Ekta set to remake DDLJ for television!

After recent hits like Bade Acche Lagte Hain and Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada, Ekta Kapoor will now remake Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), one of the biggest Bollywood hits directed by Aditya Chopra, into a TV show for Zee.

Sources claim there will be modifications to the narrative while the basic plot of a love story and an NRI family returning to India will be retained. Sara Khan, who made her acting debut as a young politician in Star One's Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein (DLMH), will be seen playing the lead role of Raavee, loosely based on Kajol's character. "Yes, I am doing the Balaji show," she confirms, without divulging more.

The show, tentatively titled Diya Mann, will go on floors this March and will probably go on air in April. Sources reveal that this love story will be shot in Punjab. The other variation in the tale is that unlike Simran from DDLJ, the lead, Raavee, is an adopted child, raised by a loving, NRI Punjabi family that comes to India. The search for the male lead is still on.

Ekta's new show is said to be replacing either Ram Milaayi Jodi or Choti Bahu, which air at 9.30 pm and 7.30pm respectively, claim sources. Sara claims she wasn't looking for a show when this one came along. "Post DLMH, I completed my book The Rules for Parents and released it in London. Balaji contacted me for this show and I auditioned online."

Sara, amused with her 'foreign-returned' tag, adds that she's also thrilled about her cameo in Anurag Kashyap's upcoming flick, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, where she plays a London-based Indian girlfriend of Kunal Kapoor.

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'Brand' Ekta in huge demand!

She is already TV’s czarina and now with Bollywood hits like, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai and The Dirty Picture, producer, Ekta Kapoor’s brand equity is at an all-time high.

Three high-end brands want to sign her up as their brand ambassadors but Ekta is still pondering over whether she wants to come in front of the camera.

One of the offers is from a mobile phone firm, another from a battery brand and the third from a Youth channel.

But Ekta is in two minds “My problem is that I’m very shy. Yes, I have been approached by a few brands and I’m weighing my options. But I don’t want to talk about it till things are locked.”

Ekta points out that she’s been approached by brands earlier too but at the time wasn’t mentally prepared to take on any of the offers.

“In fact, I didn’t even meet with the brand representatives then. But this time a few good brands have come along and I’m thinking about it,” she smiles.

Ask her if she has consulted with her father Jeetendra on this and she retorts, “My parents let me make my own decisions. My mother (Shobha Kapoor) tells me not to do anything for money but only do what I really want to.”

Money is not a criterion but Ekta would like to overcome her fear of facing the camera. She says, “I don’t want to grow old regretting that I was shy and scared. So let’s see.”

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