Soap with a hope: Promising fiction shows lined up this year

Amitabh Bachchan

The first half of the year is about to get over soon, and though the lineup of fiction shows on TV has not been overly impressive so far, it certainly looks like the second half will see things heat up on the small screen.

The trailer of Amitabh Bachchan's home production, Yudh, has just been unveiled. Big B plays a businessman in this TV show, that is expected to go on air in the next few weeks. Pic/Shadab Khan

With the trailer of Amitabh Bachchan's show, Yudh, now out and several other interesting shows creating a buzz, fiction programming in these next six months seem to hold a lot of promise. We count the TV shows worth looking forward to...

'Yudh'
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sarika, Kay Kay Menon, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tigmanshu Dhulia
Lowdown: The show tells the story of a businessman who is facing issues in both his personal and professional life even as he battles health problems. He fights against the odds and comes out as a winner. Amitabh plays the character of Yudhisthir Skarwar in this show that is expected to air in the next few weeks. Anurag Kashyap is its creative director while Soojit Sarcar has directed a few episodes.

The Indian adaptation of Spanish show, 'Donde Esta Elisa'
Cast: Bhagyashree, Eijaz Khan, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Nalini Negi
Lowdown: Donde Esta Elisa is a hit show and Star Plus has apparently already acquired rights to remake this limited episode series.

Eijaz Khan and Bhagyashree (left) will star in the Indian adaptation of Spanish show, Donde Esta Elisa

The show tells the story of a family that goes through a lot of ups and downs. Produced by Bhairavi Raichura, this thriller will be Bhagyashree's comeback vehicle. She is rumoured to play a mother while Nalini will play her daughter. The channel is yet finalise its launch date.

'Homeland'
Cast: Ali Fazal, Sapna Pabbi
Lowdown: According to reports, Anil Kapoor, who got the rights to make the Indian version of 24, has now got the rights for Homeland as well.

Ali Fazal and Sapna Pabbi are set to star in Homeland

The show may air on the same channel and its casting is underway. The American political thriller television series has been developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and is based on the Israeli TV series, Hatufim.

'Grey's Anatomy'
Cast: Mishal Raheja and Himashoo Malhotra
Lowdown: Star Plus has bought the rights for this American medical drama and it is likely to be co-produced by Endemol.

Himashoo Malhotra will be one of the several onscreen doctors in the adaptation of Grey's Anatomy

Initial shooting of the desi version of this hit show took place in Delhi at AIIMS. The rest of the cast consists of newcomers and the show is expected to go on air in a few months' time.

'Everest'
Cast: Milind Gunaji, Rajat Kapoor, Shamata Anchan and Rohan Gandotra
Lowdown: Produced by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar, it's a show about a girl who aspires to climb Mount Everest, as it has always been her father's dream.

Initially, it was shot at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarakhand. It is one of Gowarikar's ambitious projects and most shoots are said to take place at actual locations. Needless to say, it is an expensive project; it is slated to go on air by the end of this year.

'The Good Wife'
Cast: Sonali Bendre
Lowdown: This American show is a legal and political drama that has won many awards and it has also completed five successful seasons.

Ekta Kapoor is said to have bought the rights for its official remake and she has finalised Sonali to play the lead role in it. The rest of the cast is yet to be decided though. The show is expected to air in the next couple of months.

'Jamai Raja'
Cast: Ravi Dubey, Nia Sharma and Achint Kaur
Lowdown: The show is loosely based on the '90s film Jamai Raja, which starred Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor in lead roles.

Nia will play Madhuri's role of a daughter who goes against her mother to get married to a guy of her own choice and starts living with her mother. Everything goes smoothly for a little while before her mother then creates problems for her son-in-law, who is not so financially well off.