Vivek finds his Saathiya in Rani

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">The small screen or the big screen? That is the question. After selling <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mujhse Dosti Karoge</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai</span> to TV, Yash Chopra has decided to go the theatre way when it matters the most. This, at a time when the so-called idiot-box has bounced into prominence by airing one Hindi blockbuster after the other.<br />The film in question is <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saathiya</span>, which stars Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukherjee and is directed by Shaad Ali, Muzaffar Ali’s son.<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saathiya</span> will hit the screen amidst news of films such as <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Road, Mujhse Dosti Karoge</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hathiyar</span> being premiered on TV in January next year. While speculation had it that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saathiya</span> —a la Little John — would be premiered on TV, the Chopras have a clarification to make: ‘‘Reports pointing to <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saathiya</span> being premiered on TV are misleading. <br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saathiya</span> will be released at theatres worldwide on December 20 and its satellite rights will be finalised subsequently.’’ According to people familiar with such acquisition deals, a leading satellite channel was willing to fork out as much as Rs 6 crore for the rights to screen Saathiya first on TV.<br />Post-<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Company</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Road, Saathiya</span> is Vivek Oberoi’s third release. ‘‘Wait till the film is released,’’ says Vivek, ‘‘Ambitious plans have been made to promote and market the film so there is no question of going to TV first.’’<br />A remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil hit Alaipayuthe, which the director special made after the relative non-success of Iruvar and Uyire, Saathiya is a contemporary love story backed by AR Rehman’s music and deals with two lovers who get married after opposing their families. The movie moves on to how the couple handles the problems in their lives.<br />Problems, because their lives are thrown out of gear when Rani meets with a fatal accident. As Vivek goes backward and forward down memory lane, another gentleman (Shah Rukh Khan is expected to play the role) makes an appearance claiming to be Rani’s husband. Of course, to watch what follows next, the audience will have to wait till December 20. Like always, the big screen holds the answers!</div> </div>