Choti Bahu

proxyindian · May 23rd, 2009, 10:28

Thanks to RCN cable, we have a wide selection of Hindi language channels in Chicago. We get Star One, Zee TV, and 2 others. John and I wouldn't watch a soap opera like Choti Bahu if it were American, but we are addicted to it because, well, it Indian. The plot beggars belief but it has turned into a weird triangular relationship that is masichistic and co-dependent. If they ever get things straightened out, it will take years of councelling, I am sure.

If you really want a summary, try reading this Wikipedia entry... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choti_Bahu

Here are a few points about the show:
1. I think that Radhika is mentally retarded because she gets pushed around and manipulated so easily. Maybe I'm harsh, but even for someone without an education, she is too naive.
2. Everyone sleeps in their expensive saris with full make-up and jewelry. The moon is always full. It usually takes more than a week's worth of episodes to get through one of their days but wounds can heal and beards can grow in one episode.
3. The characters all have very broad manerisms in the style of a Dicken's novel. For example, there's a wicked "elder daughter-in-law" who always rolls her eyes about everything, and a wicked cousin who always takes a swig out of a flask, and the evil, hypocrital Dadi who mutters "Radha Krishna Radha Krishna" after every time she's been mean to Radhika. So there is no mistaking anyone's intentions.
4. The early episodes were shot on location and actually had some song and dance sequences. It was a let down when they moved to a very obvious studio and started to do the cracks of thunder everytime something happens.
5. Any drama that unfolds in front of a crowd has a crowd that is immobile and unresponsive. They just stand there and observe.
6. Once I found a bulletin board group for the show that comes out of Afghanistan. It's nice to know that people in other countries also want the evil Dadi to choke on a samosa. But the board also was interesting because someone was saying that they weren't comfortable with Indian (Hindu) values coming into their country so blatently.
7. There is subtitling but I try not to read it so that I can practice my Hindi.... Not going so well. .. But you'd think I would have learned the words for "Deceive", "Lie" and "Suspect" by now.

Anyway, I keep saying I won't anymore but do anyway. There's gonig to be an hour long special episode on Sunday... Can't wait!!!

proxyindian · Oct 6th, 2009, 21:52

I take back anything positive I have had to say about Choti Bahu to anyone in any cirumstance.... So finally Dev and Radhika are going to get married and one dumb thing after another happens - his family remembers some obscure ritual (or two or three) which get in the way of the wedding, she runs away and joins an ashram and then quits the ashram, her father has a heart attack, then tries to drown himself, and then sells off his karma somehow.... They are a whole brood of idiots!

I think the one thing that finally broke it for me was when the sun went behind a cloud and an offiating priest said, "The sun has set before Dev could finish the ritual. Too late! You can't get married." And then the sun came out from behind the cloud and everyone was like "What a relief, that was a close call." Stupid, stupid, stupid. No one anywhere on the planet would mistake the sun going behind a cloud for a sunset!

I guessing the whole show is written by a couple of 12-year-old girls because that seems to be the audience for it.

And why do I watch it? I try not to, but my partner still likes it. I try to keep busy or else I take off my glasses so I can't see the subtitles and practice my Hindi.

In less than 3 weeks, we'll be actually in India, so it will be a good break away from the show.

mridula · Oct 6th, 2009, 22:11

Sounds like so many others that come on Indian TV. I watch in bits and pieces when someone visiting us wants to see something, otherwise none of us watch any serials actually.

proxyindian · Oct 6th, 2009, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by mridula

Sounds like so many others that come on Indian TV. I watch in bits and pieces when someone visiting us wants to see something, otherwise none of us watch any serials actually.

Too bad for us in the US. Our cable offers 5 Hindi language channels. They are almost entirely soaps, talent shows, movies and a tiny bit of news.... but mostly soaps. (One channel does have a home interior show and a cooking show.)

What we need to do is get satelite TV....

mridula · Oct 6th, 2009, 22:59

And we here watch sports and HBO and World Movies! I am anyway more of an internet junky rather that a TV junkie.

livinhimalayas · Oct 7th, 2009, 12:16

Gosh that serial sounds like a zillion other on the TV, thank god I do not watch any. They are way overboard!! Prefer to watch, History, Discovery, Star News and Aaj Tak rather than the junk they give you in the name of entertainment. As if we don; have enough drama in our real lives that we need more from the evil dadi, chachi, mausi or whatever!!

May 23rd, 2009, 10:28	#1
proxyindian Insomnia Cat Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 339	Choti Bahu Thanks to RCN cable, we have a wide selection of Hindi language channels in Chicago. We get Star One, Zee TV, and 2 others. John and I wouldn't watch a soap opera like Choti Bahu if it were American, but we are addicted to it because, well, it Indian. The plot beggars belief but it has turned into a weird triangular relationship that is masichistic and co-dependent. If they ever get things straightened out, it will take years of councelling, I am sure. If you really want a summary, try reading this Wikipedia entry... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choti_Bahu Here are a few points about the show: 1. I think that Radhika is mentally retarded because she gets pushed around and manipulated so easily. Maybe I'm harsh, but even for someone without an education, she is too naive. 2. Everyone sleeps in their expensive saris with full make-up and jewelry. The moon is always full. It usually takes more than a week's worth of episodes to get through one of their days but wounds can heal and beards can grow in one episode. 3. The characters all have very broad manerisms in the style of a Dicken's novel. For example, there's a wicked "elder daughter-in-law" who always rolls her eyes about everything, and a wicked cousin who always takes a swig out of a flask, and the evil, hypocrital Dadi who mutters "Radha Krishna Radha Krishna" after every time she's been mean to Radhika. So there is no mistaking anyone's intentions. 4. The early episodes were shot on location and actually had some song and dance sequences. It was a let down when they moved to a very obvious studio and started to do the cracks of thunder everytime something happens. 5. Any drama that unfolds in front of a crowd has a crowd that is immobile and unresponsive. They just stand there and observe. 6. Once I found a bulletin board group for the show that comes out of Afghanistan. It's nice to know that people in other countries also want the evil Dadi to choke on a samosa. But the board also was interesting because someone was saying that they weren't comfortable with Indian (Hindu) values coming into their country so blatently. 7. There is subtitling but I try not to read it so that I can practice my Hindi.... Not going so well. .. But you'd think I would have learned the words for "Deceive", "Lie" and "Suspect" by now. Anyway, I keep saying I won't anymore but do anyway. There's gonig to be an hour long special episode on Sunday... Can't wait!!!

Oct 6th, 2009, 22:11	#3
mridula Sair Kar Duniya Ki Galib , Jindagani Fir Kahan ... Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 2,587	Sounds like so many others that come on Indian TV. I watch in bits and pieces when someone visiting us wants to see something, otherwise none of us watch any serials actually. __________________ Mridula Travel Tales from India

Oct 7th, 2009, 12:16	#6
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,337	Gosh that serial sounds like a zillion other on the TV, thank god I do not watch any. They are way overboard!! Prefer to watch, History, Discovery, Star News and Aaj Tak rather than the junk they give you in the name of entertainment. As if we don; have enough drama in our real lives that we need more from the evil dadi, chachi, mausi or whatever!! __________________ He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees. - Benjamin Franklin

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Oct 6th, 2009, 21:52	#2
proxyindian Insomnia Cat Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 339	I take back anything positive I have had to say about Choti Bahu to anyone in any cirumstance.... So finally Dev and Radhika are going to get married and one dumb thing after another happens - his family remembers some obscure ritual (or two or three) which get in the way of the wedding, she runs away and joins an ashram and then quits the ashram, her father has a heart attack, then tries to drown himself, and then sells off his karma somehow.... They are a whole brood of idiots! I think the one thing that finally broke it for me was when the sun went behind a cloud and an offiating priest said, "The sun has set before Dev could finish the ritual. Too late! You can't get married." And then the sun came out from behind the cloud and everyone was like "What a relief, that was a close call." Stupid, stupid, stupid. No one anywhere on the planet would mistake the sun going behind a cloud for a sunset! I guessing the whole show is written by a couple of 12-year-old girls because that seems to be the audience for it. And why do I watch it? I try not to, but my partner still likes it. I try to keep busy or else I take off my glasses so I can't see the subtitles and practice my Hindi. In less than 3 weeks, we'll be actually in India, so it will be a good break away from the show.

Oct 6th, 2009, 22:59	#5
mridula Sair Kar Duniya Ki Galib , Jindagani Fir Kahan ... Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 2,587	And we here watch sports and HBO and World Movies! I am anyway more of an internet junky rather that a TV junkie.