Popular show "Uttaran" is set to take an 18-year leap, with actress Tina Datta playing a double role as 35-plus Ichcha and her young daughter Meethi.

The show will air on Colors from March 26 and Tina is excited about her double role.

"I feel privileged that the show that launched my career is also helping me take it forward in such a spectacular manner. I feel blessed that I not only get to play two different characters, but also get to experiment with my look," she said.

"I am spending as much time as possible working on how I will make Ichcha and Meethi two distinct characters, yet with similar characteristics. It is a challenging job and I am absolutely excited about working on it."

Actress Sreejita De has been roped in to play Mukta, daughter of Ichcha's childhood friend Tapasya. They will be supported by Yashdeep Nain and Chaitanya Choudhury.

Even as the new characters lead the way, the show's popular characters Jogi Thakur, Ammo and Naani will continue being a part of it.

The show started off with the portrayal of Ichcha and Tapasya building their friendship as kids, their squabbles as adolescents and their love-hate relationship as adults.

The new leap will put focus on their children and life thereon.

"'Uttaran' is a struggle between the haves and the have not's which has been portrayed through the lives of Ichcha and Tapasya so far," Prashaant Bhatt, head of fiction, Colors, said in a press statement.

"The 18-year leap is a natural progression that will not only continue the portrayal of their lives, but also shift focus to their children. The new characters will infuse the show with a new life thus making it very interesting besides retaining the core concept of 'Uttaran'.

"While the existing characters will now move on to take on some more interesting shades, like Tina's mother-daughter avatar, new faces will take on strong characters that take the story forward.

"We are sure that Meethi and Mukti will recreate the amazing chemistry that was shared by Ichcha and Tapasya when they started their journey," added Bhatt.

"Uttaran" started in December 2008, after which the storyline took a 10-year leap forward in 2009 and actors Tina and Rashmi Desai were introduced.

Post the secon leap, the story will not only focus on the continuing trials and tribulations in Ichcha's life, but also the new twist in the tale with Meethi and Mukta's friendship while they have no knowledge about the reality of their past.