I will say I am not an UpMa fan and I see no reason to bring them into this.
I came in as a big Himruta fan. I have followed his career for many years. I realize he needs this show to get to the next level of Tellywood. He had one show that he was great in as the lead but it was not rated that well. He was part of ensemble teams and that is fine. It has been 10 years now since the Zee show that discovered him. Look at his co-stars on that show. Many of them have made it big.
I was all for him. In fact for many years my friends and I have wondered why after playing the fantastic Guddu he did not have a "big" show.
That said, first thing I noticed is that Amruta got thrown under the bus for her affair. Well there have been tellychakkar articles on Himmanshoo's rumored dalliances. Why was not that brought out? Because Amruta's career can take the hit. As she said, it is his time to shine. Okay, so they decided that she will look bad and him saintly. Chetan heaped praise on him on being India's son and Himmanshoo beamed on. It was a little gross. But this was the narrative they wanted to spin.
Okay, even this I could accept. As many people have said, "This is their equation." It was probably not coincidental that Amruta had a physical fall just after her fall from grace that week. It was all tidy. She was forgiven by Himmanshoo for her affair and the judges also forgave her.
But what really gets on my nerves is their dynamics. Amruta is clearly going sacrificial patni here, but why all the complaining. Did she really change herself 100% to be with him? I am not saying she adjusted or compromised. She keeps saying over and over again how much she has changed. It bothers her and wants to be thanked. So she became
a different person and had to wait 11 years to be thanked? What kind of message is this? Why is she still complaining about it. She lost a relationship with her mother that is as close as it was????? That is just too much. No one should change everything about themselves for love.
And then Himmanshoo... I always thought he was sensible and watchful. I have seen him over the years with many interviews. But then he takes credit for starting Amruta's successful career. C'mon. This person basically became another person for you and you can't even give your wife credit for her own career? This was petty.
And then the fact he delayed marriage..never gave her the ring she wanted... it is all the same bizarre theme. She gave him everything and he not really anything. He wants space and he likes that about her. He wants friends who are girls and her to be mature. Over and over again he exhibits such a selfishness. During the sangeet he leaves her to dance with his friends. It is a similar theme. He needs space and to be himself. His sacrifice: he took a trip to Europe with her.
And why the channel likes them is because they fulfill gender stereotypes. He is the handsome hunk who has a dark anger. This anger has been hinted at. Even his mother can't take it. He really hasn't changed. His sexiness apparently is heightened by this anger.
Meanwhile Amruta pacifies his anger, gives him space, changes herself completely and has to be the morally guilty one. She gets upset at being called stupid on TV, but then smooths it all over pretending things are fine. She has a tantrum about him saying stupid, but glosses it over. The message: his anger and mean words are ok. Also she can't have his credit cards. What year is this? 1915?
It appears so regressive and that may be why the channel likes them. They are the old fashioned gender dynamics at play.
Edited by Julie0001 - 10 years ago
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
