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Saas-bahu out, Romeo-Juliet in
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Shailaja Bajpai Posted: Nov 12, 2010 at 2128 hrs IST
Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahaani (Star One) has eyes sparkling like midnight sapphires.
The solid virtues of TV India are under threat from Puppy Love. Love is all around — in bars, restaurants, multiplexes, cars, even in people's homes. And now very much on TV. Or so Gayatri discovered to her utmost horror: as Emotional Atyachaar (Bindaas) proceeded through five days, her boyfriend, Luv (yes, that is his name) was romancing not one but two undercover agents at all of the above venues. Young love is on the air nowadays, with the dishonourable exception of Bigg Boss (Sony). Perhaps it's good for them to introduce Luv into that show because the atmosphere is about as loving as a battlefront. Last week, every time actor Sameer Soni opened his mouth, it was to either eat or to fight. He ate a banana, he ate an apple and he was seen fighting with Manoj Tiwari and then Dolly Bindra. Of course, it was difficult not to fight with her since Dolly is there precisely for that reason: to be abusive, aggressive and specifically, to make actress Shweta Tiwari cry. Things have come to such a sorry pass that Manoj was heard to remark, "Ai mere watan ke logon, mujhe jaldi nikalo iss nark se." Get me out of this hell hole. Elsewhere, heaven descended on TV. Never has it smelled more strongly of roses, not even when Shweta's famous character, Prerna, first fell for Anurag on Kasautii Zindagii Kay. Until recently, TV serials were about families at war; then they developed a social conscience, dressed it up in saas-bahu finery and we applauded "TV with a purpose." However, being the strong women they are, the saas-bahus reasserted their authority and elbowed out the social causes. We were back to the family dramas. In recent weeks particularly, they're facing a new challenge. It's coming from Puppy Love. Suddenly, from an old Ba — the ageless matriarch of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi — we have young damsels and dudes. Be it a reality show like Emotional Atyachaar or serials such as Ram Milaaye Jodi, Kitaani Mohabbat Hai 2, Gunahon Ka Devta, Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahaani or Saas Bina Sasural, to name a few, the theme is young love. In Ram Milaaye Jodi (Zee), young Anukalp, still wet behind the ears, loves young Mona but doesn't know how to tell her because she seeks his advice on a marriage proposal from Goldie. Kitni Mohabbat Hai 2 (Imagine) is a "heartwarming love saga" — or so the synopsis informs us — about a young couple. Gunahon ka devta (Imagine) sees Arpita married to her beloved Avdhesh and she is now subjected to life with his family. It is beginning to look suspiciously like other saas-bahu serials but we're hoping love will conquer all. Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahaani (Star One) has eyes sparkling like midnight sapphires. That's because at least two pairs belong to aliens who look so suspiciously human, the youthful heroine Pia mistakes an alien for one of us. But "Abhay" is decidedly different. When he stands his arms cannot make contact with his body: his body is just too perfect to be real! And when he rolls his eyes heavenwards, they stay rolled. At the moment, the young alien who traces his lineage to Twilight's Edward Cullen is betraying his tribe by falling for the all-too-human Pia. She has torn her dress and the last thing she wants to do is dance. So of course, Abhay asks her to dance! Oh to be young again, when the blood runs cold in your alien veins and needs human warmth! We have already told you about Saas Bina Sasural (Sony) where a young man is trying to convince his all-male, misogynist parivar to let him marry the girl of his heart. So, it's all about loving your paramour not your parents.
shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com
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