Kasautii Zindagi Ki (or KZK for my convenience) is another one of Balaji Telefilms productions. Airing between 8:30-9:00 on weekdays it had for sure taken the small screen by storm when it first began.
The Story
Look, its an Ekta Kapoor serial.
Either someone gets pregnant.
Either someone gets killed.
Either someone has an accident.
Either someone new comes in and there is a twist in the tale.
KZK has pretty much all shades of a typical Ekta Kapoor serial. If there’s one thing Ekta can’t do - its letting people be happy and ending a goddamn serial. Somehow, they’re all competing against each other on the lines of Bold and Beautiful - who goes the longest. Anyway, regardless - here’s pretty much the plot I know:
The story began with a simple boy - ’Anuraag’ and a simple girl - ’Prerna’. Somehow they fall in love (I know - I am supposed to get into that somehow, but hey - I am really not that a big fan!) and their respective dads who happen to be best buddies totally support their decision of getting married.
Anurag belongs to a big hotshot family while Prerna belongs to a modestly well-off household. Little tensions because of that and during the course of events, the fathers get involved in a car crash. Prerna’s dad dies while Anurag’s goes into coma. Taking advantage of that, Anurag’s mom convinces Anurag under pressure, to marry the daughter of her good friend. This introduces ’Komolika’ in the story.
Before I go on, one little note. Someone who has so much, I mean SO MUCH makeup on her face that you can barely understand her natural features really doesn’t have that a great sex appeal that people go absolutely crazy after her. Just being honest! In my opinion, Komolika really isn’t that HOT as Ekta has perhaps portrayed her to be. They could definitely do better with a better make-up artist and dress designer.
Anyway, so this Komolika female comes in and marries Anuraag, secretly for the love of his money more than love for him. Anuraag never overcomes his love for Prerna (yaaawwwn!), however remains faithful to his wife. So hits the surprise package - Prerna is pregnant courtesy Anuraag. She has the kid eventually. Anyway - so Komolika is this evil witch kinda personality and does everything possible to get her share of the moolah. Her real image is eventually disclosed and they get divorced. She somehow cons them all (yea, somehow!) and gets all the money and sells all the major properties to this dude called ’Rishab Bajaj’ (who reminds me of George Bush for some reason).
Anyway, they’re just happy to be rid of her. Prerna and Anuraag once again decide to tie the knot and everything is perfect until Rishab offers Prerna everything thats Anuraag’s only if she marries Rishab instead.
Another note here. Prerna is not a very beautiful lovely God-sent woman that Ekta’s made men flock after her, one after the other. Weird. Weird!
So bechari Prerna, for the love of Anuraag, gives up her everything to give him his everything (interpretation of the hindi dialogue :P). Surprise Package - Rishab already has three kids (Hardy har har!). Prerna happily adapts to the family, however her heart remains with Anuraag.
Then comes ’Menaka Bose’ - played by Ruby Bhatia. Honestly speaking, I thought Ruby saw better days. Ekta Kapoor serial? Tsk Tsk. Whats the poor woman thinking of!
Anyway, Menaka is Rishab’s ex-wife and wants him back at any cost.
I am glad the story pauses here, because if it didn’t, it would’ve driven me crazy. I am partially proud of myself for remembering most of it, partially embarassed to admit I did see this serial pretty seriously until very recently.
Opinion
KZK is not bad. Nope, it isn’t. It might be a drab mostly and the story doesn’t move too fast, like one hopes it does, but it keeps you waiting for Monday nights during weekends mostly. Ekta Kapoor has never ceased to disappoint me with typical storylines, KZK happens to be little hatke, but not something that can’t be missed. If you aren’t hooked already, I would not advice you to be. You’d much rather watch Seinfeld re-runs.
So while KZK rules the charts, one only hopes Ekta wakes up from her hibernation and realizes that putting a little happiness in a family soap isn’t a very bad idea.