COLORS' latest offering 'Kesari Nandan' tells an inspirational tale of a young wrestling prodigy

Patriarchy is not just another social system when it comes to our country but a sole driver. A country like ours where in some places the birth of a girl child is looked down upon, an urgent call-for-action against this orthodox thinking has become crucial. Being the flag bearers we are when it comes to religious traditions and social institutions, discrimination towards women is completely unacceptable. Over the years, a number of women have stepped out of the kitchen-mold, competed in male-dominated areas, wrestled against the disparities and at the best, have excelled over them. In support and sync with this ideology, COLORS is back with Kesari Nandan- a story of dogged little girl, Kesari and her custom-binding father, Hanumant Singh. The first episode of the show has already aired on 01 January 2019.

The show unveils Kesari and her akhada journey despite the resentment from her father, Hanumant Singh, a former wrestling champion who trains young male wrestlers. The story is based in the state of Rajasthan, where the oppressive attitude towards the female gender prevails. In addition to the broken bond between both the main characters what makes the narration watchable is Kesari’s secret desire to uphold her father's legacy who wants his son to represent the country in the Olympics and win a Gold Medal.

Speaking about the concept of the show, Manisha Sharma, Chief Content Officer, Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “After having presented to its viewers numerous shows with social messages and having in some way contributed to societal changes through these shows, COLORS now brings to its loyal viewers a truly inspiring tale of this cute little aspirational girl called, Kesari. She is someone who challenges the societal stereotype and triumphs her dream of becoming a champion wrestler albeit with the acknowledgement of her father. ‘Kesari Nandan’ captures the beautiful journey of this zesty, determined, hardworking young girl who overcomes difficult challenges to accomplish what she desires the most. It indeed is the story of every girl who dares to dream big and chase that dream, just like Ms Mary Kom and Ms Geeta Phogat, who have come forward to further this cause.”

The show was launched at a suburban hotel in Mumbai with Geeta Phagot, India's first Gold winner at the Commonwealth Games in Women's wrestling and Mary Kom, Gold Medalist at Women's World Boxing who came together for its promotion.

At the launch said, Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18, “Kesari Nandan is about an unlikely protagonist who braves all obstacles to become a national hero in a sport that continues to be associated with machismo and virility. It’s a poignant portrayal of a father-daughter equation that transcends beyond the four corners of their middle-class household to an akhada and eventually to the wrestling ring of the Olympics. We have devised an impactful on-air campaign called #KhelKesari to promote the spirit of sportsmanship and encourage women to take up sports. With support from stalwarts like Geeta Phogat and Mary Kom we want to inspire girls to dream big and become beacons of change.”

She further added, “New Year will mark the advent of a fresh line-up of relatable content that will add newness to our bouquet of offerings. We will begin the year with the weekday prime-time, Kesari Nandan. The weekend primetime will be bolstered by Khatron Ke Khiladi and a crime-drama called Courtroom. Further along the way we have gripping concepts in the form of Jhaansi Ki Rani and Gath Bandhan that will make the channel distinct and diverse.”

At the launch Wrestler Geeta Phogat said, “I applaud COLORS for choosing a concept like Kesari Nandan. It is both, unique and real and highlights the struggles that women have to face to make a name in extreme sports like wrestling. I can’t wait to watch it. I would like to tell all girls that if you believe in your dreams and work hard to achieve it, success will be yours.”

Echoing the same sentiment boxer Mary Kom said, “Its heartening to see the hardships of women especially in the field of sports being highlighted in the mainstream mass media. I am looking forward to watching this show as it appears similar to my own aspirations and struggles. I wish the entire team the very best.”

The show onboards a highly talented cast including Manav Kohli as Hanumant Singh, Kesari's father, and the empowering role of Kesari is played by child-actor Chahat Tiwani. Commenting on the show, Manav says “I found the character of Hanumant Singh to be very challenging; both physically and emotionally. Hanumant is an accomplished wrestler who dreams that his son will take his legacy forward and win Olympic gold in wrestling. But fate has different things in store for him.”

On her role little Chahat shares “I’m excited as well as nervous to play Kesar. Kesar is a brave girl and she inspires me to dream big.” Additionally, the cast also has Aastha Chowdhary (Kesar's mother) and Nivedita Saraf, Reshma Shinde and Ankit Arora in supporting roles.

COLORS has always been a pioneer in creating shows which are aimed to highlight the social stigma regarding conservative beliefs. With Kesari Nandan, the network has further offered the Indian audience something meaningful and relatable content to watch. Being one of the earliest to highlight this issue, the show is expected not just to grab eyeballs but also turn a few heads.

Produced by Contiloe Pictures, the show which premiered on 01 January 2019 will air every Monday to Friday at 8:30 PM. Tune in to see some Girl Power only on COLORS!!