At the begining, let me say that this may be a somewhat ill-informed review. I am not a great watcher of these serials and manage to see about 1-2 episodes in a week of totally different serials. Sometimes it is Kasauti, sometimes Kahaani Ghar-Ghar ki or else, of course kyuunki Saas.....
The dedicated watchers in my household are my two maids who totally love Ekta’s characters, their machinations and CLOTHES. I think the way Ekta dresses her characters is very exciting for them. Watching these ladies watch the serials, I realise that Ekta has a profound impact on society and a grudging admiration is born as to how she has a huge segment of society wrapped around her fingers.
The serials stun me because every time I join in the watching after a break of 4-5 days, I find that couples have separated, remarried, murdered etc. etc. Kasauti specially confused me when I found Prerna married to Mr.Bajaj/Anuraag alternately twice and then finally to Mr.Bajaaj but sleeping with Anuraag! Anuraag dies and is resurrected, Aparna dies and is resurrected and so on and so forth. I have no idea at present who is dead and who is alive and even more confusing, which child of Anuraag is seeing which child of Prerna etc. In Kyuunki Saas.. I feel that the women have discovered a fountain of youth. Tulsi is a grandmother, Her in-laws are great-grandparents and all of them manage to look younger than me - my daughter is in class VIII ! Mihir has also been born again, separated, indulged in bigamy, etc etc. Nobody dies and its a never-ending story. Even the Mahabharat ended at one point with Ved Vyaas realising that a good ending is as important to a story as a good begining and body.
All said and done, the stories make no sense to me. I personally feel that if so many unusual events happened in a family, they would enter into a suicide pact, go to the top floor of their ( joint ) family mansion and leap off. But then, as soon as they were back from vacation, they would need to be resurrected!!!
Yet.. Ekta manages to keep a generation hooked. What is it she has? There must be more to it than the K factor. I’m missing something here I guess. As long as she keeps my girls happy and hooked to the 29" glam families, I’m more than happy. I just wish she would make serials with sensible stories which had an end. She could always get a new contract for the next serial!