Imagine TV, which aired one of the most most mentioned shows like "Rakhi Ka Swayamwar", "Zor Ka Jhatka" and "Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka", went off the air Thursday.
Ankur Verma and Vidhi Parekh, lead actors of "Jamuna Paar", are shocked and hoping for some miracle.
"I got to grasp after the statement was released Thursday by Turner, around 1.30 p.m. after we were shooting for the show. All of the team have been working very hard, so the inside track was very shocking for all of us," Ankur said.
Vidhi said she was not expecting this.
"The news of the channel shutting down was a large time shock. Who will expect something like this if you end up happily shooting to your show? 'Jamuna Paar' is life for me. The shoot stopped yesterday, but I AM HOPING the channel starts again and we're back to work. It is rather unfortunate and that i feel sad. There have been such a lot of cute and fascinating things lined up for the viewers," she said.
Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc, Thursday announced the verdict to close Imagine TV and picture Dil Se stating that the channels didn't perform and grow consistent with the expectations.
Turner currently operates HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, POGO, WB, TCM and Boomerang in India.
According to FICCI-KPMG report, Imagine's "Dharam Patni", "Zor Ka Jhatka" and "Ratan Ka Rishta" were a few of the top 10 fictional and non-fictional shows launched in 2011, but none of them managed to garner TRPs.
Ankita Sharma, who plays Preeto in "Sawaare Sabke Sapne Preeto", says it'll leave many unemployed.
"I was shocked once I got the news, but it's a part of life. No person can do anything about it. It is going to bring a metamorphosis in life. But I BELIEVE bad for the channel's employees who're now unemployed. I just hope everyone gets something better," Ankita told IANS.
The channel was launched in India Jan 21, 2008 as NDTV Imagine, by the NDTV group in partnership with NBC Universal. In 2010, Turner acquired NDTV's stake in Imagine.
The channel made an outstanding start with shows like "Ramayan", "Radhaa Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi", "Say Shaava Shaava", "Jasuben Jayantilaal Joshi Ki Joint Family", "Kitani Mohobbat Hai", but within the later years it couldn't managed to get satisfactory TRPs.
