Awesome post, Grace..
EK’s intuition of prime time (8p.m) being a risky slot was spot on. However, the Show did manage to garner decent TRPs initially. Nothing earth-shattering or out of roof, but good enough to revive the dead 8 p.m. slot. The reasons??? There can be many but allow me to put up the points that are solely mine..
The Show was hyped a lot, nostalgia also played a vital role in pulling in audience initially. Added to that AnuPre’s bond was innocent and organic. It was a gradual built-up and not a clichéd love-at- first-sight kind of a trope. Although writing has never been that great and wasn't anything memorable even then, yet it clicked with the general audience because of crisp execution and a consistent plot line.
Despite not so impressive writing, the creatives were able to extract the best out of the cast… And mind you, the Show does have a stellar cast. In addition, every character had a sub-plot that added something to the main plot. Even the character like Tapur contributed to Anurag-Prerna-Komolika’s story. I still remember Tapur’s engagement scene where Prerna asserts her rights as Anurag’s wife. Or Nabin Babu’s first wife Madhuri’s character that was pivotal in revealing Nabin Babu’s truth although she was a vamp in major part of her stint.. And how can we forget Nabin Babu -- the villian who was comic-and sinister at the same time. Even if there was no AnuPre anyday, there still used to be so much to look forward to in terms of different dynamics at play. Moloy-Mohini dynamics, Mohini's individual dynamics with her son and daughters, Anupam-Moloy, Anupam-Nivi, Anupam-Anurag dynamics at Basu household, Prerna's dynamics, especially the one with her father and even Komolika's with her siblings -- the Show never needed to rely on AnuPre. Individual characters were interesting as were their dynamics with other characters. We got to see some of the best acting from individual actors in this phase -- especially the actors playing Mo-Mo and Nivedita.
Post nine months, everything went haywire..
Firstly, this season, the “actors” were bigger than the characters. Despite Hina’s Bollywood projects, EK roped her in as Komolika. Likewise, her calculation went wrong when/if she thought that roping in a big name as Bajaj will be enough. She seemingly was sure that roping in another big name would compensate for the vacuum left by Hina. But she went wrong there.
No, it is not the actors’ fault . It was a combination of bad writing, direction/editing and execution. Ekta/Makers decided to jump straight away in establishing the other couple, even at the cost of butchering the individual core of Anurag and Prerna. This phase was extremely crucial in terms and writing and direction for the primary characters. However, instead of taking things slowly and organically, her makers decided to rush the things. Inconsistencies, loose ends and incoherence started becoming a part and parcel of every episode. Shivi’s pregnancy or lack of, Bajaj’s backstory with Basus or lack of, Kuki being Sneha or Kuki being Kuki. Likewise, Anurag was an ailing jilted lover one instant and a conspiring villain the next. Bajaj was a grey character one instant and black the very next. Prerna was a loyal wife one instant, an yearning lover the next…Central characters became inconsistent overnight, side characters/actors were reduced to props who had nothing to add to the story. They wasted potential of actors like maasi..
This phase also made makers' confusion as obvious as the daylight. As they did not want to let go of either fandom, carrot dangling became an everyday thing and a majority of viewers started disassociating themselves from the Show. In terms of plot and storyline, the only things we got to see was accident-hospital-court room drama on a loop. No wonder the Show started losing its moolah. The rushed and ignominious exit they gave to Bajaj was a testimony of overall ineptitude once again.
The same disconnect became detrimental for the Show’s longevity. Post new Komolika’s entry, the Show did climb steadily up the ratings which became short-lived due to EK's own stupidity. The phenomenon, according to me was culmination of two major factors:
1) The writers were either too complacent or extremely nonchalant in their job. They had forgotten what the central characters were supposed to be. They also failed to understand the modern day sentiments. Pregnant women subject to unnecessary troubles were no pleasant sights to behold. Neither was KL’s attempted marital date rape, post which the ratings started going downhill. The same phase also witnessed Viraj’s entry. Another actor with a tremendous potential was wasted because of lack of proper plot. Komolika was the only character that got the maximum screen space and footage as the writing went from bad to worse. Flying sindur, dupatta, half shaadi, tera pati mera hai, sautan drama became the major tropes in this phase.
2) The viewership has changed drastically in the interim: Steady rise in the rating to being the slot leader to a rapid nosedive. Viewers stayed put as long as the content was positive. The moment attempted marital molestation was shown, viewership started dispersing.
Then came that infamous Anurag Ne Prerna ko kyun mara track. It did well initially. But writing and execution continued to be as bad. Anurag’s majboori looked quite contrived as did his inconsistent avatar - roaring lion one minute to bheegi billi the next - like what had happened? and Prerna didn’t look like a mother wanting to avenge the death of her two days daughter. Neither did her "badla" chant was backed by substantial plot. Komolika dominated the screen presence with never ending negativity. Bajaj needed to have had longer screen time in this phase to actually establish him as Prerna's saviour paving way for PreRish ultimately. But the actor was back with many conditions, lesser working hour being one of them. Then the pandemic hit and rest became the history.
When the Show resumed and the ML suffered from COVID, everything went for a torpor. Work from home translated into bad acting, bad editing, bad execution, disjointed/ disconnecting scenes combined with never-ending confusion. Like who actually gave Sneha to orphanage??? It was Anurag and Komolika each in alternate episodes. Did Anurag help or didn't help the Sharms? Komolika ruled the screen space and storyline with never ending negativity once again. Likewise, redundant characters like Rakhi and Tapur only congested the screen space. The viewers, fed up ultimately, gave the clinching verdict to the perpetual negativity and the lack of direction.
The Show still ran for 400+episodes, for whatever reasons, is a feat in itself. However, I’m still confused regarding Ekta's actual motive behind the reboot? Did she still want to go the original way or make an actual reboot with a different storyline is something beyond me as she kept giving alternate vibes in each track. The confusion started showing in end results both in terms of episodes and actors' performances.
It should have shut earlier for sub-par writing, shoddy editing, bad execution and Ekta’s need to hold on to all the fandoms, which was probably exacerbated due of bad writing or vice-versa.
Hence, her plan went for a toss for multiple reasons -- importance to actors instead of characters, inept writers, sub-par direction and execution and indecisiveness among many others. I also believe that Ekta starts her Shows pretty well just to lose traction a mid way because of her simultaneous association with multiple projects on multitudinous platforms. In the recent years, her focus and attention have shifted more to web and cinematic media whilst television has became the most ignored medium of them all. Instead of churning one sub-par product after another, I honestly feel that she should retire from television and concentrate on web and big screen if she doesn't have adequate time to supervise her television projects ..
Edited by bashful_moon - 4 years ago
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
