B-Towners who made a splash on TV in 2014

2014 has indeed been the year of Bollywood actors, directors and producers going ‘small’ and how! Some of the biggest names of the Hindi film industry made their debut in fiction shows/ reality TV shows with their current small screen outings with mixed results, winning TRPs and losing some...
Bhagyashree
Show: Laut Aao Trisha
After a commercially viable turn in the blockbuster Maine Pyaar Kiya, Bhagyashree married her childhood sweetheart and went on a sabbatical that extended for two and half decades, a period during which she did the odd film appearance.She marked her return to TV as the pretty mom of a missing teen in a finite thriller series this year, 27 years after she played the romantic lead in a TV show (Kachchi Dhoop opposite Ashutosh Gowarikar)!
ALSO READ: Bollywood actors who failed in their debut TV reality shows
Esha Deol
Show: Roadies X2
Esha Deol might not have had a very successful run at the Bollywood BO, but looks like she might be able to surprise her loyal fans. Esha kicks some serious butt as the sassy mentor-judge in this hardhitting reality show’s latest season. This also happens to be her first assignment after she married businessman Bharat Takhtani two years ago.

Sonali Bendre
Show: Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh
She is not a new name for television audiences. Sonali Bendre has hosted a couple of talk shows and game shows on the small screen in the past. She took viewers by surprise when she agreed to play the lead in a daily soap on TV. As a single mom who’s trying to find her feet in a world dominated by men, Sonali is garnering a lot of eyeballs.
Prashant Narayanan
Show: Pukaar: Call For the Hero
He gave audiences goosebumps with his villainous turn in Murder 2. Although Prashant Narayanan has done important roles in daily soaps like Bandini and Phulwa, as the principal antagonist in Pukaar..., he’s creating a stir. With his immaculate acting skills, Prashant is sure to make a mark in all different mediums of entertainment.
Filmmakers who’ve made their mark on TV
Ashutosh Gowarikar
Show: Everest (as the writer-producer)
Bollywood’s ace filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar had played a romantic lead in the weekly TV show, Kachhi Dhoop opposite Bhagyashree in 1987, and now returns as a producer of the ambitious Everest .

Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Show: Pukaar (as the producer)
The director/producer, who hails from Dakor (Gujarat) started his career with the daily soap Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka. Vipul soon moved on to producing big ticket Bollywood films and has just returned to the small screen as producer of the thriller series, Pukaar.
Sooraj Barjatya
Show: Mere Rang Mein Rangnewali
Soft spoken Sooraj Barjatya was involved with TV before as a producer for Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli and returns with another family show Mere Rang Mein Rangnewali, starring Alok Nath and newbies Pranali Ghoghare and Samridh Bawa.
Anurag Kashyap
Show: Yudh (as the writer-producer)
Anurag Kashyap’s tryst with television started with Kabhie Kabhie (1997) until he moved on to make hardhitting realistic movies. Kashyap returned to the small screen with his lavishly mounted project starring Amitabh Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon and Sarika.
Character actors on TV
Seema Biswas
Show: Mahakumbh
Best remembered for her powerful role play in Bandit Queen and other histrionic roles in Hindi films, the versatile Seema Biswas is making her debut on small screen in the mythological thriller Mahakumbh, as the motormouth Ma-Mui, the adoptive mother of the male protagonist Rudra (played by Gautam Rode). With her powerful screen presence and impeccable acting chops, Biwas is already a scene stealer!
Meghna Naidu
Show: Fanaah 2
Meghna who sizzled with her moves in the Kaliyon Ka Chaman music video and did a slew of forgettable Bollywood films recently made her debut in a fiction show on the small screen as Vish Kanya in Jodha Akbar. Now she’s playing the hot doctor in the second season of Fanaah.

Raj Babbar
Show: Pukaar: Call For the Hero
After an impressive stint in Bollywood spanning over 37 years, Raj Babbar’s recent turn on TV sees him as the hero’s dad in the Vipul Amrutlal Shah produced finite series Pukaar:Call for the Hero. The father of an army guy, Babbar as the tough dad is already making an impact on audiences.
Adah Sharma
Show: Pukaar: Call For the Hero
She made her filmi debut with the horror flick 1920. Adah, who is now dabbling in movies down south, has joined the bandwagon of the number of B-Town actors who were doing TV shows and made her small screen debut as a bubbly journalist in Pukaar.
Payal Rohatgi
Show: Humsafars
Ahmedabad’s very own engineering grad Payal who’s done her share of reality shows and films, has recently made her small screen debut in the daily show, Humsafars, where she plays the mean and manipulative fashion designer Anam.
WATCH: Payal Rohatgi excited about her TV fiction show debut