A TellyTadka Review- Is Rang Rasiya the Next Big Thing on TV ?

Ever since the promos went on air it has been touted as the next big thing on TV and finally on 30^th December 2013 Colors most awaited and anticipated show Rang Rasiya hit the Screens and our first reaction was “WOW”. What rolled out before our eyes left us spellbound. The beauty of Rang Rasiya does not lay in just one or any factor; it’s the balanced blend of each and every aspect associated with the show that makes Rang Rasiya one of a kind. Rang Rasiya is the love story of Rudra and Parvati (Paro) with patriotism as it’s’ backdrop. Five episodes down the back-story has been established, the characters are introduced and a small peek into their characteristics are also shown.  

 

The best thing about RR has two distinct stories which will go on to become one story in the future. The RR team has made it evident that both the characters, the emotions and feelings they are going through, their stories and the imprints left by the tragedies (Paro losing her parents and Rudra's mother abandoning him) in their lives will be explored with equal importance. Every other character, every element of the story contributes to the stories of Paro and Rudra. Only having characters that are complete opposite of each other does not account for making a hit Love-Hate Saga. One story over-shadowing the other does not help either, what pulls the crowd and holds their interest throughout; especially when it comes to a love-story is when both the protagonists have their own stories and when that story crosses path with each other without overshadowing the other and then goes on to become one.

Here Rudra has a story, Paro has a story and the two have crossed paths but without overshadowing the other. Even the elements that make these stories be it the props, the BG Scores, the FB's etc are also distinct and unique to Rudra and Paro; and define them. Take the entry sequence of both the leads for instance when Paro is shown the whole ambiance, the lighting's, the settings and shots have a more colorful and vibrant feel whereas when Rudra is shown we see the use of more subtle shades, dim lighting's and nothing but the vast dessert and Rudra riding his bike all alone. Another example would be the BG Score used for either of them for Paro (Most of the time) it is the soft, melodious Kamaycha (Sarangi) version of RangRasiya is used while when Rudra is shown the "Rang Rang Rang Rasiya" version is used. Even the dessert which plays an important role in Rang Rasiya has been captured differently when it comes to Paro and Rudra reflecting their personalities. The makers have not only managed to show the difference between Rudra and Paro; but in a span of 5 episodes they have also managed to interweave their lives together. Look at the irony Paro hates the BSD because they were responsible for her parent's death and Rudra despises beautiful women because his father has embedded some very strong feelings in him when his mother abandoned him. 

Director Siddharth Sengupta is class apart when it comes to shooting outdoors, he has done it earlier with Balika Vadhu and Gulal and once again he goes on to create magic with Rang Rasiya. Every frame of Rang Rasiya speaks volumes of the director's vision and his vision is captured to the “T” by D.O.P's Sanjay Memane and Anil Katke. Those marvelous shots of the somber desert which hides beneath it 1000's of untold stories are captivating and feels like it has a life of its own. The shots of the ethnic architectural buildings, the temples, exotic lakes etc are nothing in short of a Visual Enigma; in fact it’s hard to name a series on Indian TV with such amazing outdoor shots and camera work in general in the recent past. When RangRasiya's 2.30 mins long trailer was released it looked nothing short of a Bollywood Trailer. Saurabh Tewari thinks Big like Cinema Big but with RR he has managed to deliver. One can say beyond a shadow of doubt that the team that has come together has managed to achieve the cinematic "look" of the show.

Ashish's introductory scene which happens to be a fragment from Paro's dream was very impressive. Though his face wasn't revealed his impeccable body language did most of the Job. Whether it was jumping off from the camel, or shifting his shawl and then walking with the rifle it all screamed MAJESTIC! To make that kind of an impact without revealing the face is more than commendable. Ashish Sharma plays BSD Officer Rudra Pratap Ranawat. Playing an angry young man in the show Ashish is required to keep this intense, brooding look in most of the scenes but that does not stop Ashish from limiting the scope of his performance. For instance the scene where Rudra is informed that he is being transferred to Birpur a small village next to his; the way his expression changes, the way emotions flit across his face can be comprehended with utmost ease inspite of that being a dimly lit shot. Looks like there can be more to the interpretation of the angry young man than just having the constant brooding expression. There is only one phrase to describe Sanaya's Introduction-"Poetry in Motion". She looks extremely breathtaking as Paro and as of now is the only major character in the show that brings innocence to the table. She is sensitive, timid, soft spoken etc and Sanaya does an effortless job in slipping into the character of the extremely delicate and demure like Paro. Not once does she remind the viewers of the characters she has essayed earlier. There couldn't have been a better actor from the current lot to essay the character of Paro.

The costumes by Ritu Deora and team is absolutely stunning and well differentiated, Sanaya’s Lehenga Choli, Thakurain’s Saree’s, Rudra’s Casural Wears etc define the characters. The art direction by Sumit Mishra is splendid. The Music by Lalit Sen and Shaleen Sharma is soulful, the title song by Saurabh Kalsi is one of the best we have had in recent times and the BG Score by Ashish Rego is a character in itself.  The action director Amar Shetty is doing great. The sequence where Rudra hunts down the 5 terrorists who killed their Jawan’s and the one where Rudra saves Paro from the goon, specifically the one where he pulls the driver from his seat and thrashes him onto the ground.... Stupendous!!! Doing action effortlessly and with great élan is not everybody’s cup of tea; well Ashish outshines himself in the actions sequences. 

Dialogues by Raghuvir Shekawat are good but the rural dialect is yet to be mastered by the actors. Be it Sanaya Irani (Paro), Tarun Khanna (Takur Tejawat), Sadiya Siddiqui (Thakurain) etc everybody is straining a bit to deliver the dialogues in the authentic way and hence this is one an area that needs to be worked upon. The prolonged slow motions seqs are another thing can be done without except when completely inevitable to the script.

So far the Nautanki Films have done an Impressive Job; they have truly pushed boundaries of Daily Fiction with their newest offering. The production value of this NF Venture has raised the benchmark for TV shows. The show is a must watch for Director- Siddharth Sengupta's direction, the cinematography by Sanjay Memane-Anil Katke and the actors Ashish Sharma's and Sanaya Irani's performances. Rang Rasiya is sure to become a Blockbuster as long as they stick to the story, and not take away from it by adding unnecessary twists which would hamper the show than enhance its quality. The bar the RR Team has set is really high and if they can even come close to the visual and narrative storytelling perfection as in they managed to do in the week that passed by then half the battle is won.

TellyTadka wishes the cast and crew of Rang Rasiya all the best!!!

Author: Vijitha Rajan

TellyTadka