Apr 18, 2005 01:56 PM
6298 Views
(Updated Jun 13, 2005 03:25 PM)
I never thought that I will give this serial 3 stars and recommend it... But when I saw its 1000th episode (just to see what the hype is all about) I thought that there is something about this serial which keeps the audience glued to their TV sets at 10:30 pm (monday to thursday) and 3:30 pm next day (the reruns)
So what is the serial all about??
Five years ago, this serial started on star plus and that step made the channel no.1 Market gainer in terms of entertainment. People just love social dramas and this serial is about a Gujarati Joint Family which sees the good and the bad days together which are aided by misunderstandings, misinterpretations and miscommunications. Every 50th episode, there will be some or the other wedding/party/festival in the house, just to add the spice to the regular melodrama.
Tulsi, played by Smriti Malhotra Irani has emerged as the favourite bahu of India, but most of the times she goes overboard in getting into the character and resembles a Jamadaar, i.e. a constable. These people keep talking about values and morales and other such ’’heavy’’ words, but in action, they will contradict themselves. But then again, that IS keeping the audience loyal to the serial.
Serial Indians will never forget
Remember Humlog? Tara? Mahabharat? These are the serials all those who have grown watching DD and Zee, in the formative years, will never forget. Today, whenever I think of Lord Ram, Arun Govil comes to my mind. Similarly, KSBKBT is a serial, noone will forget. (Even after 1000 episodes, it still is no.1 in Television Viewership Ratings, Business Today, April 2005)
No matter how much we want to believe that this serial sucks and Ekta Kapoor should be banned from making serials, the truth is that the whole of country was shocked and there were protests outside Balaji’s office when a character Mihir, played by Amarr Upadhyay, the junglee saandh of Indian Tellywood, was shown as dead in a scene and Tulsi was pregnant with his child. It was so much that they actually brought him back in the serial like a twist.. i.e. just when Tulsi is supposed to remarry Aman Verma in the serial.(The TRP was highest during that time.)
I was in 10th standard when this serial was aired for the first time. At that time, I used to watch mostly the cartoons!!(I used to watch even that swat cats and captain planet!! jeez!! I want to dissolve in embarrassment!!) Most of my friends used to talk about this serial and praise it but I never managed to stay up till 10:30 and watch it.. And when I did, I didn’t find it all that great!!
Tulsi is manly and keeps giving advices to anyone whether he wants it or not, Savita aka Apara Mehta wears huge noserings and if it were to rain, her nosering was huge enough to protect her from rain, Baa had nothing to do but reach right places at wrong times and over hear things and again give advices!! I am so tempted to name Smriti Malhotra-Irani as the Shah Rukh Khan of Tellywood because she has perpetual watery eyes.. just like SRK!! And every week, someone is marrying/remarrying/reremarrying/divorcing.. But, people still like to watch that and would wish that some particular character marries someone...(like Karan and Nandini) and would wish that some character dies and never returns (Ansh). And I think that Ekta has really done a great job in actually changing the face of Indian Television.
Conclusion
Phew!! Appreciating someone is pretty difficult and someone like Ekta Kapoor is a tough job for me!! Specially after making fun of her serials in my own review!! But I think she really deserves it!! Though I am not a regular watcher of her serials I know a lot of people who like it and it is because of her that I don’t get to watch TV in my home between 12 to 4:30 and in the evenings too!! In the coming months, the serial is taking another leap and a new Tulsi is gonna come!! Lets see where Ekta takes this serial!!
P.S. - Given a choice between Shaktimaan and KSBKBT, I would prefer Shaktimaan.. but, Ekta has still done a good job and there is nothing wrong in appreciating it!
