Kuvan: Things done just right <3 (Long post)

Shivikaishkara thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#1

Often ITV dramas have a tendency to fall into tried and tired tropes and microtropes. While most of the stuff in BKAS may not be terribly unique, here are some things I loved, which were handled much better than other ITV shows I have seen till date. 

(Since its a long post, I have underlined the TLDRs of each point being made)


1. The way Marriage was Approached:


This will be in 2 ways. One is Vandana and Vaibhav's marriage, and one is Kuvan's marriage. 

I actually like that Vandana and Vaibhav managed to tie the knot and later got divorced. No no, just hear me out. I genuinely hate how often the FL's only marriage is with the ML, and the mental gymnastics to get them married and to make them stay married are insane. They try to tout the 'sanctity' of marriage, as if a pinch of vermillion makes an absolute toxic partner worth your time and effort.  smiley29

I like that we had a FL who managed to not only break ties of a toxic marriage, but also managed to make a decision of her 2nd marriage all on her own. Vandana taking a firm stand against Vaibhav's family, cutting off ties with them and eventually growing bold enough to call them out on their atrocities? Chef's kiss. That scene where she thrashes Vaibhav with a broom? Majestic. smiley36

Now onto Kuvan's marriage. I like that it was one of the most honest and mature conversations till that point in their relationship. Kunal showed all his cards to Vandana, did not try to manipulate her by painting a rosy picture. He knew he was asking for a tremendous favor, but he was extremely upfront about his intentions. It was his own idea, no one manipulated or pushed him into it. Vandana also chose to take her time, and eventually accepted and realised that she was completely fine as long as she could be the mother of the child she loved to death. It wasn't romantic or heartwarming, it was absolutely mature and a bit heartbreaking, but both were completely aware about what they were getting intosmiley20


2. Sonia


Do I dislike how Kunal ran to her at the wedding? Yes. Do I think it was somewhat inconsistent character writing that he blew up at Vandana twice the same night about acting as his wife? Pretty much yeah.smiley24

But everything after that is pretty well handled. I'm glad I did not have to deal with 200 episodes of emotional infidelity from the ML towards to FL. Actually it never felt like emotional infidelity. If Sonia crossed a line, Kunal called her out. He never, not once, treated her as a potential love interest, but mostly as a distant acquaintance at best. 

He consistently chose to trust Vandana when push came to shove, aside from the one time when Tara fainted. (Understandable tbh. While I wanted to punch the guy, I know how parents lose all reason when it comes to the health and safety of their kids). 

After that one point where he acknowledged that he was wrong in calling Vandana a bad mother, he chose to respect her, appreciate her efforts, thank her when she went above and beyond. He made a pre-marriage declaration that Vandana would get all his respect as his wife, and I think that was true all around. He made it clear that only at Vandana's approval would Sonia stay in the same home. 

Kunal having a soft corner for Sonia was pretty realistic, but I like how it never overshadowed Vandana or his mother. He had a clear idea of what Sonia was actually like, and when she started spewing nonsense, he threw her out. In the end, he didn't shy away from taking legal action against her. At all. smiley14


3. Apologizing and Realising


When it came to the Big Grovel, we did not go Generic ITV. Generally the ML only realises and apologises for his mistakes during a seperation track where the FL leaves him. It goes on for at max 4 episodes, and after a woefully inadequate and insincere apology only given to bring the FL back, we forget all 250 episodes of marital torture. 

While Kunal did pretty horrible things to Vandana pre-marriage, he had already begun acknowledging her hard work and dedication much before they got married. And when the apology came, it was completely heartfelt, sincere and unprompted. No one asked him to apologise. Even if he had not apologised at that point, Vandana (or anybody really) wasn't likely call him out. But he apologised for ALL his actions willing to acknowledge his faults, simply because he knew Vandana deserved that and more. I like how Vandana ALSO acknowledges that the Mrunal/Bobby scenario could've been avoided if she has communicated. 

The realisation of love as well, felt like it was between 2 mature adults. They were happy about their own feelings, confessed pretty quickly without dragging things out, and held no expectations whatsoever about the feelings being reciprocated. While I would have, on the flip side, enjoyed a little bit of angst of Kunal's end and would have LOVED to see him a bit miserable and completely in love with Vandana, but boy am I glad we have the confession out of our way by this point. smiley27


4. How 'Mother' is handled:


If the great powers eternal of ITV were give the choice, Detective Extraordinaire Vandana would have discovered Vani at the mental hospital, brought her home after 20 episodes of fighting with the ML, and 100 episodes of saving Vani from death threats later, Vani would have died. Here Kunal found her, but Vandana and VEDIKA took her home. Kunal, while initially reluctant, now chooses to keep her at home as well, and is patiently waiting for the time when Vani can answer for her actions. Vandana, while has her own opinion, never forces her perspective on Kunal, and waits for his own realisation of his relationship with his mother. smiley32


5. Vandana & Kunal:


The consistency in the character writing and the communication for these two is absolutely the reason that the above points happened. 

Vandana is strong mature, stable and stupidly kind. Vandana does not always need Kunal to save the day, she stands up for herself, saves herself just as much as he ends up saving her. Her stand in front of Vaibhav's family and breaking off ties with them was my absolute favourite. Her inability to cut off Mrunal is also pretty much due to her character writing, as Mrunal will forever hold a soft spot in her heart. Her approach to her relationship with Kunal is my favorite. She never felt jealous of Sonia, because at that point, their relationship dynamic was pretty much just friends, and she respected Kunal's warning before marriage that he will most likely never love Vandana. 

Kunal pretty much is a character who does what he says. He upfront, straightforward, arrogant and never hesitates to call anyone out. Be it Pammi, Sonia or Bobby or even Tara or Vandana, his approach is basically 'tell it how it is'. He also is an extremely self-aware character, from how he acknowledged that his drinking was at fault in hurting Vandu and Tara, to how he came to a realisation and acceptance of his feelings for Vandana, to how he acknowledges his faults and inability to be a perfect father or husband. He pledged to make sure that Vandana had all the rights as the mother of Tara and as the Daughter in Law of the household, and he did as he said. smiley31



The much needed TLDR:

While the major plot themes and flow of the story aren't anything unique, the way the microtropes and situations are handled, are absolutely what makes the show stand out. Personally the biggest plus point is that while Kunal might initially seem as your generic emotionally standoffish ML, he is absolutely one of the most green flag MLs out there, due to his ability to self-reflect and the generally consistent writing. 


If anyone has a counter opinion or anything at add, I would love to discuss the same. smiley14


PS. What are some of your favorite parts about this show that set it apart? smiley9

Edited by Shivikaishkara - 2 months ago

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Aishwarrior thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#2

Love your post! This was well written.


Most recently, here is what I have noticed as major differences between BKAS and other serials.


Often times, I feel as if ITV serials will label a show as romance but in actuality it will be 97% drama with 3% romance which is disappointing because ultimately the show will never meet your expectation if you’re looking for a romance tv serial. Also, most romance serials seem like a copy and paste type of show. In other words, the serial is filled with the same scenes that most of us have witnessed since 2012, which was over 10 years ago. There is nothing new to witness in the serial when it comes to romantic scenes and although times have changed, romantic scenes are still ancient, old, boring, and lack depth. 


Refreshing Romantic Scenes

I will say that most recently, it seems BKAS is daring to be different and breaking new ground by presenting romantic scenes in a refreshing manner. The serial is utilizing subtle yet effective techniques such as music, body language, and camera angles to convey the depth of emotions between characters. In the last 10 - 15 episodes, the serial upgraded the romantic scenes all while maintaining a sense of elegance and intimacy. It demonstrates that romance can be portrayed on screen with sincerity and authenticity and still offer viewers something new and refreshing in the process. In a world where series like Bridgerton captivate audiences with their romantic storytelling, some viewers seek a similar emotional experience without the explicit scenes. BKAS is suddenly meeting that demand by offering a compelling narrative filled with romance, while maintaining a tasteful approach that resonates with a wide audience.


Relatable for Contemporary Viewers 

Last, some ITV serials make viewers feel like they're stuck in a time warp, disconnected from the reality of 2024. Most recently, BKAS added modern twists making it highly relatable to contemporary audiences. By incorporating progressive elements like women proposing and couples communicating in ways that reflect today's relationships, the serial is offering a more relatable viewing experience. The serial is giving scenes that millennial couples can resonate with and even Gen Z. I loved KuVan’s handshake and their simple 'we're good' statement. This embraces contemporary relationship dynamics and sets it apart from traditional serials that often feel outdated and disconnected from the modern world.


I’m loving these two new changes with the serial and I hope that BKAS continues to strive to be different and stand out amongst the other serials. Currently, this is the only ITV serial that I am watching considering the others are toxic, lack depth, lack romance, and are basically copy and paste types of shows.

Edited by Aishwarrior - 2 months ago
heyjude07 thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#3

Loved your post. 

Aishwarrior thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#4

Thanks for this post. It was especially a good idea to show some love considering the serial is now ending. 💙

Shivikaishkara thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#5

Originally posted by: Aishwarrior

Thanks for this post. It was especially a good idea to show some love considering the serial is now ending. 💙


I never thought while writing this post a couple of days ago that I would soon receive the news of the show going off-air! The last time I was invested enough in a show to write on India-forums about it was early seasons of Ishqbaaz back in 2016, and now BKAS. 


Le sigh. I hope that we can see the actors soon enough in their respective new projects, even if it isn't likely to see them share the screenspace soon. 


Something that will forever make me sad though,  is the lack of KuVan fics, since there is so much potential for these two!!

Aishwarrior thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#6

Yes, I thought the show had a lot of potential and this is the only show I was watching consistently. Everything else on TV is trash. I’m sad about the show ending but I’m looking forward to the last 19 episodes that are left.

Originally posted by: Shivikaishkara


I never thought while writing this post a couple of days ago that I would soon receive the news of the show going off-air! The last time I was invested enough in a show to write on India-forums about it was early seasons of Ishqbaaz back in 2016, and now BKAS. 


Le sigh. I hope that we can see the actors soon enough in their respective new projects, even if it isn't likely to see them share the screenspace soon. 


Something that will forever make me sad though,  is the lack of KuVan fics, since there is so much potential for these two!!

vdna thumbnail
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Posted: 2 months ago
#7

Beautiful post!!! You've said it all! This serial was unique. There were times when I skipped a few episodes but I always had the urge to get back to it - not something that's true for most serials and I think the only thing that kept bringing me back was the unique relation that Kunal and Vandana shared.


The best thing I enjoyed about the serial was the mature conversations Vandana and Kunal had - There were not many of those but when they did give them two time to talk ..whether it was K giving V a pep talk after her break up with Vaibhav or it was them talking about their marriage ..or the more recent conversations during their trip - it was nothing short of BEAUTIFUL. Very natural - very couple like and it just felt relatable.


Kunal has been quick to jump to wrong conclusions and quick to act in haste and we've hated him for that but his apologies have been very genuine, his repentance has been honest ..overall he's been a very straightforward honest guy and has said whatever has been on his mind. 


I haven't seen any ITV show in a long time but I think this show had all the elements that could have made it a bigger hit than it turned out - they just didn't play their cards right! 


Oh well - all good things come to an end ..so let's enjoy the rest ..I think now that the writers don't have to cater to TRP they can write something that captures our hearts even more!