Farewell ELTG

    TV serials have become a part of our daily lives. Once upon a time there were only 2 channels namely DD1 & DD2. Today the number crosses 100 or even 200. With such a large viewership in our country the count of family serials increased leaps and bounds. Many lives have been molded according to the stories. It surely had a huge impact on the society at large.

    As people became addicted, the story writer became jobless. All serials began to run until infinity. The bogies were occasionally changed according to the TRPs but the engine never stopped. When that was not enough another trend hopped in, generational change. Suddenly taking a 10-15 year jump. Bringing in a whole new set of characters. With them new stories, new villains etc etc etc.

    Like the Hindi, the story of Marathi serials wasn’t different. They too went on celebrating anniversary after anniversary of 500 episodes or 1000 episodes or 3000 episodes etc. Finally the viewers started losing faith in these trends. They started demanding deadlines, a quick end instead of empty rhetoric. 

    A serial name “Tuza Majha Jamena” by Mahesh Manjrekar on Zee Marathi was the much needed revolution. It came, gave a strong message to the youth and faded away in time. There was just one small trait. It knew its deadline but in the end it seemed to be little messed up. Most of the episodes in the end were spent in sight seeing in the Konkan belt.

    I have watched many serials till date, uptill their conclusions. In almost all of them, I was always happy that they finally ended. But as on date there is only one serial which I feel bad that it ended in just 10 months is “Eka Lagnaachi Teesri Goshta.” 

    All adjectives seem to feel short when it comes to explain the amount of attachment I have with this serial. It’s not that I am personally attached or my personal life story is mirrored in the script. But it felt so much home as if it’s happening around me and I am involved in all of it. Today was the first day when my regular 9pm schedule was different. It still doesn’t sink in that it’s over and I may not be seeing them together on screen, atleast for the time being. From the winter of 2013 to monsoon of 2014, ELTG is the shortest story on TV but it was the most adventurous full of life love story.

    The journey of ELTG began on 16^th October, 5 days after my birthday. I was waiting for this since the end of Eka Lagnaachi Dusri Goshta. The last scene of that series did promise a comeback. And finally, when the 1^st trailer was released, it just instantly clicked. That I am not going miss this series at any cost and that some arrangements had to be made in my daily schedule to include this new family. I still remember watching it late night when I missed the 9pm show as I could never hold myself till the next day, when it will be uploaded on YouTube or for the repeat telecast at 1130am.

    For any fan to get more connected with a serial or a movie happens when you can freely interact with it's co-stars. Spruha tai Joshi executed that part very well. Gone are the days of MSM. Social Media is so much powerful today, that you don't need to have any interviews in TV or articles in print media to be connected with the people. She use to reply to our comments on the social media which made us aware that even we are the part of their family.

    The main theme of the serial was to portray that sometimes even non-blood relations can be real, powerful, trustworthy and loveable than blood relations. At the end, it’s all in our mind. Just because we are related by blood doesn’t mean our bond is strong. It should be felt from within. Our inner voice, our conscience should prompt that feeling. This concept was displayed on screen by way of a love story.

    The biggest challenge to any story writer is to include the very small emotions related to the subject, which we normally face in our practical lives. Only than people connect themselves to the characters or sometimes to a particular scene which they may have faced or may be facing in their lives. They start searching for answers in them. I told this time and again to everyone I met that every small conceivable emotion related to this subject was taken into consideration while drafting the script. Even raw emotions which sometime we face in our lives but never see on usual TV soaps were also included which made it so real that, as a fan I didn’t had to take efforts to get involved in it. Not a single scene or act enacted in the entire series was hypothetical. All situations shown were something’s which everyone faces or have faced sometime in their lives. This made it so real that everyone could get connected with them easily. 

    The journey from Om falling in love with Isha whose family demands a complete family from the guy's side, who therefore is forced to create a fake family who are people bonded with love not blood since his real family was split in different pieces. In the end, Isha as the protagonist works out different ways to bring his real family together managing all the sides equally without letting anyone know about her intentions.

    It not just thought many things to the youngistaan but also gave some lessons to the elder's about how to tackle the generational paradigm shift. It thought us everyone the importance of forgiveness as a virtue. Sometimes it's good to let go the bygones for a happy and relaxed future. In the entire series, the Mothey Baba character was shown as an elder head of Isha's family with old mentality who has the typical demands of 19th century parent. Today, if the couple is ready we don't need much certificates from others. But here the grand dad demanded a happily living together family as 'in laws' for his grand daughter Isha. All of us till the end thought he was adamant on his views and forcing them on Isha. But the real reason for holding on to his stand was so deep that many of us can't actually think in that dimension. May be this what experience teaches us. Om has anger within himself for his parents and family members. He may be well qualified, settled but the baggage of grudges which he is carrying with him will also effect his grand daughters future. Reason for the anger can be anyone but the victim of his anger will be Isha. And that's why he wanted him to patch up with his family, even if they may not come together. Atleast, he will be freed from those memories which turned into fear since his childhood.

    Also the head of the family accepting defeat in the hands of his grand daughter showed us that there is always room for improvement and learning. Only we should keep our doors open for them. Age speaks about ones experience but it doesn't make one perfect from all others. These things are difficult for the older generation to digest but that is the reality and root cause of many family problems. If we give away our egos, more than half of our problem may get resolved.

    Every character was given justice and they were not just add on in the serial. So be it Gurji and Ghanna or Kamath Ajoba, Aaji, Madhu, Ranjit Kaka, Shobana maushi, Ashwini and Datta bhau. Many assumed the end drama will be when the Isha's family comes to know about the lie of Om's fake family. But it was given only one episode while the negativity of Satyajit kaka was given more than 2weeks weightage. This was the only thing I disliked in the end. Isha was given time to digest the lie and accept the real motive behind creating a fake family but her family wasn't given the same.

    After the three serials, I must admit I have become a huge fan of Spruha Joshi. The 'living in her own world' poet in ELDG, to a powerful character of social reformer Ramabai Ranade in Unnch Majha Jhoka & independent confident lawyer in ELTG. She was just perfect in all these versatile roles each completely different from the other. I also bought her newly published book Lopamudra, collection of peoms written by her. I guess she is first person who has made me read poetry which is always in my To Avoid list.

    The end is always happy plus sad. Happy because end is always happy. Sad because we wont be seeing all these stars together again. The journey has been fascinating. We will be missing the "Nay...nay....Nay.....Nay....Nay. Ho....Ho....Ho.....Ho.....Ho." But like Spruha said in one of her interviews, "It is good if poeple ask why you ended rather asking When will you end it?" It will take time for the fact to sink in that ELTG is no more. I hope all of you do come together once again with some other project very soon. Till then all the very best in your future projects.

A Fan.

-SR