Astitva - Ek Prem Kahani

There are times when the actors get replaced by others and situations turn such that they are loved and become all the more popular than the actors who played the characters initially.

You knew him as Dr Manas in Zee's <em>Astitva - Ek Prem Kahani</em>. Harsh Chhaya was eased out of the script when the Ajai Sinha creation leapt 18 years, but now makes a comeback as an aggrieved father taking on the authorities in Star One's <em>Siddhanth</em>.

It's a story within a story. Or, a story that would have had to be re-written if the UK authorities had messed with the script. Thankfully, nothing of the sort happened, and the London shoot of <em>Astitva - Ek Prem Kahani</em> went off without a hitch. Hua yeh - Anju Mahendru and Naresh Suri, who play Dr Simran's (that's Niki Aneja Walia for you) bua and phupha, did not have their work permits in order when they accompanied the cast and crew of <em>Astitva</em>... to the UK for the on-location shoot on 15 January.