Or is it??
7 saal ka pyaar
7 saal ki pasand
Ya phir sirf 7 saal ki zimmedari
What a beautiful closure, today, to the past 7 days....
The "hero" of my post today is Imlie's writing....what a genuine, heartfelt effort to break through the clutter of mediocrity and stereotype
If Team Imlie can hold on to this level of story-telling, screenplay and dialogues, we sure have a "first of its kind on ITV" on hand! *Touchwood to that*
Imlie can actually set a benchmark on how the genre of melodrama can be effectively done....that social messages...that character architypes....can also be an integral part of impactful storytelling.
The beauty of this love story is that it is a complex one.....time and effort have been invested in shaping the fabric of Imlie and Aditya.....their backstory....their value system....their outlook to life....how, they are able to 'reach' each other....give 'effortless' and 'connection' a whole new meaning....
There is something so unpretentious about their bond, the beauty of it.....being there even when the bond wasn't....
Cut to episode 1....what a superlative introduction of the leads....
Imlie....basking in the glow of the morning sun....raring to go.....embrace the world with her beliefs....strongly entrenched in Sita Maiya, her Amma's unconditional love and Dadda's upbringing
Aditya...also raring to go...take on the world with his passion....and, quest for the truth....unabated....whatever it takes to get there....
Malini....a well-educated professor....can easily be her own person....but is all-consumed by the thought....of her marriage to Aditya
Imlie and Aditya just had to be together! :)
This drama, for me, is a success....a definitive step forward in ITV story-telling, since it has managed to communicate a lot beyond the obvious....
The uniqueness of this story lies in the fact that there is no black or white here....there is grey....just as it is in life....whether people or circumstances....
On the surface, this is a story of bigamy
Scratch a little beneath the obvious, this is a story of connections....deep-rooted ones...how more often than not, life and even life partners just go with the flow.....based on assumptions, the comfort zone, social conditioning as well. Connections, however, are deeper....if one is lucky, Connections and Life Partners can be worthy synonyms! :)
Aditya's marriage to Imlie is only incidental to the larger scheme of things, that Imlie stands for, IMO
It provides the safety net, within which to operate
The larger point, that Imlie so very effectively manages to communicate is that two good people may not necessarily a good marriage make....
Malini is by no means stereotypically evil (thank God for that)....she is just grey.....as are Aditya and Imlie
She just does not have the Emotional Intelligence (and, maybe even the intellect) required to invest and make for successful companionship and marriage.
Malini's priorities in life are misplaced....her fragmented upbringing....her insecurities may have a lot do with it.
Sadly, Aditya's priorities are not the same!
Imlie, on the other hand....has a goalpost in life....with her goals being as SMART as can be! LOL
Aditya is not the be all and end all of her existence.
And, that, paradoxically, is Aditya's definition of a life partner!
This series has truly done a fantastic job on the use of symbolism and allegories *standing ovation* Team Imlie!
This series has also invested in the writing of the supporting characters.....
Satyakam is inspirational...Imlie has so much of him....goes on to prove that upbringing always supersedes genetics, and how!
Sundar is also such a well-written character....his endearing bond with Imlie manages to communicate so much....how kindness begets kindness...how goodness transcends class and social divide....
Team Imlie, Kudos for this holistic entertainment....loving every moment of it!
The TRPs are reassuring....ITV viewing is not always in reference to the Idiot Box! LOL
One request though....even if there is ever a struggle....Team Imlie, please hold on to your guns....to the larger cause that you have embarked upon....of the respect that the discerning ITV viewer deserves....of good, meaningful content!
On that hopeful note, Goodnight people! "Goodnight" will never be the same again! :)
Cheers!
DocD
P.S. This post would be incomplete without a huge shout out to the acting prowess of Sumbul Touqeer and Gashmeer Mahajani! What powerhouse performers these two are....such nuanced command over their craft...a slant of an eye here, a gentle smile there....and their silences....how powerfully these two speak to each other, as they bring Imlie and Aditya to life. Fantastic work, guys!!
P.P.S: Since the mainstay of this write-up is an appreciation of Imlie's writing, discovered that Aparajita Sharma is one of the writers of the play. If she is the same Aparajita Sharma, who had co-written "Rang Badalti Odhani", I am not surprised with Imlie's standard. For all the connoisseurs of good writing, "Rang Badalti Odhani" is absolutely recommended!
