MUMBAI: Indian television's most successful television soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is set for a 20-year leap and the next generation of actors will be chosen from a talent hunt.

Walk-in auditions have been planned in three northern cities: New Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla and the hunt will kick start on 29 April.

The leap makes way for a host of new characters to make their appearance on the small screen. The Ekta Kapoor headed creative team of Kyunki…. is stepping out of Mumbai to search for these new faces, informs an official release.

"The highlight of this talent hunt is the search for “Krishnatulsi” who takes over the mantle of Tulsi from Smriti Irani as she takes over the mantle of Baa," says Balaji Telefilms creative director Ekta Kapoor.

"We are always on the look out for fresh talent but this time around it is very special. We are looking for the next generation of the Virani family. We started Kyunki… five years back with a large part of the cast selected from the masses and most of them, today, are well established artists with their own fan following. It therefore makes complete sense for us to go back to the masses to look for the next generation of the Virani family," says Kapoor.

The dates for audition in each city are:

New Delhi -- 29 and 30 April at Marwah Studio Noida.
Shimla -- 1 May at Chaura Maidan College.
Chandigarh -- 2 May at Dev Samaj College for Girls.

The auditions are open to professional actors, models, theatre artists and the general public in the 18 to 25 years age group. Good diction, brilliant attitude and acting skills are factors critical in being short-listed, states the release.