The could have's, the should have's and the that has happened.

The could have's, the should have's and the that already has happened.

I have been asked time again as to how and why I happen to be a neutral viewer when it came to Beyhadh and what makes one think neutrally without forming any sort of bias whatsoever and thus, I opened this topic to share the approach I think works well.

Before I begin, I strongly urge and even strongly recommend you to please read FleetingWishes's post on page 1 of The firewall between the light and the darkness including my 3 main posts. Because if what she said/explained and the way she did it doesn't somehow make sense to you then I'm going to say now has even lesser chances of making sense to you. 😆

Any show, any book, any movie, basically any form of art or literature comes with the following amongst other the things that hold significance :

- A set universe.

- A definite set of rules, functions, parameters and boundaries.

- The creator or writers vision.

Now, allow me to list Beyhadh's pro's and con's.

Con's :

- The tone of the show. (What exactly is it? Love story? Romantic thriller? Or both? Or none? Or something else)

- Characterization, development and progression of characters (Particularly, Arjun. He's rarely every anything more than a plot device.)

- Execution of tracks or plots. (They do have good tracks but the execution heavily relies on prophesies and the superstitious, spiritual, religious or Ex Machina elements)

Pro's :

- Still a piece of fictional television show which aims at and tries to offer a relatively new, fresh and original content.

- Brilliant performers/star cast in the form of Jennifer Winget and Aneri Vajani. (Kushal is decent and other supporting cast does well but no one can deny that Jennifer and Aneri are definitely the one's who stand out the most)

Now, what you need to understand about any show, book or movie you watch. Case in point, Beyhadh.

- You have all the right to critique, judge and study the show as you deem fit. Having said that, remember that the writer reserves the right to creative liberty. Sure, most of the shows abuse this liberty to an unacceptable level and dish out trash in the name of good entertainment, including Beyhadh. 😳 However, we still can't and we still shouldn't coerce the writers to divert the show's direction other in what direction they want it to go in. Because? It is at the end of the day, their product.

- If there is any piece of art or fiction, whether visual or written that you cannot connect to, that does not make sense to you using any logic, technique or perspective under the sun, please do yourselves a favour and do not watch it. You have every right to and you surely can express your displeasure, distaste, disappointment, disagreement and condemnation if need be. Once you have done that, let the show be. You move on and watch something that genuinely interests you and keeps you happy as a reader/viewer. If the show caters to the masses, it will have a successful run. If it doesn't, it'll die out. If it runs, their luck and if it doesn't, you get to relish the sadistic pleasure. 😆

For instance, let's consider Harry Potter series (JKR, I deeply apologize, my Queen that I have to use HP as a reference to explain certain things about Beyhadh. Mujhe maaf kar dena iss gushtakhi ke liye. 😭 But since there's no better reference I could think of at the moment, HP comes as a savior to me, as it always did. <3)

Harry Potter books are set in a universe magical universe. Magic, fantasy, supernatural, unseen, unknown, all of it. Supposing, I'm the kind who just doesn't believe in magic, I'll be like, aye ja bey ja, yeh magic wagic kuch nahi hota real life mein. Sab bekaar ki baatien hai, kya bakwaas hai yeh?' Would I be ever able to understand the GENIUS JK Rowling is and the MAGIC the books/movies were and will continue to be so for as long as there's life on earth. The answer is straight out, NO. I'd remain in my own bubble devoid of the geniusly phenomenal piece of work HP was.

Now, Beyhadh is no Harry Potter. NO AT ALL. Not in any capacity or space. SHEESH NO. HELL NO. 😳 But what I meant to lay emphasis on was in Beyhadh's universe, prophesies, predictions, warnings, signs, etc play a HUGE role and are a part of its existence. So, that leaves you and I no choice but to take them into consideration and not question its logicality or credibility even though you and I don't believe in it at all. Whether or not, it's a real practice in reality and whether or not, we consider it valid or acceptable is inconsequential because what we think doesn't make a difference to the story.

The parameters I use to study/analyze/critique the characters or their intentions/deeds with respect to what has already happened or is going to happen are as follows.

That which has already happened : Take Maya locking herself up at the sight of trouble at her wedding.

The could have : The Maya we have seen till date has shown that she's extremely capable of turning a situation or an event in favour even under dire circumstances. She easily could have handled the situation by taking Vandana aside and sorting it out. She could have easily explained Vandana her side of the story (personally, face to face, one on one talk) and ask her to give her once chance. Something that she ideally should have done EONS ago.

The should have : The should have basically is a viewer's version of what should have happened or what a certain character should have said or done in a particular situation. In this case, my should have matches with the could have.

And now,

The why it couldn't have : Considering the above three parameters, I completely get why Maya just ran from the situation to lock herself up after a dialogue or two. She was a bride to be, she had dreams and hopes of starting afresh, she was looking forward to all the love and happiness she was deprived of so long, she had hopes of happiness and peace, she was just an inch away from getting both her junoon and her sukoon. But what happened was the exact opposite of what she wanted. Her worst fears turned into a reality rearing it's ugly head in her face. She was yet again faced with fear, scepticism, doubtful and questionable faces, her traumatic and ugly past which she had almost left behind came rushing back to her like a bullet fast train of horrible memories she had almost forgotten. She couldn't think of anything else but to just escape into solitude and cry her heart out.

THAT is precisely how I see through any character. I only judge when I feel there's a need to otherwise, my attention is mostly focused on why a character is the way he/she is, why is he/she doing what he/she is doing, what makes him/her to be him/her, what makes them who they essentially are. I'd give out more examples on Arjun, Saanjh, Vandana or any other character but since Maya sabki favourite hai, I picked her up. 😆

If I go, arre isne aisa kyun kiya? Usse aisa karna chahiye tha. Isne aise kyun kaha, usse aise kehna chahiye tha. Woh aise kaisa kar sakti hai? Usko yeh nahi karna chahiye tha', etc. Then, I'd instead just go to the writer, snatch the paper and pen away from him and say,

'Bhai, tu rehne de. Tujhse nahi hoga. Main hi kar leti hoon'.

In this case, I don't doubt most of us could write the show better but ab jo hone se raha aur jo hone wala nahi uska soch ke kya faida. It's always better to go, Saanu ki fark painda hai?' or let me just write/discuss/rant away and be at peace with it'.

Now, I might go hibernate for a couple of years as the amount of writing I have done for the last 3-4 topics have almost given me ungliyon ka sarr dard. 😳 Ab yeh mat puchna ke fingers mein headache kaise hota hai? Yeh kya logic hai?

Edited : The terms 'you', 'you and I', 'us', 'we', viewers', 'audience', etc are a general figure of speech. GENERAL. 'You' isn't meant as or directed towards any person or fan group. Be assured. This post is ENTIRELY, COMPLETELY, TOTALLY and THOROUGHLY my approach of reading or watching a piece of fiction.

Reserved again.😎😆

edited:

I has flu nows so i shall be incoherent.😒

But before replying to your post can I just say: HUSNA (annihiliation.) is the most unbiased viewer on the forum. And I can say that because I TALK TO HER ALL THE TIME and I have never ever heard her taking a side, and we discuss the show A LOT and not for once has she EVER taken a side. Believe it or not, darlings, there's a world out there who concentrates more on story than who looks hot with whom.😆 She's a writer's viewer (unlike me. I can easily bash writers left right center😆) and she always look forwards to the story narrative. I don't even understand what people get so defensive and aggressive about?🤔 (chacha ki behen nahi hai Maya, or Saanjh. Thand rakh yaar😆)

Coming back to the topic. This is such a great great topic that focuses on the story aspects of a show. This is something as viewers we rarely discuss but something that's so vital to storytelling. I always love the way you type your topics. They're so coherent, cleanly stated and right on point.

Even though I wouldn't say that the storytelling rules apply to Indian TV cos kaunsi story chalti hai itni lambi or itni volatility ke saath? dynamics keep shifting for TRPs. But they obviously do in the way that a Universe is set. Rules of that universe is set. (the world building)
Characters are set into that Universe and then character Arcs are set. (character building)

And every scene that follows (good or bad) tells us something about the characters and it's like stairs, because every bit of information we gain on the character before applies in theory and context on the next step until we pretty much know all the character nuances and can figure out how the character is going to react or act.

Didn't the same happen for Beyhadh? I'm lost as to how people are so misguided in what they want from the show.😆
The first promo showed a girl who ONLY got a warning from a Pandit BURNING DOWN HIS HOUSE. Ide understand why do people play that shit down. Ghar hi toh jalaya hai. jaan toh nahi lee. bohat ehsaan kiya hai aapne sirf ghar jalaake.😲 Aapka ghar bhi aake koi Maya jaalade, aap tab bhi itne hi understanding hona. nahi nahi inspector sahaab, achhi larki hai. atleast i'm alive.😲

THIS STORY from the very start has been about a woman with emotional and mental instability. ABOUT HER VOLATILE EMOTIONS. ABOUT A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP. ABOUT OBSESSION THAT IS EXTREME.

How on Earth as a viewer do people think it's a romance that'll whitewash her into a sati savitri?😆 OF COURSE SHE'S UNSTABLE. OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT. SHE'S DANGEROUS. Wasn't that always going to be the plot? yah mere sar pe se guzra hai woh?
She may be the protagonist but she's also THE ANTAGONIST.

And her relationship with Arjun is abusive and toxic. Go read an article about the symptoms. 🤓

I think right from the first promo the CVs established that THIS IS NOT A LOVESTORY. This is a story about what happens when you love in extreme. When your madness and obsession crosses a line. I didn't get the memo when it was supposed to be all roses and sunshine.😆Doosre promo mein toh Saanjh bechaari bhi thi.😆

And I think the show from the very start has established that Saanjh is the antithesis to Maya. I think right from the beginning the show's trying to show that Maya's extremity and selfishness will be countered with Saanjh's tranquility and selflessness.

The show keeps on driving home the point through so many pandits my head spins. i've never seen so many pandits in all shows combined.😆

AND WHY ON EARTH DO WE HAVE TO WHITEWASH EVERYTHING? I'm sorry I just don't understand. How does romance give a pass to characters in such a way that they can be as wretched, wrong and bad as they want to be but nahi bhai romantic leads hain toh sab maaf hai. (I'm not pointing to fans who are individual fans and just want their characters to have great outcomes) but I've seen this SO BLOODY MUCH. In shows, in books, in media. Rapists get away because they're the 'romantic leads', aggressive abusive main leads get away with everything because people find it hot when in context of romance. They always want to see a happy ending and whitewashing. BUT WHY?

EVERY VILLAIN HAS A WRETCHED PAST. Hitler didn't have it all roses and flowers and mohabbat. Serial Killers, Thieves, Murderers, Abusive people have wretched pasts too. That NEVER gives them the RIGHT to be the way they're. Isn't that the point that's being proved?
No matter what your past YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HURT ANOTHER HUMAN BEING AND THEN JUSTIFY THE MEANS.

I read such a great book where the main lead is absolutely amazing but because of a traumatic incident in his past he actually ends up beating the fl 2,3 times and not exactly beating her in the extremity but headbutting, pushing, cursing vilely ( and he doesn't remember much afterwards) AND THE FL DECIDES TO LEAVE HIM. Because that is the truth! No girl or guy out there watching Beyhadh deserves the lesson that the person they're in love with or together with will be just fine and all they've to do is hold their hand through therapy. No they deserve to know that sometimes as tragic as it is, these people can be harmful to you. Love DOES NOT CURE people. Some times they cannot be cured. I want Maya to be fine. I want to watch her heal and lead a healthier life (even though this happens rarely in real life until the person makes A CHOICE to either avoid the situations altogether or really step away from such a thing) but until that happens or until she makes a conscious effort to take on the struggle I cannot sympathize with her just based on her past. I did before but I owe it to myself and to all the people who are with people like Maya, in such relationships traumatized by them, to not find anything remotely romantic or praiseworthy in what she and Arjun share and I think that also is the point of the show.

I've always said this. Nobody just wakes up one day and decides to be bad. they're all shaped by their pasts. What differs the good from the bad is the choices that they make.

I know Maya has had a wretched past. I cannot fathom anyone going through it. But her past doesn't give her the right or reasoning to burn houses, fire and hire people as she likes, almost drive over her MIL and Saanjh.
She gets into fits of rage. She can actually make a choice to get better. But her lack of remorse and conflict and self depravity doesn't exactly enamor me to her.😆


Arjun toh Arjun hai. Bhai ke baare mein kya boloon. ek hafte mein pyaar, agle hafte shaadi. Please don't do that in real life.😆 yeh Bhai toh gaye.

I think at some point no matter how much we discuss the parameters they warp around the TRPs and the TRPs decide the fates.
If this show ends up being about Saanjh being the killer and Maya the saaf suthri devi I'd call it bullocks because that's not what they promised. At the same time people will be elated and call it a masterstroke. You never know.


This is indeed a great post Husna. I think I deviated from the topic a lot but I guess that's how I see the show, the parameters, the povs and that's how I perceive it.

- If there is any piece of art or fiction, whether visual or written that you cannot connect to, that does not make sense to you using any logic, technique or perspective under the sun, please do yourselves a favour and do not watch it. You have every right to and you surely can express your displeasure, distaste, disappointment, disagreement and condemnation if need be. Once you have done that, let the show be. You move on and watch something that genuinely interests you and keeps you happy as a reader/viewer. If the show caters to the masses, it will have a successful run. If it doesn't, it'll die out. If it runs, their luck and if it doesn't, you get to relish the sadistic pleasure. 😆

^^^ That is one advice I follow to the T. 😆 don't you know all about it.😆

Rida.

hmmm i never questioned your right to think of yourself as a neutral fan. i did not read all the comments on your post so i dnt know what the others wrote. but even so i don't make post defending myself as a maya fan and the fact that i want all tracks to revolve around her. i dnt expect saanjh fans to defend themselves either so a neutral fan defending themselves i have no idea what to make of it.

I normally dnt comment on posts that i can see would not share my view point. but i read your post and i really thought it was beautifully written. and so i commented but could not keep distain of saanjh's character out of your post. u could have ignored or said u did not agree with my view point and that would have been acceptable. but this post is nothing but a subtle dig to tell the fans who are not neutral like u say u are, to not have an opinion and move on if the story does not show u want u want. further u want us not to impose our views on the writers and force them to change the direction of their show? but why not? do u watch isqhbaaz on SP it was promoted as a male orientated show and ended up being a saas bahu show. fans showed their displeasure and
they got a spin off, of the show. this is a little difference as it is a finite show. but that being said the writers may have a script for 9 months but its not as if all the episodes have been shoot yet. so i will continue believing that i have the right to comment on what i like and what i dnt like.

this post is nothing but moral policing by you. and if u really were a neutral fan of the show this reply would not be needed. but then i might be wrong and might not have been intelligent enough to understand what u wrote in this post.


and you should remove the 3 names from this post, send it to the moderator of the forum and ask her to make it a sticky topic as the rules of the forum coz its nothing but a much of rules that u have posted here.

Originally posted by: sandiab

hmmm i never questioned your right to think of yourself as a neutral fan. i did not read all the comments on your post so i dnt know what the others wrote. but even so i don't make post defending myself as a maya fan and the fact that i want all tracks to revolve around her. i dnt expect saanjh fans to defend themselves either so a neutral fan defending themselves i have no idea what to make of it.

I normally dnt comment on posts that i can see would not share my view point. but i read your post and i really thought it was beautifully written. and so i commented but could not keep distain of saanjh's character out of your post. u could have ignored or said u did not agree with my view point and that would have been acceptable. but this post is nothing but a subtle dig to tell the fans who are not neutral like u say u are, to not have an opinion and move on if the story does not show u want u want. further u want us not to impose our views on the writers and force them to change the direction of their show? but why not? do u watch isqhbaaz on SP it was promoted as a male orientated show and ended up being a saas bahu show. fans showed their displeasure and
they got a spin off, of the show. this is a little difference as it is a finite show. but that being said the writers may have a script for 9 months but its not as if all the episodes have been shoot yet. so i will continue believing that i have the right to comment on what i like and what i dnt like.

this post is nothing but moral policing by you. and if u really were a neutral fan of the show this reply would not be needed. but then i might be wrong and might not have been intelligent enough to understand what u wrote in this post.


and you should remove the 3 names from this post, send it to the moderator of the forum and ask her to make it a sticky topic as the rules of the forum coz its nothing but a much of rules that u have posted here.

Absolutely love your analysis and look forward eagerly. Count me in, I am neutral and that's the reason I post very very less on this forum.

@anni i have said earlier in ur thread that ur one of the rare neutral viewers.
u rightly appreciate all the actors
u r not among those who want to blackmail cvs/channel to change the story.
u have apperciated/criticised Arya/saajun with balanced views

u are not blind fan of any ckt.


for the sake of people who appreciate u r writing continue to write. u don't need to ans every question who don't think u are neutral .98% people here are biased(including both fan groups) n many will not agree neutral post or find it neutral.