Are the Hindi entertainment channels really ready to look beyond soaps? One look at the weekly TRPs and the answer is loud and clear, No. So Sony has roped in a weekly one hour soap to reinforce its weekend magic. Whether an emotional saga will help consolidate the channels leadership in the weekend slot, thus far built up by the thriller genre, is left to be seen.

The soap that launched on 21 December Sunday, at 9 pm, Kkoi Dil Mein Hai attempts to offer a similar visual relief to the viewers as another late night on Star Plus does, albeit with a role reversal.
A time and tested formula… two friends, one rich and one poor, tied to each other by the proverbial umbilical cord and then, in comes a handsome prince….

Balaji's latest offering for Sony is riddled with the usual clichés, but since it comes at a time when only such formula stories work, the story should hold on to the viewers provided it is packed with some heavy duty Balaji masala.

Cut to the first shot. Camera zooms in to the typical chawl scene, two nondescript women fighting about an equally irrelevant matter and then comes a hint of pink. (That's the colour of our well scrubbed protagonists cheek.) Kajal, the middle daughter of the middle class Gujarati family, embodies all that an ideal daughter should have: good sense, good looks and good at academics.

While her best friend, Krutika is exactly opposite - naughty, chatty and bratty. The third angle to this perfect friendship is Samay, who falls in love with Kajal but ends up marrying the rich Krutika.

Catering to the class which helps garner the TRPs - the Gujarati community - KDMH has adopted a unique stance and looks radically different from other soaps. But unfortunately, the realistic look of the show could be its main drawback as the mass is attracted to the gloss the other shows offer vis-à-vis the realism.

Thankfully, the parents look like parents. A note to the non-Gujarati viewers 'Ba' means mom and not grandmother, therefore Kajal's Ba is her mother. As Kajal's mom; Seema Bharghav is refreshing. She effectively portrays the angst of a middle class woman trapped between duty and dreams about her kids' future. The scene where she regrets having asked her elder daughter to leave her education and get married is heartening. Kajal's father strangely reminds of yet another Sony father, Jassi's bauji.

Both, the debutante Purva Gokhle and Kyunki's Indu aka Karishma Tanna have a good chemistry. And so far, the other characters introduced don't mar the look.

There is one flaw in the story telling however. The story is rather too pacy for a soap, plus the hook at the end of the show seems to be missing.

Co-directed by Kasautii Zindagii Kay's Ravindra Gautam and Anil Vishwakarma, the soap was earlier titled Kulvadhu Is Ghar Ki, but looking at the current trend of breezy titles, it was changed. Like mentioned earlier, the directors need to rethink on the pace, plus too much camera footage was wasted on Tanna's not so exciting rear view. Costume designers note, black may be in but three days a week wearing similar black short skirts is strictly a no no.

The khatti-meethi dialogues are cute, but if continued it can be a serious case of too boring.

While another Kyunki alumni Sahil aka Sandeep Biswas as Samay completes the triangle, the show will have yet another male lead Arjun played by Amit Sarda, introduced later.

It is what Sony calls a refreshing family drama, which sets itself apart from the opulent, traditional fanfare on Indian television today. Okay, point noted. But if it is a soap, tradition soap, coming from a traditional soap factory, one expects a traditional fare. Don't try and piggy back too much on the Jassi success.

What do we think... get in more masala, controversies, jealousy, see how the ratings soar! No seriously, it is a good story premise, especially since it worked well for a previous Sony soap, Saaya. With a decent marketing push and just enough twists and turns, it should be an interesting watch. Can't comment on the 'must watch' part... let's wait.

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