23 SCREEN CHANGE SATURDAY, DEC 31, 2011 2011 2012 Telly bellies and old flames Saas-bahus and their kitchen politics made way for old-fashioned, and mature, romance on television this year KKAHANI MEIN TWIST: Unlike the typical AVIJIT GHOSH 20-nothing telly TIMES NEWS NETWORK couples, Ram and Priya (left) are “Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn’t it? middle-aged and It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your Dr Ashutosh and Dr Nidhi (right) chest and it opens up your heart and it means have an 18-year that someone can get inside you and mess you age gap up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armour, so that nothing can a 20-plus intern with flowing hair and forest-fire and complicating one’s life. By a twist of of a girl half his age. In times when most heroes tured enormous mindspace. And in the Dec 17 hurt you, then one stupid person, no different eyes. Nidhi brims with life. Her smile carries the circumstance, they get married. And slowly, are 20-nothings and almost as pretty as the TAM rating, Bade Achche... was at 9th place. from any other stupid person, wanders into smell of the finest winter flowers and she can like shit, love too happens. And that ‘crazy little heroine, these serials put forward an alternative The love stories have become a late evening your stupid life...and then your life isn’t your light up a room by just stepping into it. But then thing’ begins to root in its own way. For the idea of the hero. It’s never too late to date is habit among millions, especially the not-so- own anymore.” he is twice her age. When he finally managed to two, love becomes a form of finding compan- what the stories say. young. The soaps — both on Sony — mark a From ‘The Sandman’ by Neil Gaiman express his muffled feelings earlier this week, ionship, a process of discovering comfort zones The serials have a leisurely pace — not return to the old-fashioned idea of romance. everyone exhaled in relief. to rest your shoulder and complexes on. The stretched like rubber bands as many popular Within their world of fantasy, there is an element t is possible that Dr Ashutosh, the 40-plus In Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, the male protag- relationship between Ram and Priya is all about serials are — and the slowness suits the of believability. They evoke memories of some- male protagonist of the television serial onist Ram (Ram Kapoor) is a successful but untying the knots in their lives and negotiating rhythm and tempo of its players. The serials thing barely remembered and they leave you with Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, thinks of love lonely industrialist who has grown too lazy to a form of amiable co-existence. In Bade take their time letting love happen, which is a sense of warmth and a desire to be wanted. the same way as articulated with utter get into a relationship. The female lead Priya Achhe…, love is still a work in progress. perhaps a TRP risk at a time when relationship In the book quoted above, Gaiman also wrote: irony above. Which is why, although he is (Sakshi Tanwar) is sensible, sensitive and has a Over the past few months, the two serials statuses are often updated by the hour on social “Love takes hostages...It eats you out and leaves consumed by that vertiginous feeling, he mind of her own — in other words, she is have redefined the art of romance on small networking sites. The love speak here is slow, you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase I also tries to resist it. Dr Ashutosh loaded with unmarketable attributes in the screen. And by Indian entertainment television indirect and altogether irresistible. like ‘maybe we should be just friends’ turns into a (Mohnish Behl) looks at love like a surgeon marriage bazaar. He is rich, fat and on the standards, they are pretty radical. For starters, Kuch Toh.. is inspired by the classic Pakistani glass splinter working its way into your heart. It would look at a festering sore — with other side of 40. She is very middle-class and they have rather unusual leading men. Kapoor television play Dhoop Kinare and doesn’t figure hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the curiosity and with a certain degree of suspicion. moving towards middle age. Both have pasts of Bade Achhe... would need two seats on a among the Top 10 entertainment serials. But mind. It’s a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and- Who knows what fatal disease it could turn into? and are too set and settled in their respective plane. And Dr Ashutosh’s overwhelming consci- comments such as — I don’t watch TV serials but rips-you-apart pain. I hate love”. And it doesn’t help that the object of his silent ways to get pro-active about changing it. Mar- entiousness and dedication is more designed to Kuch Toh… is an exception — posted on audi- That’s true. Who doesn’t hate love? Why else and secret affection is Dr Nidhi (Kritika Kamra), riage, as they see it, only means altering habits win admiration, not young hearts. Certainly not ence websites indicate that the love story has cap- do we keep returning to it. VINTAGE YEAR | The quintessential style diva Sonam Kapoor continued to enthral fashionistas with her tastefully put together RIPPED, RETRO ensembles that fetched her magazine covers and tabloid spreads. Taking cue from Western ramps, Kapoor went vintage look the entire year. She turned up in a classic Jean Paul Gautier white gown with black geometrical AND RAVISHING pattern and a mesh overlay for the red carpet at Cannes 2011. It reminded everyone of the dress The Anna cap may have been one of the most popular worn by Audrey Hepburn in the scene where Eliza Dolittle visits Ascot in My Fair Lady. For a accessories on the streets this year, but private dinner hosted by fashion honcho Roberto Cavalli, Kapoor made heads turn in a Bollywood stuck to its fashion forward ways metallic gold gown by the same designer which she carried breezily with soft wavy curls, a silver clutch and bronze-hued make-up. At Farah Khan’s house-warming party last week, Kapoor BLING IT ON looked stunning in a simple graphic black and THE MESSAGE ON Many a Hollywood diva has grey Helmut Lang dress. The grey panelling YOUR CHEST brought sheen to the red carpet accentuated her curves and side swept bangs Armani suits became ho-hum as tees with with a shimmering sheath but this gave her a soft yet sensual look. “Sonam loves naughty messages and faded jeans year Katrina Kaif and Kareena everything vintage, from clothes to bags to pushed their way into the celeb circle. The Kapoor blinged it up in India. shoes to accessories, even a vintage hair clip boy-next-door look was most favoured by “Katrina has been seen makes her happy,” says Tanya Ghavri, who has chocolate hero Imran Khan. He wearing shimmery styled Priyanka Chopra. Ghavri adds that did a Ted Mosby with numbers at red Kangana Ranaut is another star who has a soft check shirts worn open carpet events and spot for anything vintage over tees in Mere Brother other public ki Dulhan and even at film appearances,” says screenings. Soon-to-be Pooja Sethi, a RIPPED JEANS | Priyanka Chopra BELLY GOOD | Aishwarya Rai married Ritiesh Deshmukh, freelance stylist single-handedly popularised the garment showed the way to be pregnant with a too, tried his hand at the based in Mumbai. by being clicked, time and again, at sophistication seldom seen in showbiz. In look with casual For a shoot for a airports in a pair. She even showed up at the West, celebrities try brazen sexiness shirts paired men's magazine this an IPL match in distressed jeans and a even when they’re ready to pop. But Rai with nerd year Kaif wore a gunjee. Deepika Padukone, Gauri Khan, tastefully camouflaged her bump with glasses and beautiful metallic dress Salman Khan were also spotted in frayed flared Anarkali suits, full sleeves and spiky hair. designed by Rocky S, chic this year Banarasi saris. “She wore pastel colours and Abhay Deol with no jewellery. In light make-up so that the only highlight on turned up at Mere Brother ki Dulhan her face was her healthy glow,” says Sethi the premiere Kaif sizzled in a white of Zindagi shimmer sari and lehenga Na Milegi during a song sequence. At TAKE THE PLUNGE MAXI DRESS Do they ever really go out of fashion? But Dobara in a a recent awards ceremony, Bollywood's leading ladies the décolletage reached newer depths this pink V-neck the leading lady looked no sashayed in glamorous maxi year with The Dirty Picture and No One tee, faded less than a Greek goddess in dresses both on and off Killed Jessica. Vidya Balan, who reportedly jeans, brown an elegant nude shimmer screen. At the 10th wedding was padded up to achieve the required level blazer and a number with a plunging anniversary bash of Akshay of buxomness as southie siren Silk in The fedora. Hats off! neckline and defined waist Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, Dirty Picture, didn't shy away from wearing Sonam Kapoor wore a deep-neck blouses for promotional events printed black and grey Winter HELLO YELLO’ | The as well.