New story, new channel: The ex-Maayka team speaks out

It's a second inning for Classik Productions post the entire fiasco of them being replaced by Creative Eye for their hit daily Maayka on Zee. Buzz was that rival channel Sahara One has approached Classik Productions to churn out a new show for them, based on the same theme. The 15 actors, who had been sacked by Zee for refusing to be a part of the new developments, have also been approached for this project. However, when we dug into developments, it said a totally different story. The ex-Maayka team rubbishes these rumours and gives their say. Nandita Puri (who essayed Mohini Malhotra) says, "I was very disappointed to read the article which says we were sacked. The truth is that we walked off the show. It was our decision to stay with the old production house (Classik). Changing the production house over night is definitely internal politics and they did not inform us about it. When we decided to leave the team, we were threatened to be blacklisted. Though later things were sorted out, our roles in Maayka were brought to an end. About the new show (for Sahara One), the talks are still on. One thing is for sure that theme is not the same." Nandita even confirms that the show is not yet finalised for a particular channel. Even co-stars Urmila Kanitkar (Raaji) and Sudhir Pandey (Brij Malhotra) have the same say. Here is Urmila's version: "I am happy with Classik Productions. Yes I will be part of the new show but things are at very early stage. As a freelance actor we have the right to choose the people we want to work with and I did the same. As far as being out of work is concerned, that's not true; I am doing a Marathi film." Giving his take on the quitting controversy, actor Sudhir Pandey voices, "I don't want to pin-point any names. In a nut shell, I would like to quote that it was our decision to walk off the show. We are witnesses of the situation and have taken that call after deep thinking. I am not guilty of it. We are happy to be back with Classik Production. My personal experience with them was very good, we bonded like a family." Now that the actors have been vocal about their versions, the best person to throw light on the new show is the writer herself, Anjaana Sood who is busy penning the script for Classik Productions. "The project is yet not finalised but the process is on," says Sood who severed ties with Zee post the change in the production house. "My ethics did not allow me to stay back with the same show," she adds. This freelancer writer and creative head, now with Classik Production says, "I am working on the story for the new show. However, the story is not same as Maayka. I really have no idea on which channel this it be aired. We have been approached by big channels like Star, Sony and Sahara, but nothing is confirmed." On further egging, all that she was ready to let out was, "I am going to keep the family drama alive. Whether the same artists will be brought back to the new show, I would say it will be according to character of the script. Other than this, it's too early to disclose more."