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Sony's new weekend show is a prime time gamble
which if it works, will pay rich dividends to the
channel
Kya
Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat
has a lot hinging on its success. The format of Sony's
new show is novel, the timing experimental and the
weekend programming strategy a big risk. Thus far,
no mainstream channel has attempted to woo weekenders
with a continuing thriller that needs them not only
to stay at home but also stay glued to Sony on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays at 8 pm. A tall order, that.
The social thriller, created by bankable Balaji under
Ekta Kapoor's critically creative eye, has all the
ingredients of a gripping show. The first three episodes
did not start too badly either. Culling elements from
various Indian and western thrillers, Kapoor has envisaged
that each week's three episodes will constitute an
independent block by themselves to ensure viewer curiosity.
 The
story itself, although not too original, is ingenious.
A young girl leaving home to come to Mumbai to prove
herself, an obsessive ex-boyfriend who cannot take
no for an answer stalking her and a suave police officer
who is interested in her welfare for more reasons
than one - that about sums up the story movement in
the first week. Of course, the story is replete with
several acts that the obsessive ex-boyfriend carries
out in a bid to get to his beloved, a couple of which
lead to murders of innocent people.
Sony's new programme scores in its trend-setting concept.
A single story presented in a thriller format spanning
39 episodes is path-breaking  as
far as programming on Indian television goes. Moreover,
the serial has been shot superbly - the near-impeccable
shot angles and deft camerawork - so typical of Anuraag
Basu are in evidence once again. Also, lots of outdoor
shots - the story also moves to a resort in Daman
for sometime - give the serial a fresh feel.
On the performances front, Pallavi Kulkarni who plays
the protagonist Noyonika, comes up with an impressive,
underplayed performance. Rajeev Khandelwal, who plays
the police officer and Suneet Sachdeva,  who
enacts the obsessive lover also play their part well.
But Smriti Malhotra seems to have been wasted in a
role that appears insignificant if one goes by the
first three episodes. Also, model-turned actor Nasir
Abdullah who plays Noyonika's father is as wooden
as furniture and his lip-sync makes it evident that
all his lines have been dubbed.
Even though the story holds promise, it does not move
in as riveting a pace as viewers are wont to expect
in thrillers. This is one weak area that will have
a bearing on whether the serial sustains viewer interest
for long. Moreover, being an unexplored concept, a
lot depends on what immediate twists the story has
in succeeding episodes - because the  obsessive
stalking which has been the thrust of the story thus
far cannot go on for long without alienating a significant
chunk of the viewers.
Kya Haadsa Kya Haqeeqat is the second thriller
from the Balaji stable after Kaahin Kissi Roz.
Overall, the evidence of the first three episodes
leaves one with mixed feelings. But knowing Ekta Kapoor's
zest to succeed in whatever she undertakes, one can
surely expect some major happenings in the plot as
the serial progresses.
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