Big 'dhamaka' on small screen!

India’s first satellite TV channel, Zee TV is all set to complete a successful run of 20 glorious years on the small screen. And according to channel officials, viewers will be in for a special treat as the channel has lined up a birthday extravaganza to commemorate the occasion on October 2, as it was on this day in the year 1992, that  Subhash Chandra, Chairman — Zee and Essel group, pioneered the concept of satellite television in India and Zee TV was born.

Sources reveal that the three-hour special will be showcased as Punarvivaah actor Gurmeet Chaudhary’s character Yash’s birthday bash. But what makes the celebration all the more special is that coming together for this event will be some of the most memorable faces of Zee TV over the 20 years as they reunite for the show.

“In an act reminiscent of the famous Deewangi Deewangi track from Om Shanti Om where all the stars arrive waving out to the crowd, popular artistes from Zee TV’s past shows like Divyanka Tripathi, Navneet Nishan, Sudesh Berry, Sara Khan, Suhasi Dhami and Gracy Singh will be seen making snazzy red carpet entries as Yash plays the perfect host,” informs the source, adding that Ratan Rajput (Laali from Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo) will spring out of his birthday cake as a surprise.

“Ratan will make an entry as a fairy and will be seen dancing with child artistes of Zee TV’s primetime shows,” shares the source. Apart from them raising a toast to the illustrious journey of the channel right from its inception to the present day, the telly stars will also be seen performing to popular dance numbers.

“Zee TV’s most adored couples —  Dev-Radhika (Avinash Sachdev and Rubina Dilaik of Choti Bahu), Shankar-Gayatri (Iqbal Khan and Shilpa Shinde of Waaris) and Nahar-Saloni (Rajashree Thakur and Sharad Kelkar of Saat Phere) will be seen pitted against the younger love-birds Purvi-Arjun (Asha Negi and Rithvik Dhanjani of Pavitra Rishta), Mayank-Gunjan (Roopal Tyagi and Ankit Gera of Sapne Suhaane Ladakpan Ke) and Ranveer-Jazz (Ashish Sharma and Sukirti Kandpal of Rab Se Sohna Isshq) in a dance challenge. 

Other popular faces from all of Zee TV’s current shows will also make an appearance in the birthday bonanza episode as the tracks of all Zee TV shows intersect in this rare Mahasangam,” says the insider. But that’s not all, Dance India Dance mentors Geeta Kapur and Terrence Lewis will also be a part of the dance-a-thon that’ll feature popular DID contestants.

“The channel’s most-loved couple Manav-Archana (Hiten Tejwani and Ankita Lokhande of Pavitra Rishta) will present an act thanking the viewers for their love and support through the years,” they add.

 “We’d like to take the occasion of the channel’s 20th birthday to thank our loyal viewers for their consistent support. The Mahaepisode that will be aired at 8 pm on October 2 will be a delight for all of Zee’s fans as it will see so many of the iconic faces that have been closely identified with Zee TV, and that too in never-before-seen avatars, shaking a leg with the current lot of Zee TV heartthrobs,” says Sukesh Motwani, Head — Fiction Programming, Zee TV.

But it’s not just on the small screen that the channel is reaching out to its viewers. Insiders reveal that a series of entertainment nights Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Live too have been planned.

These concerts featuring the most memorable singers of Zee TV’s longest-running singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and the hottest dancing sensations from India’s top-rated dance reality show DID will be held across cities. “These concerts will let viewers interact with their favorite artistes from these two iconic shows,” add the officials.