Sasural Simar Ka

Cast: Dipika Samson,Avika Gor,Pankaj Dheer,Himani Shivpuri

Sasural Simar Ka is the journey of a young small-town middle-class girl,Simar. She is raised under the influence of her strict father who wants her to concentrate on her studies and score highest marks in class. But she nurtures a desire to be a good dancer. Thus,the story narrates the life of Simar and her dilemma.

While on one hand,she has to live up to her father’s expectations,on the other,she wants to pursue her dream. Simar has the strong support of her younger sister,Roli,played by Avika Gor.

The child artiste,who shot to fame as the young Anandi in Balika Vadhu, looks all grown up and pretty. She sports long hair,colourful clothes and funky accessories a la Priyanka Chopra in her Sagittarian avatar in Ashutosh Gowariker’s What’s Your Rashee? The similarity doesn’t end there. Just like Priyanka rants Krishna Krishna at various instances in the film,likewise in the serial,Roli greets people saying Radhe Radhe,with folded hands.

Avid fans of Anandi,who are hoping to watch their favourite child bride and her innocence,may get a little disappointed as here Avika is not innocent and quiet anymore. She plays a naughty and arrogant teenager. She talks with a desi panache,fights and bullies her little brother and back-bites her father. This muphat avatar of hers might be a little indigestible for her fans.

Simar,played by Deepika Samson,on the other hand,is very calm,studious and a daddy’s girl. She is always dressed in salwar kameez and wears minimal make-up. May be it is Avika’s character or may be the makers of the show want to sell this TV series in her name as she’s the one who stands out with her loud character and bright colourful clothes!

Veteran actress Himani Shivpuri,who plays the Bua,is also impressive. Her light-hearted repartee with the rest of the cast is thoroughly entertaining. Especially the scenes where she gets trapped between the loyalty towards her brother Jamuna,played by Pankaj Dheer,and her fondness for Simar and Roli.

Avika Gor’s naughty avatar is fun to watch. The bonding between Simar and Roli will keep the audience hooked. Apart from that,Simar’s secret mission to become a dancer by keeping her family in the dark will want you asking for more. The bond between the sisters will be a hit with teenage girls as they can relate to the characters.

Though the show starts on a good note,over a period of time,it may turn out to be the same old Saas-bahu kahani once Simar achieves her goal. Also,in a bid to play a bindaas teenager,at times Avika Gor tends to go overboard and ends up overacting.

Verdict: **1/2

Before the show’s debut,speculations were rife that Sasural Simar Ka was inspired by the evergreen hit Dilwale Dulhaniyaa Le Jayenge. On a closer look,you do realise that the characters are similar to the film. So if you are a die-hard fan of DDLJ,then don’t miss the opportunity to relive the film’s magic in the show.