TV Serial Review : Kashish / Kaashish

Guest Column: This article was written by Vivek, a brilliant writer when it comes to articulating ideas. Again, this was written at dogmatrix.com. He now blogs occasionally (how I wish he blogged more!) at india-reality.blogspot.com

Yes. I have also been smitten by the latest fad of turning simple sentences into Astrologically auspicious tongue-twisters. I do need tonnes of luck while writing on an Ayub Khan serial which is regularly watched, in all probability, only by his wife.

Considering the series has been directed by famed director Ravi Rai, known for his sober Hum Panchi Ek Daal ke and the controversial Hasratein, it did raise expectations and so did his bold declaration that Ayub Khan would be the surprise package of Kasshish; having given his life’s best performance. Best of all was the allure of listening to 7 exclusive soul-lilting Ghazals from Jagjit Singh.

Kassht is the Word

Friends, Romans and DMXians… we are not here to mourn Ayub Khan’s wooden expressions, but to praise the lady actresses Kitu Gidwani & Simone Singh.

Kitu Gidwani is as HOT as a Greek goddess. And that is something to say! I saw her first in ‘Air Hostess’ and that was decades back while still in High school/College. She looks not a bit changed through these years; she has only got better & even her acting has improved. In fact she’s the only one who acts! (others just react to glaring studio lights)

Simone is glamorous & gorgeous. But sadly (to her) acting still remains a distant Greek. Not a surprise, since she’s paired opposite as-wooden-as-the-Trojan-horse Ayub Khan. With such a drab pairing even Jagjit Singh Ghazals can’t prevent Kasshish from turning into a ‘Greek Tragedy’. ‘Greek’ to the viewers and ‘Tragedy’ to the producers.

Ayub Khan maintains the same old constipated Gorilla looks. Add to it his total lack of acting capabilities. The only surprise about him is his ‘Mobius Strip’ shaped face. You never can figure out where it begins & where it ends. Over that he delivers his dialogue like a chip-munk choking over a discarded Nirodh packet!

All said and done, I do really admire his courage. He is a role-model for the kids. Instead of recounting the trite story of King Arthur staring at a spider spinning it’s web seventh time despite repeated failures; a modern day father can show Ayub on TV & say ‘See son, this guy has got absolutely no talents or looks. All his films sank like Titanic & all his TV serials have bombed without leaving any traces. Still you can see him trying his non-existent luck once more on TV. So if you don’t study well for you exams, you’ll one day be like him’

Rumors are that Ayub will soon be joined by chimpanzee Vikas Bhalla (Simone’s new love). Now that would turn Kasshish into a poper National Geographic show.

Adultery can be made borning

This is what Mr. Rai seems to be working stubbornly to prove. The story revolves round Ayub Khan, a business executive torn between love for his wife (Simone) and the attaction toward her cousin (Kitu). The story begins with the faithful wife discovering about his adultery in the very first episode and all hell breaks loose.

Ravi’s direction values are lagging behind in the days of DD monoploy. He still directs a TV series like a stage play. Actors often indulge in soliloquy & don’t see each other in the eye while delivering dialogues, but look at the walls! While actors deliver dialogues with the pace of a tortoise taking leisurely walk along the beach — even under most intense emotional situations; the story moves as fast as a dead snail.

It was with great difficulty that I could watch barely 3 episodes. It also happens to be the only Zee-TV soap my wife wouldn’t mind me switching channels to the more entertaining CNN. To think we had watched 300 episodes of Tum Bin Javoon Kahaan together without missing a single episode! Thank God for small mercies.