Monday, November 29, 2010

First Impressions

MJHT launched in Sept 2008. I was more attached to DMG back then, I watched the first couple of episodes of MJHT and dismissed them completely :) Mohit was raw and unconvincing as a stud, Sanaya was okay, but her character irritated me, I always had an allergy to crying heroines, and a liking for sober strong women. Mayank and Nupur - don't really remember, they didn't make any impression either way. Anyway, it was a college show, and too fluffy and inane for me. Besides, I was enjoying DMG those days, Sukirti had grown on me as Riddhima, and I was enjoying the AR chemistry, the Atul-Anjy and Rahul-Muskaan stories and of course, the ARA trio of the guys - KSG, Pankit and Mayank were all three damn good actors. Which Mohit and Arjun definitely weren't - they were nothing in comparison. So first impression of MJHT - thumbs down. Didn't watch it again for ages.

Then DMG started going down the tubes and I started tuning in to watch the last five minutes of MJHT before DMG started ... five minutes became ten as I enjoyed the nonsense of the Mayur Ahmedabad trip ... and omg, Sajan.
How had that annoying guy and that crying girl even reached here?! Although the acting was still below par, the sheer simplicity and sweetness and 'real-ness' of their story caught my attention. Especially the question-answer session of the Valentine's night. Had there ever been a love story on Indian telly which had friendship as its base? And such a strong friendship that the two actually knew each other? Likes, dislikes, fears, insecurities ... no instant attraction here, no trip fall catch (anyway that was AR speciality!), no flying hair and catching dupattas ... just talking, conversation, genuine communication and knowing the other person. So that in the Question Answer session, they swept the round. And got me interested. Not yet hooked - but very, very interested :)

And what was that about Samrat's parents? More complexity and layers here than a simple college love story, for sure. MJHT had caught my interest.

SG scenes - Q&A

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Lost

Feeling strangely lost without MJHT and Monaya and Sajan to tune into and gush over ... I need to start watching the old episodes and enjoying them all over again. Nothing much among the new shows is catchy ... except Maryada - there the acting is good and there is a certain subtle chemistry between Aditya and Priya - she has those smouldering dusky looks of a Rekha ... and their scenes so far have been decent. There is an intensity there, which is building up. All the characters are well etched, especially the female ones, so yes, Maryada has potential. And the best part is, it is a very adult show, so none of the teenage hormonoids will venture here.

Manzilein ... not very impressed so far, the older actors are seasoned and are good, the guy playing the brother is decent, but Alka and Chander are both disappointing even after a week ... give them a month and see how they go - I didn't like Suku for the first two weeks in DMG, nor did I like Sanaya/Gunjan initially, so let's see.

SGP has lost most of its charm with this Sona/Suhani track ... let's see if the Deepak track can hold my interest.

I want Monaya back!!!

*EDIT* ... and why do I need to remind people who stumble upon this blog that this is a PRIVATE blog, with my personal thoughts ... and I am not looking to change those thoughts or opinions. My opinions are my own, and those who disagree are free to stay away and not read. I moderate comments to keep this blog clean and pleasant, so please don't waste your time here if you don't agree with me - there are lots of open forums to express yourself on. This is not one of them.
As for Monaya haters and bashers, you are clearly not welcome here - would have thought you would have got that message when you don't see your comments published here. Apparently your intellectual abilities are not developed enough for you to realise that by posting under different names makes no difference. My blog is not like other blogs with ineffectual moderators - I moderate each and every comment. Hope you will remember that in future, instead wasting your time in posting long comments which will not see the light of day.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Bitter-sweet

19th Nov

I've been writing this blog on MJHT for over a year ... just realised!
Too much to write ... too full a heart to do it right now. Will be back ...

*Edited*
Watched the last episode with a full heart ... after all the SBS, SBB and other segments ... it was so sad to see the cast and crew so unhappy at the winding up of the show, and especially the way Mohit and Sanaya were crying and Arjun was trying to cheer them up ... Of the lot, he must be the one with most mixed feelings - relieved and thrilled that he doesn't have to pretend to be in love any more with Sister Maatey the Shrew no. 1... yet sad, because he's spent great times with two of his best friends, and in the uncertain world of television, God know when, if ever, Monayajun will get the chance to work again together, that too, in a youthful, relatable show like this one.

Sanaya and Mohit's acknowledgement of their reel-to-real life love story was just like them - matter of fact, down to earth and very honest ... of course they never tried to hide anything, that's why we all knew what was happening between them ... and of course, they never actually said it out loud - why should they have? it was a private, personal thing, a growing relationship, till they were sure of themselves and where they were going, they were quiet about it ... the only people they owed any explanations and clarifications to were their families, and they made sure they did that before declaring it to the world and to their fans. Yes, their friends (read Arjun!) and almost everyone on the sets knew ... because they never hid it ... thay had nothing to hide. And I loved the way Sanaya said very matter-of-factly that their declaration was no big deal, because everyone knew it anyway - Sanaya, sweetheart, do you really not realise how many fans were waiting for this with bated breath? How many hearts you and Mohit have won with your portrayal of the most beautiful love story seen for a long time on tv ... a love story whose beauty lay in its simplicity, its innocence, its relatability ... shorn of the usual dramatic unrealistic LAFS (love at first sight) or HAFS (hate at first sight) cliches ...
True, Sajan started as a cliche ... but it shed the cliches ages back ... and how!!!

The last segment to comment on - Sanaya and the puppies and kittens .. around the start of MJHT there had been an article on how Gunjan was the most soft hearted one on the sets and would feed every stray cat and dog she saw there ... that was the first time I had actually started noticing her, because such reports always make me instantly like the person concerned. A person's true character is reflected most in the way he/she treats those weaker and more vulnerable than them, and Sanaya's love and care for those little creatures shows her true nature more clearly than anything anyone can say. Mohit is truly lucky to get a girl like her, so stunning and stylish and gorgeous from the outside, and so warm and beautiful on the inside as well.

And he seems to know it ... all through the wedding, I could see very little of Samrat and Gunjan, it seemed to be Mohit and Sanaya through and through, especially after Gunjan shed her glasses!

Continuing from last night's aisle walk, to Sajan's vows (some very forgettable comedy from Uday - GH still hasn't given up his attempts) ... the vows were beautiful, and now I understand what Mohit meant when he said they related to his and Sanaya's love story :)
Then the exchange of rings, "I do" from both of them, Gunjan's almost instantaneous, even before Uday completed the question ... reminded me of their first confession, where she lost no time in admitting to Samrat that yes, she loved him too ... Gunjan has always been sure of her feelings ... and the S2 could have been completely beautiful if allowed to continue its original course, because by the time of the Devdas play and the Look At Me scene, that honesty had forced her to acknowledge her feelings all over again after three years of attempting to deny them. Will always regret that ... the stupid brainless Mission RP which torpedoed one of the best love stories to hit Indian tv, because some hormonal teenagers (and adults) couldn't comprehend the depth and breadth of this story and just wanted their HAWT romance and stupid fights back!
Oh well ... the good thing is that the return of the LEGEND led to the downfall of the show ... again, as I had predicted! and hopefully we can now see Monaya in a new show without any trace of 'legends' or 'epic love stories'!

After the 'I do's' a soft kiss, and they're married ... at long last ... and as I always predicted ... at the end of MJHT!
And a tiny epilogue in the form of 'Six months later' ... I always like epilogues and this was no exception ... what I liked was that within that half minute scene, we got that Samrat had actually followed his dream and started coaching in an Academy, and Gunjan was still working as a counsellor - so they were really settled for life. Annoyed that they edited the kiss, though ... and the first dance ... and the first night ... still so much could have been shown for Sajan ... oh well, for this couple, I'd never be satisfied, would always want more - so am happy at least we got what we did.

Rest of episode was a bore - advertising the new show - it does seem interesting - and Nups giving birth very randomly in an almost packed up and ready to leave Excel ... they really couldn't be bothered to do much for her, could they? Except for giving her another last opportunity to scream ...

And the finale ... Excel bole toh ... Gunjan says "pyar, sacha pyar" .. a change from the intro, when she was scared to mention the word :) ... and Samrat says "responsibility" ... yes, he's grown the most of the lot, and MJHT was really his story, his and Gunjan's ... a beautiful love story ... When They Met ... for when they met, they changed, and their lives changed ... forever.


Naveen's yt link of entire SG wedding SG wedding

Friday, November 19, 2010

Fairy tale ending :)

18th Nov episode

Khoda pahad nikla chuha! After building all that tension yesterday, the denouement was tame! Samrat leaves early morning for God knows where, Nupur and Dia getting Gunjan ready - and another snide remark at Nupur's make up skills - looks like the cv's are leaving no chance to show their dislike for this very "popular" character!
Small GuNur scene - again, would have been sweet ... was the way I had written it in WUAS ...

Mayank and Uday ... then Dia ... getting worked up ... Samrat is missing. Again, thanks to SBS, the suspense was gone - we knew the wedding will definitely take place ... plus of course, the show had to end on a happy note. So no major tension - just as Gunjan hears that he's missing and starts to get teary, he's there!
Sweet SG scene - she runs to him , hits him on the chest - where did you go? Jaan le li thi ... aww, Gunji is soooo gonna wear the pants in this relationship ... but very feminine, sweet pants they will be ... actually, the BEST thing about this couple is how equal they are ... neither one dominates, or even tries to dominate the other. When they're together, they're just that - TOGETHER.

So Sam went to buy Gunjan a house in Pune - dude, if you had any sense, you would keep her away from her sister ... but then jeeju is sweet, so some rain must fall ... and just how easy is it to buy a house overnight anyway? Oh well, MJHT was never known for its logic!
Benji enters - nice to see the whole gang together at the end :)

And the last bit - Gunjan walks down the aisle on Mayank's arm - to the tune of Kya Hua Yeh ... Gunjan's song ... and Samrat waits for her, transfixed ... don't blame him, she's looking ethereal :) ... and the flashbacks of their journey play as she walks ... the expressions on everyone else's faces are sweet too, especially Mayank, he really looks like a proud father ... or brother ;)

Tomorrow - wedding ... grand finale to the SaJan story and to MJHT ... am sad it's finally ending, but happy that it's ending while Sajan still had a story to tell ... sad that they botched up Season Two so badly, but happy they regained the SG essence even if at the very end ... sad to see the evident sadness on the faces of the actors, especially the trio, but happy that they've achieved recognition through this show ... hopefully will see them again soon.

SBS on SG wedding - did justice to the ending of a very popular show, Monaya segment was really sweet, Sayank segment was bitter-sweet with their farewell songs - this pair has realy become so friendly and it's great to see them together - especially when they went together to serenade Sanaya with "Main shayar toh nahin" - and for all Sanaya's bindaas, fun-loving spirit, one could see so clearly the soft heart and affectionate nature beneath it, she was really upset at the ending of the show ... a show that has given her so much of fame and recognition all right, but also two great friends and a real-life love story that is no less perfect than the one she portrayed on screen - a friend in her love and a lover in her best friend.

Segment on Sanaya looking like a perfect Barbie doll - down to earth as always, Sanaya says she's actually pretty uncomfortable with the whole thing ... one thing I love about this girl is that she has no starry attitude at all, and is least awed by her own looks!
In contrast to her onscreen sister, who lost no time in preening before the camera and declaring herself the 'desi' barbie girl ... hello, ever heard the saying "self-praise is no praise"?

So after all the rubbish of the last two months, MJHT actually revived in the last two weeks with the resumption of the only story that was actually still a story ... pity again that they didn't give it enough time, but at least it's ending on a high note ... the SG wedding. And leaving us waiting for more ...

Link - SBS - SG wedding

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Nail biting climax???!!!

17th Nov episode

Thought the cv's would just wind up with fun and games - that's what Sudhir Sharma said in his interview - but it looks like the cv's realise that SaJan USP is emotions ... and emotions it seems it's going to be!
Also, seems that GH finally woke up to the fact that the reputation and character of his muse was getting pretty badly mauled in the last few episodes, so he set about rectifying that ... or maybe she finished her dance rehearsals and could give some time again here!

So in the first scene, Nups does a major turn around on the church wedding bit ... and Gunjan is happy that her sister is with her ... if RP wasn't so irritating, this GuNur bond is so beautiful and realistic ...

Tiny SG interaction where Samrat wants to see Gunjan's gown, she refuses to show it, he sulks a bit ... Sam is really getting cuter day by day.
Then the first bombshell - MN are moving to Pune. Gunjan is upset, but Samrat even more so. Especially when he sees how upset Gunjan is at the thought of Nupur leaving.
Second bombshell - the church is not available. And Samrat - can see he's visibly shattered. As though everything is going wrong, conspiring against him and his wedding. As though the wheels is turning full circle to three years ago, when MN were leaving after SG's engagement, and how everything went so horribly wrong then.

Dia arrives - the atmosphere lightens a bit ... found it interesting that Gunjan mouthed 'thank you' to Dia as she hugged her. Was that in the script or a genuine thanks? Whatever it was, it was sweet.

Dia finds a solution to the venue problem - as always - Excel. Gunjan is happy with that - Excel is a huge part of her and Samrat's love story.
Samrat is totally lost in his own world. As the discussions go on, he suddenly excuses himself and leaves, even forgetting to say 'bye' to Gunjan. Gunjan staring after him - she knows there's something very wrong.
And for once, Nupur also realises - and she calls Samrat later to ask if everything is all right.
Samrat on the phone to someone, saying 'I gave you the booking amount, tomorrow I'm getting married, how can you do this?' - then he sees Nupur's call and disconnects. He's evasive with Nupur, and hangs up, leaving her wondering what the matter is.

And the audience - we're wondering too ... what is this sudden twist?! As usual, there will be an emotional angle - with SG, that's a given ... is Samrat really going to leave? To try and get MN back to Mumbai? Doubtful, with the show wrapping up?
Or will it be a final outpouring between SG, with Gunjan running to stop him and finally Sam opening his heart to her as to what he went through in those three years without her, and he can't see it happening again, can't see her blaming him for separating her and Nupur again ... he can live without her as long as she's happy, but not with her if she's unhappy. And Gunjan finally acknowledging that HE is her ultimate happiness ... and she can't live without him ... she never could, and that was why she hated him so much, because love and hate can be part of the same emotion sometimes.
I know which one I want ... let's see what we get ... if CV's have ever used their brains, it's only ever been for the Sajan story, so let's see what they come up with at the end. One thing, it's not going to be comedy ... not for the next couple of episodes at least ... and maybe not till the end. DMG also ended fairly emotionally, so MJHT might too.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Gunjan wants a white wedding

16th Nov episode

Starts off with a screeching Nups doing her wedding planning which seems to be going as OTT as she is - and Mayank getting progressively more worried about the budget, and irritated with his wife ... wouldn't be surprised if they divorced before the baby even arrived, at this rate!

Gang scene where Nups is describing her wedding plans ... can see Gunjan getting more and more horrified ... no wonder she decided to scuttle the plans before her wedding turned into a three ring Bollywood theme circus!
What I don't understand in all the reams of Nups' praise is - doesn't she know or understand her sister even a little bit? Samrat does - he tells Gunjan, we won't have many people, because you don't like that, Mayank can see Gunjan getting quieter and quieter, but Nups is going full steam ahead ... it's her own dream she is fulfilling, not Gunjan's, and Gunjan is just playing the role of her pet doll, as she always has done ... because she had no choice ever with such a dominating sister ... and no understanding mother to keep her at bay.

But fortunately ... not this time, because Mayank notices that Gunjan is quiet, so he asks her what she wants and she says - a church wedding ... then Gunji looks at Nups' horror, and says, it's ok, carry on, I know that can't happen, I'll make tea ...

And the scene that followed was really beautiful ... with all the little touches in place ... Mayank first asks Samrat, what do you think? Samrat says, I don't care if the wedding is in a mandir or a church, I just want Chashmish to be happy - gosh, I love this guy, I really do!
Uday adds, it's Gunjan's dream, and it's her day ...
So then Mayank goes to Gunjan and says, ok, describe what you want ... and Gunjan does - quiet, peaceful, hymns, piano playing, a shower of flowers as she enters in a white dress and train, Samrat in tux, Mayank and Uday as best men, di as bridesmaid ... an exchange of vows and rings, cake cutting and then their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Shergil ...
and even for me, who's never dreamed of church weddings, she made it sound beautiful, touching, heartwarming and completely soulful. Just like Gunjan ... and SaJan.

I think the cv's are on to a good thing here ... this will be sooo different and unique ... especially considering the plethora of loud, jatka big fat Indian weddings going on on almost every other channel, with their chamkila lehngas and saris, and tons of very obviously fake jewellery, each indistinguishable from the other ... the SaJan wedding will really be unique ... and I am SOOOO looking forward to it now ...

Majan scene continues - Mayank promises Gunjan that her dream will come true.
Uday tells Nupur, Gunjan isn't a child and she knows what she wants ... it's high time Nupur realised that.
Nupur stomps off.

Comic Sam-Uday scene - time pass.

Nups sulking at home again ... one would think she would have time to think over what Gunjan said and start feeling happy for her, but no, cow sister is only worked about being left alone again while everyone else is busy with the wedding preparations ... to top it all, she hears from Uday that Mayank has taken Gunjan shopping for a dress ... and she flips ... so Gunjan is serious about a white wedding ... helloooo, woman ... what world do you live in??? One inhabited only by yourself and your feelings??? Ever tried thinking about other people at all? Especially about the sister you claim to love so much?

So off Nups storms to confront Mayank - not about taking Gunji shopping - but about leaving her at home alone ...

Majan - Mayank takes Gunji to a dress shop and tells her to choose a gown ... tells the salesgirl, this girl is very special ... can see shades of AB and Sanaya here for sure ... their friendship shows so clearly, especially after the SBB segment! And Gunji tries to choose, but she's missing her sis ... awww, I really wish we had Samrat's mom here as support for Gunjan, or even Mayank's mom, cos sis is pretty useless, all told.

And finally Nups arrives, ready to blow up Mayank ... and sees Gunji in her dress ... and finally melts ...

Will the wedding be Wednesday or Thursday - that's my question.

As for Nups and her 'motherly behaviour' - she's not behaving like a mother at all. She's behaving like Bui - a carbon copy. Only worried about tradition, and what people will say, and what all preparations she has done, and how they will all go to waste, what all she had dreamed to do on Gunjan's wedding ... her own dreams for her wedding were nixed, so she wants to thrust them onto Gunjan ... forgetting that Gunjan could have dreams too, and they might be completely different from her own.
If she had been really like a mother, she would have been like Shilpa aunty, understanding from the start, knowing what Gunjan wanted even before Gunjan said it, knowing that Gunjan would not like so much tamasha ... she would have been like Farida Jalal from DDLJ, another mother I loved, who was a friend to Kajol, who tried to protect her daughter from the strict father all the time, who even encouraged her daughter to run away with her Raj, rather than marry someone she didn't love ...
Nope, Nups is no mother, she's Bui - through and through. Still stuck in her narrow minded, traditional, small town rigid thinking - as are her fans - still stuck on that one ZDP night, which for them makes Gunjan the biggest sinner in the world ...

Pity they did this episode this way - the forum had been peaceful the last few days - this just got things riled up again ... anyway, Nups and RP are pretty much history now ... hopefully Monaya never have to do a show again with her ... cos her fans are the giddy limit! And they will prove to be RP's biggest handicap - no PH will like to take an actress whose fans are so psychotic and vicious. It happened with Shilpa Anand and destroyed her career - and I can see the same thing happening with RP.

SBB segment- Mohit proposing to Sanaya

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Flirty teasing Gunji - dreamy!!!

15 Nov episode

Am sure Sanaya and Mohit are enjoying the last few days of MJHT shoot thoroughly! They're busy romancing and they get paid for it!
And the first scene in the episode was ... to paraphrase a well known ad ...
Samrat acting out the 'husband' and Gunji catching him in the act - Rs 25,000
Samrat acting all high and mighty and 'touch me not' - Rs 50,000
Gunji proceeding to seduce him - PRICELESS!!!!!

Could add - Sam's expressions - even more priceless - but Gunjan always comes first for me! :D Lolzzz ... we got an utterly butterly cute picture of Sajan after marriage - can just imagine Mr and Mrs Shergil flirting and teasing each other to bits ... and loving each other, of course ... Samrat is not gonna miss a chance, especially when his lady is so willing! Hmmm, now was that Sajan or Monaya ... these days the two are difficult to distinguish!
And i always said that Sanaya can't do nautanki - I take back my words! When it's well-written, tongue-in-cheek genuinely funny stuff, she is brilliant ... once again her expressions were awesome, never OTT, just right, delicate and perfect ...

The first part when she cottons on immediately to his teasing ... she's had four years to get used to it, and she knows him inside out now ... so in reply to his 'don't come near me, I can't betray my fiancee', she promptly sets out to flirt - BIG time ... let's have one last fling before we both get married ... walking her fingers up his arm to his shoulder, Sam's eyes popping out ...
need to stop laughing to watch the next bit ...
Again he says, no! I can't betray her ...
so she pulls him close, the way he always pulls her ... and asks in a sultry, trying to be vampish tone ... kyun? Is she more beautiful than I am? in a tone that says, that isn't possible ...
And he says ... in my eyes, there can be no one more beautiful than her ... he's still teasing, but he means it ...

So she starts smiling at his 'you're the most beautiful' bit, then she gets that teasing glint back in her eye and asks - are those your lines?
he shakes his head, matching glint in his eyes, and replies - got them from internet ...
she replies - phir bhi ... achhi hai ...
ADORABLE ... I cracked up ... never knew Gunji could be such a darling ... and Sam seems to think so too, so he promptly maroes chance again ...

Only to be interrupted not once, but twice ... first Mayank, then Nupur ...
Otherwise Sam would have gotten his kiss for sure ... doesn't matter, after marriage looks like he'll have a steady supply ...

Nups with Uday - he presents her with a picture of a chimpanzee ... honestly, I begin to feel a bit sorry for her ... they're really khilli udaoing her in the last week ... so then of course, Nups jhadoes the only person who will still listen to her and be sweet ... again, is this a reflection of what happens on the sets? Because as we saw in MC, Sanaya is just too sweet to join in any cattiness or malicious teasing ... here too, Sayank seem least bothered about Nups and her tantrums, but Gunjan puts them both in order ...
The Dostana sequence with Sayank and Gunjan was hilarious ... and she scolds them both, so they meekly listen and obey ... and pander to Nups' hormonal swings and hurt ego ... wedding planner ...

MN in bed again ...

Last scene ... SG ... again hilarious and cute and touching at the same time ... their story is so beautiful that each and every scene has meaning and links up ... Gunji waiting at the window for Sam ... and when he comes through the door, she asks if everything is all right ... door??? and Samrat???
And he's having last minute jitters a la Chandler ... but to cure them, he needs ... who else but Chashmish ... not his wife-to-be, but his best friend ... so she obligingly puts on her 'best friend' hat ... and tells him he's ok, and she's equally nervous ... chewing her fingernails as she remembers, yes, she's also nervous ... gosh, this girl is ADORABLE ... but then he's happy - so it's normal for him to feel this way ... because she's feeling the same ...
Their lines were classic - I'm nervous, it's the first time I'm getting married, and she goes, helloo? It's my first time too ... I don't make it a habit to get married again and again ...

If the whole week is gonna be like this, am gonna be lost in Sajan la la land the entire week!

Links
Samrat Gunjan flirting with each other
SG - Pre-Wedding jitters

Monday, November 15, 2010

Koffee with Karan back again

One more show to watch for the next few weeks at least - Koffee with Karan - always a good laugh. Can't believe I actually liked Aishwarya - she seemed really warm and down to earth - in contrast to her rather cold image. Abhishek is a clown as usual - still remember the hilarious father-son episode which revolved around Mallika Sherawat RUNNING - apparently, everyone does! And loved the start when Abhishek kept stopping Karan from introducing his own show! Good fun.

ITA milestone awards - among the plethora of awards given out to everyone and their dog ;) - was really happy to see both my favourite shows, Astitva and Saans get recognition - well deserved, and it was nice to see my two favourite telly actresses, Neena Gupta and Nikki Aneja receive their awards. Have always felt that Sanaya is in the same mould, in terms of the powerful understated emotional acting she does, I hope she gets a role and the recognition that these two have so deservedly got, because she has the same talent. And like them she can't do the typical saas bahu or dramatic OTT stuff which is so common - it's just not her. So she will have to be very selective about her roles - hopefully she'll get what she deserves.
And Varun Badola was damn cute - awarded for playing a spineless guy - true, his role was really grey, kudos to him for portraying it so well, that and Koshish - he really was/is an excellent actor, one of the best of the small screen. Happy to see some of my other old favourites recognized - SaReGaMaPa, Big Fight, Aap Ki Adalat, Khana Khazana - I learnt a lot of cooking from watching that one!
Interesting to see Mohit, Sanaya and Kinshuk together at the awards - got quite a few glimpses. Sanaya has amazing skin - porcelain peaches and cream complexion and glowing! She looks stunning wherever she goes! I liked her better in the red dress of last year than the black this year, though - bright colors really suit her.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Monaya/Sajan magic

12th Nov

My thoughts about the episode ... after coming out somewhat from the Monaya/Sajan induced haze ...

LOVED the song .. it was shorter than what I would have liked ... as always LOL ... but beautifully done. What I didn't like was that apparently MNU were shamelessly watching some VERY private SG moments - sheer decency should have made them go downstairs and wait after witnessing the proposal ... bad direction ...
Especially doing a Peeping Tom on the kiss - not in good taste. Director goofed up big time there.

After that, though ... it seemed to be all very much a wrap up fun kind of thing ... more real life than reel ... Uday cracked me up with his "dost word sunke mere kaan pak gaye hain" .... he was obviously talking about real life here ... also about their being the slowest ... now that was about the show ... confession after over a year ... wedding at the end of the show ...

and he cracked me up again when he felt that being Samrat's saala was a bigger deal than being Nups' kid's mama ...

And Mayank cracked me up when he described the MN love story ... theek hi thi ...

And Mayank cracked me up yet again when he spoke about the Sajan love story being the most happening one ... again, seemed more AB than Mayank ... he's been witness to the real life Monaya story ... being their closest friend ...

Was puzzled with MN expressions as they watched SG dance ... I actually felt first that Nups is feeling bad that she kept SG apart for so long when she saw how happy they were together ... but I was being too generous, apparently ... all she was bothered about was that romance has disappeared from her life while her sis has it in full measure ... reality check coming up for Nupur? That she will no longer be the object of Gunjan's worship and the center of attention with the wedding coming up? And is that a real life dig as well?
and M looking at her expression and then at SG ... my thought was that he was thinking - better get SG married fast ... at the rate they're going ... can't keep their hands off each other ... :D

Had a bit of a ROFL at Nups insisting her love story was as 'happening' as the Sajan one - and the way Gunji had to reassure her that yes, her story was the MOST exciting one - really wonder why this scene was brought in! No, Sajan don't need any convincing about their love story being happening or not, 'cos they don't really care. Plus they know the truth, as do the other two - as is very clear from the wrap-up - all love stories in an ending for the lead couple - happy or sad. So the Sajan love story gets its happy ending at the end of MJHT.

links:
Aao Na
SG journey flashbacks

Friday, November 12, 2010

Magical Mesmerising Sajan

11 Nov episode

Am still caught in the SaJan spell after last night, so this is really going to be a rambling post! :)))
The SaJan story couldn't have asked for or gotten a better ending than this magical night and amazing proposal. A proposal which was completely SaJanish, and had the essence of the couple I have grown to love and adore over the last 1 1/2 years, their initial essence as well as the growth that has taken place in both these characters over the course of this story. And as I look back through their eyes at their journey, it hits home again how much MJHT was really all about the magical Sajan journey, the 'stud' boy and the 'shy' girl and how the two changed both themselves and each other - from complete opposites to two halves of a perfect whole.
She taught him the meaning of friendship and love, and he in turn showed her how to love till it hurt, to always give and never take in love, she brought the colors of the rainbow into his life, he showed the colors of the world beyond her glasses, she changed his life and he did hers ... till all they want and need is to be with each other till the end of time ... and to die with each other too, because living without each other is not an option.

And so ... the episode and the proposal ... line by magical line ...
First scene - MNU and SG ... MN fight continues, Gunjan takes Mayank aside, Sam takes Nups ... and as Gunji tries to calm down a glowering Mayank, Sam takes Nupur through her journey with Mayank, why she fell in love with him at all ... and tells her ... we men are like that, we only know how to love, when we fight, it's our love, and when we love, we just love ... as Gunjan looks at him, her heart in her eyes.
and Mayank tells Gunjan - no one can love you as much as this guy can ... and Gunjan knows that's true.
Cute Uday ... is Nupur pregnant? Gunji rolls her eyes, Sayank are resigned to their bro-in-law's intellect by now - they just laugh ... and MNU leave ...

And I cannot do justice to the scenes which follow ... Monaya at their very best ... totally dreamy, totally Sajan-ish ... and completely beautiful ...
Gunjan shy, blushing, yet excited, anticipating the best moment of her life, can almost feel her heartbeat speeding up ... Samrat for once tongue-tied, he doesn't know what to say, although he's dying to say it ... so she shows him his chit.
And he stares at her ... you knew?! And she nods shyly and looks down again.
Samrat: that's why you told me to go down on my knees ...
and she smiles again, at herself this time ... he laughs too, but he's nervous again, the words still not coming ... they're both tongue-tied because this is the most important moment of their lives ...
Gunjan: this is the most perfect moment of my life ...
Sam: mine too - but everything I'd planned has gone wrong ...
Has it really? Because they don't need planning, grand settings, fancy sets - they never did. They started at a chai stall, their confession was on a terrace in Morena, first date in a locked classroom ... they've only ever needed each other, and their words come out from the depth of their hearts.
So he holds her hand and takes her to the terrace again ... another Sajan haunt ... again lost for words ...
he says, I'd planned so much, your favourite flowers ... and Uday rains flowers on them, to the surprise and delight of both,
Sam says, I'd called violinists, but ... and the violin girls come in ... and they're both enchanted ...
so they just look at each other, as though drinking in the sight, smiles of sheer happiness and joy ... and Sam says - Chashmish, mera dil ...
She says - it's beating fast, isn't it? He nods, she smiles again and says - ok, pretend you're proposing to a monkey ...

The first lesson he ever gave her to get her over her fears of facing others - that's why he says, those are my lines ...

and she laughs, what to do, over the years even I've become a bit like you ...

Yes, that's the beauty of their journey, their story ... they've changed each other without meaning to, without wanting or even needing to ... a role reversal here, he's the nervous tongue-tied one, and she's the one encouraging him ... as always, whenever one is weak, the other is their strength, and they take it in turns, an equal partnership if ever there was one, because it's based on the truest foundation - love and trust in equal measure ...
Love the way they just keep looking at each other and smiling, as though the sight of each other is their biggest joy ...

And then he asks her - my chit?
She takes his hand to his heart, and then to hers - no, Samrat, no speeches today, no rehearsal. Just speak from your heart and the words will reach mine ...
I AM DEAD ... (just by the way ... this is my aatma typing)
So he goes down on one knee and his words spill out ... I thought I was the ultimate love guru ... till you came into my life and changed it forever. You filled my life with color, you filled my world. If ever I cracked a joke, I first to see your reaction, if I scored a basket, I looked if you saw, if I failed, I hid from you, but if I passed, I had to share it with you. You became my life ...

And Gunjan goes down on her knees to him ... and you became mine. You taught me what love was all about, you showed me a world beyond my glasses, you showed me a mirror to myself ... you taught me that love is all about giving, because you gave me all the happiness in the world, and never asked for anything in return ...

And she cups his face with her hand - please, Samrat, never let this love fade.
And he promises, never ... not when we're old and grey ...
She tells him, tears running down her cheeks - you'll switch off the lights at night ... because he told her MN fought about that ... he tells her - and every morning you'll be the first thing I see ...
She holds his face again - you'll always, always call me Chashmish ... she had taken that name away from him, and that had hurt him the deepest, now it's her promise that never will she go so far from him again, because when she's Chashmish, she's his ... his and only his Chashmish ...
And when I die, it will be in your arms ...

And me in yours ... because life without you is not life ...

And then finally, both in tears, because they almost lost each other, and it was like losing themselves, they can't go through that again ... he says ...
So, Miss Gunjan Bhushan, will you marry me?
And she nods ... he slips the ring on her finger ... and they're together again ... at last, never to be parted.

I was numb after the Vnite episode earlier this year ... after this one, I was crying and smiling at the same time. Magical Monaya back again - and WHAT a performance! It came from the heart and it showed. Simply, utterly beautiful!
Am glad this is the finale of MJHT - they can't outdo this, and honestly, with the culmination of the Sajan journey, there is nothing left to be shown. Just hope we get a wedding - but even if we don't, this episode has left me completely satisfied. This is THE END of MJHT for me ... and a more beautiful end I couldn't have asked for.

Samrat's proposal

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Cutie pie Chashmish

10th Nov episode

Cutest scene and cutest expression - Gunji all ready for a romantic proposal, waiting for Sam to fish out a ring from his pocket - she's even transferred her first engagement ring onto her other hand in full preparation ... and he fishes in his pocket - total anticipation and excitement on Gunjan's face ...

and he pulls out ... a urine soaked pregnancy strip ...

And Gunjan's face is classic ... eewwwwwwwww !!!!!
Completely hilarious - what expressions on her face - I cracked up laughing!

The episode was decent - liked the SG scenes, with Gunjan's excitement after she sees Sam's chit and realises he's gonna propose again, she calls Mayank and he's cool, thinking she knew, she realises all that talk about MN fight was just talk ...
Sam calls Nups about her pregnancy, cute Sanu talk.

SG scenes were really sweet ... Gunji all excited in anticipation, a little shy but forgetting her shyness in her eagerness to hear Sam's proposal, Sam still nervous ... umm, what was he nervous about this time? proposing, or telling her Nups' news? The part when she tells him to kneel is too cute ... and then of course, the most hilarious bit - the pregnancy strip ... and the eeewwww!!!
Though of course, Gunji being Gunji, cottons on quickly, and it's really sweet to see how she forgets her own proposal in her excitement about her sister ... as usual ...

Sister, of course, is as self-absorbed as ever ... a hilarious MN scene when N breaks the news to M, and M really cannot act these lovey dovey scenes at all ... he sounds as though he's reciting his lines like a parrot, about the khushi about the baby and the gift Nups is giving him ...
The fight is better - MN is definitely much better at fighting, seems to come naturally to them ... although the scenes when they imagine junior Nups and junior M are truly horrendous ... no wonder N was so horrified ... a plump Nups in school uniform and pigtails and that ghastly imitation of Auro was really the stuff nightmares are made off ... as was Nups as mom - Mayank as junior looked exactly the same actually ...
and so the fight about what the kid is gonna be ... *head desk* ... and this is the "ideal couple"????
of course, Nups has forgotten about her sister's proposal in her fight with M ... great sister she is!

Naveen's link - Gunji wanting Sam to propose

Nothing much in episode - but cute SBB :)

9th Nov episode

Nothing much happened ... setting up confusion for the proposal pregnancy mix up - MN at doc's, Sam-Uday at home, where Uday messes up as always, Gunjan comes to rectify and gets confused as to what's going on, some random SG nokjhoks ...
Samrat gets hassled and nervous about proposing ... wait, didn't he already propose three years ago? Now what happened? And Gunjan still has his ring ...
Sam finds out about Nups' pregnancy ... dhakkan is the least dhakkan of the lot here, it seems!
In short, complete filler episode.

But when we don't get Sajan on screen, we get Monaya offscreen, and right now they're far cuter offscreen :)
So SBB segment where Monaya are shooting for a terrace sequence where Sam will finally get around to proposing ... and as shooting is starting to wind up, Monaya in full masti mode, plus Mohit can't seem to keep his hands off Sanaya :)
What cracked me up - guy in red Tshirt showering the trademark Sam flowers on Gunjan ... so that's how that romantic atmosphere is created :D

And is Sanaya hinting at a Season 3? That if she refuses Sam's proposal, MJHT will have to return? Because MJHT is the Sam-Gunjan story ... even if GH tries not to believe that! Well, as long as RP is not part of the show, I'm okay with that ... MJHT S3 or a new show, both work for me.

Naveen's links - Sam's plans to propose to Chashmish

SBB SG segment

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Sajan reunion ... far too short!

8th Nov episode

As I predicted ... Sajan reunion finally happened :) after the longing glances Gunji was throwing Samrat on Friday, it didn't seem too far off! And it seemed fitting and right that it should happen on Diwali - the first Diwali was memorable, their confession was on Dusshera, which was actually telecast around Diwali and it was appropriate to have this confession on Diwali too ...

But my chief complaint ... FAR too short a scene ...
My second complaint ... penny pinching ... they should ideally have had this scene with fire crackers as well, as both the SG flashbacks showed firecrackers in the bg ...

Usually ... in fact, almost through the entire show, SG scenes have been very well written and conceptualised ... but this one really showed the visible bias - or sheer inability - of the current writers ... badly written, far too short, didn't give the actors time to develop the scene at all in terms of emotions ...

and so, for the first time, the fact that the scene came across as well as it did, I will give the ENTIRE credit to the actors ... they lifted it with sheer acting prowess and again, for Gunjan, with dialogue delivery ... her dialogues were delivered flawlessly, her voice rising and falling with the emotions she was portraying ...
What I really liked was that Gunjan stayed in her S2 character - her apology was completely different from that of the one after the V nite, and even from the one after the Neel episodes - here she was soft-spoken yet sure of herself, the ebb and flow of emotions starting from the first half-smiling 'tumhe sorry bolne ki aadat pad gayi hai', then the lovingly spoken 'galti tumhari nahin hoti, phir bhi sorry keh dete ho', the half admonishing 'tum itni aasnai se sorry kaise keh dete ho?' ...
and then slipping into the remorse, self-recriminatory mood - 'mujhse to ek baar bhi nahin kaha gaya' ... then it all comes tumbling out ... that she punished him for no fault of his, that he always tried to bring a smile to her face, and she hurt him again and again, and he never said a word ... whenever she was in trouble, in pain, he was always by her side, she turned away from him, made him a stranger to her, yet he gave her more support than even her own loved ones ... (FINALLY realising that he means more to her than dratted sister!) ... how does he do this? And she didn't say sorry even once ...
And he stops her by putting a finger on her lips ... you don't need to say it, because without your saying anything, I understand you ...

'tumhara dil bahut bada hai, Samrat' ... and this is still her apology - all those times she hurt him, but he has no bitterness, no complaint ... he's forgiven her without a murmur, he still loves her as much as he ever did ...
and he replies ... 'kyunki tum is dil mein rehti ho' - corny, cheesy, but heartfelt ...
then he asks self-mockingly - was I too filmy? and they both laugh softly ... and this was where I saw the new S2 SG the most clearly ... especially the next bit where Gunjan just says simply "thank you" ... and puts her head on his shoulder ... thank you for forgiving me, for loving me, for wanting me back in your life, for not giving up on me, on us, when I did ... a couple who are made for each other, meant to be with each other ... whatever happens, they can never really be parted ...
And then Samrat sees the ring ... she's been wearing it for ages now, surprising he never noticed it earlier - so was it deliberate that she wore it before Dhruv's truth was exposed, to show that even before she knew Nups, her sister was really back, she already knew she needed Samrat back in her life?
He says - 'yeh ring' - and she smiles - so finally you noticed it ... and he knows that yes, they ARE back together as before ... and he reaches to kiss her ...

... but holds back ...

My feeling - the last time they were together was ZDP, and after that their separation was long and bitter. This time he wants to do everything the right way ... only after he has the right to do it ... in other words, only after they're married.

And this is when I would have liked them to go out, hand in hand, and see the Diwali firecrackers lighting up the sky - would have been a fitting end to their story ... and a fitting new beginning ...
part 1
part 2

but of course, we have to go back to bedroom scenes ... skip MN, fwd to SaNu convo, which was ok, then Sayank ... Mayank playing Bauji...
And here it was the reverse of the SG scene - although the scene was well-written, acting let it down ... Mayank CANNOT do this kind of stuff convincingly at all - he was unconvincing as the watchman and as Swaminathan, and equally unconvincing here - when he tries to do a different voice, all he does is speak more loudly ... doesn't work for me at all.
Which leads me to musing - of the four actors, who was actually good at nautanki, especially different accents - Mayank has been bad all through - loud voice, but no convincing or consistent change in either voice tone or accent ... Equally unconvincing was RP as Cheenifry - or w/e she was, she was downright awful, as Kashibai she was totally OTT, the actress who played Amba was far better ... Sanaya as coy, simpering 'swami' wasn't great either - again, she can't do nautanki ... although her Paro was beautiful ...
So the best of the four, by a long shot is Mohit ... surprising for a guy who was labelled a non-actor - his Bhavesh was good, his SSC was brilliant, the Punjabi accent was fantastic, the voice change was brilliant and consistent. Then he did a short Jat impersonation - that was perfect as well ... and just one line in a Nepali accent - and that was perfect too, judging by the fact that I actually noticed it - a single dialogue ... so my opinion of Mohit's acting abilities is actually going up quite a lot!

Last bit ... Sam-Uday and the hospital MN-Sam convos were strictly time-pass ... Nups screeching again, mute button pressed ... scenes seem to have been put in to fill time until they get on with revealing Nups' pregnancy, and whatever the next twist is in the SG track - gosh, even in saas-bahu shows, a pregnancy isn't such suspense! But WHY a new SG track - why don't they just get married now? Let's hope Samrat's proposal gets more screen space than today's SG confession scene did.
And why was Gunji missing in the second half of the episode? MJHT is no fun without her!

Naveen's link - SG reunion

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Monaya Diwali segment

5 Nov 2010

If there was any doubt left that Mohit Sehgal and Sanaya Irani are a couple in real life, this segment just vanquished all of them. One of the sweetest real life segments I have seen - Sanaya decorating Mohit's home for Diwali - extremely beautifully and tastefully - this girl really has class! Beautifuly done, right from the doorway, to the rangolis with diyas, candles - I have a weakness for candles and these were all beautiful! Loved the glass door leading onto the balcony - again beautiful. And what was even more beautiful was the way the couple performed the aarti and prayed together - very, very touching and sweet - truly a made-for-each-other couple if ever there was one. What is even sweeter is that they are not a fictional couple, enacting lines written for them - they are real, true to life and as beautiful as the couple they portray on screen, although in reverse. Here Sanaya is the bubblier, perkier one, and Mohit the quieter one, but in the things that truly matter, feelings for home and loved ones, they seem to be perfectly matched.

And Sanaya herself is class personified - beauty, elegance and grace - together with a tadka of naughty! Her dress sense is impeccable - I said that before for Western dresses, today she proved it for Indian outfits as well - color coordinated and accessorized beautifully, and I am totally in love with her earrings! Gorgeous Gunjan, Stunning Sanaya ... whichever avatar she dons, she's perfect!

The song chosen for the bg music ... jashne-bahara ... just perfect! Beautiful, romantic ...

The last bit on the swing ... when Mohit obviously thought the camera was already off, was utterly butterly cute! God bless this couple - have never felt so fond of a telly couple and their real life selves as I do of these two.

monaya on diwali

Friday, November 5, 2010

Sajan ... yes, limping back

4 Nov

Again ... forget the show, enjoy Sajan ... because they are definitely coming back ... and the good part is, the new S2 Sajan seem to have been retained as well ... maybe the barrage of mails did some good after all!

First scene with SG setting up the recording apparatus, Gunjan worrying as usual, crosschecking again and again, Samrat telling her nothing will go wrong, because you've checked everything fifteen times :)
Then she says, I would never have believed three years ago that I could do something like this ... how life changes ...
and he says, yes, but some things never change, and one of them is our love ...
:)))
and then she pushes him away and says ... stop flirting, we need to concentrate on Operation Dhingra right now ... and they're both smiling, teasing ...

Next SG scene, when Sam has to go on for his part of the act, so he asks her, should I go, she says mmhmm, nervous again, so he does an SSC, and that cheers her up ... and she teases him again ... and pushes him off ...
And of course, the plan works this time, cos SG are masterminding it together ... inspite of some truly horrendous acting by AB/RP ... Sam's punju accent is spot on, though, and was fun to watch ... he was by far the best of the three!
and for the first time, i agreed, he does look like Shahid Kapur ... when he's taking off his beard and goggles ...

So Dhungra is caught with confession of his misdeeds and Gunji and Uday organise the media to come in, Gunji has the tapes ... end of Dhingra ..
and end of Nups? Or am I being too optimistic? :D She's probably either sick or pregnant - if she's going to be off shooting for nachle ... good thing too, cos her acting truly sucks now! That Chinese-Japanese khichri was too much to take, especially at supersonic pitch!

*edit* ... didn't comment much on the MN bits, because I skipped them all, honestly couldn't sit through them, and YT zindabad! But Mayank's South Indian accent was terrible, dropped in far too many places, he couldn't carry it off at all. And Nups was unbearable ... I seriously had to mute her voice - it might have shattered my tv, at the pitch at which she delivered her dialogues. Also, she did a horrendous job of accents again - mishmash of ChineseJapanese??? Either the script writer or the actress, or both! are very, very bad ... and don't know their job at all - Japanese kimono and fan, Chinese name and dialogues ending in 'o' - My God-o ... hulllooooo ... height - or depth - of stereotyping, and completely inaccurate as well! As for that banshee-like screechy voice in which they were delivered, no wonder Nups fainted halfway through - probabaly even she couldnt stand her own voice!
Again an episode where only the Sajan scenes were worth watching ... cv's are progressing the Sajan story very, very slowly, because that is the ONLY story left in MJHT and they seem to know it. The only problem is because of taking it so slowly, we get something like one or two Sajan scenes worth watching in an entire week of episodes. And there is progress in those scenes ... but to get those, we have to sit through MN, Dhingra Lovely and the likes! That is exactly the reason why six days a week is such a bad idea - and tv watching is slowly reducing, and YT is increasing.

Interestingly, the freeze at the end showed the trio only - Gunjan, Sam and Mayank ... hope Nups and pregnancy and nachle will sideline her ... unlikely my hope will be fulfilled, but no harm hoping!

episode link episode

SG part 1
SG part 2 6.00 onwards
part 4

Naveen's link SG in Control room

SGP - I was right - Sona and Suhana were setting up Ishaan ...
Panna Raunaq bhabhi scene was sweet again. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, I missed dada dadi and badi maa scenes ... all the elders were absent today!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Finally a Sajan talk :))) - and thoughts on Gunjan

3 Nov

Finally a trademark serious heartfelt Sajan TALK ... and the episode already seems 50% better in terms of quality :)
So episode opens with Sam and Uday setting the scene for chudail ... cute, funny ... Dhingra atill OTT and very annoying with it, Gunji enjoying herself with the special effects lolzzz ...
Mayank makes entry as nightwatchman ... Nups as chudail ... seems the cv's have not much idea what to do with MN now that they are happily married ideal couple, so getting them to dress up in fancy dress is about all they can think of ...
Nups' chudail act backfires, as Dhungra calls her 'bebe' ... and begs for her aashirwad, she storms off in confusion, and gang is zapped at the failure of the plan ... what next?

They all sit moping in the bb court, Sam comes back, and says Dhingra has left ... Gunji moves away and takes a walk down memory lane ... I can't see this college destroyed, it's given me life, friends, an identity ... and as Sam goes to her, she looks at him and reminds him ... do you remember how we met, your bb hit me, ... music room, you heard me sing for the first time ... talent parade, I sang only because you encouraged me ... if it hadn't been for Excel, we would never have met ...
And Sam takes a walk with her - if it hadn't been for Excel, I would never have learnt what love is ... from you ...
But she's awkward again ...
So finally my Sajan ... the one I fell in love with, seem to be slowly coming back ...a Sajan talk after ages, even though it was in full view of the others, yet it had that Sajan essence, of a talk between two people who can open their hearts and minds to each other ... and after three long years, that communication is coming back ... and it's even more beautiful because it's the same two people, who are different now, yet their essence is still the same, and the essence of their relationship is still the same ...
and after ages, we saw that again ...

Then Nups, Mayank and Uday start with their memories ... Uday says, if Excel exists, we exist ...
Sam sees the agreement .. a legal agreement lying around on the floor??? Oh well ... he says he knows the signatory, met him during trustees' meetings ... Sam seems to be coming back to trusteeship slowly and steadily ...
N remembers her milao SG mission, so Sam gets to drop Gunji home ...but SG go instead to the signatory/owner of Excel ... and find some daal mein kaala in the Dhingra deal ... so they make a plan for the next day ...

ONE decent Sajan scene ... and the whole episode seems good!

episode link

SG scene part 3
miniscule SG bit and SG phone call to M

*edit* another thought on Gunjan, and return of Sajan being dependant on the return of Gunjan - The Sajan journey has been beautiful because of Gunjan and her character ... that was played with and the Sajan journey has gone for a toss ...

because Gunjan's character was the unique one ... her maturity and thoughtfuness a balance to Sam's playfullness, her habitual seriousness a foil for Samrat's prankster attitude, her convictions and ethics the anchor for Samrat's waywardness, and her outer vulnerability and inner strength a perfect match for Samrat's outward confidence and arrogance and inner loneliness ... a love story which I am sure even the makers didn't realise the depth of when they started off .. it has just grown from strength to strength ...

Watching almost all the other shows on tv, especially on Star One, there is no heroine quite like Gunjan. LNMDJ tried to make Avni similar, but she was never that good, and all the other heroines are bubbly and chirpy variey. Sanaya is the only actress who has managed to make a character like Gunjan believable and appealing to even the younger lot, in spite of being a really mature character, far too mature for a show of this calibre. Which really makes me feel even more that what distinguished MJHT from all the other "youth" shows was the presence of this ONE character - she actually made the show different and unique. Fighting couples and nokjhoks are a dime a dozen, every show has them, but a character like Gunjan - none! And that again is a reason for TR's to plunge ... because by changing her character, and with it, the essence of Sajan, the entire flavour of the show changed.

Naveen's link - SG reminisce about Excel

SGP - also good today, less of Sona-Suhana ... but what's with that Sona's nautanki about Suhana to Ishaan? I think they're setting up Ishaan ...
Liked the Panna- bhabhi scene ... finally Panna tells her bhabhi the problem ... or rather she finds out and the hug was really sweet!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Just enjoy SG ... forget the show

2 Nov

Randomness, thy name is MJHT. Cv's can't decide whether they want a serious track or comedy, MN (or rather N) or SG ... so there is total hash. Forget expecting any sensible storyline or track ... just enjoy random SG scenes, which have got some faint essence of SG back ... and wait for the end ... cos at this rate, and with overdose of chudail, end it will.

So first scene with builder and famous five, builder obnoxious, eats kukkad, hits on Gunji, which fires up Sam and Nups, Nups of course is more vocal about it ... she's the LEGEND ... much prefer Sayank, M getting angry, Sam trying to calm him, but finally starting to lose his cool also ... the mature version of Sam seems to be back also, thank god. And he wants to be trustee again?

Second scene, badly written, totally random, cv's have decided that Nups will get SG together, so Nups thrusting Sam down Gunji's throat at every opportunity ... never known for her subtlety or sense of privacy ... G apologises for trying to keep MN apart ... didnt she already realise she was barking up the wrong tree on that one? Horrendous scene set up and dialogues ... and the "we're the best sisters" act is getting irritating and very repetitive.
Uday tries funny act, forced comedy again ... Sam and Nups come up with crazy ideas, nixed by MG, Uday says, lets act ghost-ghost ... they all think it's a great idea ...
Where are Princi and Shukla in all this? Three junior profs and a student deciding how to save the college?
Uday will act as chef who wants to open restaurant with Dhingra ... so cv's have read WUAS? Or was that such a natural career for Uday to go into anyway?!

Gunji brings dahi for Uday, Sam wants too ... cute SG scene ... Sam says he's my to-be saala, Gunji doesn't say anything, just feeds him dahi ... even in the stupidest and smallest scenes, this couple still has their magic ...

GuNur ... Nups tells Gun, you're still scared of Sam, Gun says no, Nups says, of renewing your relationship with him ... Gun says, it's difficult ... her eyes far away ... shit, this could be done sooo beautifully, especially with this actress ...but with these cv's, NO hope at all ...
Sam-Uday fix the dinner demo for Dhingra ... chudail makes her entry ...

SGP - don't believe this ... another "chirpy" entry .. Sona? If Suhana wasnt already enough?! Going downhill ... Liked Panna facing her mom-in-law ... firm and to the point.

links
episode link
dahi scene

Naveen's links - Dahi cheeni

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

SG track starting ... slowly ... slowly ...

1st November

MJHT - Starts with Gunji actually ticking off Nups for not telling her that she and M were all cosy again, because of them she was fighting with Samrat for no reason ... Nups, of course, is unfazed, when does she ever think about anyone but herself?! Tells Gunji she should make up with Samrat ... Gunji starts thinking for the first time (finally!) that she's not done the right thing with him at all ... and should apologise ...

part 1

Sam arrives through the window as usual ... Gunjan smiles and for the first time in S2, gives him her hand to help him, and tells him ... aao. He's rather zapped ;) (I saw a lot of Sanaya in this part, especially her expressions.) Sam jumps in with her help, and of course they wind up real close and share an eyelock. He maroes a line .. don't ever leave my hand now, and the few lines which follow were really sweet, a scene between two people who know each other inside out, who are most comfortable with each other, and don't even need too many words to communicate ... they can be themselves, they can say what's in their heart, yet tease gently as well ... the communication channels are finally opening slowly again ...
But still not back to where they were, that journey will take a longer time ... as the scene with Dodo shows ... when Gunji says that Sam is not her bf, just her friend, and Sam just smiles wryly as she looks at him, a bit uncomfortable as she's saying that ... he's not her bf again, but he's not just a friend either, and all three of them know that ... there's no word to really describe what they are, at the moment.

part 2


Which brings me to an interesting thought ... Gunjan (Sanaya) has a new role to play now ... rather, a completely new shade. In S1, she was shy, quiet, timid, she opened up slowly as she became friends and then best friends with Samrat ... and then his love, but she was still the quiet, follower type. In S2,she showed shades of a new, mature, more assertive and open Gunji ... the woman she has become, who still loved Samrat, but was also filled with bitterness and hate which was was kept her away from him till now.
BUT now - she has lost all the bitterness, the hate and is left only with regret for what she did to him, regret for what they have lost, because of her. Yet she still has to stay the new Gunjan, a Gunjan who is definitely all woman now ... who has gone beyond that shy, quiet girl to a woman who has strength and purpose in her life, who knows where and what she is, who has found the happiness she had lost three years ago, and is content with herself, her work and her life ... except for one part of it .. her relationship with Samrat. That is the one area of her life left unresolved - Samrat is very much a part of her life again and always will be ... but their relationship needs a new turn, a new shade. She is now a woman in love, with nothing much to hold her back, and all the reason to try and undo the harm she did. And the new, mature Gunjan in love should be a dream to watch ... if they stay like this and not like the BB career track.
So it's Samrat's turn to change again. To match the woman Gunji has become, he HAS to become a MAN .. is this why the new track, which will force him to take the lead to save the college and take a position of authority ... and maybe find his place in the world, and beside her.
Let's hope so ... the SG story has always had interesting turns, and IF the cv's are so inclined, this could be another one ... having said that, with the present cv's ... don't really think so. But it's interesting again to visualise where the SG story could go ... as always.

Rest of episode was about strangers taking over the college and throwing things out, Nups trying to do her leaderbaazi again (back to screaming mode, has that woman ever learnt voice modulation???) and Samrat determined to save the college. Oh, and Nups belatedly wanting to get SG together again ... she finally remembered she had a sister whose lovelife she had wrecked. Body doubles for Mayank ;) Was he off for his birthday?

episode link
Naveen's link for SG scene - SG - Maine pyaar kiya

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