Love(ly) Couples
Sony, which launched Bade Acche Laggte Hai a month ago, is reaping the benefits of the unusual pairing of Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar. Says Danish Khan, Vice-President, Marketing, Sony, "Viewers follow characters and the chemistry between the lead characters is one of the key reasons for the success of a show. Whether it's Toasty and Tej in Saas BinaSasural or Ram-Priya in Bade Acche.. people are liking their chemistry and the ratings have surged in the last couple of weeks." Agrees Sukesh Motwani, Fiction Head, Zee, "Eighty per cent of our shows have generated the perfect romantic couple. Whether it's Dev-Radhika of Chhoti Bahu, Manav-Archana of Pavitra Rishta or Karan-Abha of Yahaan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli, the pairs looks good and have worked because when they look into each other's eyes you know it's the kind of love that will stand the test of time."
Ram Kapoor - Sakshi Tanwar
(Bade Acche Lagte Hai)
Channel: Sony
Our rating: 4/5
TRPs: 3.22 (For week ending July 2)
Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar are the oldest - she is 30-plus and he is in his forties - and the oddest –– he is fat, she is slim –– romantic couple on screen. They belong to different worlds: while he is a rich businessman who keeps to himself, she is a typical middle-class girl who believes in sharing and caring. And yet, the sparks that fly whenever they meet are the viewer's delight. The couple has recently got reluctantly engaged to each other and except for exchanging rings, they haven't shared any intimacy. But that hardly matters. Thanks to their effortless and natural acting, they only have look at each other and you can sense the latent love waiting to explode.
Ravi Dubey-Aishwarya Sakhuja
(Saas Bina Sasural)
Channel: Sony,
TRPs: 2.21 (For week ending July 2)
Our rating: 4/5
At the outset Aishwarya aka Toasty seems to be taller than Ravi aka Tej but when they stand next to each other you realise that they are of the same height. Not only that, the pair complements each other so well, that they really look man and wife. They share a crackling chemistry, whether they are fighting or being intimate. The couple is shown to be part of a huge joint family that comprises only men, seven in all and one woman that is Toasty. The fact that Tej manages romantic moments with Toasty despite them wins him points as an ardent lover. Like this scene which had Toasty, tucking her pallu and going to the kitchen to make tea and Tezz pulling her to him despite his family members sitting on the other side and Toasty after a brief nok-jhok, giving in makes them the perfect jodi.
Sushant Singh Rajput - Ankita Lokhande
(Pavitra Rishta)
Channel: Zee
TRPs: 5.16 (For week ending July 2)
Our rating: 3.5/5
Sushant Singh as Manav and Ankita as Archana have become household names. Pavitra Rishta has been on air for three years and continues to be the numero uno show. Apart from its storyline, it's the lead jodi that is working its magic on the viewers. They are a typical middle-class couple united by an arranged marriage and that is what the audience finds extremely relatable. As a couple, they don't sizzle nor is there any hotness. But the petite Archana with her wide-eyed look and innocence has the tall and good-looking Manav completly besotted. Theirs is a perfectly arranged love-match! In real life too, the duo is madly in love with each other and Sushant had proposed to her on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.
Jay Soni - Ragini Khanna
Sasural Genda Phool)
Channel: Star Plus
TRPs: 3.23(For week ending July 2)
Our rating: 4/5
Ragini as Suhana and Jai as Ishaan come across as best friends first and then lovers. The bespectacled and soft-spoken Ishaan is a perfect foil to the loud and aggressive Suhana. The duo is in complete sync with each other whether they are arguing or making love. The song Saanson ko saanson picturised on the duo was hot enough to scorch the screens. Currently though, Ishaan is suffering from amnesia (he has forgotten his marriage to Suhana) and Suhana is trying to jog his memory, leading to some interesting romantic scenes.
Arhaan Behl - Pooja Gor
(Mann Ki Awaaz Pratigya)
Channel: Star Plus
TRPs: 4.29 (For week ending July 2)
Arhaan as Krishna and Pooja as Pratigya are as different as chalk and cheese. He is a ruffian hailing from a rich family and she is an educated middle-class girl. Pratigya is eve-teased by Krishna's friends but when Krishna sees her he falls in love with her at first sight and forces her to marry him. Not a good premise for romance but that's exactly what the Krishna-Pratigya story has turned out to be. He dresses like a rowdy, but his ardent gaze on Pratigya is hot enough to burn the screen. No wonder, Pratigya melts. Last seen, the duo had a fight and Krishna in Sholay style climbed up a tank to woo her back.
Nandish Sandhu - Tina Dutta
(Uttaran)
Channel: Colors
TRPs: 4.46 (For week ending July 2)
Our rating: 3.5/5
Nandish as Veer and Tina as Iccha hail from different strata of society –– he is rich and she is a servant's daughter –– but they share the same sensibilities. Both are compassionate and have a similar nature. Their love is not the kind that sizzles, it is more soft, dreamy and mushy. The couple has hardly had any fights barring a recent one caused due to a misunderstanding that has led to Iccha leaving the house. Interestingly Veer has a good chemistry with Tapasya too. Tapasya is played by Rashmi Desai who he has married in real life. But since they are not an on-screen couple, they don't feature in this.
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