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The catch phrase,"Moonlighting Curse"comes from a hit American comedy-drama of the 1980s,which scored high ratings until one disastrous night,when its core characters,David(Bruce Willis) and Maddie(Cybill Shepherd)became intimate at the end of the show's third Season.From here,the show was all downhill in ratings;and ever since then shows tend to religiously avoid killing the romantic tension and make sure that their lead couples never get together,or postpone it as long as humanly possible(such as waiting until the drama ends). The thought being that pooping the "romantic-tension bubble" spells doom for any television show.
Well,my question is:does this "Moonlighting Curse" affect our Indian soap-operas as well?There can be many views and answers to this question,but as far as my opinion,I find this phrase is applicable to our favorite show "Hitler Didi",which has been seeing such ups-n- downs in its TRPs throughout. The drama began with a note of like and dislike between the two principal characters of it,i.e.,Indira Sharma and Rishi Kumar;where everything about Rishi,irritated Indira,Rishi was flattered by Indira.Now, as audience what was it that caught our attention towards the story?:was it just the story,the story about a young woman from the middle class family,living a life,which mirrored most of our lives ?or,was it Indira Sharma's loveless life,which was about to be changed and shaken by a young,happy-go lucky man Rishi?For me,and I believe 80% of the audience,it was the latter reason,which made us look forward to the show every night at 8:00 PM.It was this romantic tension that was developing between Indira and Rishi,that made the audience anticipate more;it was indeed those sweet-n-sour fights between them that made our day;the playfulness of Rishi and the rigidness of Indira that stole the show's attention;it was this untamed heart of Rishi,and untamed anger of Indira,that put us on the edge of our sits.There was almost everything in the drama,i.e.,reality,humor,and simplicity in the story,blended with the perfect proportion of romance.What else was needed for a drama to capture the audience,which was full entertaining?-entertainment,the only reason that makes us watch television,movies,theater,or go to amusement parks.But sadly,the story of "Hitler Didi" started to give us a roller-coaster-ride,with too much of jerks ;with too much of illogical and detached chain-of -events ,resulting in the plots,such as Rishi's kidnapping track,the incomplete marriages of Indira and Rishi,the plot where the protagonist of the drama is shown to have died of brain tumor;the reappearance of a look-alike of Indira,i.e.Zara,who was perhaps created to show the come back of Indira,but with a different identity(but this somehow was abruptly ended,culminating in the creation of a love-sick woman,turning into a murderer);and the sub-plot of the mentally challenged Indira,who was shown to have ended up in Lahore jail,from where her daughter brought her home;who recognized only one face,the face of Rishi,the only person whom she allowed to be near her(but gradually the story took such a twist that,this very Indira starts recollecting the memories of her recent past life,i.e.,the short period of 8 years that she had spent in Lahore with the help of a man named Sahib;the turn in the story has been so illogical and strange that it has become quite confusing for the audience to figure out what's happening!!!!)
So what had exactly happened with the show going through a bumpy journey with the ratings?Well,many of us might be of the opinion that,its the separation of the lead characters after every short while,which made the audience disapprove;many of us are of the opinion that,it is the surprise appearance of new male characters and their more surprising disappearance that have been making us all detach from the show.But I believe that,it is solely the effect of "Moonlighting Curse" that has made the drama go a rough path,and made most of us disinterested in it. The show had been danced around the romantic-tension between Indira and Rishi;and it has been fantastically drawn -out and left fans panting with anticipation,so much so that,in an episode,where Rishi admits his feelings for Indira,almost opening his heart to her,this anticipation grows high on the audience;in another episode,where Rishi leaves and Indira runs after him,making us all re-watch the scenes again-n-again.And this lingering tension finally culminated with the final official marriage of them both,according to me;because what was left in the story was Indira's unending struggle,whether that be fighting with her aunt,Dulari Buaa;or that be her fight with her health(her brain tumor),and the drama's almost illogical story-line,where Indira gets her beloved Rishi married to Shweta;or Indira's eagerness to participate in a dance competition even when she was in the last stage of her tumor.Nowhere in the story during that phase, we could find a reason for anticipation,an anticipation to look forward to the drama;the atmosphere of the drama turned melancholic,with unwanted melo-drama and humor.And this indeed resulted in the downhill journey of the show,which was heading nowhere,until the character Zara was introduced,who seemed to have all the characteristics of Indira,and who also seemed to have a strange connection with Indu,Indira and Rishi's daughter,and gradually with Rishi.The story started to rise from its poor state,with this romantic-tension growing between Zara and Rishi;the drama once again revived with new vitality,enveloping the atmosphere with romance.And most of us started to get anticipated with the story to move forward,with almost most of the audience becoming mesmerized with this couples chemistry.But the spell was soon broken,getting them married.
And then was the appearance of Indira after 8 long years, in Rishi's life,making us anxious to see how she would react to the fact that,Rishi is her lost love,with whom she has a daughter.But for the current track,all Indira's feelings are left unsatisfied and unresolved,as she proclaimed that,she did not remember anything before the past eight years.Rishi,however,continues to love Indira,who suddenly,one fine day,recollects the name Sahib,the man with whom she had a connection in the last eight years.This raised question in our minds:Will the characters be forced to veer off in wildly tangent directions as Rishi trying to bring back his wife's memory,and Indira attempting to move on with her new relation and new life? Will there be a final culmination of the detente?;Will Rishi and Indira unite,or won't they?
Two decades have past since the demise of "Moonlighting".Isn't it time to stop fearing the myth of such an old "curse"when characters come together romantically?In the intervening years,so many shows have avoided the "curse" by simply having their characters connect romantically right away.Today,the audience and the fans are more than willing to allow their favorite couples to explore romantic love.So the writers of "HD" should also let Indira and Rishi explore their love,facing all the struggles in their lives together,After all,what is more intoxicating than watching people who are in love?There is love blossoming all around.
Well,my question is:does this "Moonlighting Curse" affect our Indian soap-operas as well?There can be many views and answers to this question,but as far as my opinion,I find this phrase is applicable to our favorite show "Hitler Didi",which has been seeing such ups-n- downs in its TRPs throughout. The drama began with a note of like and dislike between the two principal characters of it,i.e.,Indira Sharma and Rishi Kumar;where everything about Rishi,irritated Indira,Rishi was flattered by Indira.Now, as audience what was it that caught our attention towards the story?:was it just the story,the story about a young woman from the middle class family,living a life,which mirrored most of our lives ?or,was it Indira Sharma's loveless life,which was about to be changed and shaken by a young,happy-go lucky man Rishi?For me,and I believe 80% of the audience,it was the latter reason,which made us look forward to the show every night at 8:00 PM.It was this romantic tension that was developing between Indira and Rishi,that made the audience anticipate more;it was indeed those sweet-n-sour fights between them that made our day;the playfulness of Rishi and the rigidness of Indira that stole the show's attention;it was this untamed heart of Rishi,and untamed anger of Indira,that put us on the edge of our sits.There was almost everything in the drama,i.e.,reality,humor,and simplicity in the story,blended with the perfect proportion of romance.What else was needed for a drama to capture the audience,which was full entertaining?-entertainment,the only reason that makes us watch television,movies,theater,or go to amusement parks.But sadly,the story of "Hitler Didi" started to give us a roller-coaster-ride,with too much of jerks ;with too much of illogical and detached chain-of -events ,resulting in the plots,such as Rishi's kidnapping track,the incomplete marriages of Indira and Rishi,the plot where the protagonist of the drama is shown to have died of brain tumor;the reappearance of a look-alike of Indira,i.e.Zara,who was perhaps created to show the come back of Indira,but with a different identity(but this somehow was abruptly ended,culminating in the creation of a love-sick woman,turning into a murderer);and the sub-plot of the mentally challenged Indira,who was shown to have ended up in Lahore jail,from where her daughter brought her home;who recognized only one face,the face of Rishi,the only person whom she allowed to be near her(but gradually the story took such a twist that,this very Indira starts recollecting the memories of her recent past life,i.e.,the short period of 8 years that she had spent in Lahore with the help of a man named Sahib;the turn in the story has been so illogical and strange that it has become quite confusing for the audience to figure out what's happening!!!!)
So what had exactly happened with the show going through a bumpy journey with the ratings?Well,many of us might be of the opinion that,its the separation of the lead characters after every short while,which made the audience disapprove;many of us are of the opinion that,it is the surprise appearance of new male characters and their more surprising disappearance that have been making us all detach from the show.But I believe that,it is solely the effect of "Moonlighting Curse" that has made the drama go a rough path,and made most of us disinterested in it. The show had been danced around the romantic-tension between Indira and Rishi;and it has been fantastically drawn -out and left fans panting with anticipation,so much so that,in an episode,where Rishi admits his feelings for Indira,almost opening his heart to her,this anticipation grows high on the audience;in another episode,where Rishi leaves and Indira runs after him,making us all re-watch the scenes again-n-again.And this lingering tension finally culminated with the final official marriage of them both,according to me;because what was left in the story was Indira's unending struggle,whether that be fighting with her aunt,Dulari Buaa;or that be her fight with her health(her brain tumor),and the drama's almost illogical story-line,where Indira gets her beloved Rishi married to Shweta;or Indira's eagerness to participate in a dance competition even when she was in the last stage of her tumor.Nowhere in the story during that phase, we could find a reason for anticipation,an anticipation to look forward to the drama;the atmosphere of the drama turned melancholic,with unwanted melo-drama and humor.And this indeed resulted in the downhill journey of the show,which was heading nowhere,until the character Zara was introduced,who seemed to have all the characteristics of Indira,and who also seemed to have a strange connection with Indu,Indira and Rishi's daughter,and gradually with Rishi.The story started to rise from its poor state,with this romantic-tension growing between Zara and Rishi;the drama once again revived with new vitality,enveloping the atmosphere with romance.And most of us started to get anticipated with the story to move forward,with almost most of the audience becoming mesmerized with this couples chemistry.But the spell was soon broken,getting them married.
And then was the appearance of Indira after 8 long years, in Rishi's life,making us anxious to see how she would react to the fact that,Rishi is her lost love,with whom she has a daughter.But for the current track,all Indira's feelings are left unsatisfied and unresolved,as she proclaimed that,she did not remember anything before the past eight years.Rishi,however,continues to love Indira,who suddenly,one fine day,recollects the name Sahib,the man with whom she had a connection in the last eight years.This raised question in our minds:Will the characters be forced to veer off in wildly tangent directions as Rishi trying to bring back his wife's memory,and Indira attempting to move on with her new relation and new life? Will there be a final culmination of the detente?;Will Rishi and Indira unite,or won't they?
Two decades have past since the demise of "Moonlighting".Isn't it time to stop fearing the myth of such an old "curse"when characters come together romantically?In the intervening years,so many shows have avoided the "curse" by simply having their characters connect romantically right away.Today,the audience and the fans are more than willing to allow their favorite couples to explore romantic love.So the writers of "HD" should also let Indira and Rishi explore their love,facing all the struggles in their lives together,After all,what is more intoxicating than watching people who are in love?There is love blossoming all around.
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