Posted:
Originally posted by: SValeCalGal
That's very charitable of you, so thanks! It's also comforting to realize that rather than a diatribe (aka 'a rise') as a response, someone may strive to explain what about the show is so endearing ... I already granted that part of those who love/adore/live/breathe it are very likely of a different generation ... but I also admitted to having an almost incongruous liking for the zany (and this show was advertised - to me - as a likely candidate) ... at this point, I have not come away with a deep appreciation for whether this serial is supposed to be drama or comedy ... perhaps somewhere on that continuum ... I wasn't especially moved in either direction ...Hmm...well, I think the continuum point would explain it best. It is drama, and it is comedy as well, but both are understated. After years of seeing the kind of shows that pack the Indian telly at dinner tables with my mum or visiting aunts and grandmothers, what I appreciated most about Rishta was its subtlety. And for me, that applies to all aspects of it, including the comic. You mentioned mirth as a part of intellectual stimulation. Well, mirth is also a subjective response, I believe. What I find funny you might find lame, and vice versa. And the thing with Rishta is, it has a very toned down sense of humour. It's more witty than funny most of the time, shall we say. And while it may not make me roll on the floor all the time, it does make me smile quite often, and yes, occasions a guffaw at certain moments as well. But that's my response, and I'm not saying everyone does or should respond in the same way. It's subjective, like I said earlier. And I also wanted to add that to your age-group point. My mother likes Rishta.com, as do most of my friends' parents, other than those who still prefer the great Indian daiIy soap. This is what I meant by a generalised conclusion. Can't hold good for everyone, necessarily. That's also the reason why I don't see your liking for the zany as 'incongruous'. Don't quite agree with a normative understanding of the human being. Every individual has likings and reservations, and I tend to look at them as a part of who he/she is, regardless of what is socially seen as what he/she should be at a certain age. Liking the zany or even the slapstick doesn't make one any less mature. At least that's the way I see it. I think you're also making a similar point on this front, since you are yourself a living instance of this 'incongruity'.Ah yes! I see the misunderstanding here ... 'mean' is that long forgotten middle school mathematical concept ... it's also known as the 'average' ... ergo, mean age = average age ...Aaah. Thanks for clearing that up. 😊Much obliged to you for putting it simply ... now, I like what you say in terms of 'food for thought' (which of course, as you rightfully point out, provides intellectual stimulation - of varying granularity) ... I also grant you that I have not seen the serial since its inception, but if I extrapolate based on what I saw yesterday, I should remain unmoved ... but enough about me ... tell me what were/are these morsels that caused/cause you to cogitate ... and about what ... there's something I'm missing ... and I hate being left out in the cold 😔The episode you watched was focused on Rohan and Isha, as is every episode, actually. But one of the differences between this and its predecesors is the client. This time, the client seemed more like an extra limb for humour (debatable as its efficacy may be). In the earlier episodes, the client has had a very central role in the trajectory of the episode, aside from the sub-plots with the other characters. That's another count on which Rishta scores for me, but more on that later. I'll stick to the client, for now. A couple of episodes ago, for instance, the client was a successful businessman, smart, polished, charismatic and 4 feet 11 inches tall. Predictably, he was turned down by every girl they found for him at Rishta, until one of the prettiest girls on the list came in to ask them to arrange for another meeting, and take things forward. Here's where the bit I like comes in. That while on most shows, this would be the point to harp on the old adage of never judging a book by its cover, Rishta took the same adage one step further. The girl produced an old passport photograph of hers, when she was 19 years old and obese. Having been mocked all her life, she understood that what lay on the inside was more important than what one saw on the outside. That covered, the news was broken to the client. And the client turned the offer down. Why? Because he was at an age where he wasn't growing any taller or shorter. But the girl could go right back to what she had been in that photograph. Having been mocked all his life for his height, he didn't think he could handle more mocking for his wife's weight. The episode ended with Rohan and Isha's faces, stunned and quite revolted. The point then made was that while a book is often better than its cover, it can be alot worse too. I've put it a little simplistically here, but it can be read as a very pertinent statement on human nature, as well as society. This is just the one instance I'll count out, to illustrate why I like this show. There are more, but I think this one should do for now. 😊
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Aami Daakini
