Random Musings: April 14, 2011

Originally posted by: darlunia

A very Happy New Year to all those celebrating it. I hope the coming year is filled with all the joy and happiness you want!

Its been an eventful first half of April already. While I am not going to do a detailed take for today or the episodes preceding it, I thought of sharing some things that stood out for me.

Devyani:

Do you not see
The pain inside me?
The secrets I am trying to protect
Spare my family and kill me instead!

In a serial which features a villain like Brahma, Devyani is arguably the most hated character. To understand why she has been characterized this way requires delving in to the psyche of a victim of psychological and verbal abuse. Unlike physical abuse, the scars here are deep and generally buried under layers of compromise a victim makes to survive the damage to his or her soul. In the past few weeks we have seen Devyani's pain at Brahma now openly leaving her for his mistress and eying Uttara lustfully! At the same time she can no longer escape the guilt that her emotional manipulation of Gaurav has wreaked on Vidya's life. But from a screenplay standpoint, I wish we were privy to more of her thoughts and feelings. Yes the tears are indicative of her anguish but not her thinking. As a woman and a sister, I dislike her trying to manage Brahma's lust by controlling Uttara but from a character standpoint it is wonderfully consistent. What is it about Devyani's past with and before Brahma that makes her so dependent on his approval? That she feels a need for him in this life despite not wanting him in any more of the proverbial "saath janam ka saath" has been made obvious but why? Simply maintaining an air of respectability for the sake of appearances is too trivial a reason to put up with this level of SasurPig's athyachar...especially for a woman as innately strong as Devyani! Is the glass house she has made for herself the only thing she feels she can control? I wish the writers do complete justice delving in to the motivations of this complex character they have created starting now as I feel like Devyani's story should be building up to a mini-climax with the whole Uttara - Brahma dynamic.

So I decided to comment this way, as it would be easier and whatnot. But Love this. I always love your analyses, without a doubt, but this one definitely hit home. Devyani is a very complex character, but unfortunately, we don't know anything about her except that thin outer layer. Her motivations for anything she does, her thoughts around any situation are never ever discussed and I actually like that about this show because then we, as viewers, can come up with our own reasons, actually think through what all the possibilities might be.
As for why Devyani puts up the glass house, and continues to maintain it, I honestly actually believe that it is solely something done for the outer appearance, that other than maybe SSP threatening her for speaking up against him, by saying that she might cause him to lose his job, his status, I really can't come up with other reasons.
And honestly, I share this deep love-hate relationship with Devyani's character. At times, only when the Gaurav-Vidya story is brought up, do I feel that she's horrible. Most other times though, I just feel SO bad for her, and her plight, and her efforts in keeping the family together and the like.

I have a lot more to say, but I don't have anything else to say. When I think of how to better phrase this, I'll add it in later 😆

Uttara:

The wounds he gave me
I lived with till he died
But her rejection of my love
Is chipping away my insides!

Of all the women in this story, Uttara's is the one that touches me the most. Even after all these months, the mere recollection of the powerful episode back in November where she came close to a breaking point with Rishabh moves me. But her story right now is limping along without any discernible goal from a story telling standpoint. Although I don't like it, Brahma's inappropriate desire for her serves some purpose in the story. Firstly it will hopefully take Devyani's story along. But secondly and equally importantly, it will give Priya a supporting voice when the truth about Brahma comes out and nobody believes it. But for Uttara to really get justice from an overall story arc viewpoint, the track around Taara and her needs to be developed sensitively and thoroughly. This cannot be ignored while the former remains the focus at the current point in time. The writers also need to avoid the screenplay tactics like having Uttara wanting to talk to Brahma "alone" just for the sake of two seconds of drama like they did today. While I liked that it gave SasurPig a chance to indulge in some day dreaming rather than acting out on his lust, Uttara's wanting see him alone just to ask for permission to work made no sense.

Yay Uttara! Hm. I like her character at times. At other times, I just get annoyed. However, I think that her reactions in every situation that she has been put in, from the leaning for comfort towards SSP, fighting back Rishabh, lashing out at Tara, all of these are completely realistic and expected. I can't really find much fault with her story, nothing I really want to be changed, because I think the gradual way in which we are being shown that her growing dependence and trust for this guy, will eventually lead to something that culminates with much more excitement etc. Her story with Tara needs to have some changes actually, because in the past few days, the her lashing out at Tara and Tara yelling at her have become so usual, without any difference it's driving me insane.

But, back to positives, Uttara's strength as a woman is something that comes forth to me more than that for any of the other female characters in the show, including Priya. The situations she has dealt with, the physical abuse, must have taken a severe toll on her, but have also made her stronger. So her joining Priya in this fight against SSP will be, like you said, an extremely huge advantage.

Vidya:

He says he loves another
And tears my life asunder
But I will fight for our life together
As my love for you makes me stronger!

For all the months of dragging, Vidya's story is the most captivating right now with the build-up of mystery around what is really going on with Gaurav. Her inherent strength is coming out slowly and is a treat to watch. That said, what is Gaurav's story then? Like I mentioned in my last post, Arthi and him are not shown as having any palpable chemistry or love when they are by themselves plus there is no understandable reason why Brahma should or would have objected to the educated Arthi as a daughter-in-law. So if we accept that Arthi is not his girlfriend and is just helping him in this charade, what is the real truth that Gaurav is still hiding? I really do not want the writers to go down the is he gay or not path again. That ship was docked at the harbor for months before setting sail. Is he in love with an older woman? Irrespective of what the reality is, his words to Vidya have opened up an opportunity for the writers to have Vidya go get an education. Just giving her the cinematic makeover would be way to cliched a path to tread on but having her go to college to get a degree would be a great base for this track to grow logically.

Phew. Vidya. Vidya Vidya. I pity her. But I'm loving her strength in character, the fact that she's growing to share such a close bond with her mother-in-law that she took her advice to fight for her husband. I agree with you completely in that I think that there's something else going on with Gaurav's story that has simply not been revealed yet. Gaurav and Arti seemed to move away from each as soon as Vidya left the cabin the other day, and Gaurav was extremely worried about Vidya herself. That could have also been just because she's a fellow human being, but who knows, wishful thinking on my part😳
I wouldn't mind Vidya getting an education and even changing her appearance, but I want her to come back to her current appearance, because I simply think it's so her. She might need to prove to Gaurav that she can be modern and educated as well, but that what she really is is that simple, sweet woman that she was and he should come to love her for who she is.
I currently have really high hopes for this track and am waiting eagerly every single day to see how this track moves forward.


Priya:

How do I tell you
The truth I am hiding
Will our love survive
Your father's two-faced lying?

All the story potential and lead pair chemistry notwithstanding, this track is going in circles and is falling victim to the TRP game. A youthful audience craving Priya & Aditya moments seems to have given the writers some mistaken notion that this will drive the ratings. Why else would the writers have Priya ignore Aditya's disbelief of her assertions last week and instead have her apologize. What was Priya saying sorry for? Her not being angry with Aditya is ok...not her asking for forgiveness. While the story moved in the so called "Maha Episode", just having a dance sequence of Priya & Aditya did not make the screenplay worthy of an one-hour special. I for one preferred the much shorter sequence of Priya and Aditya in the bedroom during the pre-marriage rituals in the Jhaakar mansion. That sequence was truly hot and did justice to the potential of the onscreen chemistry of this pair. Romance aside, the Priya & Aditya story is irrevocably intertwined with that of Brahma so why is the latter the only person who is thinking smartly? Instead of shedding tears or hyperventilating or smiling tauntingly at Brahma, when will the smart lawyer in Priya wake up and realize that she is right now a pawn in SasurPig's chess game and not really calling the shots? I am hoping that instead of more and more repeated missed chances at time together, Priya intelligently finds a way to outfox Brahma at his own game...now that would be worthy of a "Maha Episode".

Priya's and Aditya's story. As much as I love the cute romance and love that is displayed between the two, I don't think I'll be too happy with the consummation because I currently feel that the only reason for which Priya is so adamant on this consummation takng place is so she can get back at SSP, win a battle against him, and that's not wrong. When she's taking the next step in her relationship with her husband, it should solely be based on their love, their need for each other, not involving a third party at all. You're so right when you say that SSP seems to be the only one thinking clearly, because the Priya who seemed to clever and ready to fight, now seems so sobby and weak. All her fights seem to have been reduced to something of a much lower magnitude and this will not be the way for her to defeat SSP in the long run. At this point, sadly enough, when compared to the other tracks, I'm not as excited about this one. We haven't seen a step forward in this situation.

Overall: This month has been averaging a 3.5 - 4 so far for me. The writers can recapture the lost magic of the story and the show gain some major TRPs if the team does not forget that this is a show about the four women. Each of their stories needs nurturing and movement. A mention of Mr. Pradhan, Imli & Jaggi's kids and Imli's pregancy is still pending...I am still hopeful that it won't be left hanging interminably!

Finally, I want to thank Waseem for an awesome job at the helm of the ship. 👏 I wish the producers and the channel had made it worth his while to stay. 😳 The move of the show to 11pm could mean big gains but changes like this at this juncture are not good.

Originally posted by: darlunia

Naina...😆...was not trying to remind you hon...just caught me by surprise as I was not expecting to see a reserved post! Can't wait to read your views. The G-V scenes today were really sweet!

Originally posted by: darlunia

Devyani:

Do you not see
The pain inside me?
The secrets I am trying to protect
Spare my family and kill me instead!

In a serial which features a villain like Brahma, Devyani is arguably the most hated character. To understand why she has been characterized this way requires delving in to the psyche of a victim of psychological and verbal abuse. Unlike physical abuse, the scars here are deep and generally buried under layers of compromise a victim makes to survive the damage to his or her soul. In the past few weeks we have seen Devyani's pain at Brahma now openly leaving her for his mistress and eying Uttara lustfully! At the same time she can no longer escape the guilt that her emotional manipulation of Gaurav has wreaked on Vidya's life. But from a screenplay standpoint, I wish we were privy to more of her thoughts and feelings. Yes the tears are indicative of her anguish but not her thinking. As a woman and a sister, I dislike her trying to manage Brahma's lust by controlling Uttara but from a character standpoint it is wonderfully consistent. What is it about Devyani's past with and before Brahma that makes her so dependent on his approval? That she feels a need for him in this life despite not wanting him in any more of the proverbial "saath janam ka saath" has been made obvious but why? Simply maintaining an air of respectability for the sake of appearances is too trivial a reason to put up with this level of SasurPig's athyachar...especially for a woman as innately strong as Devyani! Is the glass house she has made for herself the only thing she feels she can control? I wish the writers do complete justice delving in to the motivations of this complex character they have created starting now as I feel like Devyani's story should be building up to a mini-climax with the whole Uttara - Brahma dynamic.

Devyani is the most complex character for sure. I have never hated her,not even felt frustrated. It does become difficult sometimes to relate to her. But she has amazing character consistency. From the very start she seems to be trying to hold on to an illusion. A misguided belief maybe that if you pretend that everything is all right ,sooner or later,everything would become alright. Everything she does is to uphold the pretense of a perfect, happy family. Though I wonder how much of that pretense is for her own sanity and how much for outside world. In G-V marriage maybe she expected G to forget his past and accept V with time. It is not uncommon. Many parents manipulate their children to bow down to their choices,beleiving that everything would work out for the best,in the end. Maybe Devyani, got more than she bargained for in this case. She may not have expected,G's attachment to be so deep. All said and done, she cant turn a blind eye to V's agony anymore.

In Brahma- Uttara,again she is dealing with it as expected. For her direct confrontation with Brahma,would be the last alternative,as it would break the last thread of her illusion. She cant talk to Uttara,in a more direct manner,as it would laed to giving away more than she would like.

Devyani reminds me a lot of Nora of "A Doll's House", believing that a miracle would happen,and closing her eyes to everyting else, but when the reality hit her, it completely shattered her make-believe world.


The wounds he gave me
I lived with till he died
But her rejection of my love
Is chipping away my insides!

Of all the women in this story, Uttara's is the one that touches me the most. Even after all these months, the mere recollection of the powerful episode back in November where she came close to a breaking point with Rishabh moves me. But her story right now is limping along without any discernible goal from a story telling standpoint. Although I don't like it, Brahma's inappropriate desire for her serves some purpose in the story. Firstly it will hopefully take Devyani's story along. But secondly and equally importantly, it will give Priya a supporting voice when the truth about Brahma comes out and nobody believes it. But for Uttara to really get justice from an overall story arc viewpoint, the track around Taara and her needs to be developed sensitively and thoroughly. This cannot be ignored while the former remains the focus at the current point in time. The writers also need to avoid the screenplay tactics like having Uttara wanting to talk to Brahma "alone" just for the sake of two seconds of drama like they did today. While I liked that it gave SasurPig a chance to indulge in some day dreaming rather than acting out on his lust, Uttara's wanting see him alone just to ask for permission to work made no sense.

Uttara's story was most touching for me too(and a lot of credit goes to actress as well). She was the main reason I started watching this show. But honestly speaking Uttara's story has been a let down ever since Rishab's death. I would have preferred if Uttara had stayed at her old house. They could have shown her going through a whole gamut of emotions,occasional guilt and numbness,interspersed with a sense of relief and freedom. And most importantly a constant fear of getting caught. Tara's antagonism could have been a bit more subtle,instead of being so obvious. You know, silent resentment growing day by day,which makes it difficult to deal with and impossible to live with. That would have made a beautiful track.They could have dealt with mother-daughter relationship first,instead of starting Brahma- Uttara track,which I believe should have been saved for later. Uttara's angle along with Priya's revealation should have been the final straw. Her moving in with her sister so early was not such a good idea,in my opinion.

Vidya:

He says he loves another
And tears my life asunder
But I will fight for our life together
As my love for you makes me stronger!

For all the months of dragging, Vidya's story is the most captivating right now with the build-up of mystery around what is really going on with Gaurav. Her inherent strength is coming out slowly and is a treat to watch. That said, what is Gaurav's story then? Like I mentioned in my last post, Arthi and him are not shown as having any palpable chemistry or love when they are by themselves plus there is no understandable reason why Brahma should or would have objected to the educated Arthi as a daughter-in-law. So if we accept that Arthi is not his girlfriend and is just helping him in this charade, what is the real truth that Gaurav is still hiding? I really do not want the writers to go down the is he gay or not path again. That ship was docked at the harbor for months before setting sail. Is he in love with an older woman? Irrespective of what the reality is, his words to Vidya have opened up an opportunity for the writers to have Vidya go get an education. Just giving her the cinematic makeover would be way to cliched a path to tread on but having her go to college to get a degree would be a great base for this track to grow logically.

My second most fav character after Uttara ,despite all the dragging. A mystery still surrounds G's past,despite Aarti's entry. But I think it is time now for complete truth to be revealed,as this track has already stretched bit too much.

What to say about Vidya,her yearning for everyone's acceptance and approval,her constant attempts to fit in, to somehow prove herself worthy of her new position, are heart touching. The girl lights up with the smallest amount of affection and concern,as was evident yesterday. Her undying hope is inspiring yet painful to watch. And this is why I want whole truth to come out now. If Aarti is indeed G's past,how would the story go from here? Would it follow the cliched path of G being unyielding initially and then gradually accepting V,or writer indeed have planned something different?

Priya:

How do I tell you
The truth I am hiding
Will our love survive
Your father's two-faced lying?

All the story potential and lead pair chemistry notwithstanding, this track is going in circles and is falling victim to the TRP game. A youthful audience craving Priya & Aditya moments seems to have given the writers some mistaken notion that this will drive the ratings. Why else would the writers have Priya ignore Aditya's disbelief of her assertions last week and instead have her apologize. What was Priya saying sorry for? Her not being angry with Aditya is ok...not her asking for forgiveness. While the story moved in the so called "Maha Episode", just having a dance sequence of Priya & Aditya did not make the screenplay worthy of an one-hour special. I for one preferred the much shorter sequence of Priya and Aditya in the bedroom during the pre-marriage rituals in the Jhaakar mansion. That sequence was truly hot and did justice to the potential of the onscreen chemistry of this pair. Romance aside, the Priya & Aditya story is irrevocably intertwined with that of Brahma so why is the latter the only person who is thinking smartly? Instead of shedding tears or hyperventilating or smiling tauntingly at Brahma, when will the smart lawyer in Priya wake up and realize that she is right now a pawn in SasurPig's chess game and not really calling the shots? I am hoping that instead of more and more repeated missed chances at time together, Priya intelligently finds a way to outfox Brahma at his own game...now that would be worthy of a "Maha Episode".

Aditya-Priya love story...I dont know what to say. Aditya is the only main character which never really clicked for me. And the fact tha he has shown little character growth in all these months doesnt help. And perhaps this is why that Aditya- Priya love story doesnt really work for me.

Coming to Priya's character, I totally agree with you. I dont know why she has been reduced to alternating between openly challenging/boasting in front of Brahma and getting frustrated on her defeats. She had all the makings of being a smart,intelligent and worthy antagonist of Brahma. Instead she is behaving like a blabbering bimbo.She needs to work on winning the trust of Aditya instead of backtracking on her own statements. The image that Aditya has of his father needs to be shattered very subtly and delicately. I wouldnt mind if she manipulates some situations,to portray Brahma in his true light(actually I would love that). I wish Priya would learn a trick or two from Brahma himself on playing the game smartly. It is Brahma who is calling all the shots and Priya seems to be out of her wits on how to handle the situation. And I dont understand why such a big deal is being made about consummation of A-P marriage. What would it really change? Aditya would trust Brahma as much as he did earlier,and Priya would be as far from revealing the truth as she is now.

Overall: This month has been averaging a 3.5 - 4 so far for me. The writers can recapture the lost magic of the story and the show gain some major TRPs if the team does not forget that this is a show about the four women. Each of their stories needs nurturing and movement. A mention of Mr. Pradhan, Imli & Jaggi's kids and Imli's pregancy is still pending...I am still hopeful that it won't be left hanging interminably!

Finally, I want to thank Waseem for an awesome job at the helm of the ship. 👏 I wish the producers and the channel had made it worth his while to stay. 😳 The move of the show to 11pm could mean big gains but changes like this at this juncture are not good.