Aaha Kalyanam (TV series)

Aaha Kalyanam is an 2023 Indian Tamil-language television series, airing on Star Vijay, starring Mounika with Vikram Shri, Akshaya Kandamuthan, Gayathri Sri, Vibish Aswanth, R. G. Ram and Bhavya Sree in the lead roles. The series is an official remake of Star Jalsha's drama Gaatchora.

Plot
The story revolves around greedy Kodeeswari, a mother who wishes that someday her daughters would marry into a wealthy family. But whose bond will form with whom, the decision lies in the hands of God. On the important Saraswati Puja holiday in Tamil Nadu, the extravaganza begins. Every year, the famed diamond merchants, the Vedachalams, observe Saraswati Puja. Mahalaxmi, the second daughter of Kodesshwari, has been given this year's task of decorating the entire Puja. Three sisters who reside with their parents. Her mother hopes that one day one of her daughters will marry into a prosperous household. Because of Maha's artistic talent, Koddeeshwari intends to accompany her daughters to the Vedachalam house.

On the other side, the Vedachalams are a joint family. The three brothers in the family are adored by their grandparents the most. The youngest brother is Vijay, who writes poems and is an excellent poet. The middle brother Gowtham is a playboy, who is carefree and readily drawn to everyone and also envies Surya and aspires to make sure that he doesn't get the best things in life. Surya is Vedachalam's eldest grandson, who is the most adored and is in charge of his family's business since he is the eldest son.

The story unfolds when Mahalakshmi harbors hatred from her first encounter with Surya, where she demanded wedding selection tickets. Aishwarya, initially chosen to be Surya's wife, decides to refuse the role and opts to be with Gowtham instead.

Simultaneously, an astrologer predicts that Mahalakshmi will get married, while Aishwarya won't find a marital match. In defiance of these predictions, Aishwarya runs away before her planned marriage, intending to elope with Gowtham and delve into the chemistry of love.

Amidst familial sacrifice, Mahalakshmi courageously steps into Aishwarya's place and marries Surya, despite her own reluctance. Following their marriage, Surya's mother, Rajalakshmi, objects to the union, engaging in schemes to separate Surya and Mahalakshmi, along with Chitradevi.

Concurrently, Aishwarya's breakup with Gowtham results in disappointment, leading her towards a sense of failure.

Aishwarya's entrance into the house sparks skepticism and fury from Koti, leading to a heated confrontation. As she faces the wrath of Koti, she becomes the subject of shame in the presence of Rajalakshmi and Chitradevi. Mahalakshmi attempts to pacify and explain, seeking understanding from Aishwarya. However, Aishwarya perceives Mahalakshmi's intentions in a distorted manner, believing she was manipulated by Gowtham.

Undeterred, Koti decides to arrange another marriage for Aishwarya, declaring a determination to proceed despite any challenges. However, an unexpected twist unfolds when the prospective groom reveals that Aishwarya is already pregnant.

Gowtham grapples with jealousy towards Surya, who enjoys success in a big business and contributes to the company's growth. Struggling to accept himself as he is, Gowtham battles feelings of inadequacy, perceiving himself as a man of little value.

Gowtham decides to marry Niharika, resorting to blackmailing Aishwarya, putting Mahalakshmi in a challenging situation entangled with other people. Mahalakshmi takes a stand and proves the accusations wrong, revealing the truth. In a dramatic turn of events, Surya slaps Gowtham and Niharika decides to end their relationship, leaving Gowtham with a broken heart.

Gowtham is compelled to marry Aishwarya, resulting in a strained union where they live separately. He struggles to accept her pregnancy, creating a challenging situation. Aishwarya, feeling trapped, tarnishes Mahalakshmi's reputation and remains oblivious to understanding her.

Mahalakshmi and Surya develop a connection, but Chitradevi and Rajalakshmi attempt to undermine and destroy their budding chemistry. Rajalakshmi harbors disdain for Mahalakshmi due to her humble background, being an artistic individual. On the other hand, Chitra Devi both opposes and advocates for Gotham, skillfully manipulating each situation to present herself as morally upright on a daily basis.

In the meantime, Mahalakshmi, renowned for her proficiency in painting and drawing, visits Surya's office. Impressed by her artistic talents, his company appoints her as the design head of the jewellery division. Vijay forges a strong bond with his poetry, a sentiment that culminates in the creation of his book during a family gathering, marking a joyful moment for the entire family. Inspired by this positive experience, Vijay resolves to showcase and promote the realm of poetry and literature.

In a deceptive move, Aishwarya pretends to be pregnant, engaging in unhealthy habits detrimental to her well-being, such as consuming inadvisable foods like papayas, avoiding essential nutrition, feigning complications, and indulging in harmful junk food. Surprisingly, Gowtham lends support to this charade, joined by Chitra. This development leaves Rajalakshmi and Vedhachalam disheartened and concerned.

Aishwarya displays ingratitude and disrespect towards her in-laws, leaving Kotesshwari astonished. In an attempt to address the issues, Kotesshwari is compelled to express her disapproval, even contemplating a physical response. However, Aishwarya, instead of acknowledging her actions, chooses to redirect the focus onto Mahalakshmi, bringing every problem to the forefront.

In the interim, Mahalakshmi convinces Surya to delve into pottery, infusing her artistic flair into the creation of traditional pieces. However, tensions escalate as Gowtham and Aishwarya manipulate the news correspondent, prompting a heated confrontation that unfolds into a public spectacle. This turn of events leaves Rajalakshmi deeply disappointed.

Rajalakshmi accuses Mahalakshmi, alongside Surya, branding them as having flawed personalities. This condemnation causes a shift in Surya's perspective, leading him to reconsider their relationship and ultimately deciding that both should part ways completely.

However, Mahalakshmi becomes crestfallen and disheartened when Surya, in response to the incident, compels her to stand outside in the rain. The entire family, except for Vedachalam and Vijay, blames her for the situation. Vijay earnestly attempts to bring Mahalakshmi back inside the house, all of this occurring amid a severe thunderstorm, leaving Koti in a state of profound shock.

As they remain estranged, Mahalakshmi endeavors to justify herself, yet encounters resistance as no one is willing to lend an ear or respond. However, during the Pongal or Sankranti celebration, a reunion among all family members occurs, bringing everyone together. Unfortunately, this occasion also sees Aishwarya mocking Prabha and Mahalakshmi, adding an unpleasant element to the gathering.

Surya makes the difficult decision not to accept Mahalakshmi. However, Vedhachalam, choosing a path of understanding and pride, decides to accept both of them. The question remains: will Mahalakshmi find happiness in this newfound acceptance?

Mahalakshmi also discovers that Aishwarya is not pregnant, and she chooses to keep this information confidential to safeguard her sister. How might this decision impact the situation or lead to changes in the future?

The plot shifts as the Vedhachalam family encounters the Mahandhi family, engaging in a challenge to participate in a contest. The competition revolves around winning money to support their respective families. While Maha saves to safeguard Kori’s dowry and house payment, Kaveri allocates the funds to cover her mother’s fees and other issues. Amidst the scenario, Aishwarya and Kavya attempt to disrupt their efforts and create further problems. However, against the odds, they emerge victorious, leaving them in a state of shock and dilemma.

The narrative returns with Vijay forming a relationship with Anamika, while Prabha harbors feelings for Vijay but struggles to come to terms with the possibility of history repeating itself. Anamika hails from a wealthy background and lacks culinary and domestic skills.

Prabha attempts to adapt and ultimately accepts the situation, although Koti is enraged by it. Meanwhile, Maha enhances her skills and lifestyle alongside Surya, establishing themselves as the most influential couple. Aishwarya, feeling disheartened, devises a plan to sabotage and bring an end to everything, leading to chaos.

Main

 * Vikram Shri as Surya: A jewellery businessman; Raghavan and Rajalaxmi’s son; Gowtham, Vijay, Akshara and Aarthy’s cousin; Mahalakshmi's husband (2023-present)
 * Akshaya Kandamuthan as Mahalakshmi: a talented and hardworking artist and painter; Dhasarathan and Koteeshwari's younger daughter; Aishwarya's younger and Prabha elder's sister; Surya's wife (2023-present)
 * Vibish Aswanth as Gowtham: a playboy; Chitradevi's son; Akshara's elder brother; Surya, Vijay and Aarthy’s cousin; Aishwarya's husband (2023-present)
 * Gayathri Sri as Aishwarya: a gold digger and greedy woman; Dhasarathan and Koteeshwari's eldest daughter; Mahalakshmi and Prabha's elder sister; Gowtham's wife (2023-present)
 * R. G. Ram as Vijay: an artist; Raghuvaran and Gayathri's son; Aarthy's elder brother; Surya, Gowtham and Akshara's cousin (2023-present)
 * Bhavya Shri as Prabha: a tomboy; Dhasarathan and Koteeshwari's youngest daughter; Mahalakshmi and Aishwarya's younger sister (2023-present)
 * Mounika as Koteeshwari. Mahalakshmi, Aishwarya and Prabha's mother, who aspires that one day one of her three daughters marries into a rich family. Dhasarathan's wife

Recurring

 * Anitha Venkat as Rajalakshmi, Raghavan's wife, Surya's mother
 * Dr. Jaya as Gayathri, Raghuvaran's wife, Vijay and Aarthy's mother
 * Preethiga as Aarthy, Vijay's younger sister, Raghuvaran and Gayathri's daughter
 * Shilpa Mary Teresa as Chithradevi, who wants to get revenge on Rajalakshmi, Gowtham's mother
 * Arunima Sudhakar as Akshara, Gowtham's younger sister, Chithradevi's daughter
 * Auditor Sridhar as Vedhachalam
 * Kowsalya Senthamarai as Bhanumathi
 * Anjali Varadhan as Baakiyam, Kodishwari's elder sister
 * Jairam as Raghuvaran, Gayathri’s husband, Vijay and Aarthy’s father
 * Rohit Ved as Raghavan, Rajalaksmi’s husband, Surya’s father
 * Sherin Janu as Anamika, Vijay's wife
 * Vimal Nair Suresh as Vikram.

Casting
Mounika, who was well known for her acting in old-school movies as well as serials, was cast as Kodeeswari. Jay D'Souza and Darshini Gowda were initially chosen to play the main leads but were replaced by Vikram Shri and Akshaya Kandamuthan. On 6 December 2023, Sherin Janu joined the cast to add a fresh layer to the story line.

Release
The first promo was unveiled on 8 February 2023, featuring Kotheeswari and her three daughters are happily shopping in the store and the owner asked her about her daughter's wedding. A second promo was unveiled on 13 February 2023. A third promo was launched on 8 March 2023.

Crossovers
A crossover with Mahanadhi was announced on 4 February, where both families would be staying over at the same resort and would be competing to win 5 lakhs.