Posted:
I don't know why, but there's this feeling of disconnect that has crept in my mind as far as this show is concerned.
In the beginning, they started off with so much potential. But they quickly went down the drain with some done to death tracks.
Some things that irk me-
1. The love triangle:
I mean, can you employ a device more cliched? It's another thing that it's a love triangle only by name, because Priyom doesn't have romantic feelings for Poonam at all. Kahe ka love triangle?😕
2. Characterization-
The characterization has been inconsistent and unrelatable many a time.
a. Phoolan Thakur-
The makers need to explore more of his character. I do find his style of functioning a bit confusing at times, but he is probably the most fascinating of the lot.
He is noble, brave and daring to sacrifice all for his ideals. He is the raja who holds the welfare of his praja over all. Granted.
But I do need to see the family man side of him. I have never seen him interacting with the women in his household, like a scene with Guddi or Maya. He doesn't reprimand Mithilesh or Priyom for their colourful lifestyle. He seems to have begotten his children like Kunti Ma, because he makes absolutely no mention of his partner/spouse😆
And yesterday, I found him to be almost indifferent to the plight of his grandchildren, though he kept saying that they were his "jaan". Want to see more of his personal side. And also his exploits as a raja tackling issues in Begusarai and butting heads with others.
b. Laakhan-
Now I have to say, I utterly dislike the breed of angry young men who sashay on our TV screens. But I do find this one interesting, because the makers actually dared to portray him as emotionally abusive and a shade darker. It's the same case as in real life, where possessive husbands and boyfriends claim to love their partners but wreak misery on their lives in the name of love. Woh sab theek hai.
But it was too soon, in my opinion, to set the stage for a confrontation between him and his brothers. They should have stretched this a bit further, both in terms of how his bond with his family declines and how his junoon for Poonam increases.
c. Priyom-
Arguably my second favorite character after Phoolan. I really like the portrayal of male characters who care for what the women in their lives think and what they desire. My all-time favorite when it comes to this particular prototype is Mr. Darcy, who combines chivalry, a sense of enigma, and soulfulness under that seemingly arrogant exterior😳
And so I DO like the noble Priyom who cares and respect women. But he has been too uni dimensional off late. Endow him with some follies (albeit relatable ones), apart from his promiscuity, which despite humanizing him is rather off-putting .
And add some much-desired intensity to his scenes with Poonam, for gods-sake. The actors have a good chemistry and are portraying their roles well. But some emotional angst and introspection on his side would be nice. He got the girl way too easily, didn't even have to work for it!😉
3. No police, no law and order, no rival factions-
I do agree that some factions of the police force are corrupted. The recent incident wherein a brave journalist was burnt alive by a minister in UP with the full complicity, if not the nonchalance of the police is a case in point.
But I find it hard to digest that no police authorities, even corrupt ones, make an appearance in the show. Murders happen everyday, and there is a torrent of violence and bloodshed. Lekin policewale yahaan aakhri scene mein bhi nahi aate😆
Same applies for rival factions- it'd be fun to see some other Thakur, equally rich and powerful, albeit an immoral one, at loggerheads with Phoolan. It would enhance the dramatic possibilities. I know that this show is about the internal rifts caused by zar, zoruand zameen, but still...
The character whose father was killed by Phoolan, for example. He needn't have been killed so easily. He could have played the role of Iago by slowly and steadily poisoning Lakhan's mind against his uncle and cousins.
4. Women characters-
I appreciate the show for daring to delineate a wide range of characters- the naive and the powerless, who have internalized patriachy and its workings (Poonam and her mom, Maya and Chotti Amma), the spunky, who dare to question patriarchy ( Guddi, Danger Daadi😆 and Najma) and the artful and manipulative seductress, who uses her body to get her way with the men (Bindiya), and the materialistic and spiteful Rekha. Especially, good job with Najma- nice to see a Muslim woman with agency and mobility, having independent thoughts, going to college and freely moving on her scooter.
But is it too much to ask, if I wanted Maya and Poonam to grow a spine and give it back to the men in their lives? Please endow the latter in particular with some spunk ASAP. Female viewers like to relate with the female protagonists, and I for one can't relate with Poonam, though I empathize with her.
***Yet, I would like to commend the makers for going ahead with an unconventional theme and milieu. It's the only show I watch on TV. The rusticity, quirkiness and the exotic nature of Begusarai has been portrayed well, and all its characters, be it male (Phoolan, Mithilesh, Lakhan, Priyom) or female (Bindiya, Daadi, Guddi, Poonam, Maya, Najma) have been sketched well.
If you avoid cliched tracks and give us some interesting interplay between the characters, and their power struggles and passions with this interesting setting as the backdrop... the show will become all the more engrossing and intriguing. 😃⭐️
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
