Hi, I wanted to address all concerning issues. Please read, please read till the end. As I will break my explanation structurally. I didn't want to make a post based on my opinion and wanted to make sure it was balanced.. Hence I did some research and took views from friends, family and professionals to get a more unbiased reflection. The comments we make and the impression we give on the internet is important ' hence one should take great responsibility, whilst even if it in a discussion forum for a fictional show.
First I wanted to commend Saubhagyavati bhava, a new genre of show which pulled out of the garbs of latent saffronisation of TV towards secularisation and handled a bold topic of DV whilst still keeping traditions, morals, religion and respect intact. It touched our souls and mind regarding the suffering women endure as a victim of such abuse. It taught us , backing down and wishing problems away will not resolve them and God helps those who help themselves, it distinguished between Aathma Vishwaas and Anth Vishwaaas.
It explored a new illness which was possibly never heard of by many, OCPD however it is a different thing altogether that they stretched and made fun of the illness and made the patient a sociopath instead. The objective of addressing the illness was lost for a while.. but not forgotten.
Everyone for whatever reason has been unhappy during the course of the show for valid reasons and also- some can be considered whims and fancies. What are or could be these whims and fancies? People wanting Viraj to be redeemed, the hope of seeing Rajvi / Raghvi romance, Glorification of evil, punishment of evil, Jahnvi returning to Viraj, or her starting a perfect new life with Raghav. WE DO NOT KNOW. These whims and fancies could be anything that could be the reason for the creative's are writing for, which is upsetting the actors and rushed leaps and story lines are being written.
We need to move forward... yet understand the past.
Jahnvi escaped the hell she was living in with Viraj after the tremendous abuse she endured, that made the hair on our arms stand up. She went to start a new life and found help in the form of Raghav. This was unrealistic. Half the audience complained to show realism here and the other half were happy that Janhvi received that help. All women who are DV victims need help. However her knight was glorified as he was completely the opposite of her abuser. He was 'perfect'.
Just as things were looking better, the abuser returns. Glorified as he was, 'his power seemed unbeatable. BUT Jahnvi kept quiet ' she managed to remain under the same roof as him without telling anyone he was a dangerous man. UNTIL his attacks got worse. Now came the time of the glorified knight verses the glorified abuser. To catch one Rowdy Villain you need a Rowdy hero. This is what happened. BUT why was Viraj glorified in the first place. This is a serial it has to run for some time, the concept was always built around Viraj and his mysterious ways and the suspense. Be it Sleeping with the enemy, Agnisakshi, Darrar, Yaraana and many others, they all had the element of suspense to grip a wider audience.
Again here the fight if being realistic - could have been between Jahnvi and Viraj, BUT it wasn't and I'd say it was better and easier to have Raghvi face Viraj together. Can you see the pattern? There are many instances above alone that show - realism wasn't applied, where some were happy the others were dissatisfied.
For he was shown powerful, a untouchable character was thrown out of character so to speak and he lost. Good prevailed over evil. This is what people wanted to see - this was the long awaited justice. So SB taught women not to suffer in silence, make a stand and fight your fear. Fuel your inner strength with self confidence.
So we saw Jahnvi's journey in hell, fighting out of hell twice and now she is in martial heaven. What did we miss? We missed her journey 'from out of hell' to 'heaven'. Why? Because they showed her remaining within culture, falling in love after the divorce and marrying straight away. I see CV's have taken a regressive take with this. BUT isn't this what half the audience wanted for ages? Wasn't this a fancy too?
Now they show Raghvi happily married and have a strong bond. They have disregarded a very common thing called depression. A DV victim time to time if not for a long time would hit depression. She wouldn't be all lovey dovey and things would not be hunky dory all the time. This is very unrealistic. The Raghvi moments are extremely cute don't get me wrong and if people can deal with fiction, watch these moments and forget about them then they are beautiful. Those who are expecting more will look for realism and will not be able to find it here.
The DAY Viraj got arrested the DV story stopped.. what you see past the leap is more fiction. She has become Saubhagyavati Bhava without the question mark.
BUT then that is loosing the original concept isn't it? So how do they run the show and keep the question mark with SB? They cannot show Raghav having an affair, cannot turn him into a abuser, cannot make her a widow.. because this will defeat the whole object of giving hope to DV victims.
What happen next... ?
Viraj, the illness is being addressed. He has been punished by law and sentenced for 7 years. As his human rights, he's eligible for treatment... hence he is sent off to the mental asylum for a change. (Normally he sent other people there). OCPD has become a lost cause... He went on to becoming a Psychopath and a sociopath. I did state in my last big report Sociopaths cannot be treated. I bet CV's knew this and decided for some other way.
A redemption track, which was also very much requested by half their audience. Now again this was very fast forward too. They should have shown Jahnvi and Raghav's marriage slowly, they should have shown slowly Viraj getting tortured, and so on. If Viraj was electrocuted in Rana's den.. then that would have been seen as a punishment - and the audience would have been cheering. Here CV's have somewhat created sympathy for him as this torture was done under professional influence. Ethics play a huge part, this was seen as unethical. Yet everyone knows this was his punishment one way or the other.
Has Viraj been punished? Satisfactorily? I had to get a lot of opinions on this one, bec of the sensitive issues of ethics etc.
If Viraj the Dobriyal was given a choice of punishment, Death or Childlike state what would he have chosen? I'd say death bec after he stabbed Jahnvi when Raghav was going to commit his first and only murder that too off Mr V Dobriyal he looked ready to go. What has happened to him now is the worst thing he could ever think of, his worst nightmare.
The man who had table manners, his clothes didn't just sit on him perfectly but sat in his cupboard uniformly owns nothing but three garments today. He who lived in a palace has become a destitute. He who could not stand anyone look at his wife whether it was her friend Sanjay or even a priest has lost his wife to another man. He who had a wide spread at his dining table with etiquettes and manners is almost beaten up for a bite of Prasad and is dining of the floor. He, whom no one could touch, is whipped to the ground by young children.
So evil, is it being glorified still or what we see here is a case of 'What goes around, comes around'?
What you do in this world ' will come back to haunt you situation?
Original V is dead. This V is not the same person. The body is his; the soul is his and this life which is worse than death is his. Right now he doesn't have a clue why he is being punished. Though I must say when it comes to V I also remain apprehensive somewhat, and I am not in a rush to sing "Bache maan ke saache" for him as yet. BUT I do believe his mind has been tampered with badly and his shown state is not a act. I don't think CV's would go down the track of faking this. Evidence of small detailing, his attention on the motorbike even when he is in danger etc shows a childlike state.
Authorial intent is evident His reaching the temple, God punished him and for his current state will also protect him, Pandit's words of him having done bad deeds. CV's ne tho 2 weeks mein Viraj ke saarey paap do dhaaley. Were they right to do that? I will touch on that in a moment. BUT yes the authorial intent goes with the ethics, He's punished ' he's a new soul now. However Viraj's "Pandithji Thankyou" raised the hairs on my arms again. When the added tune in twinke twinkle plays ' I almost wait for his eyebrow to go up.
Moving on again...
Is it right for Raghvi taking Viraj in? As per the story '- the reasons are fitting, it is more so for finding Rana than anything else. The message is wrong; the DV victim does not get a break from her abuser, she is going to be looking after him. Is there a message of humanity being sent here? Have a big heart, Love thy enemies. Is this track scripted for convenience? It would have been okay to see and more acceptable by the audience if Viraj was looked after by someone other than the Singh household. CV's error is bringing them together. There is no realism here. BUT oops I told you a little while ago past leap the show stopped being realistic.
Has the pace been too fast.Yes! It has been fast, Jahnvi's achanak change of character, V's character redeemed so quickly. In two mins flat within 2 weeks of the leap Pandit ji has told the audience 'Is bache ke saarey paap maaf, you are now God protected child'. Fair enough, he's wiped clean in the brain ' so that makes him a new man... BUT what we never got to see was original V feel remorse for his bad deeds. This is not my personal statement but from the unbiased opinions I've taken, It may be unethical to hate V in this state, BUT the pace of it all happening was too soon. I wish they would have thought of another track then this shortcut. Non the less KVB is excellent at this given challenge as a actor and performer.
As for character growth.. Jahnvi has grown overnight. Viraj has been reduced over night and again we'll see him growing up.. lol, growing into the new character. Raghav was already perfect ' CV's have created a blooper because where is the space now for his growth? Other than supporting Viraj, protecting the family, romancing Sia, Killing Rana what is of his character. CV's better think of something good and solid to keep ma boy in this show.
I have made this a neutral post. There is a lot if things happening and emotions running high already. I have tried to look at all aspects of the concerning issues and addressed them to the best as I can, and free from my personal opinion. I hope readers will read with a open mind. Remember you may have your own opinion ' but sometimes you have to see the other persons side too and reason, rather than spitting comments at each other out of annoyance.. bec it will only aggravate the situation. As human lets all give and earn respect.
Chow for now.. Thanks for reading.
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
