Cut & paste Stars!

It all began when soap czarina Ekta Kapoor replaced her main lead character Mihir Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, essayed by Amar Upadhyay way back in 2001.

Amar wanted to quit the small screen for films and was replaced by Indra Kumar for all of six months, before Ronit Bose Roy made the character more iconic ever. Eight years later, ‘replacements’ of main lead characters/character artists in prime time, evening and afternoon soaps are almost a given. The minute actors throw starry tantrums, get pricey (read: demand pay hikes) or move on to the next big thing (Bollywood) —there’s solution at hand. Just ‘plot’ an accident or something and replace the character.

Sometimes, they work wonder, sometimes the ‘replacements’ have a tough time walking in the original’s footsteps. Gautami Kapoor for example, replaced Smriti Iraani a year ago in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi . A year later, thanks to the demands of TRPs, Ekta Kapoor wooed back Smriti. Even Sonia Kapoor, who just bagged the lead role in Zaara Pyar Ki Saugat , is facing a tough time as the show is going off air.

Shilpa Anand, who played the female lead in Dill Mil Gaye , found television, too small for her dreams and is joining Bollywood. So, she got replaced by Sukirti Khandpal promptly.

Sample some other replacements — television hunk Iqbal Khan by Nikhil Arya in Chhoona Hai Aasman , Pulkit Samrat by Yash Pandit in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi , Twinkle Bajpai by Gunjan Walia in Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyaan , Krystle D’Souza by Wasna Ahmed in Kahe Na Kahe , Samiksha Jug by Sonya Kapoor in Zaara-Pyaar Ki Saugat , Dev Keshwani by Amit Verma in Annu Ki Ho Gayee Wah Bhai Wah ... the list goes on.

Gunjan feels the sad part about replacements is the inevitable ‘comparison’. “Initially, people wanted Twinkle to come back, but gradually the audience is trying to accept me,” says Gunjan. Did she try hard for that role? “Well, I am trying to work hard and am adding my individual touch to it,” she explains.

Yash Pandit, the new Lakshya in Kyunki ..., says, “Since it is one of the finest and most popular shows on television, I paid heed to what the ladies in my house had to say about the character before I signed up for the show. The audience has been satisfied and I want to do the role my way.” Gurdeep Kohli, who replaced the youngest bahu of Indian television Prachi Desai in Kasamh Se , says she didn’t find it “difficult to do a character done by someone. It was just an extension of what I have been doing before. I have my own individuality and audience respects it and love my work.”

Amit Verma, who replaced the male lead in Annu Ki... recently, claims he joined the show only after he was “assured by the makers of the show” that he could do the role the way, “I perceived it”.

Newcomer Sukirti Khandpal, who’s just walked in Dill Mil Gaye, says that “positive feedback” made her work more. “If the audience is more receptive, then it’s fine,” she says.