Iconic Shivika

【78】

A character's growth is vital for the story to develop, in fact the same is valid for real life, we all need to evolve to fit in to each new stage of our lives. Shivika's journey has been branded by one tagline "nayi soch", right from the beginning. What makes it interesting is that at each stage in their journey this factor has been morphed into a new form but never vanished. Be it Annika's blunt independent character, or Shivaay's one shattering stereotypes of men not ever being too bothered by anything. Be it everything else that they've faced in their journey or all that is to come. Shivika have both adapted to the changing circumstances and yet maintained the "nayi soch" factor, not let it fade away by trp lead motives, enough that their show will always be recognized as a flagbearer of the channel's tagline, that others off and on drift away from for a gain in the numbers that signify "majority" approval of being in sync with "traditions and customs". Bearing in mind that the show is majorly for Indian audience it isn't possible to make breakthrough changes, though that is what the "Nayi Soch" tagline should represent. In the end the trp of the show is vital for it to keep airing on the channel. But that is where Ishqbaaaz has morphed the "Nayi Soch" idea into a more plausible form where they aren't chasing higher numbers but completely ignoring either, including subtle elements at least to give a flavor, to an extent that it can be recognized. Ishqbaaaz has broken a considerable number of norms of Indian shows. That still doesn't bring it to a point where it flawlessly brands the "Nayi Soch" tagline, these are just baby-steps towards the idea of making "Nayi Soch" the only "soch" of people. "Nayi Soch" is a broad topic and still remains one that faces a lot of resistance from the majority of the country's population so outrightly standing against everything would only bring the show down due to even less than bear minimum trps. What Ishqbaaaz has done is to at least give the process a start, one that hasn't halted at any point. Every now and then the makers throw in something that for the minority of intellectuals is not exactly "Nayi Soch" but for the vast majority of locals it is, for them even these slight subtle expressions of "Nayi Soch" are contradictory towards their longstanding beliefs. I fully recognize that these attempts are not what the depth of that tagline demands but then again it's at least a beginning that has yet not halted at least. The fact that other shows give it an attempt or two and quickly revert back when trps drop even the slightest bit from those of the top 10 club, or completely restrain from giving a try at all, at least makes me say Ishqbaaaz is the only show that can be recognized as a flagbearer of the "Nayi Soch" even if in the most insignificant ways, even if in terms of concepts way distant from what should be the major focus. Ishqbaaaz is at least constantly trying.