Zee TV to present Yeh Teri Galiyaan, a thought-provoking concept

Even today, a person’s background is often given more importance by society than their ambitions, abilities and accomplishments in life. Time for a change? Zee TV’s next fiction offering attempts to question this pattern and prods all of us to re-think how we judge people. In sync with its core philosophy Aaj Likhenge Kal and its endeavor to showcase stories depicting the spirit of the Indian middle class rising above their circumstances and re-writing their destiny, Zee TV is all set to launch a stimulating love story, Yeh Teri Galiyaan. Produced by Cinevistaas, the show will go on-air from 25th July 2018 at 7 PM on Zee TV, bringing viewers the story of two innocent children Shantanu and Puchki being raised in Kolkata’s red-light district of Sonagachi. A beautiful friendship commences only to be forcefully separated by destiny. While the boy is raised away from Sonagachi and studies abroad, the girl grows up in the red light district and becomes a dance teacher for kids at an NGO. Will they, as adults, ever be able to unite as lovers or will the societal pressure of ‘background’ and ‘upbringing’ pose a hurdle in their path? The biggest love story of the year, Yeh Teri Galiyaan delivers a strong message about equal opportunities for commercial sex workers, or anyone for that matter, to rise beyond their reality, to envision and work towards a better future and be accorded dignity and respect. After all, it is the ‘route’ you choose and not your ‘roots’ that should matter!

Deepak Rajadhyaksha, Deputy Business Head, Zee TV said “While judging others cannot ever be entirely eliminated, it is the manner in which we evaluate people and form opinions about them that can do with a re-think. Our next fiction offering Yeh Teri Galiyaan will prod our viewers into looking past someone’s background and respecting them, instead, for their aspirations and achievements as an individual. Packed with elements like adorable childhood friendships, separations, love, self-respect, betrayals, social stigma, pride and prestige, the show has all the drama to be a complete entertainer in the early primetime slot. With a strong line-up that makes us the undisputed slot leaders from 9 PM to 11 PM, we are hopeful that this intense drama will further strengthen our early primetime. As a robust launch pad to the show, we have innovated and conceptualised a week-long Saawan Mahotsav on our immensely popular Kumkum Bhagya starting a day prior to the launch of Yeh Teri Galiyaan and the show’s promos, disruptive pop-up astons, integrated bumpers and cast integrations across our non fiction properties have grabbed eye-balls and ensured pre-buzz for the show. ”

Producer Sunil Mehta from Cinevistaas said, “With Yeh Teri Galiyan, the point we wish to make is – It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what counts more is where you’re headed. The show starts with an endearing childhood friendship set in a red light district. Then a betrayal and separation result in the boy being raised in a more ‘respectable’ environment while the girl continues to grow up right there and becomes an NGO dance teacher. Even though its perfectly dignified to be a dance teacher, the show will explore how her background will pose obstacles in the path of her relationship with the boy. The concept and the world in which the show is set has not been attempted so far on television. We are confident that this show will strike a chord with the audience and bring about a change in people’s attitude and mindsets. We have had the privilege to associate with Zee TV in the past and we hope to strengthen our association with the channel through this new offering.”

The show features actors Vrushika Mehta (as Puchki) and Manish Goplani (as Shantanu) in lead roles. Shantanu is a suave, London-returned young man who is rather serious and introverted as a person. The separation from his own mother who wanted him to have a life beyond Sonagachi has left him with a negative mental association with anyone from the area, including his childhood best friend Puchki. Otherwise, he is a benevolent gentleman who wears his heart on his sleeve and does not get influenced or pressurized by the views of society. As a dear childhood friend, Shantanu meant the world to Puchki so when he leaves Sonagachi, Puchki’s life comes to a standstill. However, being a confident girl who is extremely optimistic about her future, Puchki grows up to be a dance teacher to kids of an NGO. As the story unfolds, Shantanu-Puchki’s love story will be engulfed by the shadow of their past, their background, the perceived difference in their upbringing, leading to a lot of drama in the show.

Talking about his character, Manish Goplani said, “This is my second show with Zee TV and I’m extremely excited to work with the channel once again. I’m essaying the character of Shantanu on the show. Born in the red light district of Kolkata, he is taken away from that milieu in his childhood and raised in a more traditionally acceptable, ‘respectable’ environment. He is obedient to his mother and dreams to become a big man to provide her security and comfort in life. For an actor, it is imperative to keep experimenting and reinventing their own selves through varied roles and I intend to do that with Yeh Teri Galiyan, which is quite different from my previous outing Detective Didi which saw me as a cop and entailed a lot of action. The unusual, thought-provoking storyline sets it apart from other fiction shows on TV right now. The last show that I did on Zee TV was more action-packed while this one is an intense love story. Eagerly waiting for our show to hit the TV screens.

Talking about her character, Vrushika Mehta said, “Puchki is a girl who’s risen beyond her roots and is on a path of achievements and realizing her dreams. Not only is the characterization interesting but also the core premise of the show that conveys a very strong and positive message of equal opportunity for all, irrespective of one’s background. I am very fond of dancing and Puchki will be seen as a dance tutor on this show. It makes me even happier as dance helps me express my feelings. I hope that the viewers like me in this new avatar and support me on this new journey I’m venturing into.”

Talking about her character, Renee Dhyani said, “The name of my character is Beauty and as the name suggests, she is a good-looking girl with shades of dark grey, who resides in the red-light district of Kolkata. She is a pompous individual who thinks that the world revolves around her. Although the role that I’m playing is negative, the character traits make her very colorful and fascinating at the same time. This is my first outing with Zee TV and I am really excited to be a part of a show like Yeh Teri Galiyaan that delivers such a strong message about love, humanity and success.”

To find out if Puchki and Shantanu be able to unite as lovers or will societal shackles of background pose obstacles in their path?tune in to Yeh Teri Galiyaan every Monday to Friday at7:00 PM only on Zee TV!