Now, an alternative to saas-bahu soaps

Are you sick of the monotonous saas-bahu soaps? Yearn for something different?

Then prepare to be bowled over by a feisty woman with a naughty side who goes by the name of Manya.

Yes, that is the protagonist of the new serial of Sony Entertainment Television -- Salaam Zindagi, which goes on air from December 10.

The show, which is replacing Thodi Khushi Thode Gham, revolves around Manya, played by Pariva Pranati, a familiar face on the TV circuit with roles like Sandhya in Virrudh.

Manya's a happy-go-lucky young girl, with a naughty side but she's also very aware of her responsibilities." said Pariva.

Manya has a burning desire to be a famous classical dancer and is on the brink of a major success. But all is not perfect in her world; her grandfather (played by the veteran actor, Deepak Qazir) has not spoken a word since the death of his only son Anoop, a police inspector. 

One fateful day Manya comes home dressed as police officer for a college play, the sight of which propels her grandfather to his feet and communicate for the first time after 18 years of silence.

Anita Kulkarni (Meenakshi, Manya's mother), Gopi Desai (Nani), Abhay Vakil (Akaash), and Sachin Khurana (Officer Khanna) are the other players in the serial.

Coincidentally, Sanjay Upadhyay, Creative Director, Sony was the assistant director to Kavita Chaudhary (director) in Udaan where the main protagonist was also a female cop.

Text: Ameeta Gupta