Posted:
It is evident they are rushing it to wind it up in advance. Star Plus gave them ultimatum.
Let's discuss what went wrong for EHT.
My opinion:
- Wrong time slot
You have JA, BV, DKDM at same slot. Then what set of viewers is left to give try to new EHT? Also EHT was bold in some ways. Not meant for 8 PM nor family audience.
- Poor casting of good side
Durga and Dayal are fine but Dev is like casting Amol Palekar in a Manmohan Desai/Prakash Mehra film! The actors cast for villain side are far more charismatic, talented than good ones. Dayal used to give it back to Goenkas in the best style. He was sidelined and blipped out. No wonder nobody bothered. Suchitra looks nice but is not a solid actor.
- Failure to uphold cause of battle
They failed to focus on higher cause. Ignoring Payal and heinous rape they made biggest mistake. People's empathy could not be maintained. For a long time from June onwards Durga did not even meet Payal. Who would have empathy then?
They killed all time with Dev-Nitya flashbacks but by not showing the girls' parents and their flashbacks, suffering and joys they failed to rope family audience and generate sense of what lead had lost.
It should have been about righteous cause. But it ended up as a cat fight and win for Durga instead of justice.
I personally feel cheated having watched basically a cock fight in guise of glamour and talks of justice.
- Weak hero and wastage of time in repetitive flashback
Dev should have remained in sidelines. Instead of hogging whole episodes with his stuck in headlights expression and same old flashbacks. The flashbacks never had any story to offer. No build up or value addition to narrative.
The way he ignored murder attempts on him, ignored how rude Goenkas were to him and his mom, ignored Shaurya's confession and threats, ignored going after his friends, believed in Nitya but did not accuse Shaurya and remained confused, it just made him an irritating character. Not heroic.
- Uneven pace
Sometimes slower than a bullock cart. And sometimes jet speed. Either frustrated audience or confused them. No proper continuity.
- Too many questions but little or no answers
They threw hints about real Durga Thakur, Dayal's guilt, Arnab Goenka, Shaurya's friends and their parents etc then later Rajnath, Raima, Sakshi, Akram. But failed to address each question they raised. Sakshi reminded Rajnath how she was aware of "har gunah" he had committed. Today his crimes are ignored. Neither was the mysterious old man with a limp shown, who Akash used to report to. Akash had recorded Durga's deeds too and nobody knows why. Why Durga was sitting on recording of Shaurya talking about Dev's murder and withheld RajMa video for so long etc, nothing addressed!
It kept throwing hints but never led to anything conclusive.
- Stupid, inexplicable twists:
Raj and Raima were true love. So why it took them 30 years to get that tape from Sakshi? They never even spied or followed her to orphanage? And this guy who can blackmail or shoot others could not bully a woman? Couldn't hold her at gunpoint and get tape instead of marrying her?
Ms Instincts Sakshi could never know of RajMa? Rajnath knew nothing about clauses in Arnab's will? Why is he bothered only now at Dev's increased share? He never suspected Dayal and Durga even though their behaviour was fishy? Even Raima suspected them once but he did not!
Akram was left alive nobody knew? Sakshi was from street or a criminal but nobody knew? Nowadays media digs out entire past of famous people. But nobody knew about Goenkas?
Payal was harassed and stripped by her rapists in swimming pool but nobody noticed? She was not at home till late but her parents had no idea? Lawyer is killed but nobody investigated his death?
Poorly executed twists with most obvious blunders and loopholes the size of manholes on roads! 😲
- Mockery of system
Yeah I know rich buy off the world. But not showing even a single honest doctor, policeman or journo was wrong and cynical on part of EHT team. Nobody stood up against Goenkas except Durga? BS!
And docs easily allow anyone to fight or plant cameras in hospital. Nobody objects?
- Over focus and excessive detailing of wrong deeds:
It was considered misleading and wrong for primetime TV. Whether plans of Goenkas or even Durga such as paralysing Shaurya and hitting at a specific place or feeding wrong medicines etc. Such details were scandalous for a prime time show on a family channel.
- Overuse of unethical means but not fair means
At times when people have seen Lalls and Mattoos creating a movement and not only getting justice but even new laws made, one would wonder why Thakurs are only plotting against Goenkas instead of using their wealth and resources to rally a movement against them! No online petitions, dharnas, rallying up NGOs, journos, social workers, former victims of Goenkas?
They might have arranged for safety of relatives of those who they exposed but it was not shown. The good ones in this show also ended up eliciting "Hain? Hai! Haww" from uncles and aunties with their actions.
- No clarity over theme
Is it love story? Is it revenge? Is it saas bahu? Is it family feud? Is it social drama? Is it about a mother vs a sister? They were just a khichdi. No clarity. Tried to do too much.
- Villains that were strong and couldn't fully antagonise public
Villains were much stronger than good side. Way better actors and way more charismatic and impactful than good side. On top of it they had best scenes, clothes, accessories, dialogues, one liners and back story. And even offered comic relief especially through Karan.
Their backstory was more layered than good ones. They ended up having their fans and even sympathisers (as in DurSha shippers) instead of people baying for their blood.
A weak good side ensured villains took cake. When you have Amrish Puri as villain you need Amitabh Bachchan as a perfect foil, not Amol Palekar!
When heroes are weak then only villains run the show and even get support.
Creating mixed emotions doesn't work in Indian audience on TV (though it does in films as Darr became huge).
- Hero winning only by chance
Times have changed now. People appreciate if one wins by own hardwork or brain instead of stroke of luck. Here villains are using brain. Whereas hero is just relying on luck, chance and stupid things like locket or teeka. Nobody roots for just a guy who was silly yet got lucky and won.
Nowadays even Durga relies on luck except for hospital drama.
- Ignoring heroine and her family:
Having Dev hog the show was blunder. Focus was diverted from Durga also. Her family was the firsthand victim. They deserved detailed flashbacks than wasting time on Dev or other frustrations of villains. Parents and sister create more empathy than a lover in case of family audience. And real victims anyday matter more than just a bichda premi.
- Excessive focus on lust:
Shaurya and his friends were disgusting. The dialogues and scenes were cheap. Rajnath using call girl to trap Shaurya was cheap. Rajnath's own sexacapdes with Raima were cheap too. Indian TV viewers do not appreciate such focus on lust.
Initially they even showed a gay businessman's pic with his BF. Too much of lust between all sexes.
- Sudden rush:
First they dragged like anything but now they are rushing. That is making this show an even bigger failure. What's use of etching characters but suddenly leaving loose ends, unanswered questions, flat narrative and suddenly bumping off villains like just sitting ducks?
And Suchitra never felt anything wrong till date but has learnt how crap Rajnath is, only now? She heard nothing, saw nothing all these years?
- Promised too much delivered too little:
Women empowerment, different show, every moment suspense etc they made too many claims but did nothing. Huge words like business tycoon, media, politics etc are used yet portrayal is so silly that even Enid Blyton's kiddie mysteries look better in comparison.
They confused audience. Sakshi was fighting as an overprotective mother. Today Shaurya is out and Sakshi is just cornered over her past. Rajnath killed someone yet the issue is of Sakshi's past? Heroine and her tragedy is sidelined to focus on villains' past? Main villain is ignored to focus on his parents' past?
What does rape have to do with parents' background? Blaming mummy daddy cannot erase rape.
It was a nice concept, had all glamour and solid cast but sorry to say it earned and invited failure.
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