#will be watching on the world’s shittiest television screen - but we do the best we can

[starbuck]

so. I watched Better Call Saul.

[hirakdesherrani]

Why I am not feeling it?

Just some random thoughts meandering in my mind since the beginning of this week, and I have to get them out, if I hope to enjoy the upcoming Rikara scenes. 

Let me first say, that Omkara’s confession scene this week, was beautiful. It was scripted well, shot well, the aesthetics, the direction, everything was place. I felt Gauri’s anguish, I felt Om’s desperation, there was just one problem: I felt nothing for Rikara, zilch, nil, numb. 

Om and Gauri are no doubt the most thought provoking and compelling characters in IBverse. Also, pretty different from the usual trope offered by 4 Shers. But this post is not a character analysis. 

Usually when I watch a love story, I don’t look for logic. Lets take my favorite love story, i.e. Raj and Simran’s from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge. I have never once asked myself why Raj loves Simran, or why Simran fell in love with Raj. Boy meets Girl. Girl meets Boy, they bicker, become friends and fall in love. Thats it! If I’m forced to look for a reason, then perhaps the only reason I can come up with is that Raj and Simran have similar thoughts on love; what Raj felt about love was exactly what Simran wrote in her diary. But even without this beautiful scene, I would’ve still loved DDLJ, because its a story well told. 

Lets move to TV, I never applied my brains to Asaya, Arshi or Shivika, all the girls in these stories were amazing and there was no logical reason why they would fall in love with the guys in these stories. But I never looked for logic in these stories because I saw and felt their journey of falling in love. These were stories well told. 

Now coming to Rikara, there is zilch story. Like where’s the journey? Whats the story? Love stories are meant to be felt, but when the story is not shown, then there is no option but to use my brain. So, specially for Rikara, I woke up my brain and formed my own headcanon. The problem is once I start using my brain, I can’t stop it. The bigger problem is when neither brain nor heart is able to justify the sudden outbursts of love from Om and Gauri. If I use logic then it doesn’t make sense. And I can’t feel anything for them because their story was never shown on screen. 

The tragedy is I feel so much for Om and Gauri as individual characters. Individually, there is so much to like about them. They make me feel so much as individuals. 

Okay this is not to say that Rikara was never meant to be. I agree with Shivaay, that Gauri is perfect for Om. Her positivity, faith, strength of character, optimism, idealism, is all that Om has been looking for throughout his life. During DBO days, I felt strongly in many scenes, that Gauri reminded Om of his own past self. Like this particular scene where she tells him to enjoy the good things in life like the beauty of nature and not be angry all the time, is so reminiscent of how old Om was, the painter who would escape in a local train and walk along the sea side to absorb the beauty of life, and not let the tragedy of his parents marriage destroy him. 

In addition to this, Gauri had hope, which Om never allowed himself. He gave in to drugs, he let himself be affected, which is why Gauri is perfect for Om because despite every BS that she has to face in life, Gauri is a survivor, a fighter, and this is what Om needs. 

But the question that bugs me is that is Om perfect for Gauri? Gauri has absolutely no reason to love him. Gauri has flaws, yes, but she doesn’t need Om, in fact Om just drains her of all joy and sucks away her sunshine, like a vampire. For that matter, even Anika doesn’t need Shivaay, but at least there is a spark between Shivika, and we have been shown the journey of how Anika fell in love with Shivaay. 

Thats the problem I have with Gauri’s I LOVE YOU, because a) she has no reason to love Om b) we as viewers have not been shown Gauri’s journey of falling in love. There is also another problem that the way in which Gauri’s character is sketched, I don’t see any man good enough for her. Perhaps, Neil Khuraana from Naamkarann is Gauri’s match, but even with Neil who is best male lead on television right now, I can only see a friendship between them at best. 

That is why the makers had to make Om, Gauri’s husband. If they were not married would Gauri love Om? NO. If Gauri did not believe that ShankarJi chose Om for her, would she claim to fall in love with him? NO. When the reasons itself are wrong, then how do I justify Gauri’s ‘LOVE’. For me Gauri’s I Love You would always be an euphemism for her devotion. 

Coming to Om, he has the reasons to love Gauri, but where is journey? Its like I have to make up his entire story in my head to convince myself that yes, Om loves Gauri. We, the audience, are not shown his journey, so how can we believe in his confession? 

Now if I’m so disappointed with what I’m shown in Rikara then why do I watch it? For the most superficial reason, and thats ShreNal. Who will pass up the chance to watch two gorgeous and talented people paired opposite each other on screen? Not me. The spark is not between Rikara, the spark is between ShreNal, it is their chemistry which legit forced people to watch Rikara on screen. Its like whenever I watch SRK-Kajol, for example, I got feels from Gerua, even before the movie was released because they have such an out-of-the-world chemistry that I don’t care for the story. (Of course, ShreNal are kids when compared to SRK-Kajol who are legends). 

The only thing done right for Rikara are the mythological parallels. But that is not enough for a love story on television. To be honest, Rikara is perhaps one of the shittiest love stories on television, with surprisingly beautiful scenes, scenes which are among the best that I have seen in the last five years. 

I know that Rikara is on least priority for the makers of Ishqbaaz (thanks to crybaby fans of Kunal, and Gul Khan’s ego, ‘cos honestly any sane producer would use such beauty to the fullest for their profit, but Maatey toh business ka abc bhi nahi jaanti). 

Rikara have got the most intense and beautiful scenes in Ishqbaaz. Though that is not enough. But now, since I have let out my feelings to my heart’s desire, I can let go of the frustration and start feeling ShreNal’s chemistry again.