Vaidehi-interesting storyline;confusing

Sony's Vaidehi has all the ingredients of a successful drama, but only, it's a wee bit confusing! Well, let be start from the beginning! First, there's this fairytale wedding, the poor girl meets rich guy track...but the interesting bit is that the story makes no bones about the fact that there's a twist lurking in the background. Add to that a queer mix of mystery about the previous wife, who's supposedly dead....but in reality...not so!

The storyline attempts to delve in matters hitherto unknown on television - impotency. These are early days to say how the issue will be handled in the show, but the very fact that it's central theme is this issue calls for a pat on the back for both the channel and the production house.

One thing I can't help but mention - Sony has quite a line up oppressed women, dominated by their menfolk. Thodi Khushi... and now Vaidehi. Aroona Irani plays the silently suffering mother-in-law who wants to help her daughter-in-law to say 'no' to the marriage which the latter misunderstands as rejection.

Further dialogues like - "Is ghar ki bahue...pinjre mein band hai" and "chote ghar ki ladki...." are so cliche and it's difficult for the 21 Century audience to grasp what the makers want to convey - why would a woman want to continue a marriage that hasn't been consummated (and will never be!!!!!); how can she fall in love when she hardly knows the man and above everything else if she sees her husband's child running around the house, wouldn't she atleast be curious to know how an impotent man manage to produce a child??????? Vaidehi's silence is killing and it goes against the very idea of women's liberation....something that men are going hoarse over!!!!

Vaidehi's set is opulent, the women are laden with jewellery and the men flaunt the finest suits, but it's the storyline that lacks cohesion. The characters too are a little vague. Sachin Sharma is weak and Pallavi Kulkarni does what she does best - put up a sad face and act resilient in the face of diversity, her character is so much like the one she played in Star Plus' Kehta Hain Dil. What would have been really commendable if Vaidehi's character had grown or even tried showing signs of rebellion like the similar charcater in Balaji Telefilms' Koshish - Ek Aasha where Kajal, played by Sandhya Mridul is married to a mentally challenged guy without her knowledge and how she rebels from the very first day!

What struck me more was the fact that Irani is reputed to portray strong willed women, who showed a lot of character from the very beginning of the show - be it in Des..., Mehendi Tere... or Rabba...In case of Vaidehi, she seems to be diverting from her USP. It's unnerving to watch a bechari protagonist this time.

But again, maybe I am expecting too much too early....maybe Vaidehi too will emerge out of her meek shell and show a mind that's ready to explore, ask questions and at the same time make decisions of her own.

Sachin's character too turned completely negative in the last episode (telecast 26 June) and it's anybody's guess now that he doesn't care much for his wife!!!! Where the story furthers from here is something to watch out for.

All in all, there's something in the show that has kept me hooked...but even I can't overlook the loopholes that are staring me on the face - the makers need to mop off the dirty spots, and from then on the show can only get better....