Ekta Kapoor is back. But now her fans have to switch to NDTV Imagine. January 19 saw the launch of two Ekta shows ' Bandini and Kitani Mohabbat Hai...
It was a pleasure to see Ekta's blue-eyed boy Ronit Roy - who people have adored as Mr Bajaj in Kasautii... and as Mihir in Kyunki' - back in Bandini as Dharamraj Mahiyavanshi, a self-made man of principles. A diamond merchant, with several jewellery stores to his name in Surat, he is also extremely sharp and intelligent. As Dharamraj aka Ronit puts it in words, "He has always been successful and can go to any extent to achieve what he wants. He lives in a small village, which belongs to him. To him work is worship. When you have power one tends to forget everything, and this is human tendency. Somebody has to come along to bring you back from where you left."
Set in a remote village in Gujarat (shot in Wai from the looks of it) this is perhaps for the first time any Ekta show is being shot outdoors (Mahabharat being an exception).
Bandini is a tale of three sisters, Santok (debutant Aasiya Kazi) being the eldest of the three. Fondly called Santo, she is a bubbly teenager who loves to dream. She is also very fond of her grandfather and two sisters Monghi and Khemi. They live with their grandfather and make earthen pots for a living. Their grandfather also being a master craftsman cuts and polishes diamonds for Dharamraj.
The episode ends on a dramatic note. Santo and Monghi get accidentally locked inside the temple where Dharamraj was supposed to come and pay his homage.Unlike most Balaji soaps, the episode does not end with a zoom in or clanging music in the background.
This volatile story of age, class and caste divide, seems to be little different from whatever Ekta has fed the audience so far. Ronit Roy in his new avatar (with moustache) looks convincing as a Gujarati diamond merchant. Aasiya as an innocent village belle does her job well. Let's see if it can give Balika Vadhu on Colors any competition.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
