And more Monaya rain ... :)))

The Monaya itvf interview :D
One constant thing about this couple is that they are a great substitute for chocolate or any other endorphin-containing substances - complete mood elevators :D
Was so annoyed with SBS for their long delayed/postponed Monaya interview, but at least we finally got the itvf one! And my mood has soared again :)))

And what fun the interview is! Starting off with Monaya reading all the messages from their fans - OMG, we Sajan fans all seem to have gotten the writing bug, looking at the length of the messages! Monaya were very touched for sure, they (esp San) were lost in reading them for ages.
Cute moments - Golu Molu - MS didn't remember the episode of the RJ hunt ;)

Next ROFL part - San declaring blithely that Mohit was shamelessly maroing chance pe dance by wanting/threatening to kiss her for real during the wedding sequence ... and was scared off because she threatened to slap him if he did :)))

Considering that they have had some really sizzling sequences in MJHT, most of those have been sizzling more because of suggestion rather than any overt display ... the overt HAWT display was left to the other couple, while SG as usual got the more subtle, classy and completely scorching sequences ... Roshni se by the poolside will remain the most classic example of that. Dunno why this thought just popped into my head ;)

Umbrella - Mohit gifted it to Sanaya, because he had one and she didn't! Lots of appreciation for all the fans, for taking the trouble to write so much - sweet! And they were missing MJHT and shooting together as well.

What interested me a lot more was the part when they were talking about future plans - and seemed to be resigned to the fact that they might not get work together, in fact, were pretty sure about it from the interview at least. And they mentioned that they have both been auditioning and are ready to start work again. My reading - optimistic as always - something coming up, but two shows, not one. Oh well, I can definitely live with that - as long as they both get good co-stars and good shows. So fingers crossed again. Just waiting to see them back onscreen - am so bored with most TV, watching stuff for sheer time pass!

We don't eat, we don't bite ;) Sanaya and Mohit seem to really enjoy interacting and talking with fans and they're really thrilled with the long messages. Sanaya again mentions that although her fans think she's brilliant, she doesn't think so herself ;) Well, I do agree there, she has room for improvement, but then, so do we all, and the first and most important step is actually acknowledging it - not thinking that you're perfect. As Sir Laurence Olivier famously said - A perfect actor is a dead actor. And Sanaya is far, far better than many of the heroines I see on the small screen, and big screen too. As for her emotional scenes, there is seriously hardly anyone who can get even close to her there - that's for sure.

Sanaya misses Samrat ;) Not Mohit, Samrat! Mohit just misses MJHT :)
Sanaya says you shouldn't be shy, otherwise idiots like this guy take advantage :D

Makar Sankranti - the first of hilarious Sanaya-isms! Drive slow, be careful because kids are flying kites on the road, so if you see them, get out and yell at them!I nearly ran over some kids on my way here because they were flying kites on the road! Mohit interjects - so you should drive slowly and give the kids chocolates ...:D
Sanaya's asked if she can fly kites, she says she is completely useless, and no one in her family ever wanted her on their side, they used to shout and make her nervous all the time! Mohit promptly says he will help her fly a kite!

Again talking about new shows - they'd love to work together, but Sanaya says that may not happen. Mohit adds, unless our fans produce a show for us! Sanaya - you need the right show, you need to like it, the people need to like you ...
She is being picky - she will be careful what she chooses next. And it will probably be very different from Gunjan - I really can't wait to see what she takes up next.

Wht do you like about each other?
M: she's very honest and very caring. Dislike - irritated personality, she gets irritated very easily!
S: that's why the "I yell because I care"
S likes - Mohit is a very genuinely nice person, dil ka saaf.
Dislike - lots!!! :D

Shopping habits cracked me up - for more than one reason! Sounded very, very close to home!

*edit* I think each part deserves a separate post, otherwise one post will get far too long!

Decent

SGP continues to be the only show to hold my interest ... found the guy who plays Deepak very decent today, as both young Deepak and his father. Make up does so much, but body language, the look in the eyes, voice change - all make a difference and those depend on the actor - and the guy does a good job. I find the old man very different from the young, to the point that I have to look very closely to see if he indeed is the same actor.

And I love Mahesh Thakur ... used to enjoy him in the old days, and I love him even more in present avatar - that ever present twinkle in his eye is adorable!

Indifference kills

Scene in SGP worth watching this week - the Panna Raunaq scene of Monday - the story of the breakdown of a relationship in one small poignant and very beautiful scene ... very painful, very soft and again the way I love these kind of scenes - not a single word in a raised voice, everything in the softest tones ... and utterly heartbreaking because of that ... Panna tells Raunaq she just doesn't love him any more ... she's tried but she just cannot find that love ... soft voice, no crying or hysteria ... a quiet tear or two ... that was it.

And you realise - when there is hate there is still probably hope for a relationship ... but when there is indifference, it kills.

Amazing acting by Panna ... grief and sorrow at the passing of a relationship ... she just doesn't care any more, and she has tried so hard. And Raunaq is shell shocked, he thought he was reassuring her by telling her he still loves her, but here the boot is very much on the other foot, and shockingly so.

Panna Raunaq
Panna Raunaq contd

Why do I enjoy storylines only when they involve heartbreak? I must be a masochist - I got hooked to Gunjan Samrat when she broke her friendship, and now this ... am looking forward to the continuation of this track.

And the rest of the week - the award for the funniest suhaag raat on telly goes to Bhondu and his Bhondi ... even though Dadaji borrowed the suhaag raat tips from WUAS - lock the door and don't bother about the milk ... and so did Suhana - she did a Gunjan and fell asleep on her wedding night! Must say, am enjoying SGP much more now that I've stopped looking for a love story and am just enjoying the slapstick comedy - Ragini is pretty good at that and Ishaan is just tailor made to be a bhondu.

Monaya on SBB - speechless :))))

If the Monaya Wassup segment and the Monaya IF interview left me drooling and grinning moronically at odd moments through the last couple of weeks, today's SBB segment has knocked me for a complete six.
Will update when I find words ... just had to say, haayyyeee, kisi ki nazar naa lage inn donon ko :)

*edit* Have been trying to find words to describe the Monaya SBB interview for the last few days, but I honestly can't. It's not the evident closeness, the kisses, the smiles, the ever-present teasing which got me really moved this time ... it was the looks, the way the two looked at each other, especially when they moved out of their poses for the camera and obviously thought they were off-camera ... the phrase 'lost in each other's eyes* suddenly acquired a whole new meaning when I watched these two. It's undescribable - beyond words ... can just say, God bless this couple, keep them happy like this together forever, and buri nazar se bachaye rakhna. It's so rare to see a fairy tale screen love story translate before one's eyes into a real-life one off screen as well - rare and beautiful and moving. Especially when the couple concerned are such a sweet, down to earth and very normal couple - they could be you or me or anyone we know, and to see their happiness in just being together restores faith in true love and the concept that jodis are really made in heaven.

God bless them ... and keep them safe from the eyes of all jealous and frustrated souls! Oh, and while God is listening, a small selfish request - can we have them back on screen in another show very, very soon too ... please ... :))) *addressing God and relevant cv's*

Monaya on SBB for V day

Monaya ... the rain continues :)))

Monaya interview on IF

Okay, so the first twenty times or so I watched this, I had this stupid grin on my face and was in no mood to analyse or even comment ... was so good to see these two madcaps back on screen with all their masti and teasing. One thing I always love about Monaya - even before they were 'officially' a couple - is how they genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company and pull each others' legs all the time - shows a comfort level and a closeness in their relationship that is simply awwww-inspiring ;) And like Sajan, their relationship really seems to be based on that most rock-solid of foundations - friendship and a real liking and respect for each other, differences notwithstanding.

So they start off with a small spat - Mohit throwing his hands up at the cause of the delay in the interview - all because Sanaya disappeared to the US for a month right after MJHT wrapped up, so blame her, not my fault at all, he says :D ... awww, seems to have been a sore point between them, as he really missed her a lot ...
and I frantically try to lip-read their small spat ;-) where she's getting annoyed at his leg-pulling, and he makes up with her very quickly - since it's the first time she's come over to his place since she got back, am sure he doesn't want to waste time fighting ;-) ... the interview was done the same day as the Wassup segment on his home, and released only a week later - we're getting the Monaya segments in a very slow and steady trickle, as though IF know exactly how eagerly they're awaited ...

First question - what are you doing after MJHT?
Sanaya - laughs frankly - as you can see, nothing!
Mohit makes it clear he was waiting for her to come back, probably to take any decisions ... they're planning another break, this one together, before they decide anything.

Second qs - What kind of roles are you looking for (someone please check the interviewer's grammar!)
Mohit is pretty clear he wants another youth-based show, something different from MJHT obviously, no point repeating the same kind of role, but yet youth-based. He has youth on his side, he's young and looks it, so should find something to appeal to his already set fan base and keep his youth image for some time at least.
Sanaya is equally clear - she wants something different from Gunjan - again, she also doesn't want to repeat herself, and with her track record, it's clear she's not saying this just for the sake of saying it, her previous roles have all been dramatically different from each other, she wants a change in look, characterization, and above all, she wants a good storyline, a good concept.
Always knew Sanaya was very level-headed and would look for these basic important factors far more than just her own role. Two thoughts - one, she does need a change in image because Gunjan was a very strong role, and has left a huge impact. And she was responsible for a great measure of the impact - Samrat was the hero, it was an author-backed role, but Gunjan was different from the usual shy, quiet weepy telly heroines because Sanaya made her different - no one who watched MJHT was left untouched by Gunjan - they either loved her or hated her but could not be indifferent.
However, another thought did come to mind after hearing this - the shy girl meets cool dude was a very cliched story in the first place, even more cliched than the bubbly girl meets strong silent guy - yet Monaya, especially Sanaya, did wonders to it and brought it well out of the framework of cliches into something very different and unique. With the help of some good writing, of course - cv's can't be discounted here, they did a very good job with the Sajan story (right till the last two disastrous months) but there's no denying that the actors played a huge share in lifting it above the ordinary. So as long as the characterization is good and there is a decent storyline in place - am confident that Monaya can lift any halfway decent story and bring to it a new and unique flavour again.
Anyway, between the two of them, they seem to have a very clear idea as to what they're looking for ... and why they're taking their time to make any decisions. Just hope they don't make us wait for too long - tv is really boring without them!

What is MJHT to you - they've been asked this before, no new answers, for Mohit, it's very special, his first show, Sanaya is more chilled about it, as it was her third, but both have fond memories. Again I like Mohit's humility - he frankly ascribes his entire success to the show, he's where he is because of the show, no doubt about that. Sweet!

Who are the people you're close to? ROFL, media loves to throw this up again and again, don't they? It's obvious that Ratz never mentiones Monaya in her list of favourites, and they don't mention her, but this question is never asked to AB, where it would really raise a hornet's nest!

Message to fans - sweet! A big thanks from both - what interested me was Mohit's statement that 'we'll be back soon' ... :D:D:D you'd better keep your word on that, Mohit and Sanaya, 'cos there are lots of people waiting for you! San wishes all her fans a Happy New year ... and lolzz, she's happy people still want to see them ... oh lord, Sanaya, you have no idea!!! :D:D:D That people actually find tv completely boring now that you're no longer on it every night ... Come back soon!

Enjoyable interview, great to see them back ... now eagerly waiting for the next Monaya dose!

Monaya iv on IF

SGP and Maryada

Maryada ... some good, some errmmm ...
The good ... the sangeet scene with an authentic mehndi song, the colors, the outfits ... felt like I was watching an old Chitrahaar :D ... or a real sangeet ... Vidya holding the phone for Priya (sweet!), someone actually putting numbu-cheeni ... first time I've seen that happen in a show, when it happens all the time in real life :) and all the women looking pretty - Vidya looked very sweet, Uttara looked darn pretty, no wonder Mr Lech is lusting after her ... Imli and Priya's bua, Devyani and Priya ... all were looking good ...
Have rather enjoyed the long drawn out chitrahaar in Maryada :))) ... both times!
The urrgghh ... Mr Lech and spineless husband Rishabh ... and Devyani talking to dupatta clad Adi ... honestly, if letters that go astray and dupattas that cover the wrong person were to go missing, how would misunderstandings ever happen in Hindi serials?!
Pre-cap ... interesting ... ahem, story finally progresses ...

SGP is a comedy show
SGP is a comedy show
SGP is a comedy show
Ok, now I can enjoy it ...
And having said that, I did enjoy it today, even Suhana's inanities, and of course, Badi maa and dadaji's not so subtle prodding, Inder and Ilesh's comments, and everyone's expressions - have said it before and will say it again, the entire cast of SGP being so good is its major strength ... Panna (the actress) is so pretty, a typical dusky Indian beauty ...
and since I wasn't taking it seriously at all, Suhana's 'confession' scene cracked me up ... including Ishaan latkoing on balcony without wanting to in the least ... and everyone asking him why he was latkoing, without bothering to get him to safety, either up or down ... very, very slapstick, to be taken with a bag of salt, and enjoyed ... arey baba, pehle bolna tha that it's only comedy na ...
Still looking forward to the Radha bua - Deepak track ... and what happened to Panna, why is she here at all?

Why oh why????

Ok, WHY is it that youth shows or family shows seem to have the most retarded heroines, and those are the ones that become the most popular??!!! Saw SGP after a gap of almost a week, and with the new TB write up, I was expecting a good episode ... it was good all right, in terms of acting, but the precap put me off so completely ... Suhana back to her 'wild child' ways, breaking up the room ...

WHY do the most retarded heroines always appeal to the masses??? Be it Nupur and her crass stupidity in MJHT, or the almost retarded Suhana in SGP, or the suddenly chirpy, nok jhok karne vaali Geet ... all have one thing in common ... lack of essential grey matter! Maybe that's why they appeal to the lowest common denominator in India ... those girls who aren't bothered about anything much in life other than dreaming about marriage, romance and happily ever after's! Can count on the fingers of one hand the heroines of youth shows which have actually appealed to me for their intelligence, and most of them, with the remarkable and completely UNIQUE exception of Gunjan, were not even the leads of their shows ...

Starting with of course, Dr. Simran of Astitva, but I don't count her because it wasn't a youth show, the reverse, it was an incredibly mature and sensible show ... at least as long as I was able to watch it ... and the heroine was intelligent, career oriented and yet family minded, such a difficult tightrope to balance on ...

then came DMG, where apart from Riddhima, I also liked both Anjali, for her extreme dedication to career and 'no' to romance ... no wonder she wasn't the main lead, but I always liked her a lot
and Muskaan, who actually dodged her parents attempts to get her married off early, because she wanted to be a doctor - both these girls wern't the main leads, but both had some sensibility ... up to a point!
I also see Akshara's bhabhi, Varsha in Yeh Rishta - she wants to study after marriage, and from what little I saw, she actually did so, with supportive inlaws ... BUT she wasn't a main lead ... the main lead is busy managing the never-ending rituals and parties in her house.

But it's not only the dedication to being full time wife and daughter-in-law that gets me, it's the fact that this is percolating into the youth shows and family shows as well, turning them all into saas bahu type of shows, and glorifying stupidity and childishness in heroines, rather than intelligence and grace, that gets my goat. And also prevents me from actually seeing the love in the love stories involved - I never saw any spark in Mayur, neither can I see it in Suhana and Ishaan at all. And whatever little I've seen of Geet, the interminable 'maahiii' always gets me laughing way before I can feel any romance at all!

Sigh ... I really am in a minority in my choice of heroines ... no wonder the Dr. Simrans and the Gunjans are so rare and precious on Indian telly! Can't we have a channel dedicated solely to the thinking audience in India - or is that too much to ask for?!

Oh well, needed to rant ... Suhana put me off so much today!

Hottest covers of Gr8

Nice to see the article on hottest covers of Gr8 magazine for more than one reason ... I hadn't actually seen the cover of the magazine under question earlier - wasn't a follower of MJHT at the time and so I was delighted to see it finally ... Monaya looked smoking hot and ultra cool at the same time in the white and turquoise blue themed cover - Sanaya pristine and stunning in white, the picture of innocence, charm, grace and beauty - and Mohit bare-chested, with his trademark grin - he looked good too! He was in better shape too at this point, by the end of MJHT he had put on weight, hope he's lost some of it now in pining for Sanaya for a month!

The other thing I noticed - well, it was glaringly obvious - all the other covers were of girls alone, dressed in the bare minimum, except for Sanaya - she was the most demurely dressed of the lot, and yet she was the most stunning and the most naturally sexy ... the others were just 'hot' ... very obviously and purposfully so. Sanaya doesn't need to try at all ... she just is - simply stunning - always!

Monaya on Gr8 cover


Ah, regarding the new cover and Arti PS - no comments really ... the photo is an old one, so no novelty ... except that I remembered my first reaction when I saw RP in that outfit and makeup - she looked so much like Reena Roy that I had actually gotten confused - that was reinforced today.

New Year raining Monaya :)

Starting with Christmas actually ... I stand (or sit) corrected :) Ever since Sanaya got back from her US trip, the drought of Monaya is over and we're getting a rain of segments! Shows that I wasn't the only person missing Monaya .. not by a long shot :D

So we started with Christmas and Monaya hosting SBS - Mohit grinning like a moron, trying his best to act all huffy with San disappearing for a month, but failing miserably, because he was just too delighted to see her back ... understand your feelings completely, Mohit, we feel the same! For once, the hosting was more fun than the segments they showed ... for obvious reasons! And so good to see them back together on screen, their first appearance as a couple after their public confession, and they seemed to be just about getting used to it.

Also got a TB article on Sanaya after her return, she is very chilled about getting back to work. For chilled, read confident ... she'll come back when she's good and ready, and when she finds something as unlike her last role of Gunjan as possible, because this girl likes to experiment, and her last experiment was a huge success ... and that's putting it mildly. A reason to look even more forward to what Monaya are going to come back with ... it should be good.

Then on 31st, we get news that Monaya will be on Wassup, the online tv gossip show ... waiting for the 3rd Jan, when promptly at 9 pm, the show goes on air and spamming restarts on the forum ;) ... barely had we got over the SBS thread and this one started ... And what a cute segment ... Sanaya showing viewers around Mohit's house, his house, her decor, so 'their' home in every way that counts. And beautifully done up - loved the candles in unusual holders in every nook and corner, the very interesting lamp behind the dining table, and the neat clean white sofas. Sanaya, down to earth as always, introduced Mohit's 'masterchef' Kishan - that guy will have something to boast of to his friends, coming on internet tv :) It's these little touches which reinforce my liking for Sanaya as a person, not just an actress. And her ... no, their favourite corner ... the little seating area in the balcony ... again, beautifully and very tastefully done, simple and comfortable and very homey, compared to the understated elegance of the living area.

And the very next day, a segment on U Me aur TV ... still waiting to watch that one, but sounds cute as ever.

So good news all the way in the New Year ... an echo of last year, when the first few days went in complete Sajanmania with the first kiss on New Year's day ... what a start to 2010 that was ... and an equally rocking start, Monaya-wise, to 2011. All we need to round it off is news of a new Monaya show ... but that might take a short while, from reports.

Oh, and another piece of good news, Karan Wahi has bagged the Jab We Met remake show on Star Plus ... hope for once he gets a decent heroine, because I like that guy, and the show sounds promising. Should definitely be worth a watch.
KSG also returns to Star Plus with a Cinevistas show ... now that will be wait and see, KSG needs to shed his Armaan baggage and return with a fresh identity. I liked him once upon a time, then he became very stale, let's see how he does now. His SBS New Year hosting was no great shakes, but then he never was a brilliant host, so that's not really a criterion.