Kkusum ... Ek Aam Ladki Ki Kahani (कुसुम) was a popular daily Indian television drama telecasted on Sony Entertainment Television and produced on Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms. It premiered in May 2001 and concluded in November 2005. The show lost ratings because of some drastic changes made (example: The character of Kkusum being changed three different times and a not-so-well advertised showtime change.) Although the show was still very popular, it had to go off air. Also it is India's eighth longest running serial.

Plot[link]

Kkusum is a middle class Indian woman, who upholds family values and duties who marries a man, dilip, from a rich, high class family. Kkusum, however, does not know of Abhay's pre-marital flings, who come back to seek revenge from Abhay. Also, Kkusum is apparently married to Abhay, because she has an auspicious effect (called Akhanda Saubhagyavati yog- Eternal luck) in her horoscope, which will help to nullify an effect in Abhay's horoscope, which is unlucky for him and can lead to his death.

In addition, Kkusum later finds out that Abhay cheated on her with a woman named Esha, which for a while separates her from Abhay. After leaving Abhay, Kkusum marries Siddarth, whom she does not love at first, but later realizes she does when Abhay returns into Kkusums life to get her back. Abhay is then a negative character, but his attitude gradually begins to change and he no longer tries to ruin Siddarth and Kusum's marriage. Unfortunately, Siddarth dies in a tragic car accident, and Kkusum once again marries Abhay.

Kkusum loses her child due to a miscarriage. Desperate to give the family an heir she brings in Mahi to be the surrogate mother. Due to various misunderstandings, Kkusum is forced to leave the Kapoor house and is shocked when she realises that she is pregnant. She dedicates the next eighteen years to bring up her daughter Kumud and inculcate in her the idealistic values she's held close to heart herself.

Meanwhile, Kkusum's husband Abhay brings up his daughter Kali with Mahi's help. Amidst all the doting over and pampering Kali grows up to be a spoiled brat. Kali forces Abhay to get married to Mahi. Destiny brings Kkusum and Abhay face to face, but it's too late. Kali and Kumud go through their youth abhoring each other, and fall in love with Garv and Ksitij. Their fates cross paths when Kumud ends up marrying Garv instead of Kshitij. Kkusum watches helplessly as Kali tries to woo Garv back and Kumud tries to save her married life.

The two half sisters come to loggerheads again and this time, Kkusum decides to take charge of the situation. With ups and downs, Kkusum sees Mahi die and then come back to live. During this time she is on the run form the police and is hurt badly and needs plastic surgery to correct her face. Thus a new actress to play her

Abhay becomes ill and his mental age is reduced to 5, seeking a friend Abinaf's help, Kkusum takes Abhay to Malaysia to help him recover there she gets trapped as the person who has the same face as her (Swathi Gothum) was a serial killer, she is forced to kill someone but this doesn't happen and everything turns out alright. Until the day they are due back. As Abhay is better now he boards the plane but Kkusum is caught with drugs in her bag and is detained in Malaysia and sent to prison for 5 years.

Meanwhile Abhay is furious with Kkusum, as he thinks she has run off with Abhinaf after an affair (although she hasn't). In anger, he announces that Kkusum is dead to him. Driving extremely fast in a rage, Abhay crashes into a Lorry and dies as a result.

When Kkusum returns to India 5 years later, her family have disowned her but her mother still believes in her. They finally persuade the family of Abhay of what has really happened. She is diagnosed with a heart condition and as a result is taken into hospital many times. She gets her daughter Kumud re-married and then that night she dies in her sleep. Kumud has a daughter and they name their daughter ... (obviously) Kkusum who they show into a 5 year leap. And that's how the show ends.

Cast[link]

• Nausheen Sardar Ali - Kkusum (2001–2003)

• Mansi Joshi Roy - Kkusum (2003–2004)

• Shilpa Saklani - Kkusum (2004–2005)/ Swati Gutam

• Anuj Saxena - Abhay Kapoor (2001–2003)

• Rohit Roy - Abhay Kapoor (2003–2005)

• Ashish Kaul - Aryaman

• Savita Prabhune - 'Aai'/ Kkusum's Mother

• Prabha Sinha - Siddharth's Mother

• Narayani Shastri - Tashu

• Eijaz Khan - Sohan Kapoor

• Raymon Kakar - Nikita Kapoor 1

• Aashka Goradia - Kkumud Kapoor / Deshmukh

• Rucha Gujarati - Kali Kapoor

• Manoj Bohra - Nakul Oberoi

• Amita Chandekar - Raima

• Chetan Hansraj - Garv

• Amit Sareen - Kshitij Oberoi

• Poonam Narula - Mahi Kapoor

• Shweta Kwatra - Esha Singhania

• Nattasha - Nikita Kapoor 2

• Jennifer Winget - Simran

• Sandeep Rajora - Siddharth

• Karishma Tanna - Siddharth's sister

• Aakashdeep Saighal - Trishul

• Manav Gohil - Vishal 1

• Hiten Tejwani - Vishal 2

• Tasneem Sheikh - Jyoti Deshmukh

External links[link]

• Kkusum official site
• Balaji Telefilms