Kumkum Bhagya is an Indian Hindi-language drama television series produced by Ekta Kapoor under Balaji Telefilms. It premiered on 15 April 2014 on Zee TV and digitally streams on ZEE5. It formerly starred Sriti Jha and Shabir Ahluwalia. Currently, it stars Mugdha Chaphekar, Krishna Kaul, Rachi Sharma and Abrar Qazi. One of the longest running Indian television soap opera, the concept of the show was originally based on Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility.
Jha and Ahluwalia with Kapoor and Malhotra
Ekta Kapoor is an Indian television producer, film producer and director who works in Hindi cinema and soap opera. She is the joint managing director and creative head of Balaji Telefilms Limited, which was founded in 1994. In 2001, Balaji Motion Pictures was launched as a subsidiary company of Balaji Telefilms Limited which is a film production and distribution company. She launched ALT Balaji in April 2017.
Kapoor in 2021
Ekta Kapoor (center) with younger brother Tusshar (left) and father Jeetendra (right)
Kapoor being awarded Padma Shri, c. 2021