I come very late to this party; in fact I am here after the party is over as such but I like to think that a celebration of a really good fiction is never really over. I accidentally almost came across your FF whilst browsing the other day- I definitely missed out reading on it when it was on-going and have no idea why as such but in any case, reading the completed work had a beauty of its own!
I absolutely loved your story! I started reading a few chapters and was totally hooked and stayed up till very late on two consecutive nights until I finished the whole thing 😳. I so keep wishing I had known of this story before as I would have loved to comment chapter by chapter but hopefully my take here will suffice:)
In no particular, there was so much I really enjoyed in this finely spun tale which takes up from the serial plot where I personally feel there was so much left lacking. You filled those gaps as such and also gave a really good dimension to so much. Your outlining of the plot felt so natural and realistic, it totally made me not want to stop until I knew how it would all unfold and end.
What I probably loved the most about it was the excellent characterisation and the way you did justice to EACH one of your characters and in particular to all four leads 👏👏. The serial is so so deficient there, it is heartbreaking but fictions like this can so keep those like me going. I am a sworn SwaSan fan as those who know me and my work on the forum know but I always love to read all characters explored well and this certainly delivered that in truckloads.
Let's start with RagLak- I believe you mentioned at the beginning that you are a SwaSan fan primarily too? Well your Laksh was simply prize worthy. I always feel that Laksh in some ways is the most neglected character in SR; Ragini has been literally butchered and all the potential for her character wasted due to rubbish writing but with Laksh it's like they never simply bothered to do him justice. But you so did- and I totally saw this Laksh as a real alternative reality version despite you sticking in wide terms to the plot lines of the show. And with Ragini too- you so masterfully delved into the layered and complex character that she is and in the way I would have so loved to watch on screen. I have always tried to write Ragini as the multi dimensional character I see her as and I so felt that come across here.
Sanskaar needless to say was wonderful- I say needless to say as from all characters in SR I always personally feel Sanskaar the most - am an unashamed Sanskaar fan girl 😆 and reading the way you handled him here was such a fulfilling experience. Swara too was so sensible and much more the Swara I always like to project myself and the one I find the show lets down. You brought out all of her innate goodness but didn't make her a doormat and the best example of this was the way you managed her reactions to Ragini- absolutely loved it!
Then comes the romance 😳- again, managed with perfect aplomb 👏😳. I so felt the essence of the romance and you managed to differentiate both sets of couple and yet keep the reader interested in both. All the sensuous scenes were handled so sensitively and with so much class I felt and you absolutely made me fall madly in love with my beloved SwaSan and it doesn't happen with a lot of people's writing, but you made me like RagLak and really root for them too 😃. I loved how you explored the complexities of RagLak's equation and their journey from the forced marriage and Ragini's horrendous betrayals to her redemption and then them falling in love mutual and for the "right" reasons after much turmoil. SwaSan of course - they had so much trust and love and understanding but I really like how you infused the passion there and made Swara especially really focus on Sanskaar and not be endlessly running a detective agency and social service outfit by herself!
I had so wanted a genuine and well defined redemption track for Ragini in the show but we got the opposite so this satisfied by longing for that very fully! Lovely work there I thought. The way you dealt so comprehensively with the aftermath of the murder attempt by her and showed how she didn't change overnight and mixed that with a strong Laksh who so outdid himself in handling her and then sensible and yet caring SwaSan who all worked together to ensure she was reclaimed from darkness. And with Ragini herself- her whole journey in truly understanding she did so very wrong, and then feeling so much guilt and making attempts to set it right - all came to the rightful conclusion of her being redeemed in full.
There was many beautiful moments, if I sit to recap them all I will be here all night and I bet I have already bored quite a bit 😳😆. But essentially, the sibling bonding, the depth and breath to each character, the humour in so many scenes, the passion, the flow of the story, your beautiful outlining of that trip that all took especially - this is but a quick list and definitely non exhaustive. Oh and very special mention - at the end when you made Sanskaar suggest Kenya for their other honeymoon, I so wanted to give you a big hug 😳. I was born and brought up there and lived there until I moved to the UK in the late 90s, and my family are still there including my parents so it will always be home for me! And I suppose that came from VK saying in his interview here on Sabras Radio that he would love to go on safari there? ❓ But it made me super happy in an almost childish way 😆.
Anyway, I really will stop now! I am so sorry I have rambled so much and do excuse me if I have spouted too much rubbish 😳. Thank you for writing a truly well rounded and lovely story. It was a pleasure to read.
Best wishes,
Shruti/ Shru 😃
Aami Daakini
Book Talk
Cricket
