Not everything is perfect. Nor should it be. There are flaws and cracks and smudges in every work of art but if there is heart in it..people flow with a story, a song, a character. In the last few weeks, following stories about displacement and corrupt governance has alienated me from films and television but I do make time for what was..was..a watershed moment in realistic story telling on television.
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I scramble still for the remote for my 9:30 pm encounter with a bunch of well loved characters on Colors but what I see fills me with incredulity. Really? What is the game plan of the makers of a show that needed no gimmicks for most part of its first season? So when they were arm twisted to give up the first season of Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha, and fan outrage followed, were they asked to bring back the second season with some provisos? That they must kill the soul of the story and bring in more beefcake, make the deep silences noisy, not try to stray too off the beaten track and sideline the rare for the common? That they must make the show a little less deep and a lot more accessible to those who watch mind numbing fare from the Ekta Kapoor soap factory?
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A hero that was built up intentionally or not as the counterpoint to the Johnny Bravos of Indian television is suddenly not enough to fight the TRP battle so a vacuous hero must be introduced and stripped to the waist and bathed in the camera’s gaze? A love story that thousands fell in love with is not enough so many other listless, soul-less ones must be added? Are the channel heads interfering with the narrative because it is hard to believe that the core team that imagined Season 1 can be this hell bent upon destroying everything the story stood for. Simplicity. Lack of melodrama. Realistic characters. Great dialogue. Tangible emotion. Everything is contrived in this season except for the two lead actors who still infuse life breath in unbelievable situations that go all over the place like ping pong balls,
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Do the makers know the audience they are catering to? Were no lessons learnt from the first season when a honest to goodness narrative was ruined by interventions that not just broke the spine of the story but hurt the goodwill invested in the show and lowered the TRPs beyond redemption?
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One of the earliest overseas bloggers who wrote about the show, a dear pragmatic soul once commented on fan reactions pouring in after the cancellation of Season 1, “At the end of the day, it’s just a show and no one should love a show that much.” I saw her point but also tried to understand why we fall in love with certain stories, books, songs and get emotional about them. Maybe because we look for purity, conclusions, completions, inviolable emotions beyond the life that never answers all the questions, never clears away all the doubts. In an unpredictable world, we look for reassurance, we look for characters who are heroic in their messiness, who make us feel for them, who transport us to a different reality and uplift us. Certain episodes of Season 1 did all that and this season had its moments but there is something vitally missing in the present track. Something as old fashioned as well-intentioned integrity.
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Why else would the makers sideline the primary track for a “younger” cast that has no depth either of characterisation or of talent? These are cardboard characters created to fill up the absence of real thought, invested ideas and soul. Yes, that indefinable thing that so overflowed out of Mohan Bhatnagar’s interactions with a single mother of two and her children, especially a little girl who said more with one guileless smile than her older version can with a stream of cuss words and fake hysteria.
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When two actors give their all to a story that was tailored around them, how do they feel when not only the core integrity of their characters is compromised but they are made peripheral to the scheme of things? Like I said before, who are the makers trying to please? Sure, there are moments that stop you in your tracks and make you remember why you loved Season 1 so much. Like the gestured argument when Mohan and Megha part. Or the father and adopted daughter scenes. Or the scenes when Mohan bleeds pain and longing from his eyes when he sees his wife after 12 years. But I still do not get why the story had to become so convoluted.Why the old narrative could not be continued with closer to life conflicts?
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I do not know how long will I stick to a narrative that no longer strikes any chord though I wish the actors, the ones, we rooted for, find the respect they deserve if not here then in other workspaces. In the season of love, sad that one of the most transcendent love stories on TV has dwindled into a fleeting flashback. And has degenerated from emotion to sensation.
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Reema Moudgil has been writing on art, theatre, cinema, music, gender issues, architecture and more in leading newspapers and magazines since 1994. Her first novel Perfect Eight ((http://www.flipkart.com/perfect-eight-9380032870/p/itmdf87fpkhszfkb?pid=9789380032870&_l=A0vO9n9FWsBsMJKAKw47rw–&_r=dyRavyz2qKxOF7Yuc )won her an award from the Public Relations Council of India in association with Bangalore University. She also edited Chicken Soup for Indian Woman’s Soul and runs unboxedwriters.com. She has exhibited her paintings in Bangalore and New York, taught media studies to post graduates and hosts a daily ghazal show Andaz-e-Bayan on Radio Falak (WorldSpace).
Many thanks for this sharply written article. I’m still around for the absolute magic of the actor called Kunal Karan Kapoor, end of story 🙂 Can you even believe that they have managed to sideline such magnificence with a plethora of clowns and overacting morons. NBT One (the first 100 episodes) was total bliss, the likes of which we’ll never see again. NBT Two has turned into a dreary mess. Oh well, hanging in there by a thread really. I’m so hoping KKK will quit (seems unlikely I know) and move on to a breathtaking project that does him utter justice, so that I can ditch as well. Thanks again, Reema.
I enjoy reading your comments Sue..I remember the honey and chocolate line :). And yes, it is tragic that with so much brilliance at disposal, these guys bring in utterly unwatchable actors..I hope to see KK in a tailor-made movie role 🙂 fingers crossed!
Thank you Reema for this timely article. Majority of the followers of this show share your view. There are several things ailing this show at the moment – prime focus on new characters we have no interest in, painfully slow pace of the show, shallow writing lacking any depth, delay in the track showing Mohan’s search for Addu, Megha’s complete lack of introspection abt her part in what happened and where she went wrong with Addu and Mohan. But , OTT , loud and intolerable Beera Navika hogging most of the screen time is the most irksome bit and is making the show almost unwatchable. Only saving grace of the show at the moment is – even in hackneyed, cliched scenes which last for only a few ses to mins KKK, AS, Dushyant, Rinku ji – i.e the original cast of the show manages to create magic and totally outshine the new actors and characters in their lengthy undeserved screen spaces.
Oh yes, the honey bit 🙂 Honestly, one is tempted to write odes to those EYES 🙂 Thank you so much for responding, Reema. Yes, wouldn’t it be such joy to see him in an author backed movie role? Will we be so lucky. Thanks again, n good luck always! PS I simply loved yr ‘KKK – An Actor Arrives” .. hope it’s not too late to say it 🙂
Very well said, Reema. What is being done to the show is just unimaginable. Though I did not like the premise of the story of this show, it has tremendous scope and beautiful story can be weaved around it. But pedestrian writing and unjustifiable shift of the entire focus to new characters is just killing the show. Like many out there, I too am hanging in there ONLY for the BRILLANCE of Kunal Karan Kapoor. Even in scenes that last for a few mins only, he manages to create MAGIC! What an actor, really!. That they are neglecting to show HIM is such a CRIMINAL WASTE of his talent and such an injustice to the show. All the new characters that have been created esp Navika and Beera are not only uninteresting but infact invoke strong dislike. That the show is focusing on them entirely is such a travesty.
Sue..ha ha..the eyes, yes, agree! And yes, Nitika, Garima..very true..the story is sabotaging itself..I have no idea why! The new lot is intolerable!
Hi Reema, thanks for yet another fantastic article. Your articles most rightly mirrors most of our sentiments about NBT. This season seems like a different show altogether with a few actors from season 1 – Kunal, AS, Rinku, Dushyant and Madhuri. Like you said we miss the simplicity of season 1. Everything – from the setting, screenplay, BG score, plots. Season 1 dealt with a complex subject with such simplicity. I don’t deny that season 2 does not have a complex subject at the heart of it but the treatment is so jarring, its hard to believe that it is a continuation of the heart warmingly simple NBT 1. Okay they have created a second generation of characters but there is no depth to their roles. People fall in love by drop of a hat. People become aggresive for no reasons. And some people fool around just to fill up screen time. Honestly I have no qualms with the leap but the treatment is an eye sore. The issue of a step parent and a step child had a lot of potential to become heartwarming had they dealt it with care. Here I dont seem to agree to the reason why they parted ways. And all those silly hit and miss scenes for building up drama is so lame. There are numerous other shows which shows this so why will people watch NBT? And yes Kunal is the ONLY reason why most of us enduring this show now.
Thanks for the article once again.
Reema,thanks for so aptly putting our outrage through.Its a beautiful,soulful lovestory of Mohan and Megha deliberately being murdered for TRPs?Do the writers think we viewers are gullible fools?Does the channel think we can be taken for dat nonsense filmy ride by unwanted intro of Beera and Nanhi track? Who wants to see all this nautanki leaving Mohan and Megha for whom our hearts beat? I do choose to thnk a million others are watching the show only to see the magic being weaved by Kunal Karan Kapoor..Outstanding ,truthful to character and so very Tagore’s Kabuliwala like with Rimjhim would like to remind the Creatives that Na bole tum is that story viewers fought ,campaigned and wrestled a season2 from the channel,perhaps for the first time in telly history–only to watch the magic of Mohan Bhatnagar played to perfection by Kunal Karan Kapoor and Megha,gracefully enacted by Aakanksha.Nanhi as reporter is ok but Nanhi Beera track is MISFIT with the soul and essence of naboletum.It jaars,its crass,its crude,its disgusting.Another disgusting nautanki killing the show is that Tannu-aarti nonsense.Is PH /Creatives/Channel listening?I a diehard NBT viewer switched off the show.like me many will follow suit if they dont pay heed.For whom the show sells then Mr Writer and Producers?
Word. And most of us watch it only for Kunal now…
The rest seem meaningless, the Tannu Aarti angle is cheap… so non NBT.. beera navi angle is silly… again unlike NBT… even in season 1 initially MM used to get just 5 mins screen space on an avg, but still the rest of the cast was meaningful…
Reemaji,well said.I fully agree with all of the above comments.especially Sue’s, Ashaa’sand Garima’s.Almost all of us watch the serial only because we find Kunal Karan Kapoor’s Magic irrestible.Mohan Bhatnagar character is so very distinct and rare on television.Its unique and Kunal Karan Kapoor is mindblowing in that role.I agree that Kunal Must get a Big Silver screen break and leave the serial thats not valuing the Magic he has created,the charishma and visibility he has given to the show.The TRPs ka funda is again a misnomer.with no logic or system oriented.God knows how and who generates these?Its not too late.Still they have time to do a course correction.They can do so only if they know how to accept Honest Critique gracefully.When viewers give real honest feedback and show a mirror ,they take it negatively,then how will they think of course correction?Not all is lost yet.Mohan can be brought back with his complete magic,Magnificence,with his Powerful voice,Expressions,and par excellence body language.Kunal Karan Kapoor alone is enough to carry the show forcefully on strength of his wholistic performance!If the creatives,the PH and the Channel give him that platform..there is huge scope.Megha yes is quite graceful and complements Mohan well.Rimjhim is so very cute and her chemistry with Mohan is superb.Ashaa very perfectly said Kabuliwala.Yes Kunal brought tears in our eyes..in dat sautela nahi tumhara Papu wala dialogue just like Kabuliwala.Its HIGH time the PH,the Creatives,The writers and the Cahannel understand this and give Kunal the well deserved , his rightful screen time .Hope they are listening?
Thanks Reema for giving voice to the viewers frustration and bewilderment at what is happening. It is appalling to see a ‘once classy show’ being destroyed like this. Its amazing to see that even after 1 year they don’t have a clue about the pulse of the core audience of this show. That the MOST wonderful character of the show Mohan Bhatnager is struggling to find screen space in this show now is just beyond belief. HE drives most to watch this show, yet he has been reduced to a show piece that is shown once in a while in insignificant and appallingly short footage. Frankly, had it not been for Kunal Karan Kapoor, I wld’nt even bother to tune in to the show anymore. Its because he is there that I am still emotionally invested in this show. But it is getting increasingly painful to watch this show now. There was a time last season when this show used to bring in so much joy to us and now….it just manages to upset and anger us. What a turnaround it has been. And here we were hoping S2 wld be better!! Bizarrely, they have managed to sideline the characters that are the most loved and lend the show oodles of charm and magic!
another wonderful article….so well reflects the current emotions of so many NBT viewers….the simplicity of season1….the treatment of the characters every nuance was just perfect….the first 100 episodes managed to touch the hearts of millions….the downfall that happened after that was just unbelievable and unforgivable….although the final 3 weeks salvaged a lot with mindblowing performance from kunal karan kapoor….this season2 is happening only because of fans’ request….but what we get is bunch of clownish characters dominating the screen space while my heart bleeds to see a brilliant actor like kunal getting blink and you miss screen space….
the only reason why I am still watching this show is kunal and his charishma….the few moments that he gets shines with his brilliance….proving all the time the wastage of the other characters….beera, tannu, aarti especially the last 2 make me hard to believe that I am watch sequel of a show that can be considered as a class of TV industry…
What an insightful article! And sadly, so much true. One thing that pops up evertime I think about the hollowness in NBT2 is : Did they actually feel that Kunal Aakanksha will be incapable of catering to that same audience who loved them (and still does) and died even at their dialogue-less scenes together! If yes, then I think they should be left to entertain themselves by watchig this season episodes…rather than forcing us to watch them.
They thought that a ‘newness’ is required to carry forward the MM story.
They thought people dont like same stuff put forth again.
They thought a leap can justify MM love in a better way.
A big LOL to their thoughts.
What nonsense is this? U take away that crispy style, that unconventional story-telling, that subtle romance, that cute Spidey-Nanhi chemistry – just in the name of ‘newness’ and then expect people to be equally attached. Why? Weren’t you already aware of the ‘new’ responses that this story deserved?
There cud have been better things to be made up as a second season. Choosing worst is what they did.
God bless this season.
As I said before, only Kunal Aakanksha can save the NBT brand now :/
Nice to have read your article on NBT2 with all the others who have also written with an insight and expressed their displeasure about what the present show has to offer apart from the pure magic of KKK…….all my friends on facebook have gone through the same feelings as yours. But we have all helped
each other to pull through this sluggish period and perhaps good things are still to come. Mohan Bhatnagar is present and still looks like a dream and we get scenes of rare brilliance from this man alone amongst the whole cast. Every night there is complaint about other ordinary characters robbing him of the limelight but we enjoy whatever little we are allowed and keeps us going along. HIs presence in the office is impressive. His home life is happy enough with RJ and Guru and he happens to give his all to this llittle girl who has won our hearts with her intelligence and her sharpness and is
a happy child. I like the avenues which have been taken to build this story and eventually will all come together and we shall perhaps see Mohan and Megha interact with each other although we have seen the intention from Mohan but not Megha who has probably given up on him which is hard to accept. At the moment the focus really is on finding Addu and the project Taalash has been set up for it. And Mohan is moving towards achieving his goal. But he has Navika who is his adversary and is trying to keep Megha away from Mohan and there is
Guru trying to keep Mohan away from
Megha. So these intricacies will take time to unravel ……Navika is closer to find Addu than Mohan is even though
her route has been a cumbersome one. Her friendship with Beera and his funny habits some of which I am enjoying now and so is everybody else. If the TRP’s are low has its own reasons. I remember NBT has never acquired high place even when Mohan and Megha were always present on the screen in every episode. I somehow feel that NBT is a very special show and has got a restricted audience but a passionate audience and all because of Mohan and Megha and their love. There is no
other show on Colors which has a love story like this one. So why did NBT fail to attract TRP’s like the other shows like BV and so on. The fascination that we have for Mohan and Megha is not widely spread over the audiences but we love them and we dream about them. This is why I fail to understand what can the Creators of NBT do to cater for our special taste. Barun of IPKKND on Star Plus has a huge following but I saw so many flaws in the show and I did not even think Barun held any fascination for me. I did not think of him as a good actor at all. So I am really glad that this show with Mohan Bhatnagar is on the screen and I can watch it everyday. I hated the absence of it. I also feel that the Management is not trying to tell a particular story but are dealing with a people’s lives so that there is a variety of experience and lots of people can relate to. I have also begun to think that the survival of a show is not only the basis of two people only …..we have to have the patience and put up with lots more and enrich the show. Look at Madhubala ……I simply hate it but it is right at the top because it has so many things happening in it. Strange behaviours and strange people pop up and violence is shown and this is what is keeping people so interested in it. And I don’t like it one bit. As a matter of fact, I only watch NBT with a passion but Uttaran BV and Parichay for the story line with not a single character in it to think of but their actions…..Dutta Bhau in Laagi Tujhse Lagan portrayed by Mishal Raheja is the only actor I have liked before Kunal Karan Kapoor and the latter is the only one I adore. So I am watching it as a continuation of NBT1 and see how far it goes and what happens to the love of these two vital
characters……the others are necessary but not special. And actors like KKK don’t come by everyday and Akanksha is so good with KKK as Mohan Bhatnagar and Megha Vyas/Bhatnagar.
tx all for writing in :)…I still don’t think, we needed a counter hero to the main lead to make the serial work..its like the makers are saying, “here..a taller, more gymmed out himbo..for all those who cannot see that heroes do not need muscles to be heroic!!” The serial became what it was BECAUSE of the uniqueness of its leads..not despite them. By compromising their standing in the show, the makers have sold themselves out to mindless television. For cardboard actors with muscles..why would we watch NBT.. there are the balika badhus and madhubalas..
How do u manage to speak my heart each time! 🙂 NBTNMKK has been butchered real bad! 🙁 Miss miss and miss the real NBT. Curse CVs or Channel or whoever for killing the essence of our NBT
A millionaire, a school teacher, there children. fate brings these 2 in the same city. Unknowingly teacher helps his 8 year old daughter & millionaire tries to control her ladaaku, arrogant, egoist daughter. They come to know each other, like then fall in love with each other.
A completely new soft love story, mingled with 2 crude socalled love stories. Now to LURE NBT1 audience Much-loved names Mohan, Megha, Nanhi, Guru, Jiji. Renu are thrown in and made us to believe this is a continuation of Season 1!!! But are they? NO! All 3 stories are in fact full of hatred!
1. Reason of Mohan-Megha’s separation looks unreasonable. I never heard a wife hating & discarding her husband because her child is lost. Normally she’ll rather share her grief with him than discard & disown even his name? You’d ask, did Megha really loved Mohan, if she could not even trust & understand him? This only says, Mohan did loved Nanhi-Addu as his own children, actually children & Megha themselves thought him to be Sautela.
And no one can relate & accept this older Nanhi as our beloved NANHI. She was loving, caring, understood & trusted her friend Spiderman, no matter what. This so called Nanhi, is just plane on ego-trip always, believes only the worst about Mohan, even though he makes his intentions are clear by his deeds (project Talaash). Exactly opposite of real Nanhi. Naturally she cant be Nanhi for any NBT fan. When Anu ignores her high-handed behavior & praises her, it looks pathetic. No Boss can tolerate such ill-mannered employee.
Then Guru-Mohan. Guru was like a friend to Mohan with whom he would share any feeling, sometimes Guru would make decision & Mohan would listen to him. But now Guru is reduced almost to a servant. Even a maid-servant can chide him & Mohan would not care? The comaraderie is missing.
All in all nothing made sense. But now for last 3-4 days, it seems….just seems the makers are PERHAPS trying to mend the mistakes. What comes out I can’t say, just wish, to add new audience they do not go overboard and lose the previous ones. Certainly this drama is different than all those boredom called saas-bahu soaps, but different stuff too, should be made sensibly as NBT 1 was. Surely I’m watching the show, especially for Kunal, okay for Aakankaha too, but her character lacks the depth as before.
But now I’ve convinced myself that Mohan-Megha live story was wrapped up full & final in season 1. This is a completely new & different story. Even in this the budding love between a millionaire & school-teacher, so far, is the only saving grace. Hope they at least keep it nice, good, soft & beautiful as was NBT1’s Mohan-Megha’s.
Reema jee,
mujhe yaad nahi in bite ek dasak mei nbtnmkk se behtar koi kahani jise utni hi sadagi se pesh kiya gaya ho jiske adaakar utne hi sadadil utne hi jeevant jitne aap hum humhe dekhne ko mili ho.
unki adaakari, unka kirdaro ka jeena unka hasna rona aisa lagta tha jaise aam aadmi ki zindagi uske ghar uske bhawnao ka ek hissa tv mei ghus gaya ho.
kitni aasani se jud pade thain hum is kahani se kirdaro se koi hook b nahi lagana pada na gaanth lagani padi bas dil lag gaya. ye ab kahani kaha rahi thi ye toh humhari khus rehne ki lalsa darsati thi. shor-sharabe k bich ek tanpure ki tarah bajta tha ye. ye 30 min. bahut khaas hote.
aaj pehle jaisa wo bahaaw nahi hai. kirdaaro mei wo thehraaw nahi hai. mohan megha ki adakaari ab b umda hai, nayi nanhi b sayad pak jaye par kuch anu ki tarah sukhshm mgar balsaali tut raha hai jo bandhta tha is kahaani aur humhe.
aap ki awaaz mei apna dard paya toh aapko likh diya. sochta hu ye guru ab bolta kyon nahi. nanhi mohan ka ek dusre ko manana kab muskil ho gaya, ek sorry ek smile ek chance aur sab fit ho jata, background score kitna pyara lagta jab ye ik dusre ko manate. megha mohan dhoop chhanw se thain humesha mil jate ik jagah..jiji bua misri ki dali aur renu bhabhi ka mohanasur achha tha..papaji jee ko waagle banake ki hi le aaye is season 2 mei sayad addu ko dhoondhna aasan ho jaye..
kash aisa mumkin ho pata. ab toh bas 1st season k episode hi download kar sakte hai.
ur article is absolutely amazing reema jee. so precise so detailed.thanks to u & god bless u.
rajesh
Thnx Reema for the truthful analysis. Why cant we in India make a real serial like Dhoop kinare rather than soap. I too hd enjoyed NBT 1 till around June. Then skipped more and watched less (thank god I was watching the downloads so had the liberty to watch what I wanted). lets see how this turns out further, but definitely nowhere near has the pull of the season 1
I have just finished watching downloads of season 1 and started season 2 .I thought this season would have the relationships develop and blossom and have the little ups and downs that come in life which we were looking forward to but the audience is now being teased by the producers ! There is no reason given for the fact that Mohan could not organize Project talash 12 years ago .The gap is too long just because they wanted to have a new love story using Nanhi .Some of the things are very amateurish …the way Nanhi covers her sting operations …a sure way to get herself killed .Okay she is angry with Mohan ….but only because he hasn’t found Addu ! It is totally unbelievable from the relationship Nanhi had with her Spider-Man .The anger should be because he didn’t didn’t come back !…Megha too is not shown regretting in any way ….any other woman would have always regretted the fact that she blamed him and be sorrowful about her husband’s not coming back .The story would have been more believable if they had been shown remembering happy days in flashbacks …and We Would Have Been Happier Too,,!,!!