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Why I stuck with SWB to the end ... ..
I stuck with SWB because the CVs were breaking away from the usual stereotype!
Now guys, before you throw brick-n-bracks at me - PLEASE hear me out.
All Indian serials revolve around family, marriage, and relationships. There is the "ideal" woman and the "vamp or bad" woman.
SWB too sort of fitted in this mold. They had the ideal woman in Indu vs the bad Santoshi; Neelam vs Guddi; Alka vs Gul; and Payal vs Gul.
Like typical serials, SWB too depicts Indian values through joint families and its women - more often the bahus (daughter-in-laws),
However, here is where SWB was DIFFERENT:
- Unlike all serials in patriarchal settings, where women allow men to lord over them unquestioned. SWB set-up scenarios where Natru's role as patriarch was questioned by his bahu, Gul; Ayyo's flaws were exposed by Payal, and Gul; and Dev never claimed superiority just because of his gender.
- In serials after marriage, the family/husband's opinion becomes the (good) bahu's opinion. In SWB that is not the case - Gul always questions Ayyo and Natru. In fact, she does not trust them and is always suspicious of their behavior. Dev, on the other hand, pleaded with Payal to not be subservient to Natru and Ayyo. He consulted Payal in matters pertaining to himself and the household - and valued her opinion. He never imposes his opinions on Payal.
- In Indian serials, inevitably it is the woman who always loves and respects her husband, no matter how he behaves. But in SWB we have Gul who stands up to her husband, Alka who questions Rajat, and Santoshi who finally gets the courage to speak up to Natru. Most importantly, Dev ALWAYS treats Payal with respect and kindness. If by chance he errs - he asks for forgiveness. In fact, he goes to the extent of punishing himself for the deceit that his brother and father pulled off on Payal and her family.
- In serials the bahus typically are soft-spoken, obedient, submissive, and docile. They take care of their parents, brothers, sisters, in-laws, and forsake their own desires and needs to keep everyone happy. They are devoted, shy, pious, sweet, and only wear saris. Here we have Gul who calls her mother-in-law bhaktin billi - because of her false piety, and makes sure her desires are fulfilled - because all the wealth that the Prasad's enjoy are what was given by her brother as dowry!
- The MAJOR FLAW in SWB was in portraying Payal as the stereotypical bahu. One who is docile, submissive, etc, etc. Although initially she was shown to be confident, upright, and a no-nonsense woman. Following her marriage - her character was completely unrealistic. She turned out to be a woman of low self esteem who allowed everyone to trample on her. Even though she is a PWD engineer - she was shown to be totally reliant on a "man" (whether it be the commissioner or Dev) to be successful in her task. Her subservience to Natru and Ayyo was totally pathetic. When she recited prayers or sang bhajans - I was waiting for Gul to call her bhaktin billi junior! In short, the unrealistic characterization of Payal doomed the show.
Given the above, here is my request to the CVs. Go and re-work Payal's character and do a second season of SWB. The actors were good. There was the right amount of humor. The topic of dowry is good.
I stuck with the show because the CVs DARED to portray a caring and loving husband. A husband who did not treat women badly. A husband who did not have to be a "bad boy" to assert his masculinity!
I stuck with the show because the CVs DARED to portray a different type of bahu - Gul who had an independent mind that did not massage the male ego (husband and father-in-law's ego) and yet believed in home, harmony, and humility.
I stuck with the show because the CVs did not stick to defined gender roles. Unlike most shows where the man must earn for the family while the woman is restricted to the home - here we had wife with a good job while the husband was unemployed but trying hard to find a job. In fact, the CVs went one step further, none of the male members of Payal's sasural had a job!
Give us a better Payal and redo the story line. There are many issues you can address with a strong Payal - like power struggle, inequality, discrimination, and an oppressive society.
COME BACK WITH A SECOND SEASON CVs and see how your BARC ratings soar through the roof!!
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