Ek Nayi Pehchaan – Looks Positive!

The story so far has a positive feel to it and it is more of a saas-bahu bonding show instead of the regular kitchen politics.

Ek Nayi Pehchaan
Monday – Friday at 8:30 pm on Sony TV
Producer – Jay Mehtaa & Kinnari Mehtaa
Director – Hemant Prabhu
Cast – Poonam Dhillon, Krystle Dsouza, Sooraj Thapar, Karan Sharma, Ankita Bhargava, Sushmita Daan, Rita Bhaduri

Story so far –
It is the story of the rich Modi family which comprises of the head of the family Suresh Modi (Sooraj Thapar), his wife Sharda (Poonam Dhillon) their 3 kids and the dadi (Rita Bhaduri). Suresh Modi is adamant on getting his elder son Karan (Karan Sharma) to get married to Saakshi (Krystle Dsouza) since it is more of a business alliance with her mother (Sushmita Daan).
Both Karan and Saakshi are against the marriage and Saakshi in fact tries to elope with her boyfriend who lets her down at the last minute. She meets Sharda during this encounter and unknowingly tells her everything and despite the age gap they bond well. Sharda advises Saakshi to listen to her mother while Saakshi tells Sharda to educate herself so that she is not dependent on anyone else.
Leaving her past behind, Saakshi comes to Sharda’s house for the engagement with Sharda’s son and even though Sharda is at first surprised she accepts her as her daughter-in-law and welcomes her into the house. Karan however, does not want this marriage to happen and tries different ways to stop it but then ultimately has to get married to Saakshi.

What works –
The ever smiling Poonam Dhillon as Sharda who is sweet at every juncture works wonders for the serial. She is shown to be a complete illiterate who is taunted by many from her family and by outsiders too but she takes it in her stride with a smile on her face. The fact that the show will ultimately take a progressive step forward when Sharda will educate herself is the biggest plus point which differentiates it from the other shows.
Instead of the regular boy meets girl and they fall in love, here the saas-bahu meet first and like each other which is something new for the TV screens where we have otherwise always encountered saas bahu fights and drama.
We liked the scene where Saakshi seeks comfort in Sharda’s arms when she comes to know that her boyfriend will not turn up and the scene where Saakshi drags Poonam to the door of a running train and tells her to experience freedom just like birds do. In fact all the scenes where the two bond with each other are likeable.
Apart from Poonam Dhillon the rest of the cast too is perfect for the show. Krystle Dsouza with her wide eyed looks is one beautiful girl more so when she is in the bridal outfit and looks ravishing. Karan Sharma who somehow resembles yesteryear superstar Rajesh Khanna seems to be having his hangover too. Ankita Bhargava looks pretty too and looks apt as Poonam Dhillon’s daughter.

What doesn’t work –
There are too many incidents just to establish that Sharda is not padhi-likhi and the way she is insulted by everyone does not look good.
It is shown that the shaadi is supposed to be a collaboration between two big business houses names so it comes across as strange that in today’s modern times they have not exchanged pictures and have not even met each other in person!
Sometimes the philosophical talks by Poonam Dhillon to Karan and Saakshi are a bit too much and need to be cut down. While they are nothing but the truth it is slightly lengthy and after some time might become preachy.
Sooraj Thapar is a noted theater and television actor who has also played Poonam Dhillon’s husband in a play that they both act in together, he is slightly over board in his act as a rich businessman. Sushmita Daan looks young and doesn’t fit into the Saakshi’s mom frame.

Our take –
The show is watchable due to its unique concept wherein we see that the saas-bahu gather strength from each other rather than hating and bickering with each other all the time as is shown in other shows. Here they are not competing amongst themselves but learning from the other’s experience and knowledge.
If the show doesn’t lose track of its positive concept it is surely going to be liked by the viewers who will talk good about it.