Pratima in Ashwini’s shoes?

Uttaran’s Naani to play Ganga Ki Dheej’s Mahamai now.

In the next few episodes, Mahamai, played by Ashwini Kalsekar, will fall off a cliff to her death on the 10 pm prime time show, Ganga Ki Dheej, on Sahara One. News is that Pratima Kanan, who plays the vicious Naani in the 10 pm daily soap Uttaran on Colors, will be replacing the actor as the villainous Kaliganj village priestess.

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When asked, Kanan confirms her entry, adding, “I’m not replacing anyone. When the producers approached me for the part of Mahamai, I had told them that even though I like the character, I am not willing to replace a talented colleague because the audience has a certain connection with the actor. I was then assured that the character I would eventually play is not the actual Mahamai, but an imposter.”

The promos have just hit TV, where Kanan appears on the cliff from where Kalsekar’s character tumbles off. “I will switch between Mahamai, the village’s evil priestess and my actual character who dances to the tunes of Dada Bhai, played by Kabir Bedi. He plants me in the village to maintain societal control. This should be able to increase the audience’s interest levels because no one will realise that Mahamai is dead and has been replaced overnight by another woman,” states the actor, who has changed the look of her new character.

“My south project was always confirmed, and there were no date hassles between the project and the show,” adds Kalsekar. “I’ve shot the show with major slip-disc problems. If I had to quit, that would have been a better reason. I’ve shot my death scene with bandages on. And if everything continues to go as per the storyline, I might come back but I can’t divulge details now.”