Viewers want Pratyusha back in Balika Vadhu

It seems Toral Rasputra, who replaced Pratyusha Banerjee as Anandi in “Balika Vadhu” after the latter quit the popular show, will take some time to carve a niche for herself as Anandi as audiences are taking their own sweet time to accept her.

“I loved the earlier Anandi (Pratyusha Banerjee) most because she had moulded herself according to the character. She has left her imprints on our mind and heart. That’s why we are facing a bit of a difficulty in accepting the new Anandi. This Anandi (Toral Rasputra) is also doing good but we all loved the earlier Anandi very much,” one viewer said.

Another one felt that Toral lacks that touch.

“I liked the earlier Anandi very much. New Anandi does not have that factor that Pratyusha had,” she said.

“Balika Vadhu” is the most watched show on TV and has been running for more than four years.

Pratyusha stepped into the shoes of child prodigy Avika Gor as a grown up Anandi in 2010, when the show took a five-year leap. She was chosen through a nationwide poll.

Purnendu Shekhar, writer of the show, feels that viewers need time to adapt to the change and it also happened when Pratyusha replaced Avika.

“Changing the lead character Anandi in ‘Balika Vadhu’ was a risk that the channel and the makers took, but that is because there was no other option. After the show took time leap and Avika was replaced by Pratyusha, the TRP’s dipped but after a while it got better. Same is now,” Shekhar told IANS.

“The story on the show is showcasing the normal life that is why TRP’s are low. The high points have just got over,” he added.

Current tracks show Anandi’s life with Shiv.

Some feel that Toral is not bad, but they have formed a habit of watching Pratyusha.

“The first one was very good. She (Toral Rasputra) is also good but it is just that we tend to like the one most whom we have been watching for a long time,” a viewer said.