With Navaratri season having begun, the team behind Nandhini, a mega soap aired on a TV channel, is in an upbeat mood. They have a reason to rejoice! Having erected a grand golu, they will be combining work and worship over nine days in episodes revolving around the folklore of Dusshera.
A significant addition to the show noted Carnatic vocalist Sudha Raghunathan who will be making her foray in television with Nandhini. Besides co-producing, actress Khushbu also plays the titular role. The Padma Bhushan awardee will appear in the special episodes of Navaratri in the serial and will also sing a classical song in one of the episodes. Sudha says that it was her friend and actress Kushbhu who requested her to be part of the show.
Nandhini, a supernatural thriller, which revolves around the fight between an avenging snake and a ghost, has an ensemble cast of Khushbu (special appearance), Nithya Ram, Malavika Wales, Sachchu, Kanya, Rahul Ravi, Shanmugarajan, Rani, Kavitha and Kiran has crossed 530 episodes. Actor-director Rajkapoor wields the megaphone for the series.
Says the director, “There are several legends about any festival and it is the same about Navaratri too. One thread that binds these legends together is the worship of the mother Goddess, or Durga, who is worshipped in myriad forms during these nine days. In all cases, the common theme is the victory of good over evil. Here in Nandhini, all the nine days will be celebrated with rituals associated with the story, with twists and turns. A happy incident takes place in one of the episodes when Sudha madam will be invited to the palace as the chief guest. Khushbu madam also will appear in one of the chapters.”
On her part Sudha said, “Khushbu had requested me to visit the Nandhini golu. I appear as myself in it. Like how I sing in many places during Navaratri, I do render a Carnatic number in the sequence. I was floored with massive golu arrangements which also go with the theme of the serial.”
The women in the team were dressed in traditional attire — Kancheevaram silk sarees, gold and diamond jewellery replete with jasmine flowers on their tresses and the men in silk dhotis and shirts. The entire set wore a festive look with lights and lamps lit all over and sundal offered to everyone in line with a Navaratri tradition.
