So, the third installment to the Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon series just launched and I think the title explains it the best......we're off to an interesting start.
We have a similar story to the first season (angry young man....traumatic past....innocent full of life girl) but with some differences to try to make it different from the other installments. With all the hype and promotion that surrounded this version, to me it fell flat.
The premiere episode....the one that sets the stage for the entire show was just bad. The first episode needs to grab a viewer's attention and hold them to a story and I felt it didn't do this installment justice. The episode was choppy; jumping from one scene to the next; and did not flow at all. It seemed like the editors were trying to cram every character introduction into one episode and it just didn't work. I remember watching the premiere episode of IPKKND Season 1 and it left me intrigued. I wanted to know more and see how the story continued. Here, I was left confused, puzzled and very dissapointed.
Episode 2 does pick up much better, in terms of flow and story (something they missed in the first epi). However the remaining episodes for the week went back and forth between "ok" and "needs work". At times, the show feels like a revenge mystery drama similar to Ek Hasina Thi and at other times feels like a confused romantic comedy.
What was done well:
- Barun makes a great return as Advay Singh Raizada and plays the "angry young man" role perfectly. Even the subtle, cocky, annoyed and sarcastic remarks and done really well and show why people fell in love with him 5 years ago.
- Ritu Shivpuri plays Indrani brilliantly. Indrani is confident, independent, proud, stubborn and headstrong, all of which Ritu brought to the screen. I'm most excited to see how her character plays out throughout the show.
- The addition of a "revenge drama" was a nice touch to the series but this has been done before on TV. The way in which it plays out will separate it from the other shows.
What annoys me the most:
- The choppyness of the episodes. More effort needs to be put in to having the story flow within each episode and between each episode. With Four Lions back at the helm for this installment (since they weren't involved in season 2), I'm expecting a lot more from them. Just because the title says "Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon" isn't going to guaratee them success again.
- "Advay Singh Raizada". Yes his name isn't "Arnav" but there is still no originality in the name. Again, more effort.
- Using the same "Rabbe ve" tune. Yes, it's a revamped version and yes it was associated to Barun at some point but this irks me. Not because the tune was used in Season 1 but because it shows a lack of effort and a lack of respect for this season. I was hoping to get a different background score....give the show it's own uniqueness and have it stand out from the other seasons. Just recycling a tune doesn't do it for me and it sort of feels like they're trying to bank off of the success of the first season.
- Revenge....comedy.....romance?? Which one is it. I'm hoping this is much more clearer as we move forward with this show.
Most looking forward to:
- The characters of Meghna, Shikha, Mikku and Murli. All four were introduced for a reason. 3 girls on one side, 3 boys on the other. The six of them are bound to interact with each other and I wouldn't be surprised if we get 3 couples out of this.
- The story unfolding. Yes, I've already complained on how choppy and inconsistent the story has been thus far but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. So far, there is quite a bit of mystery surrounding the events of 16 years ago and the various people involved so looking forward to see how this is executed.
- Chandni's story. So far, she's been presented as the typical daughter. Someone who is full of life, responsible, has a great relationship with her family (mom, dad and sisters) and will do anything to help her family. However, she's given a past her....a traumatic one at that. The kidnapping and the aftermath of that event has left her scared and fearful of the world around her. As she begins to venture back out into the world, how she conquers her fears and deal with the schemes Advay has planned for her will be interesting to see.
We're now venturing into the second week and I'm hoping a lot of the first week hicups are resolved. There is potential but it needs to executed with great care. It's time to start living up to all the hype.
Rating: **1/2 of 5
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