Originally posted by: jjkg
I respectfully disagree.
Point 1: No obsession with Sameer, just with Murnal's acting
This is predominantly not the case. It is rare to find a thread (I do not know if one even exists) where the focus of discussion is Murnal's villanous portrayal of Sameer, his acting nuances that bring out the psychopath that is Sameer etc.
Except for discussing Murnal's looks, how good he looks with Rati, most of the discussion is :
1. excusing Sameer's truly villanous acts
(Witness the camera episode, his sexual intimidation of Indira, or the Mandira episode )
2. reinforcing a truly tragic myth of love of a good woman like Indira will cure a psychopath like Sameer.
3. CV's assissinated his character. He was good and they made him bad.
4. If all else fails, there is a usually a false equivalence of equating Rishi's weaknesses which fall under the "normal" range of human behavior, with Sameer's truly abnormal and dangerous psychopathic antics.
Point 2: Perpetuating a societal ill that love of a good woman can cure psychopath
This is what gets my knickers all twisted😉
This myth has ruined and continues to ruin countless lives. It is truly tragic when it is reinforced via serials, movies. For a show like HD, which claims to be different and shows a strong, independent woman, it would be doubly tragic.
When I see young, educated women fawning over Sameer and desiring such a storyline, I literally reel.😭 Now when such discussions happen with the Sameer AT threads, no one says anything. But when it enters the normal threads, people like me get sad, scared, and perhaps a bit angry which leads to fireworks.😉
For example, I am repulsed by fawning over of Sameer when rubs Indira's picture with some color in the recent holi episode. But it is in the SaRa thread and I don't bother with commenting on this behavior. To each its own😃 But when prominent SaRa fan bashes me on a thread that has nothing to do with Sameer, it hurts me.
Point 3: Hero tussle
The major undercurrent into this whole discussion from day one has been who is the hero. I feel people who were Rati fans from past work expected someone else as her counterpart. Sumit did not fit the bill as a strong, dark, handsome guy (which Murnal does). Then there is the whole character of Rishi, a man who has some major weaknesses
In comes Murnal, his looks fit the bill. Even now, 2 months after his introduction and consistent unveiling of his character as a psychopath with serious issues, people are just reluctant to accept that he is the villian and not the hero.
Maybe a press article said that he was going to be the second male lead. Some people have latched on to that article(s) and not absorbed what has been unfolding on the screen since day one.
For non-SaRa fans, this issue is puzzling and upsetting.
Point 4: Insecurity of Rishi fans
Sumit had to work to fulfil the male lead opposite Rati. Now the chemistry between Rati and Sumit is palpable. But it took a while.
Then there is the issue of Rishi- a flawed hero. During the course of this show, he has his own trajectory of coming to terms with his own weak spots and growing out of them.
But when these weak spots are exposed, non-Rishi fans sensing an opportunity to push aside Rishi become aggressive. Rishi fans become insecure, the fear of Sameer (a villian) replacing Rishi becomes dominant. Result is again fireworks.
In normal course of events, Rishi fans would have no fear of discussing his growth arc. But in this environment, honest discussion is hard.
Case and point - I have been helping my mother catchup on one serial she watches - Choti Bahu. The hero there is truly naive, and has some major blindspots. But no matter how much grief he has given the heroine, people get that he is a hero and not start pushing the villian (as it so happens, his brother) as the hero.
Point 5: Parallel between Munna Bhai/Sandeep & Sameer/Murnal
This parallel has been raised. Methinks it is a wrong parallel. We have thread that appreciates Sandeep's excellent protrayal of Munna bhai, as well as his gems that come out of Munna's mouth. This is appreciation of a character well essayed.
If the appreciation for Sameer would have been like that, there would be no issues. Problem occurs when, in an attempt to ensure that Sameer is still a contender for THE ROMANTIC lead against Indira, his villianous actions are whitewashed.
For example, take the recent act of Sameer where he came in to seduce Indira, locked the room and slept with Mandira thinking she is Indira. Many prominent SaRa fans are still going around promoting the idea that nothing happened, he was drunk etc etc. This is truly head scratching! Now Rishi fans or not, people will pushback on this, and when excuses like this are repeated thread after thread, tempers fray.
Because some things are truly black and white. This is one of those. So was installation of spy camera in Indira's private space.
My opinion only, take it or leave it. But please refrain from calling me a "dear" which many SaRa fans do when they reply to non-SaRa fans. I find it very patronizing.😊
Cheers.
