After his death and highly publicised comeback, Mihir Virani, of the popular soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi fame, is ready to come alive again. This time, he's doing it via MihirAmarHai.com.
"This is just for my fans," says Amar Upadhyay who, for many, is the dutiful son, loyal brother and loving husband as seen on screen. "A fan suggested this to me at around the same time that CyberSahibs and Reflections approached me with an idea to put up a personal site that could help me keep in touch with my fans. It was so I could reach out to them and answer every little query they had. Besides, the name is very appealing. Amar has two connotations: it is my name and also implies immortality."
And there's a lot in store for those glued to their idiot box, night after night. Did you know that Amar is a Chemical Engineer, or that his favourite actor is Amitabh Bachchan, and that he loves foreign made cars? Find out more at the site, while the star's throaty voice plays somewhere in the background.
There are also photographs and streaming videos from all of Amar's serials on air, along with a look at his personal life including pictures from his childhood, marriage and family. The 'Downloads' section offers posters, screensavers and postcards, with new additions every month.
An avid surfer himself, Upadhyay claims, "Unlike any other celebrity site, this will not be a dead one. I will continuously chat with my fans and reply to their email. There are also innovative contests where fans can win a date or even a chance to spend four hours with me on my sets."
Proof of the man's popularity? "It's been just two days since news of this site being uploaded has been out. 6,000 people have already registered."
Unlike current Web sites, this one has no revenue models planned! "If there is any money coming in through endorsements, besides just covering the administration costs, I would like to give it away to any charitable organisation," clarifies Amar.
Adds Mayoor Shah, the man behind the site's design and development, "It is not meant to be a money spinner. We just want to help Amar communicate with his fans. We have not thought of revenue models or where the money is going to come in yet." He is confident, however, that Amar will be able to reach out to all his fans via the site: "I can see a mother telling her net-savvy daughter to type in her wishes for him, or little kids also showering their love and affection. Not to miss teenage girls and women who are so fond of him. Almost 65 per cent of those registered are women."
What helps is that this Television sensation is very net savvy. He smiles and says, "I love chatting and surfing. Thanks to my busy schedule though, I now surf only after midnight. My favourite sites include ones on entertainment, cars, and shopping. Besides, I think the Net is far more friendlier as a medium than journalists are."
This, he adds, is just the beginning. "When I did Dekh Bhai Dekh, I was known as Salil Chachu. Today, I'm known as Mihir. One day, Amar will wipe out Mihir."
And till that happens, fans can keep logging on.
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