Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sat. 12/18/10 Who's Watching India?

A very entertaining, colorful telenovela is currently airing nightly on Telefutura at 10:00 pm EST/9:00 pm CST. Several of those commenting on Caray Caray have expressed an interest or indicated that they have been watching this show. It is produced by a Brazilian company and therefore filmed (I presume) in Portuguese although here in the US it has been dubbed in Spanish and carries closed captions in both Spanish (CC1) and English (CC3).

First of all the dubbing is very good. It is well-coordinated and spoken with amazing clarity with voices that seem to match the characters represented. Secondly, the Spanish captions are by and large well-timed and accurate. I have only watched very briefly using the English captions and my experience is that they are done with much less care than those in Spanish, often woefully lagging behind the spoken words. If this is the usual case it is unfortunate and shame on Telefutura for this.

The action is fairly equally divided between India and Brazil, and more recently some of the action takes place in Dubai. It is a visual feast. There are stunning outdoor scenes



in all the venues and the indoor settings are lavish. Do people really live like this? I guess they must. Wow!


There is lots of color and in HDTV almost every scene is breathtaking. I recently saw Slumdog Millionaire and believe me, this is an all different India that is portrayed here. The Brazil we see in this does not suffer by comparison and the Dubai that is depicted is an Arab's wet dream; an indoor ski slope in Thursday's episode for goodness sakes.


The show itself is fairly standard telenovela fare with intricate interwoven plots chock full of cliches and familiar plot devises, situations, and characterizations.

There are four primary characters whose lives are intimately and inextricably intertwined. Like many of our familiar Mexican telenovelas, they are impossibly beautiful, exasperatingly shallow and self-absorbed, and not nearly as interesting or entertaining as the myriad supporting cast.

Maya is the drop-dead gorgeous favorite child of a merchant family


who has had the misfortune to fall in love with Bahuan (more about him in a moment) a Dalit (member of the untouchable caste). Of course her family is aghast when they discover this relationship. Her parents, Manu and Cotchi, arrange a marriage between her and Raj, the favored though younger son of another merchant family. She intended to run away with Baguan but he is ambitious nd has lots to prove so instead of eloping with his true love, he decides that he needs a year to pursue his internet business unencumbered by Maya. This does not prevent them from consummating their burning passion in some extremely steamy love scenes with predictable results. On the day that he is leaving for America, she attempts to go with him but he leaves her in a rainy street with tears streaming down her cheeks as she chases his departing cab, suitcase in hand. "I'll stay in touch! It's just a year." Jerk. Shortly afterward, she, cómo no, discovers that she is...¡EMBARAZADA! Unable to convince him to return to give him the good news (such information in TNs... as you well know... can only be delivered in person). Soooo... she marries Raj in the strangest wedding I've ever witnessed and let me tell you, I've been to several New Age weddings, a number of Czech weddings, a Vietnamese wedding, and even a wedding of dogs... they don't compare... and the dancing!



Duda is a dangerously thin Brazilian lass


who has fallen in love with Raj. She is a self-sufficient liberated woman who falls for the darkly charming Indian business man. She is no stranger to the mysteries of passion and before long they are actively bumping their own little cars (Beto's... of un Gancho... way of putting it) with, once again, predictable results (protected sex is not a feature of TN's in Brazil, either). This time it's his family that objects, while she discovers that she is ¡EMBARAZADA! he's busy marrying Maya., who tells him that she is not a virgin, but leaves out the part about being pregnant.

Bahuan's parents were murdered for touching some upper class Indian (this caste stuff is really difficult for me to stomach)


and their hovel was burned to the ground (I don't think it met building codes, anyway). He was then adopted and reared by an enlightened religious thinker (Brahmin),Shankar, who just happens to be Opash's (Raj's daddy) daddy, though no one, including Opash himself, other than the holy man and of course Opash's mom, is aware of this.


(See? The usual TN stuff). Bahuan is a social climber (no place to go but up), surprisingly self-centered, impulsive, and volatile. He has become Raj's bitter enemy. He made a valiant attempt to abduct Maya on horseback but captured her servant instead... a mistake anyone could make.

Raj is a rather sanguine, moody Indian


with a very traditional family which shares the same values as that of Maya. Thus they are the perfect match except for the fact that they are both in love and expecting a child with another person. Well, all young newlyweds have their problems. After wedding Maya he vows to make a go of it and forget what'shername. Up until now, he has no idea of his son that Duda is carrying.

As I said, the main characters aren't all that compelling, but...

We also have Raul, whose in love with his wife's (Sylvia) best friend (Yvone) who just happens to be a physician with flexible ethics. The two of them recently faked Raul's death and are currently cavorting about Dubai looking for someone to recognize him and expose their charade.

It's looking more and more that Yvone does not have Raul's best interests in mind.

Meintras tanto Sylvia is feuding with Raul's brother Ramiro

who loved but didn't trust his sibling (he had his reasons). I really don't understand fully (nor care to) the details of the Cadore business. Daddy Cadore is a amiable old fart who is always the last to know. He likes to dance and hangs out with a free spirit shrink, Dr. Castaño, who seems mostly lurk in a dance club sipping mojitas or whatever it is they drink in Brazil. He comes in handy, however, because Cadore's nieto, Tarso, is a pretty sad sack who is hounded by voices and is prone to violence when he's not crouching under his desk in the dark listening to Megadeath on his MP3. He somehow has managed to latch on to Tonia, a sweet, frumpy girl. Runaway! Runaway! Sweet frumpy girl, this kid is bad news. He does look like Rick Nelson. Anyone remember him? Anyway, his mom (a flighty, superficial New Ager) and dad don't want to face the fact that their kid is... well... unique. Daddy wants him to eventually head up the family business. They do have a well adjusted daughter who is into body modification... piercings, tattoos and the like.

The other schizophrenic, Ademir, is more likable and involved in the world around him. He has his moments, but, when he takes his meds, is a relatively normal dancin' fool, and I mean competitively. If that weren't enough, he plays in a band made up of guys from the funhouse. Dr Castaño, of course, is his psychiatrist.


There is also a family that is pretty rough around the edges. Not sure what the dad, César does, but it's clearly shady. He has two pleasant daughters from a former marriage and from his current marriage, a son, Zeca, who is an unlikable bully. Nacos with cash. Actually, I wish we'd see more of them.

Back in India, the fun is mainly provided by household intrigues and sibling rivalry... Borrrring... but everything is so pretty... so.... who cares? One persistent aspect that is vaguely troubling for me are a couple of little girls, Anusha and Chanti, aunt and niece, always seem to be dancing in diaphanous colorful outfits... apparently for the amusement of the old folks who always seem to be lounging about drinking tea. Not exactly kiddie-porn, but for me, just a bit too suggestive for such little girls. They are very talented, lithe, limber, and seemingly tireless. No doubt perfectly normal for an Indian household, nevertheless it makes me a little uncomfortable... I think that playing with dolls might be more age appropriate. On the other hand, the exercise is certainly healthful and on the plus side, not a TV in sight.

The thief of hearts in this is a little waif named Hari, who helps his mom, Puja, keep the street clean. They are members of the untouchable caste and Bahuan is his hero. Unfortunately, Bahuan is not always an exemplary role model.

There are countless other characters who are in and out. Raj has a younger brother, Ravi, who is following in his brother's footsteps with a cute little Brazilian novia, Camila, the sister of Zeca.They have an ongoing Internet romance. He met her in person when he accompanied Raj on a trip to Brazil and she is now planning a trip to India. No cositas between them... yet.

Raj also has an older brother, Amithab, who is borrrring, mired in the old ways and extremely jealous of Raj. He is married to Surya, who already hates Maya, and they are Anusha's parents.

Opash, their dad, is trying to negotiate a settlement with Duda without Raj discovering that he's going to be a daddy. There is a palpable sexual tension growing between him and Duda's older friend... He has traveled to Rio de Janero to meet with them and is experiencing quite a bit of culture shock.

A cute couple in Brazil is Abel, a street cop who mostly directs traffic, and his fiercely jealous and possessive wife, Normiña who has a roving eye, herself. She is especially fond of Indra, a youthful India immigrant. Her nemesis is Suellen, who is Ademir's vivacious dance partner and who enjoys taunting Normiña by flirting with Abel.

Camels and cattle share the packed streets with automobiles and lorries, bicycles and pedestrians. Opash's fabric shop has a pretty bovine that comes in each afternoon for a snack and socializing. Though we in Texas are accustomed to having livestock wandering about our stores, some of you might find this odd or even unsettling. India is very different from here. Young women take their problems to Lord Ghanesha, much as the ladies in Mexico consult with la Virgen de Guadalupe. You know what she looks like; he looks like a elephant. The results are similar.

If you have a favorite character or situation that I haven't mentioned and would like to discuss... this is the place and the reason for this posting. I want to hear what others are thinking and experiencing with his show.


Well, there you have it. Basically a standard telenovela with a mega-budget. If enough of you are interested and leave comments for discussion, we may do this again sometime.

Carlos

Labels:


Comments:
Wow, Carlos, I just saw this recap by accident. Amazing, lush work! (Yours I mean.) Thanks for sharing.
 

Isecond that, WOW Carlos. That was SO much work! I will confirm that it is a Brazilian TN that was originally filmed in Portuguese.
 

I noticed the adverts for this and it caught my eye...VERY intresting...thank you for sharing...I will definitely have to check it out now...
 

Thank you Carlos, this sounds fascinating. What is the connection between India and Brazil, is it business? The merchant family maybe?

I sincerely wish I had time to watch this one. Maybe with the help of your explanation I can catch an episode or two and not be completely lost.
 

Oh, forgot to say I LOVE the pictures. Thank you for your hard work.
 

Hola amigo mio. As you know, we don't get this station in Columbus (not in my cable package anyway) but I've been fascinated by the ads and think Maya is the most beautiful heroine ever. As you noted, the sub-plots sound more interesting than the first tier folks but oh well....Come Monday, I'm sure you're going to garner some more comments from folks who are watching...and feeling lonely without CarayCaray backup.
 

Wow, Carlos. That was amazing, thank you for this intro. I'm intrigued enough to try to find a way to watch this!
 

Carlos, thanks for this summary. I don't get Telefutura but I noticed a few weeks ago that Comcast On Demand has episodes of India, and they're free to watch. I saw two of them and loved the scenery but had no clue what was going on.

It looks like a really good show so I'll definitely try to catch an episode or two when I can. Maybe when I retire I can get DVDs of the whole thing.
 

I just started waching it, and I liked it. Thanks for the info now I know who characters are.
 

Great job, Carlos! The beautiful photos were the icing on the cake. Thank you very much.
I'd love to watch India, I'm curious about it since the first time I read about its Emmy award, and it's recently broadcasted in my country, but unfortunately I don't have enough free time to follow it. Maybe later. I've seen many Brazilian telenovelas in my life and I loved all of them.
 

Thanks everyone. When I first watched this I wasn't intending to be a regular viewer and even though I now am, I don't pay as close attention as I would were I recapping it or even if it were one I was watching and commenting on here. I wanted to give you guys that follow Caray Caray a little introduction to it and am hoping that those who are watching it will take the opportunity to add some details.

Caray Caray is such a great service. The recaps of course are entertaining in and of themselves, but the interaction in the comments is fantastic. Understanding of the action is enhanced, nuances are exposed, and the differences of opinions are evidence that each of us has a unique point of view.

I also watched Mandrake on HBO-L. It was also a Brazilian production that was slickly done. It reminded me of the old Peter Gunn series. The production values of that and now India indicate to me that Brazil can rival the very best in producing film entertainment.

Carlos
 

Carlos - that was funny! I loved your Ganesha comment - and I'm also from Texas.

My husband actually went to a friends wedding in India back in the 80s, and it was a very colorful multi-day extravaganza! No-one can top India on weddings!

Audrey
 

I watched the first couple of episodes, and I can say that the producers got Bollywood down to a tee! The storyline, the costumes, the characters - everything.

But I haven't kept watching it because I've seen quite a few Indian movies, and I'd rather watch the original Bollywood stuff with English subtitles rather than a Brazilian production in Portuguese dubbed in Spanish. That last twist for me is just a little too odd. These characters really look Indian, and I expect them to be speaking Hindi or some other Indian language with English words liberally thrown in.

But I gotta hand it to the production - impressive!

Audrey
 

Carlos- You blew me away with your rundown of this seemingly complex plot, and your amazing photos! I hope you can pull a few other India watchers to make this more of a regular thing. I've seen bits and pieces of India while flipping channels and have been tempted to watch it On Demand, but I just have WAY too many novelas in my lineup right now. The show is a visual feast (but so is India in real life), and that's what caught my attention. If you're starting up a discussion, I just might be tempted to check it out On Demand. :)
 

Thank you, Carlos! My Spanish isn't that great and then I was out of the country for a couple of weeks so missed quite a bit. Of course I was able to read the recaps for STuD while gone, but despaired of ever knowing what I missed on India. I wondered how Maya managed the wedding night! I don't know which is worse: well off ladies like Maya who have nothing else to do but gossip and lounge around their beautiful homes in breathtaking jewelry and saris or the Dalits in the street! Maya is living in a gilded cage, but it's a cage none the less. I think the actress is doing a decent job portraying the predicament she is in. Pregnant by another man while possibly falling in love with the man her parents arranged for her to marry. She is most certainly not the master of her fate. It is heartbreaking to think that there still are women around the world who have very little say in the making of decisions that monumentally affect their lives. In a way Maya was sold into slavery. What was her worse crime? That she was the daughter of rich parents or that she was born beautiful?
I certainly never thought I would fall under the spell of this unusual novela. So far I am hooked.
Thanks again.
Faro
 

Faro, I'm amused that even while attempting to manipulate circumstances to convince Raj and his family that the baby she is carrying is his (a little 2 mo. problem there) Maya is also quite jealous of Duda. Wait'll she discovers that Duda is also pregnant. I see stormy days ahead for our main couples. Meanwhile, I'm seeing a rather short (although probably enjoyable) lifespan ahead for Raul. Yvonne is my kind of female character.

Carlos
 

Hi Carlos

Missed you since Dinero ended. I keep seeing the promos for India on Uinvision. It looks good -- but we don't get Telefutura here. It's always frustrating when they advertise these shows that we don't get to watch. Zut alors! as we say in French.

Güera in (#5) Syracuse
 

Thanks Carlos. I haven't been able to watch the TN due to some health challenges. This allows me to catch up with my class, and has saved me countless hours.
 

Carlos, I've been in a retreat for the past few days and just caught your recap on India. Thank you so much! I'm not sure if you'll read this comment since it's 3 days since the original post, but I hope so because I really want you to know that I appreciate the effort you made. Between my limited Spanish & missing some earlier episodes, I missed some finer details of the plot. As an example, I didn't realize that Bahwan had left Maya to pursue his ambitions. I thought she was a no show. Thanks for clearing up that matter.

I've also missed some of the plot details with Slyvia and the Cadore's, although I think Raul is a real dog for faking his death and breaking his family's hearts.

I hope that the periodic recaps and comments about this TN can continue. Again, Carlos...muchas gracias.

Mariposa Tranquila
 

Carlos: Add my wow to the list.

I will have to tell you that I have to record this TN because it is on at 1:00 a.m. in my area. I also have to admit that I FF over the Brazilian segments and just watch the India part. I love it. It is beautiful.
 

Anon, glad it was helpful. Sorry I didn't add even more detail.

Mariposa Tranquila and Pasofino, thanks so much. I thought there would be a little more interest in discussing this show. It really is fascinating, especially the parts set in India. Lots of snark potential, but I was a little uneasy about exploiting it for obvious reasons. I probably do an update from time to time.

MT, here I am feeling sorry for Raul. I think that Yvonne's long term plans only includes his money... he is expendable. Poor guy is already missing his family.

Carlos
 

Carlos, I'm going to begin reading the Eva Luna recaps to remain connected with Caray, Caray so that I can keep my eyes open for your periodic India summaries after Stud ends next week.

Until then, am I understanding correctly that Ramelo is trying to kick his sister-in-law out of her house? I've never been able to get a handle on the relationship between Raul and Ramelo. Did Raul embezzle some company funds or lose money in a bad investment w/0 his brother's knowledge?

Also, did Maya's mother basically kick her to the curb now that she knows the baby's Bahwan's? I thought I understood the mother to request that Maya stay away to protect her father and family from a potential scandal? Is this correct?

Again, Carlos, thanks for your efforts and clarification with this TN. - Mariposa Tranquila
 

Mariposa Tranquila,

Though I've only been casually watching this, here is my understanding of the relationship between Raul an Ramiro:

Raul concentrated on the nuts and bolts of the business and Ramiro was more of a rainmaker. It could have been just the other way around, I wasn't paying that much attention to them at the time, but in any event, both were vital to the business until Raul met up with Yvonne and she convinced him to divert company funds to a personal account and came up with the hare-brained plan to fake his death. Now Ramiro wants to confiscate Sylvia's house, which is owned by the company, to replace the missing money. It must have been a considerable sum because it looks as though Yvonne has short term plans for Raul (now Humberto) and long term plans for the money. Meanwhile, she's buying up Dubai.

It looks as though Maya's mom, although mortified by Maya's situation, has come up with a scheme to use some folks the family previously helped out to try to bail out Maya. Initially, however, she told Maya that she was on her own and Maya was going to jump in a well but was diverted in the effort by little Hari and his mom.

Even with the intrigue surrounding the main characters, I've become much more interested in Yvonne and Raul. She is astutely evil and sensuous, my kind of TN woman. Raul is, of course, a moonstruck idiot.

I'm glad that you're interested in the show, perhaps others will join us.

Carlos
 

Amigo Carlos, I don't watch the shows with the closed caption on in an effort to improve my listening comprehension. It looks as if I missed "hearing" some of the names correctly. Thanks for clearing that up, as well as, some of the finer plot details that I missed.

I really enjoy the diversity represented in this Brazilian concoction. I find it to be a nice change from the typical Mexican TNs. The tropical/international backgrounds, fashions, stunning actors, and humerous writing have kept me interested in India. Your recap/comments will contribute to my continuing to hang in there for a while longer even though I may be interpreting the action incorrectly. I could not do any worse in developing a plot than the Stud writers. :) Thanks and Feliz Navidad! - MT
 

Carlos thank you for an incredible job recapping this novel !
My Spanish is not that great so I am excited that I found this thread. Christmas day at home in bed with a stomach virus- you have made my day! Thanks again!

I LOVE this TN, the costumes and scenery are amazing, the only thing that would be better is watching it in 3D !
Maya & Raj are my favorite beautiful couple, they have such sweet moments together . They also have some hot passion between them..... Duda who ?

Am I the only one that can't stand Duda the dunce??? I know she s pregnant but her crazy ideas and lack of wanting to understand Hindu traditions are too much for me.!

Yvonne is sooo smooth, I can't help but like her. Does anyone know what money they have been spending so freely in Dubai ? Seems the stolen money just recently was deposited so I'm confused.

Also I don't think Yvonne is a real doctor,since she see
seemed to avoid all medical questions, maybe I'm wrong....
 

Oops... Hit anon by mistake! Two novelas and a Caray beat two asprins & water anyday!

Thanks again
Elle
 

Carlos, hope you check this site to see this message. The Los Angeles Times Calendar section for Monday, the 27th, has a a big article on the front page on INDIA with a color photo of the two leads. It's titled "Cultural twist on telenovela. "India," a Bollywood-like story of forbidden love, is a hit with viewers on the Spanish-language network Telefutura. Hope you can find the article as I am computer challenged and can't link you to it, sorry. I love the colorful setting but find the lip synching too distracting to watch full time.

GinCA
 

GinCA, Thanks for telling me about this article. Here's the link.
This show is a lot of fun and beautifully filmed.

Carlos
 

GinCa, thanks for the NY Times article alert. Carlos, thanks for the link. I enjoyed reading more about the TN. I haven't been able to watch the show for several days but it's being recorded so I look forward to catching-up when I return home next week from Orlando.

Elle, I also wondered about Yvonne's physician creditionals. She is a slick lady whatever her game. I guess it doesn't hurt that she's sexy and beautiful to boot.

Take care, everyone still lurking in the shadows here. Happy New Year! - Mariposa Tranquila
 

Happy New Year everyone! Look for a new installment sometime this weekend.

Carlos
 

"Caminho das Índias", Emmy Winner, simply the best.
 

mai tai's guide to la Pola
 

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