First week impressions: Strong beginning

I've followed this show since the first epi and needless to say the first week has been an interesting one...

I find Sugni to be a very refreshing character better than the usual cookie cutter "bubbly" girl characters in most shows that are just OTT in their attempt to be "bubbly"...such characters have become caricaturish over time on TV cuz most shows attempt to either go for that or the "seedhi saadhi middle class" girl template.

In Sugni's case...she's just very NATURAL...in her bubbliness, the dreams she has in her eyes, the spirit that sparkles bright even in the face of gloom or any attempts to shatter those dreams...she talks nineteen to the dozen but I find it sweet that there is this quirk where ppl have to make her repeat what she just said cuz she talks too fast...and I love her quirk relating to the stones she uses to chant a made up prayer to calm herself whenever she's scared...the actress performs all this very naturally and she's impressed me since the first epi.

I love that combination of spunk yet not BLIND bravado...she isn't blindly fearless...she too feels scared from time to time but in the middle of a situation when you think she'll cower, she'll surprise you with her spunk...case in point the ending dialogue of epi 2...my most fav. of this week..."Main aapki majboori samajhti hoon...jaayiye maine aapko maaf kiya"😆...in that moment, this girl won me over as a fan👏


The premise of this show and the universe in which it exists makes you pause...and the way the stories are being presented raise many questions on the morality in this almost alternate universe where the usual rules of family don't apply for this community...they have to live on the fringes of society, be treated like lepers unless it's to get something out of them...and they continue to do this...generation after generation...the parallel lives that these Thakurs lead...one is the "proper" one with their wives and legitimate children...one is the "not to be spoken of" one that they lead with their Bednis...who's children are never acknowledged...unless ofcourse they grow up and join the procession as the next generation of Rai dancers.


So in this universe, Sugni is the one bright spark...the symbolism of the night and dawn was reiterated many times over the course of this week...with Gulabiya again and again telling Sugni that a Bedni's destiny doesn't allow for any dawns or mornings in her life...her entire life revolves around the night, is the night...The bond b/w the mother and daughter is being subtly shown...in particular I'd mention the butterfly scene and the scene where Sugni is putting oil on her mother's feet at night and Gulabiya so softly talks to her about dreams...especially the latter I feel was fabulously enacted by Narayani...the initial impressions of Gulabiya were a bit on the underwhelming side but I really liked this scene and I feel this character will slowly show more layers as the story progresses...oh and I'd like to mention the chemistry b/w the two actresses is very good too...natural...there is a pathos in Narayani's character that will slowly emerge more strongly...but I get a sense of the undercurrents. ...anyways coming back to Sugni...she refuses to bow before the 'wisdom' being imparted to her...she refuses to simply accept her "fate"...she wants to write her own destiny and no matter what kind of situations she faces, she doesn't let it break her spirit...that is interesting to watch.


Now moving on to the other most interesting character introduced in the third epi...Thakur Vikram Singh...it is so lovely to see Varun Badola back on screen in an interesting dramatic role...makes you realize that the powerful screen presence of the iconic TV actors is unmatched...so according to the promos and the initial articles, it is hard to peg this character...but if I speak of the actual entry sequence and his scenes shown so far, he seems like a very interesting character...his first meeting with Sugni was quite entertaining and Varun does that bemused sarcastic persona so well...the bantering worked well in that scene with the misunderstanding going on...he's a bit of an enigma...Sugni appears to amuse him at this point...a refreshing character in his life...again I'd like to mention that Sugni wasn't one of those typical "cute" babbling bubbly girls in this scene...and I found it interesting that Vikram was the only guy who could decipher her superfast way of talking as she mentioned as well😆...

There are interesting similarities b/w these two...this struck me more in the 4th epi when Vikram made that sarcastic remark about how that Thakur shouldn't be given the shade of an umbrella cuz he considers himself the sun of the village or something...lol...reminded me of Sugni's "maine aapko maaf kiya" comment...Vikram is a more polished and educated version of Sugni...but on one level they connect.  Sugni too seems intrigued by a Thakur for the first time in her life after hating the whole breed in general...so a base of intrigue has been set b/w these two...an interesting dynamic that will unfold soon.

I guess somehow Sugni will end up becoming Vikram's bedni but she will fall in love with the other lead guy? Remains to be seen...as of now, the Vikram-Sugni dynamic seems interesting.

Apart from this, the rivalry b/w the Thakurs is interesting and will probably form a major crux of the story and twists...have to say the actors are excellent and create an aura of powerful drama on screen very well...loved the confrontation b/w the Thakurs today...excellent dialogues as well.


So in this Bedni community, the men don't work...and wait for the women of their family to go and dance and earn money...given what they showed in the most recent epi, it seems Gulabiya will fall sick and be unable to dance...and Sugni will finally have to step up and perform a Rai dance after pressure from her family?   That's my guess...

And Gulaal fans...since I see a few floating around this forum :P...the set they're using for one of the haveli venues is Motabha's house in Talsagra, isn't it?😆


Overall I liked the first week...the show seems to have a good script and a very good cast...they all fit their roles well...I'm intrigued to see how this develops.

I do have to say that in general this show gives me an Agle Janam part 2 vibe...not that that's a bad thing😆

Eee Anu jee! Ye pehli baar hua hai k I have been able to make the first post in any of your threads.. *basks in the glory for a minute* 😆

Main kaal ko apney study session sey break ley k aaongi yahan discuss karne.. Abhi toh I have to sleep.. But I love the points you brought up and I absolutely went fida for Sugni when she retorted with the "main apki majboori samajh sakti hoon..." line.. Kya guts hain! Kya larki hai! 👏

Oh and I love Varun and Narayani.. Yaar kya class k actors hain.. Their talent is such a stark contrast to the utter LACK of it on most other shows.. THIS is what actors used to be capable of and THIS is what was DEMANDED of actors! *total fan muh*
Edited by -Fivr- - 12 years ago

[QUOTE=AreYaar

I love that combination of spunk yet not BLIND bravado...she isn't blindly fearless...she too feels scared from time to time but in the middle of a situation when you think she'll cower, she'll surprise you with her spunk...case in point the ending dialogue of epi 2...my most fav. of this week..."Main aapki majboori samajhti hoon...jaayiye maine aapko maaf kiya"😆...in that moment, this girl won me over as a fan👏



[/QUOTE]

I actually forgot that this show was coming up😳 and just finished watching the 1st week on-line.  I am loving this show so far.  I liked the first epi but I have to agree that I really got hooked with the last line of epi 2 by Sugni too!  What courage she has, love that she doesn't cower and is capable of speaking her mind.  Even at the beginning of epi 3 she said the truth even though she knew it would anger her mom more when they got back home.  I am also really happy with the pace of this show.  It's moving along very nicely.  Can't wait to see the main lead appearance.

Great post BTW ~😊~

Arre yaar! Anu u r here too ah?? i find this show just ok so far.. Not bad..

Found this show very intersting . Edited by ivybutterfly - 12 years ago

GREAT post Anu! I concur with everything you said...abhi ke liye the show has given an interesting start...agey pata nahin jo bhi ho...

Sugni's character is the biggest ATTRACTION of this show...warna toh I'd have been too sick to continue. She has got such a natural spark...such FIRE in her...despite her circumstances. When she talks about freedom and breaking free, you get this feeling that there's nothing and no one who could bound her easily. She might be thrown in to difficult, helpless situations later but this is a girl who'll never bow down easily...who will not take herself for granted...will fight for herself till the very end...no one can own her, not in spirit...she's her own woman. I hope they keep that fire, that spirit ignited inside her, whatever happens. It's not typical 'bubbliness' as you said, which I'm glad of...she can't be like those light headed bubbly characters we see on TV these days due to her situation. And while she's not one of the Raai dancers yet...but she's not naive...she's AWARE of her situation...she does get scared, enough to run away, when the time calls for it. But she never shies away from SAYING anything when the time for that comes to.

Gulabiya is another interesting character...because the kind of person Sugni has grown up to be, it is because of Gulabiya. She's the one who has shielded her from the laws of their world...even if not directly, she's the one who has taught her how to dream, knowing it's all in vain. She knows that it's inevitable but she won't lead her daughter to this way of life just for money...jab tak ho sakega she herself would work in order to save her from this life of humiliation...she's sensitive enough to understand Sugni's position...even when she's helpless against the system. As you said there are undercurrents to her character...I think somewhere in past she might have been somewhat like Sugni if not completely...until real life came crashing down upon her...now she has accepted her position as a Bedni. She doesn't want her daughter to face the same fate but she's not strong enough to break free or to even think about it...

Vikrum Thankur...hmm...I'm unsure about him. He doesn't seem like a typical thakur...but I don't think he's going to be an out and out positive character...more of a grey one. His first scene with Sugni was nice...he was genuinely amused at her...intrigued too. I feel somewhere down the line he'll fall for her and would want to take her as a Bedni. Other guy toh we'll see when he enters...he's a new guy too...right?

And all three actors Narayani, Varun and the new girl are excellent in their roles. Kiya SOLID screen presence hai teenoo ki...dil khush ho jata hai itne experienced aur ache actors ko dekh kar. Aaj kal ke actors mein woh baat kahan.


Edit: Forgot to add...I like the simplicity with which Sugni's character is presented...and even though the girl's not conventionally oh-so-beautiful, she has that rustic Indian beauty charm going for her.

I'm almost fan girly over a female character after just four episodes...that's a first for me.
Edited by incandescence - 12 years ago

On a random note...I like Varun as an actor but what amazingness it would have been if MR was doing his role and NB the role of that new guy...explosions of chemistry 😍


Edit

On another random note😆...I should have known this would be a good show. People who consider actors like MR and NB couldn't be that stupid, you know.😆
Edited by incandescence - 12 years ago

Some aspects and premise of the show has left me shocked to say the least. It's kind of hard to digest some of the  things about the Bedia tribe and dregrading of women's dignity.But nonetheless really like the first week.

I loved sugni character and particularly loved that scene where she told her father that she forgave him as well. Ahh I was clapping for her. Also I really like Sugni and her mom Gulabo, gulabia scene.

Is the actress that plays the character new? I can't believe this she was great, has a great screen presence.

The other characters are great as well and ofcourse Varun and Naryani are great as always.

Here's hoping the show continues like this and doesn't become all glamorized and glorified.

Edited by pisces25 - 12 years ago

This content was originally posted by: incandescence

On a random note...I like Varun as an actor but what amazingness it would have been if MR was doing his role and NB the role of that new guy...explosions of chemistry 😍


Edit

On another random note😆...I should have known this would be a good show. People who consider actors like MR and NB couldn't be that stupid, you know.😆

NB as in Neil Bhatt from Gulaal??

Mishal and Neil in one show that would have been epic!

Varun and the new person are not bad  I guess.😆

I agree it has the AJMBHKJ vibes but i hope it doesnt go that route. I want it to be a fresh story as i have never seen a storyline like this before. The actress is indeed refreshing and i hope to see her grow as she gets more experience