“Every girl dreams of a crown, but the path from an ordinary life to royalty is seldom smooth.”
That is the heart of Dekha Ek Khwaab — a show that blends romance, mystery, palace politics and identity struggles into an emotional journey. First aired in late 2011 on Sony TV, the serial won attention for its bold premise: a girl, unaware of her royal roots, thrust into a dramatic transformation. With layered characters, twists, betrayals and love triangles, the show holds a special place in fans’ memories even years after going off air.
Below is a quick Overview of the show, before we dive deep:

Overview
| Aspect | Details | 
| Title | Dekha Ek Khwaab | 
| Genre | Drama / Romantic / Royal intrigue | 
| Channel / Network | Sony Entertainment Television India | 
| Original Run | November 21, 2011 to August 2, 2012 | 
| Number of Episodes | 173 | 
| Typical Runtime | Approx. 20–25 minutes per episode | 
| Production House | Rose Audio Visuals | 
| Key Creatives | Writers: Ritu Bhatia, Ishita Moitra Directors: Sagar Kagra & Deepak Thakur | 
| Language / Country | Hindi / India | 
| Main Cast (Highlights) | Priyal Gor, Ashish Kapoor, Shritama Mukherjee, Aruna Irani, Shahbaz Khan, Anita Kulkarni, Abhishek Rawat, Rajesh Jais, Bharat Kaul, Kunal Bakshi, others | 
Story / Plot Summary
Dekha Ek Khwaab centers on a young woman named Monia (Manyata), who leads an ordinary life with dreams bigger than her surroundings. She yearns for a grand destiny, unaware of the whirlwind fate that awaits her.
The turning point arrives when Monia discovers that she is in fact the kidnapped princess Manyata Kumari, the rightful heir of the Devgarh royal family. She was abducted in her childhood and raised by Murari Lal, who had his own motives.
As Manyata is reunited with her biological family, her life becomes a battlefield. She must contend with palace conspiracies, rival siblings, secrets from the past, and emotional dilemmas about love and duty.
Key narrative threads include:
- Manyata’s clash with Jainandini, her younger sister, who harbors resentment and sees Manyata as a rival.
- A love triangle involving Akash Verma (Manyata’s first love) and Udayveer Singh (Uday), the royal heir she is supposed to marry. Uday befriends Manyata, but complications arise because of his existing feelings and obligations.
- Tests and trials prescribed by the royal family to determine the true heir; attempts on Manyata’s life or sabotage orchestrated by rivals; and revelation after revelation about her past.
- Dramatic confrontations, disagreements, misunderstandings, and eventual acceptance of destiny. The show culminates in reconciliations, sacrifices, and an affirmation of Manyata’s rightful place.
Overall, the show combines the fantasy of a “rags to royalty” journey with emotional intensity and royal intrigues.
Cast & Characters
From the IMDb full credits page, here are some noteworthy names and their roles:
- Priyal Gor as Yuvrani Manyata / Monia — the central character, torn between her ordinary upbringing and royal legacy.
- Shritama Mukherjee as Rajkumari Jainandini — Manyata’s younger sister and principal challenger.
- Aruna Irani as Rajmata Mrinalini Devi — the matriarch of the Devgarh royal family.
- Shahbaz Khan as Maharaj Brijraj Singh — Manyata and Jainandini’s biological father.
- Anita Kulkarni as Maharani Komal Devi — the queen and mother of the princesses.
- Ashish Kapoor as Yuvraj Udayveer Singh — heir of Jaigarh, with whom Manyata’s romance is entwined.
- Rajesh Jais as Murari Lal — the man who kidnapped Manyata and raised her.
- Abhishek Rawat as Akash Verma / Aryan Rai Chawdhury — Manyata’s first love interest and later a key antagonist.
- Bharat Kaul as Mr. Raichowdhury — connected to Akash’s backstory.
- Kunal Bakshi as Jagat Singh Rathore — Jainandini’s ex-fiancé and a supporting character in the conflict web.
- Others also credited include Amit Behl, Ankita Bhargava, Sujata Sehgal, Kuldeep Mallik, Mark Farokh Parakh, Falaq Naaz, Aliraza Namdar etc.
This ensemble allowed the show to explore multiple parallel tracks — sisterly rivalry, power ambition, love versus duty, and hidden motives.
Timing & Telecast
During its initial run, Dekha Ek Khwaab aired on Sony Entertainment Television (India). Its episodes were roughly 20–25 minutes each.
Since its conclusion in August 2012, there is no confirmed ongoing daily telecast. Some episodes may be found on official Sony platforms or YouTube archives, but an official repeat slot is not prominently listed.
If you wish, I can check if the show is streaming now on any OTT platform and share details — would you like me to do that?
Highlights, Appeal & Legacy
- The concept of an “ordinary girl turning into a princess” is timeless, but Dekha Ek Khwaab gave it emotional depth by weaving in family betrayals, moral dilemmas, and the burden of identity.
- The rivalry between sisters Manyata and Jainandini added tension and kept viewers guessing who would gain the crown and at what cost.
- The love triangle (Manyata–Akash–Uday) drove much of the show’s romantic drama and conflict.
- The show is notable for bringing strong actresses like Aruna Irani into a regal role, giving gravitas to the royal household.
- Though the show ended almost a decade ago, many fans still talk about its plot twists, character arcs and occasional “what-if” scenarios (like an alternate Season 2).
- Some criticism arose that certain subplots (for example, Akash’s transformation or some assassination plots) got rushed or under-explored, but the emotional core and main arc held firm.
Final Thoughts
Dekha Ek Khwaab stands as a memorable entry in the Indian television landscape — a show that dared to mix fantasy, romance, and royal drama. Its strength lay in its central premise: that a dreamer can turn into a queen, but only through adversity, courage, and self-realization.
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
         
         
         
         
         
        