The Ishqbaazi Tales: Episode 23.

You know a while back I had made a very conscious decision of sticking to Epic Channel, Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, some foreign shows and of course Newshour by Arnab Goswami. I guess I should have stuck to that instead of venturing out on Indian Soap Operas that cheat you with promos that are promising and content that is nowhere close to what you had been expecting. I kind of feel stupid to even have thought that this one series would be high on terms of storytelling and characterization. How did I forget that this is an Indian series, where logic, common sense and reality can never stick for more than half an episode in the entire run of the series? I believe my divorce with this particular series will come soon if this is the kind of flow they maintain up their alley. Literally handful things have been holding my interest now, which if taken away will give me no reason to stick around in here. I'd probably leave mera boriya-bistar bandh kar to a place where I won't be cheated so.

The episode last night was nothing short of filler. And yes I will complain and rant because I am investing my time, money and effort into this one.

So the episode continues to Shivaay and his supposedly diabolical plan of handing over trouble to Anika in form of a disguised plan. So he gets one of his security staff Amit Khurrana to call up Anika and ask her to deliver her food to a party that is all set to happen soon. The only logical stuff there being Anika enquiring about the details of the call and caller. So this woman has brains and on rare occasions such as this one she uses them as well. And what was that baagad billa and all that jazz being added? No I am sorry I did not find it funny, she was skeptical with the call and she immediately jumps to adding in bits and chips of her own life. She used her brain before this one, didn't she? And yes, I am kind of hating Shivaay now because of the way Anika's hope are being build only to be crushed in front of her waking form. What is so wrong with keeping anti-hero elements in your male protagonist? Why can't a human be both good and bad? Or maybe you are either good or bad and there is no in between. They are building Shivaay with wrong materials and no this doesn't feel good because it will lead to him apologizing and Anika ignoring and the similar drama that follows that we have seen over and over again. Logically there are ways to get over with it all, Shivaay could have easily engaged a Private Eye behind Anika and investigated the entire case of MMS leak but I don't think it would have worked out as that kind of real stuff doesn't happen, right? And again why is he so bothered about the MMS clip? No aftermath of the same followed. It's like it never happened so what is Shivaay harping about? Like what exactly?

The only saving grace was a saner situation back at the home of Oberois where the boys were as surprised as us to see their respective set of parents enjoying a normal' conversation and having a laugh over the same. The ObBros were indeed taken for a ride to see that happen. They sit down and discuss the same. Did I say I absolutely loved both set of Oberoi Couples? Pinki and Shakti opened today proving that there is a certain civilized aspect alive in their relationship even when Shakti appears sinister with his plans never in the open for others to see. And then there were Tej and Jhanvi who are adorable with whatever little they have to play. It was beautiful to see tha there is something genuinely lovable if not romantic between the Older Oberois. It might not dwell on love but infatuation, yet there is something alive and kindling between both Tej and Jhanvi and Shakti and Pinki. Please explore them more. While the possibility of the same is dwindling in single digits but then again explore them more.

Okay and I love my Rudra, and the way he wriggles his eyebrows! He is so reminiscent of my younger brother that I want to get into my TV set and pull at his cheeks to my heart's content. God he is adorable and probably the only likable fellow left in the series with other being mutilated badly with blotched up sequences and script. So the brothers are discussing how complicated marriages are and Rudra adds in his 'gyaan' over relationships shocking his brothers. Omkara was bang on when he said that the battery life of their phones last longer than his relationships. And add to it Rudra's rendition of his day out with Neha and subsequent adding of details that no one was interested in listening to. God this guy is adorable and the only sensible one left around the others are being battered into nothingness after all. But one thing set out was that Omkara zeroed on the fact that Shivaay is not up to anything good. Niki (mistoshadows) wrote a beautiful piece on Anika and Omkara yesterday where Lakshman chose Sita over his Ram. I believe a scenario similar to that one is all set to happen in the series soon. Om being the righteous fellow who can think straight even in catastrophe, might turn out to be the saving grace in whatever murky details Shivaay is planning. Well wishful thinking!!

So the scene shifts back to Ishana and I don't know what to make of the same. Why do these people think that a girl can only be good as long as she is bubbly and chirpy and all that is pastel? The moment a woman begins to think and act no-nonsense and tough she is qualified and labeled as a vamp? So I believe us, who have had very emotion bottled up, are not the good ones but the harridan witch that people don't like. Now is it? Ishana could have been a revelation in every sense had she been calculative and ruthless. I cannot buy this overtly bubbly and happy woman in the name of a con-artist. I respect the intellect of people who have it them to entrap the one in front in their act and then strip them off all that they care about. Imagine if Ishana could be all that, how much of fun would it be to watch her sway in front of our eyes every single time. But alas!

Okay I again I belong to the Mango Man category and hence I don't understand the ways and lives of the Ultra Rich but I do know that if a random face pops up in front of me every single time I would get susceptive of the same as that is the basic human instinct out in play. Ishana should know this as her profession demands she look up close into the psyche of her potential victims...yet she goes ahead to meet up the guy dressed a little more sanely than what she was the other day. How insufferable in all that? Maybe I should leave my Professor Kullu on these guys. I remember he was the one who pounded my head and made me, a dumbass, a pro when it comes to characterization...surely he'd drive sense in the writers of this series who I believe are smoking pot to come up with weird stuff every now and then.

Omkara in his art gallery was a pretty sight. More of this artist please. The guy is a painter and a sculptor and his exhibition is all set to happen. Trust me him in his studio is all I like when it comes to Omkara. And Riddhima makes an appearance too. While I am at my wits end trying to figure out why the hell did they chose Shireen/Shileena (I am confused with her name BTW) for the role; there was something that did arrest my attention. Did you notice the way Omkara's face was lit up seeing Riddhima and how easily was he up intimate with her? It looks like the guy is genuinely in love with his girlfriend and it would utter shame to break that up only make Ishkara work. I don't buy infidelity in relationships no matter how much they are justified...and this one seems it'll go the same way. There was no hint of malice in Riddhima, she seemed the genuine sort unlike Tia. And this is where things are aggravated again. I mean will the makers serious break this one to sell a story that has a basic malice in form of Ishana. Please don't play her advocate into saying that she will change. The bottom line truth is that she is full of black trying to rob Omkara off his white; will you actually ship a love story such as that? She is doing it out for fun and no 80's ka melodrama...so will it be justified to break off Riddhima and Om just to adjust this third wheel? This is getting difficult to digest with every passing moment and Tere Bin on &TV and Behad on Sony I am coming over to you soon!

And the next set of Shivika. I am numb on that front as I have given up hopes on them. I don't find anything worth mentioning on that front apart from a question that how is it that a caterer whose life revolves around food doesn't know how to cook anything apart from Aaloo-Puri and Kaaley Chaney??? And if it indeed were so how was she cooking Pasta in the precap???? Oh sorry I am suppose to throw logic out of the window.

Okay where the hell is Soumya?? I need her for my mental sanity...I am done with the other two female leads. And where has Priyanka disappeared? Was she even present there or had I been dreaming things?

Roop is after all the dumb villain. Here I thought she'd play the Trojan horse, usmein dhobi ka gadha play karne kii bhi taab nahi hai.

I need Soumya, please usko koi lekar aao.