Controversial run ends for Pehredaar

The TV show Pehredaar Piya Ki has been pulled off the air by its channel, and the cast and the crew are in shock. The serial had been getting endless flak for showing a ‘love story’ between a boy aged about nine and a woman twice his age — a petition against it reached Information & Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, who in turn referred it to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council.

The show’s demise has come just when it was preparing for a 12-year leap in the storyline. Asked to comment, the female lead, Tejasswi Prakash, says, “I am told not to talk about it.” Producer Sumeet Mittal says, “Our show was shifted from 8.30pm to [the] 10.30pm slot, which didn’t work for us, as we felt it was too late for a family drama. We then took a call to wrap up the show instead and come back with something better.”

A statement from Sony says: “Effective 28th August 2017, we are pulling off... Pehredaar Piye Ki, from television. While we understand that the decision to end this serial will be disappointing to those whose creative energies are vested in it, namely, its crew and cast, we (as a channel) are convinced that we will be better served by focusing instead on developing viewer interest in our upcoming, new shows.”

Cast member Suyyash Rai is “shocked”. He says, “I was waiting to re-enter the show after the leap. Tejasswi is a close friend. I wanted to be a support to her.”

I wanted the show to do well. So many people, including technicians, will lose their jobs when [it] shuts SUYYASH RAI, ACTOR