Posted:
Maafi - wrong show. 😳😳 Time to put away the Dove and break out the Lifebuoy.
A NEW DAY - A NEW SOAP. 🤗
For those wondering what I'm rambling about, I got shanghaied 😡 into posting a review of Saraswati Chandra Lakshmi Siva Rama Krishna Patel. Kickoff episode only.
Old influences die hard, so if I slip into old-favorite-show-speak, please to bear with me. 😛
This magnum opus has apparently generated a lot of hype over the past few weeks, and Star Plus is giddy with delight at having hooked such a big name. No - I'm not referring to the lead couple. I'm talking about the real star of this vaudeville, the Most Revered Swami Sanjay-ji Leela-ji Bhansali-ji-ji himself.
The only director who can say "Jump!", and have SP honcho's respond timidly - "how high, Maestro?" Other PH's are probably grinding their teeth with jealousy right now.
Without further ado - let's dive in to partake of the first installment of prasadam from his Holy Divine-ness.
1. Before we Begin. Gopher? Aapka swagat hai. Gopher = (Go)tam + Jenni(pher). Tathaastu.
He's a young, preppy throwback to the glorious days of yore, when young men knew their Gayathri mantras, and parachuted out of planes just for kicks to land in artificial lakes - right on time for Dad's birthday pooja/aarti/tilak. And all poor ol' Dad wanted was a handshake. Kids these days - I tell you. 🤔
She's an Energizer Bunny on steroids (why walk when you can RUN, SKIP, JUMP) - who, for a yet-to-be-revealed reason, keeps slamming a drawer containing a pencil sketch of Jake Gyllenhaal.
Wait, what? That's actually a sketch of Go? 😲
Go beta - maafi. If you were to trim your brows a bit - I wouldn't mistakiya you for having moonlighted in Brokeback Mountain before you got your big break with Swami Bhansali-ji.
Anyway - she likes to dance in the desert and play with colors, while dressed in an outfit that was probably dated when Nutan played the original role. But hey, His Holiness decreed it, so it shalt be donned.
2. Act 1. Scene 1. Step-Mummy-ji. A little decorum?
We begin with Step-Mummy-ji doing her best imitation of Bindu/Helen at a supposedly swank event (due apologies to both ladies - you were WAY classier ⭐️). But the intent is harmless - all she wants to do is wish Daddy-ji a Happy Birthday.
(Daddy-ji...since when is Dubai a gora-desh? 🤔)
Step-Mummy-ji is desperately dialing 911 to track down the errant son, who's busy asserting his inner swami. He's the strong, silent type - who explodes at the any slight to his birth mother - perceived or real. So much so, that he's willing to be saddled with a name that most young men wouldn't touch with a barge pole.
But wait! Step-Mummy-ji has a Darth Vader'ish alter ego - she WON'T allow her stepson to be wed!! (Thank you CV's - the sorta gray characterization lasted all of 5 minutes before you threw an unvarnished BLACK cloak all over her. Subtle much? 😕)
3. With this decree, I thee marry off.
Thus spake the dad. He's arranged for his son to be wed. To a complete stranger. Without consulting him. And he's already picked out a college for their first born to attend. Since that's what these modern dads do. Right? Right.
Step-Mummy-ji is upset, since it wasn't 5 minutes ago that SHE tossed her hair over that backless blouse and declared that step-beta would never wed. Unfortunately, she forgot to check with Daddy-ji first. But Daddy-ji is dismissive of her dainty little sniffs, coz HE's met the girl, and she's the suraj to his beta's chand.
Really? That's all right then - go forth and multiply. (Is it too early to say satyanash? 😕)
4. Kumud Didi ke liye rishta Aaya Hai.
And all 45 million relatives are celebrating. The entire population of Gujarat finds out before the bride-to-be does, but she isn't celebrating. Coz she's a graduate, and she wants a groom who will measure up to HER standards.
Wait. She wants WHAT? 😲 Ladki - did you forget this is an SP show??? Now sling that pallu over your head and pipe the heck down! 😡
Kidding aside - this is a refreshing start. Will they sustain this? Unfortunately, the novel that the soap is premised on doesn't hold out hope. But to quote an immortal character - phront phront see - bhat bhat happens, coz what Swami-ji wants, the audience gets...😉
5. Finally, show-with-phenomenally-long-name-for-male-lead - Swagat hai - dhikra!
May you have MANY months of smiles and success, before it is time to bust out the glycerine that Swami-ji ordered in bulk from Walmart. Buy 1, get lifetime supply - bilkul phree.😉
And more important - hello hi to old friends that find their way here, it seems the migrant hordes are jeena yahan (😲), marna yahan (😲😲) for the foreseeable future.
So settle down, break out the popcorn, and enjoy the show. Coz if there's one thing his Sri-Holiness knows how to do, its how to tell a story.
BHELCOMES!!! 🤗🤗🤗
Cricket
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
