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Sanjay Leela Bhansali is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated Indian filmmakers worldwide. Bhansali enjoys acclaim from fans and critics alike, and it’s no surprise that he decided to embark on his first web series, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.’ As the excitement for Heeramandi reaches a high, let’s reflect on when the filmmaker ventured into his first television show, ‘Saraswatichandra.’
While Bhansali graced television as a judge on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 1 and X Factor India, he dived deeper into the world of television with a daily fiction show titled, ‘Saraswatichandra.’ The show was based on the Gujarati novel ‘Saraswatichandra’ by Govardhanram Madhavaram. The story was published in four volumes between 1887 to 1901. The show, which aired on Star Plus, starred Gautam Rode as Saraswatichandra (Saras) and Jennifer Winget in the role of Kumud.
The story revolves around Saraswatichandra, an aristocrat who is not able to fully recover from his mother’s suicide while he was a child. Saras ends up falling in love with Kumud, who was his father’s choice. Due to misunderstandings created by his stepmother, he decides to separate from his father. He also separates from Kumud, as he will not be able to shoulder her responsibility without his family’s wealth.
Through a sequence of events, Kumud and Saras get pulled in opposite directions, but by the end of the show, they reunite and discover that Saras’ mother is still alive. ‘Saraswatichandra’ enjoyed a great fan-following, and both Jennifer Winget and Gautam Rode were praised for their performances and pairing. The show also received a lot of love around the globe.
While the show Saraswatichandra was ideated and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, six months after the show’s airing, the show was handed over to a new production house due to reasons still unclear, but reports suggest issues experienced on the production side of the show.
Although it’s been almost ten years since the show went off-air, Saraswatichandra is still remembered and treasured by fans. And no doubt, it shows how Sanjay Leela Bhansali has always been willing to experiment and enter new fields to showcase his excellence in storytelling and grandeur.
