Hello people,
My first post here.. Not that that should be a surprise considering the first episode aired today but just covering the formalities 😆 So coming right down to it - Woof! What an episode! For a pilot - Fantastic stuff. 👏 The characters were etched out nicely and I loved the pace of the episode.
It begins with Kushal aka Arjun literally flying in his entry sequence. 😆 This is clearly a man who likes to do things his way. He dreams big unlike his simpleton bestfriend who believes that true happiness lies in the little things. It begs to question ofcourse - Is Arjun merely a talker or a doer? There is clear ambition in his eyes and the manner with which he mocks at the power of prayer and chooses to believe in hardwork instead tells you that he is probably the latter. However this also directly coincides with the fact that he slept through several alarms and 20 phonecalls so that he almost misses his job interview. I followed Kushal's first show (Big Virat fan haha!) and for me, he did a pretty decent job here. The character has lots of flair but he also seems intelligent and Kushal got that right. Oh and you looked very handsome Kushal. That moment in the car when his hair was all wet.. Uff! (BTW when Arjun says - Main Zindagi lambi nai, badi jeena chahta hu.. That was such a Virat moment! 😆 My excuses to any clueless readers. It's a pretty iconic line by the character from EHMMBH) The more interesting aspect to his character ofcourse is the hidden vulnerability he carries. Beneath the carefree exterior, Arjun clearly nurses a desperate need to prove himself. Curious to learn more about his problems at home especially about his relationship with his Mother. As soon as she addresses him you see his demeanor change. As opposed to the relaxed, the-world-is-my-stage Arjun you see a tense, defensive, tight-lipped man instead. I assumed his brother to be a studious nerd in comparison but surprise surprise. He seems the complete opposite. Or maybe he is one those brilliant kids who don't have to slog like the rest of us and still end up acing the exam. 😆 Coming back to Arjun, although he says that he got scolded b/c of him you can see that he clearly loves his little brother. Interesting how he addresses their Mother as Teri Maa. And he seems to lie for his brother as well... so maybe his Mother has always misunderstood him to be something he isn't? I guess we'll find out soon enough.
So far, Saanjh seems to be the most sorted and straightforward character in the show. For a moment when her Mother addresses her sternly, I wondered if she too has the same issues as Arjun does with respect to his family but that doesn't seem the case. Her Mom and Dad seem to be easy-going and big hearted people and between her parents and her brother, it's a very closely knit family they have.
Maya, interesting again. This is the first time I'm watching a show of Jennifer Winget. I know her to be a good actress though (Some talents are just obvious like that) and she did a pretty neat job here. Maya is a successful, powerful woman with raging family issues. You could sense in the first scene with her Mother that she detests the idea of something, anything having so much power over her. This is proven in the very next scene. I think somewhere Maya fears becoming exactly like her Mother. A weak, pitiful woman who is hopelessly waiting for a man who never plans to return. Someone who has forgotten that there is a life outside of love and men. If there is a threat out there that has the potential to render her powerless then Maya will make sure to destroy it. I don't think Maya is mentally ill.. Atleast not at such an early stage of the story. Her issues might develop into something bigger with time though. I hope they write her as strictly grey instead of all black. I want to be able to understand and connect to her instead of writing her off as the plain old vamp. Hopefully the makers will do her justice.
There was an interesting amount of friction between Maya and Arjun in the final scene. She obviously intrigued him and you could see the attraction he felt towards her. Arjun clearly likes a powerful woman and doesn't feel threatened by the idea of the same. That moment where Maya's dupatta flies away and lands over Arjun - Filmy but still, good bit of symbolism there. You could see how her presence has the potential to veer his life completely off course so much so that it can also kill him. Saanjh pretty much saves him and I'm wondering if that is how things will unfold in real too. They have a beautiful friendship - Arjun and Saanjh. It's an integral part of their lives and as Arjun openly declares - Saanjh is the most important person in his life and vice versa. I think it's because she is perhaps the only one who loves him unconditionally, who knows him inside and out but still believes in him and has stuck by him through thick and thin. There is beauty in stability and that is what Arjun and Saaajh are all about. That's probably why she is afraid to tell him how she really feels. This friendship is precious. To jeopardize it is a risk that Saanjh refuses to take.
Overall a very riveting episode. I love when characters have layers to them as opposed to them being cardboard cutouts which is the general norm so I'm pretty happy with how our protagonists are shaping up. My only real, albeit small, problem with the show is that at some points the storytelling and symbolism is a little too much of the in-your-face kind. I like it when some things are left for the viewers to interpret on their own. Less is more you know? Anyway, precap looks interesting. You don't think Maya suddenly senses her Father behind her do you?
Thoughts/feedback is always welcome. 😊
Maham.
p.s: Sorry if I rambled too much or didn't make sense at some point. I'm not exactly feeling well but was still compelled to write something after watching the episode. 😳
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