South Asian Outlook : An Independent e-Monthly | Entertainment: A Saga of Love

Neila Bhatt as Sumer and Neha Marda as Sunaina

'Jo Ishq Ki Marzi hai…Woh Rab ki Marzi hai'
A Saga of Love, that Transcends Worldly Barriers

BY AMAN LOONAA *

No history in the world has ever been painted so colourfully with innocent tales of immortal love as the history of our country. This is evident from the amazing variety of mythical love sagas that abounds Indian literature that transcends time & space through lovers who have lived on eternally in our hearts with their immortal love stories. This is the country that has witnessed the undying romance of the legends like Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Shahjahan-Mumtaz Mahal and so on.

Classical love legends and folklore of India are both passionate and sensuous in content, and never fail to appeal to the romantic in us. These fables stretch our imagination, engage our emotions and, entertain us. The latest offering from SaharaOne TV 'Jo Ishq Ki Marzi hai…Woh Rab ki Marzi hai' will present a legendary love saga which promises to take the audience on a journey down the romantic lane….

"Jo Ishq ki Marzi… Woh Rab Ki Marzi", narrates a love saga of two childhood friends Sumer & Sunaina, who are separated because of the hatred between their families. The story is about the young lovers whose love story is paved with jealousy, misunderstanding, heartbreak, betrayal and revenge. Theirs is a love destined to be doomed….a love that defies destiny!

As the story unfolds it relates the friendship between the families of Sumer and Sunaina. But destiny's rude hands tear the childhood sweethearts apart when their families turn into sworn enemies. Devgarh & Dharamgarh dynasties share a boundary on which stands a lone temple of Lord Shiva where lives Jogan Mastani, who has witnessed the eternal love of Sumer & Sunaina. She defies God on their separation and vows that she will dance till the time the young lovers are united. Even the Almighty had to bow down before Jogan Mastani's resolution and Sumer and Sunaina comes face to face – after 14 long years! The childhood sweethearts no longer recognize each other. They have left their childhood behind them...

Jayati Bhatia as Jogan Mastani

and are complete strangers now. But the cosmic bond between the star-crossed lovers is as strong as before. Love rekindles in their young hearts and gives rise to a passion that will challenge the decade old enmity between their two families, the two enemy fiefdoms that they come from.

Says Nilanjana Purkayastha, Business Head, SaharaOne Television, "SaharaOne has always delivered shows that deal with the day-to-day life of every individual – how they cope up with problems and situations. For the first time we bring for our viewers a larger-than-life eternal love saga that will revive peoples' faith in the supremacy of true love. In a world divided by hatred – "Jo Ishq ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi" is a show that is about love. A love that can make destiny bow down. A love so pure, so strong that God Himself bows down to it."Set in pre-British Central India "Jo Ishq ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi" is a love story of childhood friends, a saga of enmity and wars, and a legend of God giving in to the undying love of Sumer – Sunaina. "Jo Ishq ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi" is about Sumer & Sunaina and their struggle to salvage emotions, and conquer all adversities to unite as lovers. It is a powerful tale of love that will become a fable for all those who believe in the supremacy of true love.

[Aman Loonaa is a journalist based in Chandigarh.]