KOLKATA: Aakash Aath, a Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC), will launch a mega serial on Shirdi Sai Baba called ‘Om Sai Ram’ to go on air from next Thursday(13 Nov) at 6.30pm till 7pm.

 “We thought that it was the right time to introduce a mega serial on Shirdi Sai Baba to not only enchant his numerous devotees but also to make the new generation aware about him, his principles, his vision and his virtue. We are looking at least 300 episodes, but can relook at the number depending upon the viewers’ response. More than 10-12 episodes have been shot at the forests of Bolepur, Kolkata and studios where we are trying to create the background set of Maharashtra,” Aakash Aath director Eshita Surana.

Bhashwar Chatterjee will be essaying the role of ShirdiSai Baba. Meanwhile, Debanjan Chatterjee will enact the role of the younger Sai Baba. The other key members of the cast include Rumki Chatterjee, Budhhadeb Bhattacharya and Falguni Sanyal amongst others. Susanta Bose is directing the mega serial while Debjit Roy is the music composer.

The early life of Sai Baba is still cloaked in mystery and we do not have reliable record of the Baba’s birth and parentage. “We had to do a lot of research to portray his story correctly,” said the director.

Not only this, songs of Kabir and dance with ‘fakirs’ would be another pull for viewers. “We have recoded 10 songs till now and we are aiming to have at least 100 songs. We have lots of background and traditional music in this mega serial,” said the music director.

Raja Biscuits has been roped in to presenter the show for three months and apart from this the channel is in talks with other brands to get on board as associate sponsors.