Rubina, Avinash and Priyanka. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee

Avinash Sachdev is desperate to get married. Thrice he came close to tying the knot but every time things came to naught after the engagement. “In Khwaish, I had run away from my sagaai, in Karam Apna Apna my engagement broke off, the same happened in Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil,” the handsome actor rattles off. “They used to call me the sagaai king in Balaji (Telefilms, which produced the shows).”

This time, in Zee TV’s Chhoti Bahu (airing Monday-Friday at 1pm), he has not one, but two sisters lined up for him in Vrindavan. “That’s the twist in the tale. No one knows who will be the chhoti bahu.” As of now, Avinash, who is playing the flamboyant US-returned Dev Purohit, is pursuing Radhika, the adopted daughter of a temple priest. True to her name, Radhika has set her heart on Lord Krishna (the god, not Dev). And Dev knows Radhika not by her name. The confusion is created by the priest’s biological daughter, Vishakha, played by Priyanka Mishra.

The man from Vadodara was aspiring to prepare for the civil services when the Mr University, Mr Baroda and Mr Gujarat crowns came his way in succession. “Phir chaska aa gaya, aur kya,” he smiles shyly, explaining his Mumbai sojourn. Even the 17 retakes he needed for the first scene of his debut serial Khwaish did not deter him.

The same perseverance reflects in debutante Rubina Dalaik, a paharan from Himachal Pradesh who carries the Miss Shimla International and Miss North India 2008 titles on her CV, who is playing Radhika.

Priyanka has worked in two other serials and is now playing Devika in Jai Shri Krishna on Colors. “In Chhoti Bahu, though, I am a pampered girl and have no wish to become a bahu. I’d rather audition for reality shows on the sly and have Radhika cover up for me at home.”

Would she be forced to become a bahu? No one’s telling.