Shining Like A Star - Gauri x Shrenu - Page 2

U wrote all that I had.to say. Her little friends too were awesome

When I first read that Shrenu Parikh was roped in opposite my man Kunal Jaisingh, my reaction wasn't very enthusiastic. It wasn't negative but I wasn't jumping up and down with joy either. I was just concerned about Omkara getting his own much deserved love story. At that point my thoughts about his co-star could roughly be summarized to, "Buss ladki honi chaiye"

Cut to the final rounds of promotion for DBO. We were getting interviews and segments all around us. Kunal and Shrenu were killin' it with their comfort and chemistry. I saw them together and thought, "Hey, these two aren't bad. They are actually fun." I watched all of their segments again and again because I wanted to. Because watching them together was giving me joy. Which kept the thoughts of her being a Panchi Paas girl with a funny way of speaking away from my head.

Then happened DBO. And in these six days, I'm a goner. I used to call her Anika 2.0 because in the first two episodes, because her mannerisms in the beginning were a very conscious copy of how Anika behaved in the beginning. I guess the shift for me happened when she addressed Omkara as, "Sir" and pleaded him to let her do her business for just two hours. It was a tiny thing but it had an impact on what I thought of her as a character. But it took her interactions with Kali Pratap Thakur to tell us what her character REALLY is about. Gauri Kumari Ssarma is such an interesting blend of values and street smartness. She has the Vishwas thing going on for her but she uses every possible opportunity to use her wits and save herself. She has all the markings of a being an Abla Naari (villainous relatives + budhi maa + tharki thakur ki gandi nazar on her) but damn if she lets it all get her down. What makes her so special for me is her absolute blatant REFUSAL to wait around to be rescued.

She doesn't live in a La La Land. Her grip on reality is quite firm. She knows when to step back and when to step up. When to keep quiet and buy her time and when to strike. When to run and when to stay. The selfless love and devotion she has for her mother who she KNOWS isn't her real mother is commendable and ultimately the one thing anyone has to see to realize what shapes her. Omkara doesn't know this most important thing about her. He sees her as circumstances are painting her to be. And I don't blame him for hating her, after all the "image" of Gauri is everything that pricks Omkara in the worst possible way. Because if that didn't happen, there'd be no reason for these two to be clashing with each other cuz deep down they are similar people. They aren't opposites like the other two Ishqbaazis going on in this universe. Which makes them the most interesting for me (keeping my bias aside) I sometimes wonder what these two would've been like had they met in circumstances which were...peaceful. When he was still the artist who said poetry about love and she was just a fiercely independent village girl whose entire world revolved around her mother.

But I digress. Shrenu as Gauri brings SO much to this world. She gels well in but also stands apart. She is beauty and grace and destruction all at once. Something about the way her eyes go all red when in rage just hits me straight in the heart. Beautiful...absolutely beautiful.

I was sure that she would be perfect with kunal and she proved it right. I am in love with shrenal.

I'm so happy that everyone can see what a great actress Shrenu is and that all are praising her. She deserves it. We Shrenians know this since her previous show ... she is a multi-talented and very hardworking actress.I am so proud of her.