GenZ reacts to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: I finally understand why it ruled the screens, take a bow
As soon as Baa aka late actor Sudha Shivpuri entered in the first episode with her liquid eyes, I knew I was in for a ride. Her character specifically felt too good to be true, at least in the first three episodes. She is that flawless mother-in-law who just doesn't exist today. Besides her, even the other characters were straight-up black and white, no one operated in the grey area. But now, the character development is better and it is shown that people keep changing with time. Moreover, I almost forgot that there was a time when Smriti Irani aka Tulsi wasn't even married in the Virani house. She looked unrecognisable for in my blurry memory of the show, she was always Mihir's wife since the very beginning.
In KSBKBT, the drama was imbibed in the layers of storytelling, instead of the screenplay. The show felt organic, natural as the focus was on acting, and not the over-the-top edits. However, in today's TV serials, for example Rupali Ganguly's Anupamaa, which is one of the top TRP spinners, every scene and dialogue is emphasised in post-production. However, one factor that remains the same in television serials throughout generations is the exaggeration in every scene.
ALSO READ | Smriti Irani reveals she showed hospital reports to prove her miscarriage to Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi makers; was fired from talk show on day of delivery
However, the production quality — at least the ones I watched on Jio Hotstar — left a lot to desire. At one point, it almost felt like I was watching my parents' wedding video – the background music was so poor that it overwhelmed the dialogues, making them inaudible in places.
In this day and age of digital media and OTT platforms, it is hard to even imagine simpler times. While being a GenZ, I embrace the accessibility brought about by technology, it was refreshing to see Mihir sending an audio CD by post from America to wish his ageing grandmother. It was a sweet reminder of simpler times that I have mostly heard about from my parents and grandparents. Our fast-paced lives leave us with no time to pause and breathe. Besides OTT, even television serials nowadays have complicated storylines, forgetting the simplicity of little things.
Happy or bickering, but the way the joint family stayed under one roof with their wives, kids, and parents is a surprising concept to see. That joint family structure is long gone in Indian cities — both in real life, and on modern TV shows. It is a classic example of how families used to live together when there weren't any smart TVs, mobile phones, and OTT subscriptions. Indian homes don't look like that today and it felt as fantastic as Game Of Thrones to watch that dynamic now. There were more characters in the first 30 minutes of KSBKBT than in a Marvel crossover film.
There's no denying that there was something ironically iconic about it. As an older GenZ, I wouldn't mind going back in time and living the nostalgia with my parents to bingewatch Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
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