A few years back, I made a list of men whom I was quite impressed with. They were mostly a mix of Hollywood/ Indian actors. However, I never had a lot to say about them – hence that consolidated list. But then recently, I stumbled upon an MTV movie called “Shadi Vadi and all that”. There were two things that came to mind when I was watching the promo of the movie before I would decide to watch the whole thing. One – It looked heavily inspired by Sophie Kinsella’s I have got your number (which it definitely was) and that’s Mishal Raheja!
One look at Mishal Raheja and I was back in Bhopal, to that exam break period in 2007 when Left Right Left and Love Story would be on SAB Tv in the morning, back to back. At 9 in the morning, that was my only break before I would dive in those engineering books (That are of no use to me now … but well)
The promos of Love story began with “Teri Yaadein” – the song that would give me that tingly feeling in the stomach. I am not sure if I can ever explain what “that tingly feeling means” but I will try. It’s that lurching feeling when you are free falling -- when you are falling head over heels for someone or maybe something”. At 22, as a nerd who was totally in love with the idea of falling in love (and never having experienced it first hand) “Teri yaadein” had me smiling like an idiot every time it would come on TV. I still have that song in my playlist and it is still “my” song. As much as I was falling in love with the song, I was falling in love with Akash /Mishal Raheja. But then I was in final year of my engineering. I had exams to write and a company to join. Before I knew it, I was called by Satyam and Love story got lost somewhere between training, Sindhi Colony, and the new job life.
Eight years later, Mishal Raheja came back in my life with Shadi Vadi and all that. And thanks to youtube, I finished watching Love story. Back then, I was smitten by what I saw – Akash and Shruti in love, the smiles, the stares, the mush and sometimes the cheese. Today, however, having done one small theater performance, having been exposed to a wider variety of movies and theater and some amazing international TV shows, I can appreciate him more as an actor. Yes, I have so much to say about him that a full article is less. And today, because I am writing a rant article after such a long time, I am going to set myself free.
Now, honestly speaking, I hate the shows on Indian television. I used to watch them when I was at home but then as I grew up, the quality deteriorated. I am not impressed with any Indian TV show in the latest times. I hardly think twice about any actor or any performance. And here is the harsh one –I blatantly make fun of these shows when I am at home in Bhopal and I have nothing to do. They are, at least, fun lunch time conversations. And with this mindset when I watched Love story now, I look at Mishal Raheja and think, “Why is this actor on television?” “Why isn’t he in movies?” “Why isn’t he in the league of Ranbir Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan?” He definitely deserves to be there.
With nepotism engulfing the film industry like a blanket of snow on mountains, I, as a very regular movie goer can do with some actors whose performance does not make me cringe. Six packs and push ups on hands are great people, yay!! But please be convincing enough as actors – but most of you are hardly that – I am looking at you Suraj Pancholi and even you Bhai!!
Mishal Raheja has everything – he has got the looks, the style, the physique and the talent! He should be collecting awards like they are pebbles on streets – he should have made a big debut in the Indian Film Industry. This man does what hardly a few actors can do – he emotes with his eyes. I am not an actor and I know about acting as much as these actors know about Datastage. But I can differentiate a blatantly good actor from a blatantly bad one.
If any one of you has had the patience of reading this article this far, then I urge you to watch these two videos. I wish this was just one video because technically it is one scene. Watch the first scene from 4:00 minutes or just watch it from the beginning – there is no harm.Here is the second scene. Keep looking at Mishal’s eyes. The expressions change from love to disappointment to anger at the betrayal, to terror and back to love. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but as much as I can understand, I understand perfectly what Akash is feeling. The last time I was this moved by such a performance on Indian television was in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi bahu thi when Smriti Irani breaks down after she sees the husband’s death body. Also, I chose just this scene from Love story because his expressions change quickly, obviously because the character is feeling a lot of things together. However, there are many many many such scenes.
Anyway, while I was busy watching Shadi Vadi that night, Prabhjot pinged me for basic chit chat. When I told him I was busy falling in love all over again with Mishal Raheja, after a conversation of “who?” and “Arey don’t you remember the Love story guy in Final year” and “Uff you and your crushes”, he finally performed his best friend duties. “He has a new show on, check it out,” he told me. “Google Ishq ka rang Safed”So I googled Ishq ka rang safed. The dilemma came home to visit at that very moment. “I don’t do Indian Television anymore,” I told myself. “But it is Mishal Raheja. And it is a love story” said the same 22-year-old smitten girl in me.
So I watched the first episode. Now here is the thing – I seriously cannot do conniving villains and illogical story plots. But I am game for a love story, a sweet love story. A supremely good looking and talented actor can help me waddle through. Heck! I did it for The vampire diaries – didn’t I? There were conniving villains there too. The only difference was that the villains there were hot! Katherine! Klaus! Kai (hang on – Why are all their villains named from K?) Also, the villains in TVD have a purpose, unlike the Indian serials where the heavily made up aunties (or uncles for that matter) are villains just because they are bad people. However, I sailed through TVD because of Stelena – a love story that still has me sighing, even after its sad demise. I can do it for Mishal Raheja too. So I did it.
I cannot sit through any scene that does not have Mishal in it. Even if I do, all I can think is --- “who does that, who talks like that – oh my God, this makes no sense, hello we live in the 21st century” so on and so forth. At the risk of a longer rant, I want to elaborate a bit more here. Ishq ka rang safed is a story about widow remarriage. Sounds cool, doesn't it? But somehow, it isn't it. To begin with, the characters are still from a mindset that think widows are untouchable. I, for one, cannot fathom this attitude. Acha chalo, I will accept that such a mindset exists. I cannot buy the fact that Dhani the protagonist is uneducated to the level that she does not know email and fax and the internet. Chalo, this also I will swallow somehow. But can a person not know what's a seat belt? I am not really complaining that Dhani did not know what a seat belt is or how is it used because I got to see a really cute scene where Viplav helps her and as the scene moved on, I sat back and admired the subtle expressions of Mishal. I mean, you know he likes her and you know he cannot show it, but he cannot hide it too. This is subtle -- this happens only when you are either in love or you are a really good performer.
Even for scenes with Mishal in them, I am supremely critical. For example, most of the quarrel scenes between Dhani and Viplav are annoyingly repetitive. The only saving grace is obviously Mishal. I am not sure how many episodes I have watched till now, but I have only loved a typically clichéd scene where Viplav and Dhani are stuck when their car breaks down.Now, only a hopeless romantic like me can enjoy such a scene and smile like a teenager in love. If you can, do check out the video on Youtube. Notice again how he suppresses his smile or how he wants to show that he is shocked that Dhani likes music, but he does not really shout it out -- subtle! Again, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I will say it – had it been another actor – well I would not have been watching this show if it was another actor so forget it.
I will stop now (almost!) I love it when I am crushing on someone. It gives me something to look forward to after a tiring day from work and travel. A few days back it was Luke and Lorelai (In fact, I think I have seen their first kiss almost a hundred times now and I feel that same tingle in the pit of my stomach Every.Single.Time. – He kept the horoscope for eight years!) And now it is Ishq ka rang safed (albeit selectively)
Parting words – I wanted people to realize that there are some really good actors out there. There are some who don’t get their due. Now I am sure Mishal Raheja is popular but I honestly he think he deserves more popularity – he deserves an SRK level popularity. My unknown blog cannot give him that, unfortunately. But I can still try!
