Maa....Tomay Chara Ghum Ashena

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Maa...Tomay Chara Ghum Ashena, also called Maa (Bengali: মা...তোমায় ছাড়া ঘুম আসেনা; transl. Mother), is a Bengali television serial broadcast on Star Jalsha.^[1][2][3] It was produced by Shree Venkatesh Films. The show narrates the bond between mother and daughter. It is one of the longest-run Bengali television series and Star Jalsha's longest-run serial.

It is the story of a mother, Pratima Mukherjee, and her daughter, Pari Mukherjee. Pratima Mukherjee, a devoted mother, loses her 3-year-old daughter Pari at a crowded fair when the child is kidnapped by a ruthless woman named Hira Amma. Everyone, especially Pratima, is left shattered. Hira Amma renames Pari as "Jhilik" and forces her into a life of theft. A kind-hearted woman named Phula adopts Jhilik and gives her motherly love, but both are still under Hira Amma's control. Pratima's mother in law Mamta blames her for the incident and starts hating and humiliating her. Mamta's husband Harishankar has a young sister Arati who stays with them. Arati is cruel and cunning and keeps causing fights in the house to ruin the atmosphere.

9-year-old Jhilik who is forced to steal, secretly helps the needy with the stolen money and yearns to live a better life. She crosses paths with Pratima multiple times and forms a deep emotional bond with her, neither knowing their real relationship. Jhilik devises a plan to stop stealing and is thrilled when it works. However, Hira Amma conspires to sell her. Phula overhears the plan but meets with a tragic accident while rushing to warn Jhilik. Jhilik is devastated. Hira amma tries to fool Jhilik by saying going with few men she can get some money but Jhilik foils her plan. But for phula's treatment she steals a bag. But when she founds marriage ornaments in it she returns it back. The girl Anu who is about to get married praises her and Anu's father gives her some money for her mother's treatment. However Hira Amma tears the note and throws it away. On her deathbed, Phula tells Jhilik the truth about her past and gives her a guinea (gold coin), saying it may help her find her real mother. Jhilik is devastated by Phula's death.

Jhilik escapes from Hira Amma and finds shelter in Anu's house. Coincidentally she ends up in Mukherjee household as Anu married Harishankar's youngest son Atish. Pratima and jhilik are happy to see each other. Pratima and her husband Manish decide to raise her as their own daughter. Jhilik grows fond of their 6-year-old son, Biltu. Still, no one realizes Jhilik is actually Pari. However, Arati schemes against Jhilik. A few family members like Mamta, Bidisha(Mamta's elder daughter in law) treats Jhilik like a maid, though Bidisha's husband Debesh, Manish, Pratima, Harishankar, Housemaid, Atish admire her simple and kind nature. Jhilik also helps Arati's sister in law Bhashwati to undergo her depression and forget about Arati breaking her marriage in past. Jhilik prevents Arati's son Dipu from stealing, but later, Dipu actually steals the family's ornaments to support his drug addiction and gives them to Hira Amma's friends. Meanwhile, Hira Amma infiltrates the Mukherjee house in disguise and threatens Jhilik to steal or risk Biltu’s life. Jhilik refuses. Dipu's theft remains undiscovered while Arati plans to frame Jhilik. Suspicion falls on Jhilik after a guinea is found in her room — the same one Phula gave her. Pratima accuses her of lying, believing that only Mukherjee children wore such guineas. Jhilik, devastated, realizes she is Pari but no one believes her even after her repeated cries and pleas for innocence. Manish, Atish, Debesh everyone cruelly calls her thief and says she has no relations with them. Pratima throws her out of the house at midnight.

A heartbroken Jhilik finds shelter at the tea stall of a kind woman named Mona. Seeing Pratima's longing for Pari, Jhilik decides to send a 9.5-year-old orphan named Phulki to the Mukherjee house, asking her to pose as Pari to make everyone happy. Later, the truth about Dipu’s theft is revealed due to Bhashwati and Jhilik and the family feels guilty, though they still don’t believe Jhilik is Pori. Arati manipulates Phulki to turn against Jhilik. Jhilik soon learns that Hira Amma and Dipu are plotting to kidnap Biltu. Dipu falsely accuses her. Jhilik rescues Biltu with the help of her bravery and wit and returns him home, however she faints from exhaustion and blood loss. Pratima, overcome with guilt, takes Jhilik to the hospital. Jhilik survives and requests that Dipu be sent to rehab instead of jail. Dipu feels extremely guilty hence he reforms.

Jhilik then raids Hira Amma’s den with the police and rescues many children. Though Hira Amma escapes, her racket is destroyed. Jhilik returns to the Mukherjee household and is happy as she can stay with pratima. But Phulki and Arati continue to harass her. Due to Arati's provocation Bidisha decides to leave the house after she comes to know that Jhilik will be adopted. Arati and Phulki emotionally drain Jhilik hence Jhilik unwillingly rejects her adoption. However Manish and Pratima still decides to enroll her in a school and take responsibility of her education. Despite bullying at school, Jhilik gains a new friend.

During a picnic, Hira Amma poisons food prepared by Pratima. Jhilik suspects foul play but fails to stop everyone in time. The girls faint, and Pratima is wrongly blamed. When she seeks comfort, Phulki humiliates her leaving her devastated. Jhilik exposes Hira Amma and clears Pratima’s name. Mamta apologies to Pratima for everything and praises Jhilik. Phulki apologizes, but Pratima begins suspecting she is not her real daughter Pari. Using a clever trick, Pratima exposes Phulki’s truth. Phulki lies that Jhilik sent her as Pari to steal. Jhilik admits sending her as Pari but denies the theft. Feeling betrayed, Pratima lashes out. Manish calls her betrayer. Depressed Jhilik thinks she is a bad omen hence she runs away.

Jhilik ends up at Subroto's house. Jhilik got mistreated by Subroto's mother and wife but Subroto stands for Jhilik and decides to make her a runner. Jhilik becomes a runner and mukherjee family finds her. However Pratima still doesn't believe that Jhilik is Pari. Neither do the Mukherjee family believes. Coincidentally Hira Amma kidnaps Jhilik again. Jhilik rescues the children and signals the Mukherjees about her location. Pratima saves her, and Hira Amma is arrested. However, Hira Amma lies that the real Pari is still suffering elsewhere, leaving Pratima unaware that Jhilik is her daughter.

Pratima and Jhilik share a hug out of emotional exhaustion. Manish misunderstands Jhilik. Even after adopting Jhilik, except Pratima, Biltu, Debesh, Dipu and too some extent Harishankar all others are against Jhilik. However Harishankar is fed up by Aarti and asks her to leave the house. Jhilik’s aunt Aheli(Harishankar and Mamta's daughter) and Subroto convinces her to tell a small lie so the family accepts her as Pari. Everyone is overjoyed. But a month later, Subroto meets with a fatal accident and the small lie of Jhilik is revealed in a worst way. Aarti exposes the lie maliciously, and 10.5 years old Phulki supports her. A false letter from Hira Amma and Aarti leads everyone to believe Jhilik stole ₹5 lakhs. Although it was just a letter still most of them believes that Jhilik stole it. Jhilik is devastated by Subroto's condition while Pratima and the mukherjee family thinks that she betrayed them and wanted to take Pari's place. Pratima calls her betrayer. They ask her to leave the house and pratima asks her to immediately leave. Broken and angry, 10.5 years old Jhilik vows never to return. Jhilik is heartbroken after Subroto dies. When she sneaks and attends his funeral, everyone lashes out at her after she gets caught. Pratima asks her to go far away from them as she has no place here. Jhilik vows to never ever return back and promises to create a new identity. Hira  Amma tries to get hold of her but Jhilik successfully escapes her. On the other hand Pratima behaves weirdly and Arati instigates her causing problems in the family. Pratima stops believing in god.

Later Jhilik thanks the woman due to whom she got saved. Jhilik sees that the woman is ailing and does everything to save her life. The woman blesses her and both Jhilik and the woman return to the Kolkata station. Jhilik stumbles upon a legless Hira Amma who is dying and repentant of her sins. Hira Amma elaborates how she had a terrible accident and her men didn't pay for her treatment and left her like that. Later the hospital also threw her out so Hira Amma is left to die and beg on the streets. Jhilik initially wanted to leave but later she decides cares for her, and ashamed and repentant Hira Amma gives her love of a mother.

After Phulki ends up hurting Biltu, she is sent to boarding school. Jhilik and Hira Amma also ends up in the same boarding school. Phulki sees them and plans a scheme. Phulki later endangers Biltu’s life, Jhilik saves him. The Mukherjees see her with Hira Amma and wrongly assume she’s her daughter, accusing her of trying to usurp their property. Pratima insults Jhilik and Manish calls all her goodness a drama. Dipu tries to clear their misunderstanding but fails. Jhilik requests them to not take Hira Amma away and Hira Amma gets depressed seeing Jhilik. Pratima says Jhilik doesn't know the meaning of the word,"Maa". "Maa" word doesn't look good coming from Jhilik leaving Jhilik devastated. Debesh calls the police. Jhilik cries when police takes away Hira Amma and runs behind the car but no use. A depressed Jhilik runs away. She meets with a terrible accident.

She is saved by cruel and cunning Akhil Roy Chowdhury, the young brother of noble, rich, and partially blind woman named Pratima Roy Chowdhury because akhil himself mistakenly hit Jhilik with a car. Mistaking Jhilik for her lost daughter Babli, Pratima Roy Chowdhury becomes extremely happy. However Jhilik tries her best to make her realise that she is not Babli but Pratima Roy Chowdhury gets upset. The doctor asks Jhilik to save Pratima Roy Chowdhury's life. Akhil and his equally cunning wife thinks of using Jhilik. On the other hand Bidisha demands seperation of the house and Harishankar unwillingly decides to agree for the peace of the house leaving everyone shattered and depressed. Harishankar will stay with Dipu, Phulki, Pratima, Manish, Biltu on one side and Mamta will stay with Debesh, Bidisha and Debesh and Bidisha's son. Atish and Anu decides to leave the house. Everyone is depressed while Bidisha and Arati from another house seems to enjoy it and Phulki is not affected she is just concerned about herself. On the other hand, on a night Jhilik reveals to Pratima Roy Chowdhury that she is not Babli and earlier she was a thief and people calls her betrayer. Pratima Roy Chowdhury is impressed by her honesty and emotional with her pain. She requests Jhilik to stay with her and says she doesn't have to call her,"Maa". Pratima Roy Chowdhury says she will be waiting for the day when Jhilik will finally get over her past and call her "Maa". Jhilik gets emotional and both of them hugs each other and cries. Akhil and Rani are frustrated by this as their all plans seems to get failed. Pratima Roy Chowdhury decides to get Jhilik educated and loves her like her daughter. Jhilik starts calling her Moni

Jhilik, now 18, lives happily with Moni and studies in college. Still, she misses her real mother. Meanwhile, the Mukherjee family is broken. Pratima is ill and mistreated by 18 years old Phulki, and their house is on the verge of being sold due to Bidisha's actions. Arati also comes back to mukherjee house to stir fire in the house. Phulki fulfills all her materialistic demands by buttering Bidisha and insulting Pratima and Manish for their financial status. Although Bidisha is satisfied but Debesh and Bidisha always have tensions and arguments in their marriage. The house is on the verge of getting sold and except Bidisha, Arati and Phulki everyone is depressed. Dipu hates Arati for her nature and is always at loggerheads with her. Biltu misses Jhilik and wants her to come back. Pratima still remembers Pari but none of them is ready to believe that Jhilik is Pari. On the other hand Moni is a strong support system of Jhilik against Akhil and Rani. Jhilik has made Moni almost fit and fine though Moni still has some vision issues. Jhilik acts like a real daughter of Moni however she misses her family. Later the story will show how Mukherjee Family repents and how Pratima and Pari aka Jhilik reunites and Jhilik creates her new identity with the support of Moni, Hira Amma and many others

• Tithi Bose as Pari Mukherjee aka Jhilik - Pratima and Manish's daughter (2013-2014) (Main lead)
  • Tithi Bose as Child Pari aka Jhilik (2009-2011)
  • Sohena Roy as Baby Pari
• Sritama Bhattacharjee as Adult Pari Mukherjee aka Jhilik(Originally) (2011-2013)/Diya Roy Chatterjee; Raj's childhood love-turned-wife and angshu's former lover (2013-2014) (Main lead)
• Mahua Halder as Pratima Mukherjee, Pari's mother (Lead)
• Aparajita Adhya as Pratima Roy Chowdhury (Lead)

• Anindya Chatterjee as Rajdeep Roy (Raj), Diya's childhood love-turned-husband and Pari's love interest
• Bhaswar Chatterjee as Manish Mukherjee, Pari's father
• Chhanda Karanjee as Mamata, Pari's grandmother
• Chandicharan as Harishankar Mukherjee - Mamata's husband and Pari's grandfather
• Saswata Chatterjee as Bhaswati's husband
• Anindita Saha Kapileshwari as Bhaswati Chatterjee
• Rita Dutta Chakraborty as Arati Mukherjee, Harishankar's young sister and Dipu's mother (Antagonist)
• Aritra Dutta as Dipu, Pari's uncle and Arati's son (Former antagonist)
• Rajiv Bose as Arunangshu Mukherjee (Angshu), Jhilik's/Diya's ex-lover
• Dolon Roy as Mohini Chatterjee, Diya's step mother (Former antagonist)
• Sourav Das as Rik Chatterjee
• Ena Saha as Atish's wife
• Chandraneev Mukherjee as Atish, youngest son of Mukherjee family
• Sujata Daw as Aheli, youngest daughter of Mukherjee family
• Soma Chakraborty as Hira Amma (Former main antagonist later highly positive and supportive character)
• Sonali Chowdhury as Rajeswari, Diya's aunt
• Ashmita Chakraborty as Phulki (Antagonist)
  • Bhavana Banerjee as Child Phulki
• Aritram Mukherjee as Aditya Roychowdhury, Fulki's husband and Pratima Roy Chowdhury's son
• Rohit Mukherjee as Debesh, Pari's elder uncle and Harishankar's eldest son
• Ritoja Majumder as Bidisha, Debesh's wife (Former antagonist)
• Amitava Bhattacharyya as Doctor
• Biswajit Chakraborty as Samaresh Chatterjee, Diya's father
• Shankar Chakraborty as Subroto, Jhilik's Sports teacher
• Priyanka Bhattacharjee as Babli, Pratima Roy Chowdhury's daughter

The show was produced by Shree Venkatesh Films. For three years it was the highest rated show on Star Jalsha.^[4] The serial ended on August 3, 2014.^[4] A special episode featured stars of other serials as well as film personalities like Koel Mallick and Raj Chakraborty.^[5]

The soap won many awards at the Tele Cine Awards, Star Jalsha awards and the Tele Samman Awards. Some of them are:

• Best Actress - Sritama Bhattacharjee (at the 13th Tele Cine Awards)^[7][8]
• Best Performance - Soma Chakraborty (at the 13th Tele Cine Awards)^[8]

• Maa....Tomay Chara Ghum Ashena at IMDb