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As is mandatory let me begin by acknowledging to you who I am and what odd sense of puzzle I am. Hello world. I am Shivani a brilliant mix of sober and crazy and I take great degree of pride in dwelling somewhere between too classy and chalta-hai. I am a very young girl whose been roaming the face of the earth for only last 22,000 years. And while I appreciate the technology that these millennia has to offer...trust me the era of writing letters is what I'd like to go back to!
Anyways enough of my jibber-jabber. Let us jump on the home territory as most of you have already done.
So when another 4Lions outing was due to breathe life in our day-to-day lives; I was naturally trembling with excitement as these are the people who gave us MJHT. Geet, Arjun, Qubool Hai and the likes...though it is a completely different story how they murdered their own masterpieces there after.
So is it worth are money? Well the simple answer would be a FREAKIN' YES! We've had glimpses of brotherhood and brothers-in-arms for long now but an Indian series daring to explore and chart the untraded waters is commendable because it takes guts to be normal on Indian TV these days that draws inspiration from Makkhi, Macchar, Saap, Nevla and basically every other creature that you would naturally see doing a strip-tease on National Geographic. The promos had intrigued the very core of everyone and the first episode really did live to all that it promised.
We are introduced to the Oberoi's. A Corporate Shark in Indian Corporate sector that poses as a loving family in front of every media house but cannot stand the breath of each other off that blinding flash of paparazzi. Tej and Shakti, the oldest of generation of this familial wing are on two very different poles of the spectrum. Each wanting to outdo the other...one directly, the other subtly. The mother Kalyani is naturally torn between choosing sides that add to her deep sense of misery. Their wives too have imbibed the fragile equations and never back down from spewing venom on each other. While the elder one is boozed to escape reality, the younger one tries with everything in her power to alter the existing one. You can hardly blame these women as they are extending the same courtesy that they were met with. The ones that need to man up to this conforming blame are Tej and Shakti who are trying hard to forget an incident twenty years old...that possibly was the reason for the discord that has now taken deeper roots in their psyches.
We are next introduced to Piku the only and the youngest daughter that this Oberoi family tree has. While she comes across as a Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes let us not forget she was the one in the introductory promos who wanted the Oberoi Lanka to burn with Vanvaas of one Oberoi brother. She is, from the surface, a massive game changer. Who knows when this Kaushalya will turn into a Kaikeyi tomorrow wrecking havoc in an already agitated and disturbed Ayodhya?
And now we are introduced to the USP of the show, the brothers who are inseparable and love each other more than what their hearts could offer.
The eldest one in the third generation of the Oberoi's: Shivaay Shakti Oberoi. The Alpha.
Okay what I need to confess in all my sincerity is that I am not very impressed with the way this character looks and behaves. It is a stock character out of 4Lions, very card-boardish and carries that been-there-done-that tale around him. The tale of a rich, arrogant, narcissist, brainy prodigy who cares about no one but his family is something that we've have seen before and has been done to death on Indian television. But what I did like is that they did not go overboard with presenting him on our platter. Nakul looks a bit out ease while playing same. It will take a bit of time and adjustment on our parts as well to gel to this ruthless man who devours his opponents and has a tender blooming heart only for his grandmother and siblings.
But what I did like is that Nakul carried himself exactly how he is expected to. I am hoping we'd have more to see of him. Nakul is an actor who grew from being an amateur to a fine performer, so my hope doesn't die with the first episode. I like to see more of him as the calculative, practical, pragmatic and cruel man in business dealings and a loving brother.
The second son of third generation: Omkara Tej Oberoi. The Sensible.
After witnessing the Alpha marking territory we are introduced to the calm, serene surroundings with an artist imparting final touches to his art piece. And that is Omkara 'Om' Oberoi for us. There is a sense of melancholy hidden somewhere in him that immediately speaks out to us. He doesn't believe in perfect relations, situations and carvings. He knows these exist in fairy tales and harsh reality doesn't allow any of it to survive for long. He doesn't really feel connected to his father and the one prominent reason seems to be his father maniacal lust for power that wants him to turn a pawn into this game. He keeps himself distant lest he should fall in this trap and destroy the only perfect relation that life has given him...his relation with his brothers.
This character has build up my intrigue for sure. I want to know what reservoirs of depth does he hold within him and what is the extent of his depravity or love, if either exists that is. He seems to be a layered character who will offer us a lot in due course of time. Kunal is very much at ease with the look and feel of his character and this is brilliant because that laid back attitude is what is expected out of him. I am looking forward to seeing more of him. He seems to be an intersection of this equation that is being sold to us. So #TeamOmakara already!đ
The youngest one of third generation: Rudra Tej Oberoi. The Party-Animal.
He is what you expect the youngest and the most pampered one of the family to be. A womanizer, a party-freak and who lives on the edge of life is what Rudra or Ruddy is all about. A dil-phenk aashiq who runs after every pretty young thing in sight. And after whom every PYT flocks happily dancing to the tunes that he has to offer. There is nothing mush that this character offers apart from the sense where you are genuinely torn between amusement and an exasperated sigh. He seems to be a likeable fellow although we'd gotta wait before we can delve deep into this man. Laneesh looks good though his acting chops is something we'd have to wait for a bit.
And after the brothers we have an outsider in the equation that is Anika. A strong yet vulnerable damsel who is ready to take on the world if she has to for she feels and knows is right. So far Anika seems to have the same delectable bone in her that marks its place in every 4Lions heroine. Surbhi is good in her scenes but apart from a star-cross love story and love hate tashan there doesn't seem to be anything new as far as this Shivaay-Anika angle is concerned. The polar opposites that the makers presented did disappoint me in equal measures. This is one stuff that I don't want to see. But nevertheless yesterday was the opening night who knows Gul surprises us at this one!
And of course we get the glimpse of the hyped bromance and bro-code that series had defined with all it power in its introductory promos. They are equal, they are one and they are inseparable. This one fact was literally hammered by the ObBros when they reach the venue at once and as one. The bond between them seems to be unshakable and that is exactly what makers are rooting for. The one scene that stole my heart over the entire saga yesterday was the opening scene of the series.
When that man set himself on fire and the brothers rushed at him, each one was pushing the other two to safety and spoke a lot about the deep love that runs in their veins despite being harbored in poison for so long. That one scene honestly overshadowed whatever flaws the series has and Gul, Gorky I am rooting for this over your Yash Raj kind of romance!
I am investing my time, energy and money on this and hopefully the makers would not follow their footprints in destroying this potentially wonderful tale of three brothers with romance and discontinuity in characterization. Gul had said that behind these men would be non-conforming woman pushing them on the edge and gluing them more ferociously to each other. Anika is not what they promised, hopefully the other two would stand tall on the promises made. This could be your game changer 4Lions let it stay so for the coming days and if possible break stereotypes and give at female lead who is a corporate shark and dynamic and float the bromance afloat!
The cast is brilliant, the characters so far likable and the story new with a appealing cinematography. May our Ishqbaazi live long and breathe strong. So now that we are done analyzing seriously let us go back to swooning over the boys who are here to define the Bro-Code, for...
Bachna ae haseeno, lo ye aa gaye...
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