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Fan’s Perspective: Farewell to TV’s 90s spectacular ‘Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai’

‘Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai’ (YUDKBH) launched on Sony Entertainment Television in September 2017 and from the first episode itself carved a special place in the hearts of viewers owing to its realistic approach, simplicity and the nostalgic feeling of 90s.

Ashi Singh’s portrayal of Naina Agarwal, a quintessential girl next door who is focused on her family and studies, and yet has thousands of dreams in her eyes was someone with whom most females could connect to. Sameer Maheshwari as played by Randeep Rai made a grand entry as the rich and handsome hero who seemed far out of reach, but the complexity of the character was revealed layer by layer making the viewers fall for him in a way that there was no looking back. Rai and Singh successfully connected to viewers and made them wish to have a life partner like Sameer or Naina.

In the age of digital connections, ‘YUDKBH’ taught people the importance of putting time and effort for a relationship. In the time of expensive gifts equating to love, ‘YUDKBH’ reminded viewers of how simple 90s romance used to be where clichéd things like cards, flowers and handwritten letters were valued the most. At a time when people don’t have time for family, ‘YUDKBH’ emphasized the importance of familial ties and how people valued those bonds. In the era when physical contact is used to express attraction or love, ‘YUDKBH’ gave us the golden time of romance with eyes and without words.

Add to that a key thing which makes ‘YUDKBH’ a show to remember forever are the issues or concerns it addressed – be it showcasing how all 90s love stories didn’t end on happily ever after because of family pressure or inter-caste disputes; or the fact that in those times often family viewed a daughter’s academic achievements as insignificant as they thought she would only manage household after wedding. The show even gave viewers a purview of how menstrual cycles were viewed as a social taboo, and how nepotism affected careers. As on-screen Sameer and Naina grew and their relationship progressed, the show aptly portrayed the changes in dynamics and feelings through topics like waxing, hints of intimacy and vocal demands of desire. Each and every topic was chosen carefully and portrayed beautifully in a way that viewers could see and think, ‘oh yes, this happened to me.’

Another aspect that helped viewers connect was the narration. Right from the beginning everyone knew it was about how Sameer and Naina would live happily ever after, the message of hope was clear, and this helped viewers sail through heartbreak and separation track with minimal complaints. Also, whenever there were some scenes which were complicated or felt incomplete or left viewers with a question on why did it happen that way; there were the voice overs of grownup Sameer and Naina who would explain the reasons or their perspectives about it. These voice overs didn’t let viewers hate Sameer even though he placed a bet on a girl’s respect, or hate Naina when she left Sameer for her family and decided to get married to someone else. The melodious laughter of Sadiya Siddiqui touched chords in several hearts making Naina Agarwal’s young love a force to reckon with; and the firm determination in Jiten Lalwani’s voice gave viewers a glimpse of the man Sameer Maheshwari would turn into. The heart-touching rendition of ‘mera Sameer’ and ‘meri Naina’ would forever be special for the viewers.

Shashi-Sumeet Productions put in tremendous efforts to keep the continuity and flow of the story intact, and made sure that each and every new character or twist in plot was introduced with a reason behind it. Each dialogue had a deeper meaning, each scene had a connection to past or future, and everything only added to the overall appeal of the story. Another unique factor of the show were the charming 90s songs chosen by the team which were always absolutely apt for the scene they were used for.

While fans wished the hardest goodbye ever on 16th August, many have expressed that ‘YUDKBH’ is not just a show but an emotion which would remain in their heart always and forever.

By Moumita Kar for BizAsiaLive.com