Hello Maryada Forum:
I am new here. Just caught up on the last three weeks of this series and loving it so far. Personally speaking I tend to look at movies or television series from a story & screenplay standpoint and Maryada appeals to me on both counts.
A story about four women in Northern Haryana each with a past or secrets to hide is a great premise to build a show on. Where most series fail, this one, for now, has been doing a good job of focusing & building on all these characters and their lives in a gripping fashion.
The first of the quartet is Priya...the protagonist. The story has established her as being left at the altar but why is one of her secrets. It's likely tied to a traumatic life-changing experience in a train in which the police were involved...but what occurred has only been hinted at. Was it rape? Maybe...maybe not...but that said...it is clear that whatever happened gained her media notoriety via false stories being spread by those with vested interests.
The next in the quartet is Devyani, wife of the Superintendent of Police. Her character seems obsessed with the superficial appearance of her family. Even as she is aware of the secrets in the lives of those around her, especially her husband and sister, she chooses to brush everything under the rug so that her life still exudes the aura of perfection that allows her to pretend ignorance of the obvious.
Uttara, Devyani's younger sister is the next part of this quartet. Beautiful and outgoing, her life with husband Rishabh is in stark contrast to her bright personality. It is clear that the emotions related to the physical abuse she is suffering at Rishabh's hands are just bubbling below the surface. The day that volcano erupts...will be something to look forward to.
The last woman standing, Vidya, is a very interesting study in contrasts. On the one hand she is this simple and shy newly married bride but on the other is a young girl slowly awakening to the feelings of attraction within her. There also seems to be some back story around how she got married to Gaurav, Devyani's older son. She is yet to fully realize her husband's lack of interest in her but it will be interesting to see how the support of the women around her helps her come out of her shell and in to her own.
I will focus on the men and supporting cast of this show in my next take.
What I loved so far:
- Well-fleshed out characters. For a story lover such as me, it is a pleasure to see all the characters have a good skeletal sketch that establishes their identity and levers at the outset. Here, attention has even been paid to the supporting cast.
- From a screenplay standpoint, I love the pace with which the story is moving forward. I wonder if that can be maintained in the long run though.
- I love that several of the main characters are not afraid to speak their mind. A Hindi series where the lead confesses his love to the lady and his family without the baggage of drama is refreshing to see.
- The background music works well for most part.
What did not work for me:
- I am not a fan of the constant public ridicule that seems to follow Priya. However, I do get that the writers are trying to establish the traumatic & unfair nature of her past for the viewers. Since this series is still only in its third week, this gets a pass from me for now.
- The "Ishq Hai" background sound seems to always be misplaced...it impedes the screenplay. Wish it could be used in a better way.
Cheers,
Jaya
