Episode 165 Discussion: 9th Jan 2013

The Padmini-Shamsher wedding preparations and BSC Productions begin !

Episode 165 Discussion: 9th Jan 2013

Events of the Episode

1. Balraj convinces Trishna to do the film for his maiden production. He is able to keep his promise goven to Bittuji and RK.
2. Trishna signs the contract to act in Balraj's film to pursue her dreams of becoming the Heroine in a movie. She is banking on the fact that Balraj doesn't know her and she is trying to control her fear. Balraj advances her the money and she gets the briefcase home.
3. Balraj goes to RK Mansion to inform RK that work assigned to him (to get Trishna sign the contract) is accomplished. He gets a lot of condiment boxes. And instead of RK, he ends up meeting Madhu. All his urges to kill her supercede his common sense and he contemplates how to kill her. He breaks glasses and while Madhu is on phone, proceeds to attack her...but fails as Madhu turns around. To cover his intentions, he hurts his hand with the broken glass.
4. Madhu provides him first aid. She bandages his cut hand. And Balraj keeps addressing her as his daughter and that he shall return her favor one day...But of course he means to kill her one day !
5. The wedding preparations for Padmini and Shamsher are going on in full swing with Roma and Madhu spearheading the arrangements. Roma and Padmini see a disturbed Trishna coming home and unable to put her heart into things around her. As she leaves to Roma's apt, Roma follows her out on seeing the mysterious briefcase and perturbed and avoiding Trishna...Episode ends.

Episode Reviews

By Zorica

My take

The Padmini-Shamsher wedding preparations and BSC Movie Production begin !

Father and daughters !! 

Trishna

I liked Trishna's guts to sign for the film; to follow through her dreams of becoming a heroine of a movie. Don't all  actors ask for one break? Any kind of break from whomsoever it is..they just go for it. Inspite of that opportunity taken, there is no guarantee that, one will get the success or not. Nevertheless, opportunity is what leads to that path of success or failure.

For Trishna who is past her prime age, she is definitely 26 or 27 considering that MB is 22; this opportunity, she cannot waste it. She decided to take the risk. She is shit scared and yet she took the plunge.

Balraj -Trishna

Balraj, kept remembering the Trishna, his young daughter of yesteryears when she used to entertain him as his game and today he yet again uses the same bait that attracts her...her dreams and aspirations...like when young, she was attracted to game and adventure.

1. Would Balraj have left alone Trishna or let her leave the premises in right shape had she not signed the contract ?
2. Did Trishna feel that she won't be able to leave the premises of BSC until she signs the contract ? After all she is first hand oppressed person at the hands of BSC. Even this girl has not psychologically come out of the shocking and fearful grip of her father and had never learned to say NO and just allow him to do whatever he pleases with her. Isn't she habitual to that ?
3. And to give her credit, she visited BSC, because he threatened to come to the chawl, which we the viewers know that he would not have gone there to keep his cover !

The CVs are just taking advantage of Trishna characteristic traits of jealousy, insecurity and her dreams in running the track now...but they should also keep on focussing on her underlying fears and shocking state she goes into when she sees her biological father. And one thing she definitely carries in blood from her father and her biological mother...stamina to withstand ...and needed courage to go on...This has been vouched by Balraj himself and Daiima.  

CVs should not completely ruin Trishna character like filler material. Already this morning segments SBB/ABP/E24/IBN...whichever one it was...they made fun of the fact that Trishna was given just one dialogue and Shamsher inspite of being the Stuntsman was made to be helpless...

Balraj

If Trishna was one focus today, the other focus was Balraj himself. The man is now devoted to his mission. But honestly I did not get why he made Trishna sign the contract. Was it to keep RK all calm and not personally monitor him and his activities. Seems so because he has no choice. Bittuji forced him the other day to convince Trishna to act in his film. So he can still maintain his cover of being the novice producer in the town. But Balraj's rage at seeing Madhu in RK mansion was just too much. The psychotic guy starts anywhere, forgetting the plan. What would he have achieved killing MB there in her mansion, when clearly knows there are people at her disposal. Sigh! The maniac in him just can't wait to be done with his Vinashbala...and the maniacal creative urges of the CVs do not stop at showing unreasonable attacks.

Madhu -Balraj

All his dialogues with MB had double meaning and clearly MB did not like all that and yet true to her character, she couldn't stop bandaging the injured hand of the loathsome and fearful man in front of her.

The other Ops

And RK blurted out just Chaudhri name before MB!  When is he gonna utter Balraj!! 

Well not before all that SBS/E24/IBN7/ABP hungama trailers released today.

The wedding preparations are going on for Padmini and Shamsher's marriage. Roma and MB have started the wedding arrangements and Trishna is roaming around in panic at the decision she has made. In precap, we see her nervousness getting the better of her and she blurts out that she has been offerred a movie by Balraj Chaudhri to Roma. And ofcourse Padmini and Shamsher overhear that. Let's wait for tomorrow to know what happens then...

Well the episode was good in dramatic content except Balraj thinking of attacking MB at her own home. I was not bored and I could feel the chaos of people arranging for wedding and still everyone going about his duties to his best mind and capability. Like Trishna trying to think that she can take advantage of Balraj..she just dreams...but why should one not dream ?!!  Will give a B rating.

By Zoya

Today's episode was good with Balraj being a man on a mission. 

The prominent scenes wer Balraj-Trishna and Balraj-Madhu

Trishna: It was an "Aar ya paar" situation for her and she made her decision that belies her true nature. Her dreams/aspirations hold the highest regard for her and this nature overcame her fear for Balraj and her love for her Mom. The scene with her alter-ego's was good. She was not wanting to work with this maniac but her alter-egos reminded her about her dreams, this being her last chance to make it big, and most importantly " thoda risk,thodi keemat and thodi si himmat apne sapnon ko poora karne ke liye".. I don't blame Trishna for what she did today. Everyone likes to fulfill their dreams and if it is a take it or leave it situation, then for a person who has Trish's nature  would surely take it rather than regretting later on...

And another important thing that I have noticed in this show is that one character's nature or reaction or decision in a particular situation becomes antagonistic to one or many other characters in the show... This is what drives the story and brings the much-needed spice and drama..

Trishna has still not come out of the state she is in, after getting the signing amount, that she quite does not know what exactly to tell her family. Trishna was quite good in the entire length of the scene.

But I didn't undertsand clearly as to why Balraj offered Trish the movie contract? He plans to finish Pads and Madhu on Pads D-day right, then is he planning to go ahead and complete the movie with Trish, amass the profit,assuming the movie runs well? And he offers her 20 lacs as signing amount which implies supposedly a big-budget movie but he has only 3 cr. Where will he get the rest of the money to finanace? I knoe bohut door ki baat hai but still couldn't help thinking..

Balraj-Madhu scene: This man is really a total maniac only. He comes to RK mansion with an excuse of  giving sweets to prolly gather info on Madhu and the house but the moment he comes across a weapon that could potentially harm Madhu, he seizes the opportunity without thinking about anything...At the last moment, he hurts himself with the broken glass and Madhu true to her nature, nursegiri karne lag gayi, despite not getting good vibes. 

In the end, RK ka darshan bhi mil gaya. He utters why Chaudhry came home...Why didn't Madhu's mind even register, ki it's a jaana pehchana name.  When we suddenly hear a name we know, we automatically remember that person, though thousands could be having the same name, and then we  think that it might or might not be the one we are thinking about right?

Precap: Is Trish contempleting on what to tell her family and it's actually her dream? Kal dekhte hain

Originally posted by dramacrazy12 on Trishna and Balraj

An average episode...I was somehow left very dissatisfied today after the high of yesterday.

 (Padmini taking off symbols of her abusive marraige and crying with relief in Madhu's arms was one of the best shot scenes of the show)

I have two complaints...

1) Why did they just focus on Trishna's ambitions? Why did they not show that Trishna reasons for signing the contract included avoiding  Balraj's presence at chawl, her fear of Balraj or for the first time she felt she could do something for her stepmother and foster father.I am not sure if this was an oversight or by design. If it was oversight, they practically made Trishna one dimensional and ripped her character apart. If it was by design ...it is safe to say that Trishna is going to play a very grey character in future and will probably end up becoming the next antogonist.

2)Can they please make up thier mind on how they want to potray Ballu. In his current avatar, he seems more comic than manic to me. I remember Nana Patekar in Parinda...his transition from a very calm collected person to crazy manic was amazing. The transition between Ballu's craziness and his smartness should be fluid...that is what generates the fear factor. It would also be good to show a monologue that explains the reason for offering the contract to Trishna. If it was to harm RK eventually then the contract between RK and Ballu should have had some material commitments from RK's end but it was my understanding that RK had no financial or other risk in this movie.

Responded by SD

Quoting just Puja...but I am answering collectively to Puja, Ananya, Zoya and MM

I too had those two same issues and hence my B rating. I mentioned the dissatisfaction in a rambling manner. 

For me...the problem is with Trishna's fear factor not given weightage at all over her dreams and so I summed up that in another post...I mean they showed her fear in her stumble...and in the scene of Balraj as well...but at least one alter-ego  of hers should have voiced out her helplessness that if she doesn't sign the contract, her father will gobble up her...that kind of fear from one of her conscience image should have been presented.

And yes why Balraj is making Trishna sign the contract now...we all know its a futile exercise for him...but then, he cannot backtrack without raising doubts...so he will play along with RK and Bittuji. 20 lacs donation should have been too much to lose...hope he knows how to recover it...after killing drama. If he was just having Pads and Mads killed and he was not caught, then he could still have used Trishna as Cash Cow...but instead he is just being a mad man with no plan at all...so IMO just biding his time...

And honestly, the man is just a maniac wasting money like wastrels...like the bigdi hui aulaad of feudal system. He is not using his brain in organized manner and uses only in random/spontaneous manner. And being comic...he was comic in the beginning as well...like saying Wrong Number to his men in Mumbai, when they call him to present the status update over phone...because they were failing in Padmini Hunt exercise. His mother was beating her head at his idiocy...They are trying to show a man who has lost touch to ground reality and hence does not know when to be comic, maniac, fearful...he is just a whimsical guy whose support system was his mother. And IMO a crazy man like him can be comical also. It just shows his childish state of mind...that his mother allowed him to be in...result of excessive pampering and not making him responsible instead.

Originally posted by zoya_naziya

The way I saw the Balraj-Trishna scene goes this way.

Ballu tells her that you are standing at the door of your stardom and leaves her to decide if she wants to leave or enter. Trishna though was eyeing her ticket to stardom,knows that she should not accept this man's offer. She knows this man will wreak havoc. She does not go towards the paper but she goes by the side of the table when one of  her alter-ego says "bewakoof ho tum trishna, tere sapne tere saamne hai aur tu..." She was not contemplating there whether to take it or leave it. She knows she should not take it but the alter-egos start influencing her to think of her dreams and dreams only. There was no question of alter-egos reminding her about Ballu or her mom. And finally her ambitions takes precedence and then she moves towards the paper to sign it. 

Responded by SD

Zoya,

Just went back to read your weekend post on this. Actually this morning I was remembering Hima when I watched the episode and I was saying to myself...Hima was right.

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3378670&TPN=6

You were addressing mine and Hima's musings on Trishna. So you got yours. To the hilt !

yaar...lekin...I am still not convinced...I needed that human fear to be present in her. Its not possible that fear does not take control of you. Its human psychology. Until one says NO...we are conditioned to say YES to Authority and for Trishna; Balraj is an authority. So a bit of that fear should also be shown.

Though I am willing to concede that Trishna's body is now consumed by fear as she is stumbling and lost and scared...but her mind is possessed by her dreams. Could be the case of her Conscious going after dreams and her Subconscious still experiencing Fear.

By Zoya on Balraj

The Balraj we see today, is not the man we saw him 22 years back. And we should not expect to see the same old man too. 

The man 22 years back was a young powerful ruler, tyrant ,a  man who considered himself God, in his Motihari. Over the years, he lost his jawani and wealth, with that he lost the power and the aura. And his Amma ka aanchal bhi chut gaya, the Amma who was the pillar of his strength and the woman who pushed him to be the evil maniac sending chills down the spine of the viewers and his subjects.

Today, we see a man who has been defeated by fate /destiny/ circumstances but still the man is trying to hold up his pride/shaan. The reason why he is not succumbing is because it's just not in his Chaudhary blood to accept his defeat and humble himself. He is a man defeated by circumstances but  still not defeated in spirit." His paagalpan, junoon, himmat, akad, zid ,ghamand, self-esteem,perseverence, etc etc is still intact and he is fighting against all odds to emerge victorious. He is a man fighting for his own survival. He has become cynical, lonely (in every sense) and his only sahara seems to be his weird comic sense.       

With due respect to Rishbala Fans.

Inspite of them being lead actors, the story cannot run if they are not supported by a proper story, which means a number of supporting characters. Please give due respect to other supporting characters stories.

It is wrong of to say that Trishna got such a length of screen time. Tell me why not ?

Is she not equally the daughter, sister and sister-in-law of the same family of which Rishbala are part of. And honestly speaking RK, Trishna, Roma, Shamsher and Padmini are more important to the story because they work in the Film Industry. Initially Roma's character was supposed to enact the life of a junior artist and she was doing that when she was introduced. And later, we see her pushing Trishna into movies. The struggle through her eyes becomes very real. And then when her brother is lying in hospital, she goes around various associations asking for benefits or advances for the injured. Likewise, Trishna's story is about a struggling actress trying to make it big. She may soon fizzle out and just remain a junior artist like Roma. So what's wrong in her aspiring to it. Wish she finds an opportunity in TV atleast.

I remember this movie Luck By Chance...how Farhan Akhtar's character uses his GF Konkona Sen's contacts and he gets his break into movies...whereas Konkona just remains a TV actress...

I mean...peeps, please have patience and give the creative team to breathe. Already your TRP ratings make them nervous...on top of it negative reviews for everything...Which movie has just hero and heroine for 3 hours ?

Another thing...why MEIEJ is shot fast...as in tracks move fast...because they give that movie reel feel...unlike the soap feel. Movies run fast and soaps have to be slow...so here they run various tracks to create Filmi drama...

In contrast, I like the Chawl party over the Bhatias...any given day.. because I did not sign up for Bhatias and they were not even part of  the promos towards the show.

And Rishbala or any emotion...the suprise and us glued to it.. is until we reach climax and acceptance and pleasure felt is when we have catharsis. Once these moments gone in any drama, they cannot be recreated. This is the basics of emotional element in drama. Why the CVs still keep repeating things is because this is soap drama and people keep asking for it...so we need to live with these pit falls for any romantic jodi and the drama they enact to make our lives happy.

Have I told you...that I actually get bored to see the same actors everyday on TV when I am watching MEIEJ...and that I actually have to go deep into their characters in order to lose my ennui at looking at all those faces...including Rishbala...reason being...I am too exposed to them and since I am watching a soap, I cannot even help it. So instead I concentrate on stories and characters. And everything of what we feel is natural human response.

My apologies, if I hurt people's sentiments...just that I believe that we can all keep ourselves restrained until the inevitable happens and we leave the show because we are so bored...