Ivy's analysis 11th October episode - Page 3

as always Ivy's analysis just open my eyes to so many different new things! glad to read 'em!

Awesome post..ur post made me watch the friday episode...and i loved it...loved Saraswati chandra after such a long time

Originally posted by: Arshics

Episode Analysis 11th October 13 SC by Ivy

At that point, Saras' eyes smoldered like the coals he had made himself 'cross' to fortify his resolve. There is no frame wasted showing Saras 'crossing' the gates, because for him, the 'key' and Alak's information, support were what mattered. Plus that line she uttered... Beyond that, the gate and any other barrier is rendered insignificant for Saras in his path to Kumud...

Saras walked on burning coals to recieve the divine sign that his reservations about Pramad were correct. Kumud for her part, walks on rose petals to confront the moment where finally all her illusions about Pramad will be razed to the ground. Why does she get to walk 'roses' but? Because Saras already walked on the coals for her. Saras has absorbed into his being the latent fire from the coals which is now propelling him in his misson and he has left it for Kumud to experience the softness of the rose petals underneath her feet while she clutches the white odhini. Taking a larger optic, this is indicative of the Saras-Kumud equation post-marriage as well - he has always saved her, protected her within hadd, while showing absolute haqq. Come hell or high water, Saras will always choose the coals for himself and leave the roses for Kumud to cross. That defines his love, where he himself will always come second to Kumud's most trivial of joys. Kumud too exemplifies hadd and haqq in this scene... Hadd where she has come to 'test' her win, after banishing Saras from her marital life and Haqq where she still carries his last to her, a memento of the time when only he and he was in her heart, mind, and life - the white odhini..

That odhini is Saras himself - it stands for his promise, his resolve, it announces to the viewer that Saras' aayega, Kumud ko bachane.

The white of the odhini also symbolises that these 'colors' of the marital room, Pramad's rang is not Kumud's rang. Her rang is only Saras', colors brought by him are the only which she will accept in her life and right now, that rang is white (pure, like Saras' essence). And because Saras' promise is yet to be completed - in entirety.

Special Mention: Saras wearing yellow. His 'yellow' is the yellow of golden, majestic flame, the yellow of a blazing sun, the emblazoned yellow of a phoenix risen and soaring. Saras was dressed to combat the flames today - as an equal and also as the antidote to the poison of the fire.

Saras brought his love (his essence) to show the flames and the Master of the flames (Pramad) their aukaad.

SARASWATICHANDRA - A lover not a fighter. A lover who lives for his love, will fight for his love, will take a million hits for her sake. A lover, not a deserter. A flawed human being, not an unreal Mills & Boons 'hero' - a man who is ordinary on the outside but its the things inside of him, his demons & his mastery of them, his sometimes succumbing to them, him with all his faults, weaknesses but him holding on to, at the cost of even himself, the most purest thing about him - his love for her - which make him frickin' great!

posting this as Ivy's not keeping too well, so taking the liberty as it is a must read for all SC fans, a film form analysis of last night's episode . I hope you don't mind Ivy.

Ivy!

Get well soon!

And Many Thanks...Feel much better after reading your analysis!👏

I have many reservations on the said epi from the narrative perspective itself...Feel it was just like any other epi we see everyday, except that the CVs now got Saras - Kumud together...posted my observations on the CB thread...

Then your post & thread made my day much better!...I can live with the microcosm of saras-kumud on a stand-alone basis...

The Show itself would have been so much poorer if not for this post!

...Your perspective lends a certain grace, structure and reasoning to the Epi...which I am sure the PH incompetents have not thought of and don't deserve to be associated with...😎

Arshi-
Thx for making this a separate post.

In defense of "Ivy" 😛

Hgg Bhai / Smrth Bhai / Nandy Ji / Twila / Shrija / Happy Dost & Jaanu Ji,

I'm privately mortified to be fashioning out a collective post in response to your individual substantial thoughts so graciously provided but I am in no position to meet your regard in kind. The calendar has taken on scarily D-Day-ish proportions and the blasted clock's zooming minutes and striding hour hands have twisted my hands to near breaking-point.

Regarding analysis, I did believe that I had adequately covered my flanks with a mild disclaimer 😆, but nevertheless, lest I myself start having doubts of the fever's conquest on my faculties of interpretation, now that temp has subsided to the relatively normal, I went back to epi again... And I am relieved and pleased to report that my initial deconstruction was not crafted in the throes of a heightened temp and EI (Emotional Intelligence). No fruits of feverish delirium, this 😛

Even on a second (more detached) watch, I still experienced a frisson of the old Viewer excitement, and by the end even a semblance of the much-elusive-of-late "affect." May I thus present the usual suspect and the chief culprit here - Blame it on 'Ivy', friends 😎

And Ivy stands guilty as charged. I felt a connect' with the epi - there were enough symbolisms and markers laid down (without previous finesse) to leave me mildly enthusiastic again... For the 'Ivy' of yore to dominate the viewpoint of the analysis. You will note that, for the most part, I eschewed the technical, for the significance of the mise-en-scene. This is because when viewed from the directors chair, the episode (particularly the save and rescue moments) left a lot to be desired. But the emotional, empathic and experiential facet, captured and held me long enough... For the first time in ages, I was sidetracked from my usual 'occupation' of noticing only chinks in the mirror... I was sidetracked by the prevailing vibe, the undercurrent of dread and urgency, the curiosity and the anticipation of a long-awaited resolution. The fissures were present, but the reflection, or perhaps, what the mirror strove to distort, a shadow of former glory, was still there and it was far more compelling and appealing.

One feature dominated (not entirely positively) and that was the pace - I suppose that was the brief for the epi (Let loose the NOS - if you can't convince 'em, burn 'em out with speed). GR and the editing operated on pure adrenaline right through. This was his race against time, Saras was made a "hero" unashamedly but even in that 'hero' I still saw the ordinary man with an extraordinary love holding fast and true to his core essence, fighting for who still dictates his heartbeats. Saras acted a man possessed right from the moment Alak uttered that significant line so matter-of-factly... One mind, one track, one concern. Kumud. So like the Saras we know. That I appreciated. In contrast, Aanshul and Jennifer's scenes came across as almost lethargic - the yucky SR had to be lingered upon. But therein too hid a consistency - of Kumud's misplaced faith and belief in Pramad, of her destructive desire to make her marriage a success. That I appreciated. Harmony' was only reached with the Saras-Kumud meet and a sort of blazing crescendo was achieved. For me, GR-JW revived their magic, aided ONLY by the spectacular mise-en-scene. And it had to be fire... For phoenixes to take re-birth (especially Kumud), for their equation to be purged of the impure MU's of late and the resentments of long ago. It had to be fire for the sake of Kumud, because she had always taken recourse in fire to assist her in getting over Saras'... Shraadh 1 & 2, Shaadi ke phera's 1 & 2 with Pramad. Nothing less than a Kumud enveloped in flames would have cancelled' and redeemed her from her acts of burning Saras' memories, Saras himself and her emotions for him, in flames, again and again. Today, she believed she was meant to go down in flames, but really she only had to experience their wrath because, she was meant to rise out of it again. Anew.

On that note, Shrija - the significance of Saras' shirt colour - I am convinced it was pre-thought. It makes for a striking shot when he first rushes into the flames, where for a split-second his shirt is subsumed into the inferno as though he is on fire, which at the moment Saras was - physically, emotionally, mentally. Also when S is seen from Kumud's pov when he first enters room - his torso and the flames are virtually indistinguishable. Plus, Team SC are familiar suspects when it comes to wardrobe symbolism, significance. This tradition is adopted from classical Hollywood - when movies first started to be shot in color, esp in musicals, wardrobe was increasingly used to say more about a character and his mood, than any dialogue, gesture etc. This is called color coding and makes up one of the basic film reading systems. On a general note, all of us in our daily lives, sometimes select clothes with specific colors to make a statement. This is kinda the same. Only difference here it is employed to be consciously read and applied =)

The direction overall, appealed in bursts and sparks... But there was enough technique (basic and recurring) employed plus the explicit and implicit use of parallels, analogies and symbolisms - a rare sight in the epi's of late - that caused me to act once more like a fluffy-haired kid let loose in a toy-shop. You minus the odhini (the clever fact that it was Saras in Wed epi who effectively re-introduced' the ohdini, Kumud just took it, numbed)... Minus the impact, the over-arching SC significance of the fire... Minus the striking mise-en-scene created. Minus the rare foresight displayed, and the efforts taken for old loopholes to be closed... In effect, the rare cognitive workout provided and I would have probably taken a brickbat to this episode as well. It deserved it, but then it also deserved credit where due. And I made a subjective 'choice.'

That being said, I bring my cultural appreciation to bear on the epi and each of our cultural appetites voraciously differs. My interpretation is entirely personal, I respect the 'disconnect' still felt by many & I may be giving undue credit to the rather unimaginative CV's (I graciously accept all compliments 😳) but fact remains that they provided the instrument for my analysis. What I just did is, separate the tools from the toys, so to speak. Twila, I suspect that for the mise-en-scene of the room, the CV's went back to the promo - not a stretch since they've literalised and amplified almost everything shown in those thirty seconds. And it was a clever decision, working brilliantly on manifold levels. Plus, like color-coding, literalising and amplifying a prop or sequence, is another common film reading system'... Think of it like 'pre-sets' always available to be employed =)

Here I must offer another disclaimer: After taking a brickbat to almost everyone and everything in SC, I can safely say that I have no allegiance left remaining. I do not 'ship' Saras-Kumud in the expected way, I am not even an SC fan anymore, but an SC Viewer only. However I am a fan of SCians, and especially I am a fan of everyone who posts in CB, who bring their diverse emotional, cultural, intellectual experiences/perspectives to bear on the master canvas of each epi - most, far more stimulating than epi itself. The episodes are no longer a must-watch, but these thought-provoking, engaging, delightful and wry nuggets are without a question, my must-read. Thus, the 'choice' that I conciously made, is my 'return' (equally delightful, I hope) to friends, I met and made in the course of this journey, and whom I still walk with. The epi marked a momentous occasion in SC calendar and when I found reason to celebrate along with all, I wanted to celebrate. The cherry on the cake is that I could do so with a clear conscience as always - I did not 'slant' my analysis, in any way... For once, for this epi especially, I just opted to omit the negatives and commemorate the positives. But ONLY because, IMHO, the positives made a far more convincing case for their eulogizing 😳

Ergo, as a relatively isolated block (Promo + narrative seeds sown Wed/Thurs Epi), the epi made sense to me, and engaged both my IQ and EQ to an acceptable extent. Made a successful hit on my heart with the poignant resolution it offered. As an SC Viewer, I counted my blessings and thanked CV's for the smallest of mercies. Because it could have been a lot way worse... Freshly seared on our minds the massacre of Saras-Kumud truth revelation and the highly offensive & hurtful sindoor/re-marriage drama. In comparison, I'd say, just like Saras-Kumud, we too, walked out - unscathed. And now we too have the 'gun' of further atrocities aimed at us. But for the moment, we rejoice. We've earned it =)

Originally posted by: -Ivy-

In defense of "Ivy" 😛

Hgg Bhai / Smrth Bhai / Nandy Ji / Twila / Shrija / Happy Dost & Jaanu Ji,

I'm privately mortified to be fashioning out a collective post in response to your individual substantial thoughts so graciously provided but I am in no position to meet your regard in kind. The calendar has taken on scarily D-Day-ish proportions and the blasted clock's zooming minutes and striding hour hands have twisted my hands to near breaking-point.

Regarding analysis, I did believe that I had adequately covered my flanks with a mild disclaimer 😆, but nevertheless, lest I myself start having doubts of the fever's conquest on my faculties of interpretation, now that temp has subsided to the relatively normal, I went back to epi again... And I am relieved and pleased to report that my initial deconstruction was not crafted in the throes of a heightened temp and EI (Emotional Intelligence). No fruits of feverish delirium, this 😛

Even on a second (more detached) watch, I still experienced a frisson of the old Viewer excitement, and by the end even a semblance of the much-elusive-of-late "affect." May I thus present the usual suspect and the chief culprit here - Blame it on 'Ivy', friends 😎

And Ivy stands guilty as charged. I felt a connect' with the epi - there were enough symbolisms and markers laid down (without previous finesse) to leave me mildly enthusiastic again... For the 'Ivy' of yore to dominate the viewpoint of the analysis. You will note that, for the most part, I eschewed the technical, for the significance of the mise-en-scene. This is because when viewed from the directors chair, the episode (particularly the save and rescue moments) left a lot to be desired. But the emotional, empathic and experiential facet, captured and held me long enough... For the first time in ages, I was sidetracked from my usual 'occupation' of noticing only chinks in the mirror... I was sidetracked by the prevailing vibe, the undercurrent of dread and urgency, the curiosity and the anticipation of a long-awaited resolution. The fissures were present, but the reflection, or perhaps, what the mirror strove to distort, a shadow of former glory, was still there and it was far more compelling and appealing.

One feature dominated (not entirely positively) and that was the pace - I suppose that was the brief for the epi (Let loose the NOS - if you can't convince 'em, burn 'em out with speed). GR and the editing operated on pure adrenaline right through. This was his race against time, Saras was made a "hero" unashamedly but even in that 'hero' I still saw the ordinary man with an extraordinary love holding fast and true to his core essence, fighting for who still dictates his heartbeats. Saras acted a man possessed right from the moment Alak uttered that significant line so matter-of-factly... One mind, one track, one concern. Kumud. So like the Saras we know. That I appreciated. In contrast, Aanshul and Jennifer's scenes came across as almost lethargic - the yucky SR had to be lingered upon. But therein too hid a consistency - of Kumud's misplaced faith and belief in Pramad, of her destructive desire to make her marriage a success. That I appreciated. Harmony' was only reached with the Saras-Kumud meet and a sort of blazing crescendo was achieved. For me, GR-JW revived their magic, aided ONLY by the spectacular mise-en-scene. And it had to be fire... For phoenixes to take re-birth (especially Kumud), for their equation to be purged of the impure MU's of late and the resentments of long ago. It had to be fire for the sake of Kumud, because she had always taken recourse in fire to assist her in getting over Saras'... Shraadh 1 & 2, Shaadi ke phera's 1 & 2 with Pramad. Nothing less than a Kumud enveloped in flames would have cancelled' and redeemed her from her acts of burning Saras' memories, Saras himself and her emotions for him, in flames, again and again. Today, she believed she was meant to go down in flames, but really she only had to experience their wrath because, she was meant to rise out of it again. Anew.

On that note, Shrija - the significance of Saras' shirt colour - I am convinced it was pre-thought. It makes for a striking shot when he first rushes into the flames, where for a split-second his shirt is subsumed into the inferno as though he is on fire, which at the moment Saras was - physically, emotionally, mentally. Also when S is seen from Kumud's pov when he first enters room - his torso and the flames are virtually indistinguishable. Plus, Team SC are familiar suspects when it comes to wardrobe symbolism, significance. This tradition is adopted from classical Hollywood - when movies first started to be shot in color, esp in musicals, wardrobe was increasingly used to say more about a character and his mood, than any dialogue, gesture etc. This is called color coding and makes up one of the basic film reading systems. On a general note, all of us in our daily lives, sometimes select clothes with specific colors to make a statement. This is kinda the same. Only difference here it is employed to be consciously read and applied =)

The direction overall, appealed in bursts and sparks... But there was enough technique (basic and recurring) employed plus the explicit and implicit use of parallels, analogies and symbolisms - a rare sight in the epi's of late - that caused me to act once more like a fluffy-haired kid let loose in a toy-shop. You minus the odhini (the clever fact that it was Saras in Wed epi who effectively re-introduced' the ohdini, Kumud just took it, numbed)... Minus the impact, the over-arching SC significance of the fire... Minus the striking mise-en-scene created. Minus the rare foresight displayed, and the efforts taken for old loopholes to be closed... In effect, the rare cognitive workout provided and I would have probably taken a brickbat to this episode as well. It deserved it, but then it also deserved credit where due. And I made a subjective 'choice.'

That being said, I bring my cultural appreciation to bear on the epi and each of our cultural appetites voraciously differs. My interpretation is entirely personal, I respect the 'disconnect' still felt by many & I may be giving undue credit to the rather unimaginative CV's (I graciously accept all compliments 😳) but fact remains that they provided the instrument for my analysis. What I just did is, separate the tools from the toys, so to speak. Twila, I suspect that for the mise-en-scene of the room, the CV's went back to the promo - not a stretch since they've literalised and amplified almost everything shown in those thirty seconds. And it was a clever decision, working brilliantly on manifold levels. Plus, like color-coding, literalising and amplifying a prop or sequence, is another common film reading system'... Think of it like 'pre-sets' always available to be employed =)

Here I must offer another disclaimer: After taking a brickbat to almost everyone and everything in SC, I can safely say that I have no allegiance left remaining. I do not 'ship' Saras-Kumud in the expected way, I am not even an SC fan anymore, but an SC Viewer only. However I am a fan of SCians, and especially I am a fan of everyone who posts in CB, who bring their diverse emotional, cultural, intellectual experiences/perspectives to bear on the master canvas of each epi - most, far more stimulating than epi itself. The episodes are no longer a must-watch, but these thought-provoking, engaging, delightful and wry nuggets are without a question, my must-read. Thus, the 'choice' that I conciously made, is my 'return' (equally delightful, I hope) to friends, I met and made in the course of this journey, and whom I still walk with. The epi marked a momentous occasion in SC calendar and when I found reason to celebrate along with all, I wanted to celebrate. The cherry on the cake is that I could do so with a clear conscience as always - I did not 'slant' my analysis, in any way... For once, for this epi especially, I just opted to omit the negatives and commemorate the positives. But ONLY because, IMHO, the positives made a far more convincing case for their eulogizing 😳

Ergo, as a relatively isolated block (Promo + narrative seeds sown Wed/Thurs Epi), the epi made sense to me, and engaged both my IQ and EQ to an acceptable extent. Made a successful hit on my heart with the poignant resolution it offered. As an SC Viewer, I counted my blessings and thanked CV's for the smallest of mercies. Because it could have been a lot way worse... Freshly seared on our minds the massacre of Saras-Kumud truth revelation and the highly offensive & hurtful sindoor/re-marriage drama. In comparison, I'd say, just like Saras-Kumud, we too, walked out - unscathed. And now we too have the 'gun' of further atrocities aimed at us. But for the moment, we rejoice. We've earned it =)

Originally posted by: -Ivy-

In defense of "Ivy" 😛

Hgg Bhai / Smrth Bhai / Nandy Ji / Twila / Shrija / Happy Dost & Jaanu Ji,

I'm privately mortified to be fashioning out a collective post in response to your individual substantial thoughts so graciously provided but I am in no position to meet your regard in kind. The calendar has taken on scarily D-Day-ish proportions and the blasted clock's zooming minutes and striding hour hands have twisted my hands to near breaking-point.

Regarding analysis, I did believe that I had adequately covered my flanks with a mild disclaimer 😆, but nevertheless, lest I myself start having doubts of the fever's conquest on my faculties of interpretation, now that temp has subsided to the relatively normal, I went back to epi again... And I am relieved and pleased to report that my initial deconstruction was not crafted in the throes of a heightened temp and EI (Emotional Intelligence). No fruits of feverish delirium, this 😛

Even on a second (more detached) watch, I still experienced a frisson of the old Viewer excitement, and by the end even a semblance of the much-elusive-of-late "affect." May I thus present the usual suspect and the chief culprit here - Blame it on 'Ivy', friends 😎

And Ivy stands guilty as charged. I felt a connect' with the epi - there were enough symbolisms and markers laid down (without previous finesse) to leave me mildly enthusiastic again... For the 'Ivy' of yore to dominate the viewpoint of the analysis. You will note that, for the most part, I eschewed the technical, for the significance of the mise-en-scene. This is because when viewed from the directors chair, the episode (particularly the save and rescue moments) left a lot to be desired. But the emotional, empathic and experiential facet, captured and held me long enough... For the first time in ages, I was sidetracked from my usual 'occupation' of noticing only chinks in the mirror... I was sidetracked by the prevailing vibe, the undercurrent of dread and urgency, the curiosity and the anticipation of a long-awaited resolution. The fissures were present, but the reflection, or perhaps, what the mirror strove to distort, a shadow of former glory, was still there and it was far more compelling and appealing.

One feature dominated (not entirely positively) and that was the pace - I suppose that was the brief for the epi (Let loose the NOS - if you can't convince 'em, burn 'em out with speed). GR and the editing operated on pure adrenaline right through. This was his race against time, Saras was made a "hero" unashamedly but even in that 'hero' I still saw the ordinary man with an extraordinary love holding fast and true to his core essence, fighting for who still dictates his heartbeats. Saras acted a man possessed right from the moment Alak uttered that significant line so matter-of-factly... One mind, one track, one concern. Kumud. So like the Saras we know. That I appreciated. In contrast, Aanshul and Jennifer's scenes came across as almost lethargic - the yucky SR had to be lingered upon. But therein too hid a consistency - of Kumud's misplaced faith and belief in Pramad, of her destructive desire to make her marriage a success. That I appreciated. Harmony' was only reached with the Saras-Kumud meet and a sort of blazing crescendo was achieved. For me, GR-JW revived their magic, aided ONLY by the spectacular mise-en-scene. And it had to be fire... For phoenixes to take re-birth (especially Kumud), for their equation to be purged of the impure MU's of late and the resentments of long ago. It had to be fire for the sake of Kumud, because she had always taken recourse in fire to assist her in getting over Saras'... Shraadh 1 & 2, Shaadi ke phera's 1 & 2 with Pramad. Nothing less than a Kumud enveloped in flames would have cancelled' and redeemed her from her acts of burning Saras' memories, Saras himself and her emotions for him, in flames, again and again. Today, she believed she was meant to go down in flames, but really she only had to experience their wrath because, she was meant to rise out of it again. Anew.