Actor Shilpa Saklani’s new serial is centered around visha kanyas who were employed by kings. By Ayushi Sharma
Though our contemporary leaders are more of keyboard warriors, there was a time when rulers used much more subtle and deadly tactics to defeat their enemies. Ancient Indian kings employed an army of visha kanyas (poison maidens), who, according to legends, could take down any adversary with a single kiss. However, no one can be sure where truth ends and myth begins about the historicity of these venomous assassins and the superhuman-like aura surrounding them.
Historically speaking, the cloak of mystery concealed the identity of visha kanyas for too long. But folklore surrounding their existence have always fascinated viewers across age groups. Colors’ newest offering, Vish Ya Amrit: Sitaara will be centered around this concept that was once considered an extremely powerful way to take revenge.
The show is set in Vikralgadh village in Rajasthan and traces the journey of a girl Sitaara, who is oblivious of her own identity. Abandoned in infancy by her mother played by Shilpa Saklani, she is brought up by her father who is a loyal courtier in the palace.
Shilpa explains that the story takes a sharp turn when Sitaara embarks on a journey that forces her to choose between good and evil. She’s a girl of high integrity and is willing to stand by her convictions at all times, and against all people, even when it means standing up against people who might have cared for her.
“The show has been conceived keeping in mind the new wave of concepts that comes with a little element of thrill and keeps viewers on the edge of the seats. My (onscreen) daughter Sitaara is torn between the love for her mother who is evil personified and her own value system which prevents her from doing anything but good. The viewers will love to see this tussle between sin and virtue and see her choose the path of righteousness going against the wishes of her mother,” says Shilpa who’s famous for her role as Ganga in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and has also been a part of shows like Lavanya, Kkusum, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, and Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat.
Visha kanyas were well-known for their beauty and used seduction as their tool to escape a dangerous situation. They could easily bring empires to their knees. Shilpa says, “When I met the team and they narrated the story, they actually took me through the entire journey of how visha kanyas came by. I was very thrilled and wanted to be involved in the series because it’s a hardcore negative role and for 14 years of my life I was playing positive characters in every serial so I decided that if I wanted to come back after my sabbatical, it had to be something darker. Also, all other genres are tried and tested but this one is not. So I wanted to tell everyone out there ‘Visha kanya hoti hai panga mat lena’.”
She adds, “The sabbatical was just to enjoy and chill. I did Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi for eight years and I was really tired of acting. I was destiny’s child and had everything that one could dream of. Honestly, that’s why I decided to turn into a house wife and I was so happy doing all the household chores and turning into someone who would make a new kind of a paneer every single day. I did that for four years and I really enjoyed it. I am coming back with this show now only to make my husband happy.”
(The show airs from December 3 at 10:30 pm.)
