The story: Ragini is a strict disciplinarian, who forgot to smile and live happily after she parted ways with her husband and Neil lost respect for women. Both moved on in life, but somehow they still hold a grudge. Ragini’s children long for materialist pleasures and wish for their father who could easily provide for them. On the other hand, Neil’s kids want to spend more time with their father, but he showers them with gifts instead of his presence. What happens when the estranged couple meets after 15 years form the rest of the story.
What we like: I waited almost a week to finally see Ronit Roy make an appearance on the show. There’s no doubt that even at the age of 49, Ronit looks charming and suave. It’s absolutely believable to see women drool over him and fight to just have a glance… Ok that was a bit too much. Well that’s exactly how the show started this Monday with his entry. Experience truly makes you brilliant and that’s exactly what Ronit was. Pallavi is making her comeback to TV with this show. The actor has managed to outshine and hold the interest of people for a good one week with purely her performance. Darshan Pandya has always got the role of the ‘other hero’ in most of his shows and this one tells the same story. The kids all have a significant role and they seem to do a decent job. Ronit plays the role of a heart surgeon and for the first time an operation theatre looks authentic.The story line has started off on a good note maintaining the curiosity of what happened between the couple that forced them to part ways. The selection of the star cast is indeed interesting.
What we don’t: Barring the main characters, the rest of the cast seems disappointing. The character of Sunny Tai – the housekeeper of Ragini’s house is over the top and a complete misfit in the house. Ronit’s name in the show is ideally Dr Nachiket Khanna, but since he has been living in New York it has become Neil K – how wannabe! Balaji Telefilms has roped in a lot of foreign babes to play nurses to Neil K and not one of them even remotely look the part. They look at the reports and the monitor, determine that the patient is in danger, but are unable to realise when he is out of danger. Dr Neil K enters the operation theatre without even scrubbing his hands –isn’t that like the first protocol of the surgery room? For 15 years Aman (Darshan Pandya) doesn’t realise his feelings for Ragini but when someone points it out he suddenly develops feelings and with her rejection the feeling dies an early death too. How bizarre! Also Ragini is supposed to be the admin of the hospital, why is she taking the call of picking surgeons, or comforting patients, when did that become part of the admin’s job profile.
Verdict: Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar has the scope of becoming interesting, but after seeing Bade Acche Lagte Hai, the makers have to really try something new to keep the audiences hooked. Or else the show will meet the same fate as BALH, but this time it won’t take two years. The show has a good time slot and Ronit Roy definitely makes it a decent watch. Let’s hope the writers do justice to this one.