Posted:
The episode was fine. Better than yesterday's, at least.
The build-up of the hostage situation has been terrible. But the performances have sold it consistently. The writers shouldn't take that for granted though. The script should be able to support the actors' performances, not downplay them.
My issue with all episodes revolving around the hostage situation is that it lacks the sense of suspenseful horror that the writers have tried to provide. The situation could've been so intense, so power-packed, scary -- like a thriller or horror sequence -- but instead it's been full of illogical suspense and lack of character interaction/focus, other than V.
If the writers keep up this kind of weak/illogical and unstructured screenplay, then I think that they'll lose viewers. And I'm not talking about those viewers who have been as loyal as ever since the show started, but the new viewers who might've found the show intriguing -- had the episodes been executed nicely and had they lived up to the promos.
Moving on to the...
>> Pros:
1) Gayatri's steel-hard expression and her provocative words to V
Sumukhi rocks my world with her deadly expressions. I swear. I absolutely loved the way that she stared at V, unblinking, unfazed by his threats. There was disgust on her face as well as steely hardness and "bring it on, you psycho". Her low opinion of him was evident in her eyes. Fantastic.
Something else that I found awesome was how she egged him on. I wondered, just for a moment, if she was testing him -- to see how far he could go and what kind of psychopath that she was dealing with. It seemed that she was trying to figure him out. I loved how she kept pointing out that he'd never have Jahnvi, that they were divorced. Some might say it was a bad move -- but I found it a brave and clever move.
Gayatri made V insecure. She fazed him. You saw him lose control again which generally distracted him enough that, in that moment, if the cops had attacked -- he wouldn't have had the presence of mind to make a smart move.
The shots of V hitting Gayatri weren't shown, but it was obvious from her wounds that he had been abusing her. This is how low V can go without an ounce of remorse. Gayatri is old enough to be his mother, yet he treated her like a sacrificial animal. It doesn't surprise as we've all seen how he treated his own mother -- for years.
If the writers ever attempt to make me sympathize with this man again -- I swear *shakes head* It won't convince me, but what it will do is put the show and writers in a bad light. It would just be wrong.
One other thing -- note how Komal silently pleaded Gayatri to remain quite when she had started egging V on. Nice detail, realistic. I would've done the same as Komal, probably.
2) Komal's expression and Taashu's attempt at bravery
I loved Komal's glare. If eyes could kill, V would've dropped dead. Neha's performance is most commendable. Even when silent, she did a fantastic job with her expressions.
Taashu's attempt at bravery was awesome. She was scared crapless, but she still asked for mercy for her mother and Bhabhi. That showed the golden core of the Singh women. They're all lionesses and valiant -- even when death is staring them in the eyes. Brilliant. Taashu could've gotten more screenspace, but I am content with the fact that the writers at least considered her character in all this rather than just kept her silent throughout.
3) Raghav cracks when he hears his family scream
Fantastic scene. We saw a crack in his composed exterior and saw him react. He fought, battled the cops, in order to get inside. I love how he snatched the gun from one of them, mind set on finding V and finishing his pathetic life.
Directing-wise, it wasn't the best shot. But HC's performance sold it.
4) Raghav threatens V to bargain for his family's protection
Once again, we saw Raghav act. I liked how he said that if he heard even one sound from his family, he'd make sure that V never saw Sia's face in his life. V knows Raghav enough to know that he'll make good on his promise. That's another contrast b/w the two of them.
Plus the expression on Raghav's face meant business. He was two seconds from blowing V up with a gun -- should he hear another scream from Komal. I liked that we got to watch Raghav pull his emotions inward just as they were about to be set loose again. Sure, still rushed, but at least we got to see it.
Something else that I liked was how Raghav told the female cop to call for food, anything, and a doctor. I hope that the doctor that arrived was from the police force and not another civilian as he could be added to the hostage group at V's command as well.
5) V becomes abusive
Well, this was certainly in character. I was waiting for him to exercise his power over them all through violence and found it out of character that he hadn't for two whole episodes as he'd been alone with three women, bound and gagged -- just the way he likes them.
This is a pro because, as I mentioned above, it is in character for V to exercise his power through abuse of his victims, and it's an important detail that's been neglected earlier on.
6) The female cop tells the others to shoot V at sight
Finally. I was starting to believe that the female cop wasn't as clever/cool as I had thought her to be, but thank God [or the writers] that she proved me wrong. Telling the other cops to shoot V at sight without giving him a chance to bat his eyelashes was the first smartest thing she'd said ever since the entire hostage situation started.
This is what I mean when I say that the writers aren't stupid. They know the right way and the rational way of things, yet they insist on delivering episodes like yesterday's instead of giving us logic and character consistency. I fail to understand why.
>> Technical pros:
1) The shot of Komal lying on the floor
Fantastic shot. Frightening. Intense. I loved the way that her hair was spread around her head, the way that she stared up at the camera -- and the camera angle made the whole shot appear raw. Great job.
>> Cons:
1) The conversation b/w Baba and Sia
I'm sorry, but I gravely disliked it. First thing, it was all over the place. He talks about life in general, and then suddenly he's talking about love. Considering that he's a Baba, it would have had a stronger [and more realistic] impact if he'd spoken of life and human nature -- not true love and definitely not junoon.
What kind of message is that? Turn your love into junoon. If I'm not wrong, that is exactly what V has done and look at him. What Raghav/Sia share has nothing to do with junoon; it runs deeper and it's pure. It's not an obsession. Their bond is unique, and I really don't appreciate the writers trying to give out the message that it should be turned into junoon.
It especially made no sense coming from a Baba who is supposed to talk about life, God, etc., not junoon. The actor who portrayed Baba was awesome. The story was interesting. And I liked how he spoke of the journey of life. But the rest of his dialogues were horrible and not worked on at all. They were "lazy dialogues", really.
I would've liked him to ask Sia why she seemed so sad. I would've liked him to tell her in his own words that life is painful. And I would've liked Sia to reach the conclusion of how she doesn't want to sacrifice, but embrace the opportunity to love on her own rather than him preaching about love and whatnot.
Baba should've stuck to existential questions and guidance. But again, the writers rushed Sia's process -- she's supposed to go from love to crazy in love in a matter of episodes.
What saved the whole scene was Sia's monologue on the phone when she thought that Raghav was listening. That's all. They could've made the conversation with Baba intense and important, deeper, but they chose not to.
2) V abusing the women is just not frightening
You know that he's not going to fatally harm anyone. You know that he's only going to do as much as knicking Gayatri's throat with the sword or throw a few slaps -- what would've actually been frightening and made him unpredictable was if he'd thrown the chair down on Komal, shocking us all.
But, as per usual, I knew he'd stop short of it. I knew that he wouldn't do anything. It's the writers fault in the sense that they've exposed V so much that everyone knows V's a total chicken. He's predictable. And it takes away the fright.
3) The cops are useless
I know they'll be back in action tomorrow night as per the precap, but that doesn't diminish the fact that they've been useless for four episodes in a row. Gurgaon's doomed, I swear. The town's fate rests in the hands of men who didn't even care to check if their resident psychopath was under the blanket in his hospital room.
4) The abuse of Komal should've taken place in yesterday's episode
Self-explanatory. They could've shown the abuse in yesterday's episode, or in Friday's. It would've made more sense for him to target Gayatri alone in tonight's episode since she's the one who pushed all the buttons.
5) Why did Komal wince when V injected himself?
She's a doctor and has, in fact, injected a lot of people herself.
>> Technical cons:
1) The shot of Raghav struggling to get inside and the cops preventing him
Could've been shot from a more powerful angle.
2) Rushed sequences
Self-explanatory. I still don't understand -- what's the rush?
Done for tonight, peeps. Nite.
Arjun
