, Rashmi Sharma from Rashmi Sharma Telefilms said, “Storytelling is an innately human quality; one that crosses cultures and languages. When it comes to mythology, viewers have always received stories of deities with open arms and utmost admiration. With ‘Santoshi Maa- Sunaye Vrat Kathayein’ we wanted to bring to the audience the authentic stories behind Vrats and their deep-rooted meanings and showcase their relevance in today’s life situations.”
Making a comeback on television and portraying the divine character of Santoshi Maa for the second time, actress Gracy Singh said, “I have a very strong spiritual connection with the goddess, Santoshi Maa and the character itself. The character holds a very special place in my heart. In the show, I will be a strong, guiding force for my devotee, Swati, and will through the medium of various vrath kathas, help her find solutions to all the problems she faces in her life. It is a story of an undying devotion of a devotee towards her deity and how that helps her overcome several challenges and emerge victoriously.” Talking about her role as Santoshi Maa’s ardent devotee, Swati, actor Tanvi Dogra said, “I believe there is a Swati somewhere in all of us. We all have our beliefs anchored in the almighty but in times of difficulties, we need a guiding light to steer us back to the right path. The character of Swati is that of a simple devotee that will easily connect with the audience. This is my debut in the socio-mythology genre. Being a devotee of Maa Santoshi and a firm believer in her ‘paths’, I was able to instantly connect with the show and Maa’s teachings. Through this show, I feel viewers will get to understand the true stories and meaning behind every vraths and through these, find their own solutions to various problems.”. Talking about his character, Indresh in the show, actor Aashish Kadiyan said, “The character of Indresh is that of a loving husband to Swati (Tanvi Dogra), an ardent devotee of Santoshi Maa. He is a staunch follower of Lord Shiva. He is sharp yet innocent and silently helps the needy. His father means the world to him and out of sheer respect, he obeys every command of his and not able to draw a line between right and wrong on any advice given by him. In due course of time, he and his wife face several hurdles in their marriage and they overcome these through Santoshi Maa’s guidance and support to Swati. I am grateful to get this opportunity to work on a show of this stature and with Gracy Ji.”
Speaking on Zee Family Pack, the actors commented, “We urge my fans and viewers to please tune in to our shows, Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram and Santoshi Maa – Sunaye Vrath Katheyein by subscribing to the Zee bouquet of channels as per the new TRAI mandate. After all, Zee is the No. 1 network for family entertainment, a one-stop-shop with programmes of interest for every member of the family. So, to continue enjoying our show on &TV, please buy the Zee Family Pack - Hindi SD/HD today by choosing the ZEE HSM Bouquet.”
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