I was trying to go through the post-leap episodes that I hadn't seen earlier...I was just skimming through them, watching certain key moments - and I noticed that the scenes I cared about were the ones with Balaji, Radhabai/Chimnaji/Bajirao, Chimnaji/Rakhmabai, Chimnaji/Bhiubai, and occasionally, Bajirao/Kashi.
I am on Twitter and I don't speak up much about PB now...I was appreciative of the show during the pre-leap phase because it resonated with me. It made me think deeply, even as I was gushing over certain scenes, and I loved watching those episodes from an analytical perspective. If I ever get around to watching the pre-leap episodes and reviewing them like I want to, I'll probably share that appreciation. I don't have the emotional connection or intellectual inclination to do that for these post-leap episodes. Whatever we are seeing now is like an entirely new show. I didn't sign up for this.
The quality of the writing and the presentation of the story in PB2 has become so dramatic. The blatant manner in which dialogues, foreshadowing, and reverb are being used to spell everything out, constantly...it is so off-putting to me. I fell in love with Peshwa Bajirao because it was presented simply and subtly, with strength in its performances and storytelling. PB1 had Vaibhav Mutha at the helm for a very long time, and his expertise showed in every shot with exceptional actors! He also had very capable successors to continue with the style of direction that he set up for the show. The writers put heart and soul and power into the characters, there was wisdom in the dialogues, and even the flaws of characters were given space to be exposed and rectified within the realm of the story.
Whatever is being shown in PB2, in terms of character portrayals and execution, is so drastically different from the high quality episodes in PB1. Change is fine. But the way the makers have gone about this leap makes me wonder if they even had time to plan out this phase of the story. Historical facts have been lost - and this is coming from a team that was detail-oriented and considerably careful about authenticity and creative liberty before. There is way, way too much "creative liberty" now. The balance in the show may have been skewed in certain ways before, but now it is completely gone. What makes things worse is that, capable actors or not, I can't understand Bajirao, I don't feel much for Kashi, and I really don't care about Mastani. The character sketches are just not compelling. The only characters I actually understand are Radhabai, Chimnaji, and Rakhmabai. As a viewer watching PB2, I feel like Bhiubai and Anubai - reminiscing fond memories of days gone by, wanting to return to simpler, happier times.
With Manishji's departure, amidst all this chaos, Rajeshwari and Saurabh are going to carry PB2 forward with power-packed performances, that I know for sure. I just wish the Bajirao/Kashibai relationship hadn't been distorted beyond the point of logic and recognition to make way for drama and a terribly cliched presentation of what is supposed to be an epic love story. Nope. Epic love, for me, is Balaji/Radhabai. That was a love story with significant depth and nuances. Their story has ended...but it will live on, eternal.
As much as I would have loved to see Manish/Anuja and Saurabh sharing screen space and delivering one knockout performance after another, after seeing the way this leap has unfolded, I am honestly relieved that Anuja and Manishji are free. Thank god for small mercies. Their Balaji/Radhabai flashbacks just serve as poignant reminders of how beautiful and insightful this show used to be.
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