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misti73

@misti73

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

#871

Originally posted by: chitsss
@Misti : Thanks :) .. I have been wondering which one to start. Numm does not seem to have good reviews but I remember you said it's good. Anymore suggestions?

Numm did not have good reviews but on the whole I liked it. The only thing about Numm that I did not like was the choice of the female second lead...she is new and very raw and was looking completely out of place among all the other very good actors...specially when she was pitted against the brilliant actress who enacted the role of the first lead. I think people did not like it because it was slow and very dark...plus some might have felt discomfort by the sort of relationship that the female first lead and the male lead characters shared. Its based on a very old feudal tradition of blood money...basically the female first leads brother killed the male leads uncle and father and thus she was forced by the powerful jagirdar rules to be used as blood money. She was in her middle twenties and she was forcefully married to the male lead character who was 10 years old. She was forced to act as a guardian to her own husband and later on when he grew up...they developed a sort of attraction/fascination/love towards each other. So some people might have felt awkward watching this interaction.

Other ones that I can think of are Kankar based on domestic violence and the female lead character actually showed female empowerment and there was onebased on child marriage...very raw and had quite a few disturbing scenes. Nothing was shown but since it was implied the effect was more. I have forgotten the name of this one but will get back to you.

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Angie

@Angie12

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

#872

Originally posted by: chitsss
Angie , I haven't watched many Pakistani shows . Only ZGH so far and I must say I disagree with the author's (article) take on Zaroon(male lead of ZGH). If I was in his place I would have the same complaints with my mother. He does not claim to be a liberal , he admits that he believes in his society rules are different for men and women (don't see how that makes him a hypocrite).
But the respect he has for women is far superior to some of our liberal heroes.
What appealed to me was the real characters. In no way was any of them perfect but that's fine right? Zaroon did not want a very liberal wife but at the same time he wanted the girl to be strong and independent. Kashaf was in that way perfect for him. She is a survivor , can hold her own against any man but she doesn't want to hang out with guys at 1 am on the sea shore. It was about different expectations, not regressive though.
Well it's likely it was one of a kind!
And god their characters seem so normal. It was a relief to watch Kashaf wear cotton kurtas , have her head tied up in messy bun , chapped lips. And their elite actually wore decent clothes , unlike the bling our 'rich people' sport on TV. While our bubbly,'lets-take-on-the-world' heroines happily rest beneth a pallu after marriage , Kashaf shed hers.
That show in a long time made me feel that the makers actually cared about the product.

Chithra, as I mentioned I have not watched any Pakistani serial beyond 1-2 episodes. So cannot give you my opinion. But I liked the article because these are the points I feel about Hindi soaps and Hindi movies (regardless of how modern they show the girl). The one I liked was a sort of light show - the girl was a pampered one on whom her inlaws doted and she used to give preference to them over her husband. So the husband was jealous and was trying ways to make his family dislike her so that she would start paying him more attention. I liked the leads in the two episodes I watched.

I agree about the clothes they wear in the Pakistani serial vs. Indian serials. I don't know which world Hindi serials represent. Nobody dresses like that in real life. Regarding the pallu, I have relatives in villages who do not even wear them . Here they are showing women of families living in big cities wearing pallus.

I don't think any guy in Hindi show is liberal at all. I don't even think they are conservative either. There is no consistency in any characters whatsoever as characterization changes according to the track. Women work only when the track demands it. So unlike the reality of India where both husband and wife working is a necessity rather than just a hobby. Less said about the treatment shown to women, the better it is.

People are talking about glorifying rape in EBP and they are doing that. Spheres which touts itself to be a progressive production house (Ganga, Balika Vadhu etc.) is showing hero content on letting his kidnapped wife stay with the rapist as he wants to show the villain that he can win his wife again. I used to watch "Yeh Mohabbatein" on and off, but I got disgusted with it when they showed one supporting character marrying her molester and the hero continuing to work for him even after his sister in law was beaten up and raped by him.

Anyway enough about the stupid CVs. For a change, I am enjoying Ashoka quite a lot for various reasons. I will write about it in a different post. I am actually enjoying the interpretation they are showing of various characters though there are enough soap formulas in it that can be criticized. But I find it one of the best among the current lot. Not that the current lot's standards are hard to breach.

Edited by Angie12 - 10 years ago

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Angie

@Angie12

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

#873

On a different note, I am feeling quite envious of wit some people have on twitter. Usually the twitter is dominated by abusive ones. But there are some who just humor to drive their point and win arguments in less than 140 characters. It does not matter if you agree with them or not. But just love to read the witty comebacks.

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chitsss

@chitsss

Dazzler

Posted: 10 years ago

#874

@Angie : I agree about Twitter wit. I am always envious of people with a good SOH. I absolutely lack it 😉 😆
I stopped YHM too , it's regular crap now. Either ways I used to get irritated every time they spoke of idli and dosa , like South Indians only ate that .. hehe.
We really need better writers! I don't understand if these plots are implemented because audience likes it or the audience watches it because they don't have options. 😕
I wonder if I will ever watch a logical track on Indian TV , forget show! Which sane headed human would behave the way Shlock is ? Utter rubbish.

@Misti : Thanks , I will try watching Numm 😃. I like 'implied' stuff. Makes it more real for me somehow. I simply hate the 'consummation' sequences on Indian TV. It's like the elections or so. promos start a month before , the whole act lasts 2-3 episodes. What is that? And the audience with their 1st SR , 2nd SR etc. , drives me crazy. Very voyeuristic.

Edited by chitsss - 10 years ago

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Angie

@Angie12

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

#875

@Chitra, check out this twitter account "TweetofGod". It is just so hilarious. This account holder has about 2 million followers and follows only 1 person - Justin Beiber. And the tweets are so funny where he has satire on everything especially politicians and fanatics.

The writers are there, but they don't get too many chances. Have you watched "Peepli Live". The incident that happened two days - accidental suicide of a person in Aap's rally in Delhi reminded me of that movie. The writer of that movie is Anusha Rizvi - an ex-journalist. IT was a black comedy brilliantly written and enacted It was produced by Aamir Khan though he did not act in it. Later both Anusha and Aamir had a fallout on credits. I think Anusha felt that Aamir took undue credit and accolades for her work. In any case, I don't believe she has not written any other script after that. So if writers like that get chance, then you can get good shows.

These days I am watching free movies on youtube. Usually English movies are not free, but Hindi ones are. I found these two black and white movies that were quite good though they were set in late 1950s. One was Prem Patra (Love letter) directed by Bimal Roy. It had very young Shashi Kapoor and Sadhna. IF you ignore some of the useless comic sidetracks, it was a very subtle movie with minimal melodrama. And they showed such progressive families. The heroine is a doctor whose parents respect her choices. They easily accept her choices and even agree not to pressure her into marriage.

Another was "Ardhangini" starring Raj Kumar and Meena Kumari - quite progressive for its era on how superstitions can make people act so inhumane. . It had little bit of sacrificing bahu part, but the heroine is actually not a doormat. She keeps quiet about his mother out of respect and wanting to keep his illusions for the hero who is a very strong character. But then she eventually decides that she will not tolerate his mother's wrong behavior even for him. And the mother in law is not a typically bad character. She is shown to feel conflicted about her behavior but her paranoia takes precedence over her humanity. Again despite all the excessive melodrama in many places, it was quite a good movie.

So even if you show a conservative setting, you can make meaningful and entertaining movies if only the script and characterizations are consistent.

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misti73

@misti73

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

#876

Originally posted by: chitsss
@Angie : I agree about Twitter wit. I am always envious of people with a good SOH. I absolutely lack it 😉 😆
I stopped YHM too , it's regular crap now. Either ways I used to get irritated every time they spoke of idli and dosa , like South Indians only ate that .. hehe.
We really need better writers! I don't understand if these plots are implemented because audience likes it or the audience watches it because they don't have options. 😕
I wonder if I will ever watch a logical track on Indian TV , forget show! Which sane headed human would behave the way Shlock is ? Utter rubbish.

@Misti : Thanks , I will try watching Numm 😃. I like 'implied' stuff. Makes it more real for me somehow. I simply hate the 'consummation' sequences on Indian TV. It's like the elections or so. promos start a month before , the whole act lasts 2-3 episodes. What is that? And the audience with their 1st SR , 2nd SR etc. , drives me crazy. Very voyeuristic.

Chitra that is why I liked Numm...it was this unsaid attraction/pull that the main leads had towards each other. They did not act on their feelings ...but that hesitation...that attraction...conflict/temper due to the undercurrents were excellently portrayed by the two leads.Both lead characters also subconsciously kept each other first in their thoughts and actions...

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Angie

@Angie12

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

#877

Some comments about TV shows.

Right now I am really enjoying one show - Ashoka on colors. Despite the limitations of Hindi soap world, it is one of the best show at the moment (at least among the ones I watched on and off in last few months) at least if I interpret it my way. Also it is easy to take this version of history because not much is known about their personal lives.

1. Actors especially main kid actors are very good. Here I am talking about kids playing Ashok and Sushim. Even the other ones who are supporting are doing a decent job. Even the princess girlfriend they have got for Sushim looks the part of snobbish, egotist princess.

2. There are some good supporting actors. I like the guy playing Chanakya. In the beginning, I thought him to be a misfit because frankly he is too healthy looking for the role of Chanakya. Also Chanakya was Chandragupt's (Ashoka's grandpa) teacher. So if Ashoka is 14 and Sushim is 16, Chanakya has to be quite old. Also, Chankya was from all descriptions a more like A type personality. But here Chanakya is one patient guy who never gets angry. But maybe old age mellowed him.

In any case, I am liking the portrayal of Chankya by the actor. I also like actors playing mother-son duo of Helena and Justin. Then there is father-daugther combo of Persian King Meer and his daughter Noor. e.

3. Now for the love stories. I am liking the one between Noor and Justin. Noor is a negative character, so her having an affair with her husband's (Bindusar - Ashok's father) half brother is intended to show her as a vamp. But I am liking the concept. Bindusar told her on the wedding night that he married her only for alliance and that his true is Dharma - Ashok's mother. He is pining for her for 15 years. So why should Noor not take love from other guy. Now poor Justin is being used by Noor who just is having an affair with him just to take her revenge and to make sure that Justin helps her son become the king. She has told him that her son is not King's but his. Not sure if she is lying or telling the truth. In any case, I am rooting for Justin, Noor and Noor's son Siamik. Justin truly loves Noor and Siamik but is helpless in front of his control freak ambitious mother Helena.

So I am rooting for Justin and Noor. Also I am rooting for Helena and Meer though they do not like each other. But they are so similar. Both wants to rule and are using their kids for their ambition. So if they fall for each other, maybe they would stop interfering in Justin and Noor's life and let them be together.

4. Most of the characters are intelligent as they should be. Chanakya is shown to be one step ahead of all vamps/villains as he should be shown. Bindusar is the only one on somewhat dumb side who has not realized how evil his step mother is or that his wife is having an affair with his brother. But ok those can be explained as kings usually live in bubbles. But how can he not figure out that the love of his life was living with him in the same room for all these months. So she would cover her face or turn her face away and he would be clueless despite getting the "ehsas" that his soulmate is just around. Also he does not know that his main queen practices black magic that is a crime in his kingdom.

5. The class war in the Royal School and Sushim vs. Ashok rivalry. Initially they showed Sushim as a totally black character. He is still quite negative, but now they are showing layers to him. He does love his father in his own selfish possessive way and some of his jealousy of Ashok stems from the fact that his father likes Ashok for his qualities. Also he can be nice to his brothers if he feels that they are not his rivals for the throne. Also now he is very sweet to his snobbish girlfriend who actually rubs his failures against Ashok in his face.

6. Chanakya has the best spies - intelligent and fiercely loyal to him. Though they end up getting killed due mostly because of Dharma's recklessness. And I like his right hand disciple who himself is quite smart and very capable.

7. Bindusar is non discriminatory towards all his wives. He has given one son to each of his one wife. So every one has a fair chance to become queen mother if their sons become kings. So there are no daughters of Bindusar as he only produces heirs and spares.

Now there are boring stuff too.

Bindusar and Dharma's love story - It was kind of amusing with them being portrayed as Dushyant and Shakuntala or star crossed lovers where too many people conspired against them. But Dharma has become too one dimensional where she is just talking about peace and love all the time. Rest of the time she is just crying. The only thing I like so far about her is her running skills where she successfully runs and hides herself when the need arise. But the bonding between her and Ashok is shown quite well.

Charu - Sushim's mother is a very uninteresting character and the actress portraying her is one of the weak links of the show. Then there is another vengeful princess they have brought for Justin who wants to use him to take her revenge from Bindusar. They are trying to portray her as a fiery negative character, but she is coming across as a very bland character. Why would anyone want her over Noor?

This is all for now. Will write more at some point.

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aviation-ca

@aviation-ca

Voyager

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

#878

Originally posted by: Angie12

This is all for now. Will write more at some point.

Thank you for the Ashoka update, you have captured it beautifully, that I can imagine it without even viewing it..

I don't have any time at all for any serials 😕... too much work both at home & at my job...

I think I have discovered that I am a stick in the mud personality, I have a hard time moving on from a serial, it took me years to move on from CB1, actually couldn't even transfer to CB2.. would just rewatch it over & over...

finally after years to IPKKND.. and now rewatch that over & over... I am just so curious when something will catch my fancy again..

Maybe I will do a handful of serials in my lifetime 😆...

BTW, I have watched all 3 movies you have mentioned, there are some older movies like Mirch Masala, Zubaida, Masoom etc plus Khosla ka Ghosla if you feel like catching it.

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chitsss

@chitsss

Dazzler

Posted: 10 years ago

#879

I started watching Numm , a Pakistani serial Misti recommended. And I like it , I am still trying to understand what exactly the male lead feels towards his Vanni 😉 , an older woman. The actors save the parallel female lead are good , the setting is beautiful and the OST is sweet though overused.

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misti73

@misti73

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

#880

@ Angie...what is Chanakya doing in Ashoka? Have I forgotten history?

@Chitra so you started it. Yes the female parallel lead is not good. She used to irritate me a lot...whatever sympathy I might have felt for the character used to disappear because of bad acting. As for the male lead, for me the attraction was there which he used to try to hide by using anger. I also felt that he also used to feel angry/irritated that his choice was taken from him but since he could not go against his grandfather he took it out on his vanni. Later on the change will be shown.😉

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