Character Analysis - Older Gen
Hi everyone, I don't post very often on forums, but every once in a while I say, eh, why not :P This one is a pretty long read, sorry in advance. Do let me know what you think!
Mihika.
Firstly, what I love about most of the characters in this show is that they are quite flawed, and that is not hidden. Moreover, people are given the chance to realise their mistakes and act upon them.
Secondly, one of the main principles I follow in my life, is that for remorse or an apology to mean anything, it cannot just be words, you can’t just have a moment to yourself while doing something wrong and then move on without changing your behaviour accordingly. Similarly, an apology means nothing if it is not followed by corrective actions and/or changed behaviour. My assessment of the characters will be done keeping this in mind. (more relevant for the younger gen though)
Older generation
I adore BM and BP! They are quite representative of what a common slightly conservative yet trying to learn parents should be. They have some thoughts that I don’t agree with, and neither do Mishti or Kuhu at times for that matter. But they never force their decisions or rules on them. At least not without giving them the chance to speak their minds, share their opinions, and have a safe environment where they are not scared of any strict or even violent reactions from them. It reminds me a lot of my parents to be honest! Big love to them both!! I like how they also listen to each other and advise each other for decisions. Both have a relatively calm and understanding demeanour and it is refreshing to watch.
Jasmeen Chachi – I don’t think there is any excuse for her behaviour. Firstly, just by calling Mishti Muboli, as an adult (assuming she has called her that since Misti was a child) is unacceptable. She hates on Mishti for no other reason than the fact that she is not related to the family by blood. I also don’t understand then why BM and BP are not stricter with her about this. I feel like this is one of the major loopholes in the show. On the one hand they show such a close, protective, and affectionate bond between BM BP and Misti, and on the other hand they have not been able to stop Jasmeen Chachi from calling her that and behaving so incredibly bad with Misti since as long as we’ve known. I do not like her as a character. What I also dislike, and I say this cautiously, is her refusal to see her age and act in any way appropriate. And when I say this, I do not for a second suggest that she isn’t allowed to be childish, and enjoy things with the younger gen, but it is a problem when you impose yourself on other people. And she does this all too often.
Nidhi Maami – I think she is a good-hearted person with many ignorant ideas that she becomes stubborn about. Her tiffs with Jasmeen Chachi are annoying for me to watch personally, because I don’t really find that they add anything significant to the show and its content, rather it feels more like forced time pass. What I do like about her a lot more than Jasmeen Chachi is also the difference in which she interacts with the younger gen. She does like being in the mix with them, but she doesn’t impose herself on them like Jasmeen Chachi does. Nor does she forget that she is an elder for them and behaves accordingly, albeit with a lot of childishness and a dash of immaturity. I feel really bad for her though because I do not think that she gets the respect that she deserves from her family members. And every time Meenu yells at her, I feel super sad for Maami, because she deserves better and is often not doing anything that asks for the scolding she gets. With both Maami and Chachi, I think the writers could do a lot better than what they are doing. Both these characters come across as caricatures and one dimensional rather than carefully etched out characters who could have contributed significantly to the plot.
Koslu mama – He is fun, good-hearted, a little innocent and that is why meenu (the master manipulator) does not allow him to have a significant voice in the house, and he seems to not be able to take a single decision if Meenu has not given her stamp of approval before. I feel like there is a lot of wasted potential with his character and I think the writers could do a better job with this.
Varsha – I have a similar problem with her as I do with Jasmeen Chachi. The way she treats Mishti for me is unacceptable. Especially if she is someone you would consider to be like a niece (should be more like a daughter but that isn’t ever going to be possible is it). Mishti has grown up in front of her, she should know what kind of a person she is by this point, but she never hesitated to dismiss and disrespect Mishti. She behaved in a way I feel should be unacceptable. The reason why I feel Varsha is a better character than Jasmeen Chachi, a few reasons. She is more like a real character than a caricature. She is not perfect and is deeply flawed, but that is also quite real, and people like her do exist who you can’t fully hate, but also cannot fully trust. She is a mother and an overly protective mother to Kuhu, some of it due to Kuhu being adopted and she has always known about her adoption. And a few other reasons I don’t want to get in too much depth right now. But Varsha has also shown a softer side with Mishti, and I am hoping that she realises her mistake soon and works towards improving them.
Shaurya – Again, like Mama, he does not have a very significant presence in the show. But he is a lot calmer and more understanding than Varsha regarding Mishti. He was hurt and disappointed in her when she did that whole fiasco, but he did not insult her and taunt her the way others were. I think he can be reasoned with. At the same time, I wish the writers did more with his character.
Nanu – Oh what a sweetheart Nanu is. He is so great with all his grandchildren, trying to speak their language and slang and get along with them as a friend. He has managed to create such a trusting and loving bond with them that my heart warms up. The way he has been there for Abir this all while is so great! I do feel like he could do more to encourage Kaushal Mama though, He can see that there is a power imbalance in the house, and that is mainly because BigBen is a very dominating personality. I think if he did try to make a fairer and more equal environment it would be better for the house in general. And, this I find is one of his major shortcomings as a father that his son does not have an equal say as his daughter does.
Parul – I might have to make another post about what I think of Parul and her relationship with BigBen. There is too much to say and too many nuances to unpack. I feel like she does not take enough responsibility for her own actions and complicity with the wrong actions of BigBen. On the other hand, there is a level of years’ worth of manipulation that she has gone through and conditioning. She is a difficult character to write my thoughts about in a short paragraph.
BigBen – I think very little of her. I have perhaps only a very small shred of respect that is hanging on by a fraying thread. While I do feel like she does love her sons and her family in a very twisted and unhealthy way, her actions make me think that this cannot be love. She has raised Kunal as her own, but the way she has manipulated and conditioned him to an all obeying robot is as disturbing as it is immoral. Abir was older when his father left and so was not able to be manipulated like Kunal, although BigBen never stopped trying. Even now, rather than know and understand what her family members want, what they like, what is in their heart, she does only what she wants. She tells herself that everything she does is for the betterment of her family. But if you ask me, I feel like 80% of what she does is out of self-preservation and maintaining her power and position as the leader of the family. She is so cruel! The very fact that she was willing to have her son Kunal carry out her nefarious plan of deceiving Kuhu, exploiting her emotions and betray her with the intention of dishonouring the family and Kuhu all for some petty grudge that she has against Mishti is disgusting. Honestly, I wonder how she sleeps at night. I wonder if she has an ounce of goodness that does not stem from selfish motives. She is so rude to Nidhi Maami. You are not meant to fear a family member, that is not what love should look like!
I think for BigBen I might need to make another individual post because I could go on and on with this.
Overall, I feel like the writers could do a better job with the older generation in terms of character development and depth. They often seem half sketched and incomplete. That having said, I am glad that they have not made anyone an outright vamp or villain. They are all flawed.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading, let me know what you think. If you guys liked it, I also do want to make a character analysis for the younger gen. If I had added that here, it would be even more of a mammoth post than it already is.
Mihika <3
P.S. I should ideally be working on a deadline that I have, but I was very uninspired, so I thought why not do something else, I might be a little late with replying to any comments though 😊
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