TV Review: “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” Daily Soap Opera on Imagine

© Harish Jharia 

        Megha, Vishwaas and Vasudha (Aaji)

The meaning of the title “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” is “I, Grandma and Master” where ‘I’ stands for the central character, an eight year girl Megha (Reem Sheikh) who has lost her mother and abandoned by her father. Megha has been adapted by her maternal grandmother, Vasudha (Smita Oak) whom she calls Aaji. Saheb is the young son of the employer of Aaji whose name is Vishwaas.  

Aaji (Vasudha) lives with her selfish son and oppressive daughter-in-law who always try to exploit her and her granddaughter. Aaji, works as a housemaid in an affluent family for earning her livelihood and meeting the expenses for the education of her granddaughter Megha. During school vacations Aaji takes Megha along with her to the employer’s house. The employer’s young son Vishwaas (Sandit Kumar) who was in his early twenties, develops innocent friendly relationship with Megha. 

The serial “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” moves on with the story of Megha, her grandma and her friend Vishwaas whom they call Saheb. Megha’s relations with Vishwaas are objected to by his arrogant and egotistic mother who has a feeling of extreme social discrimination against her servant Aaji and her grandchild Megha. 

Megha grows up idolizing Vishwaas and their relationship continues for many years until she grows up into a beautiful youngster. Their relations take new turn when Vishwaas finds the little schoolgirl Megha transformed into a young lady. The makers of the serial believe that this ever-changing relationship between the little girl and the young man will carry the show to different fascinating phases. 

Review:

1. I have been following the promotional visuals of “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” for the last many months. Since the title “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” is in chaste Marathi language, I was a bit confused how this serial is going to be aired on a channel known to be a Hindi TV channel. I even thought about possibilities of Imagine launching a Marathi channel with this serial as an opening blockbuster.
2. Nevertheless, the serial titled as “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb” has finally appeared on Imagine TV as a Hindi serial and is being telecast as a daily soap opera. I have seen a couple of episodes of it and found that it is based on a story with a Maharashtrian background and characters of the same linguistic society.   
3. I have the following observations to offer as review of this TV serial:
4. Being a Hindi serial the Hindi speaking people may not understand the meaning of the title “Mi, Aaji Aur Saheb”
5. This linguistic confusion might affect adversely in amassing more TV viewers and gain better TRP ratings
6. The relation Aaji has been shown as the maternal grandmother; whereas, in central India Aaji means paternal grandmother 
7. The maternal grandmother is called Nani in Hindi speaking areas
8. Therefore the word Aaji is going to create confusion in the minds of the TV viewers 
9. This theme of transforming relations between man and woman with an age difference of about 20 years is quite old and hardly convincing
10. Children at the age of 8 should portray characters involved in relations of compassion and parental love rather than any other affair   
11. Some of the actors are quite loud while playing their characters 
12. The serial is looking quite interesting in the initial episodes; nevertheless, I am doubtful whether the episodes expected to be shown about the romantic relationship between Vishwaas and  Megha, with 20 year age difference, would be suitable for children in Indian families

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