Ahead of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2, revisiting Ram Kapoor-Sakshi Tanwar’s show that broke stereotypes but was hurt by a kiss

And now, a decade later, the producer is set to bring a fresh season, which will have the same soul but new faces — Nakuul Mehta and Disha Parmar. Before we gear up for the new series, here’s looking back at the original Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and how it dared to challenge the rut on the small screen.

This was one of the few times when Indian television showed us a 40-something man romancing a woman in her 30s with all the frisson reserved for teenyboppers. They have had their own share of experiences and are not easy to be floored by the other. With destiny playing cupid, the two get married, only to find love in each other. The old-age saying of ‘opposite attracts’ created passionate chemistry between them, making them couple goals in the true sense.

 

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Also, who would have imagined Ram and Sakshi as lovers on a television airing on prime time. Sakshi was Parvati bhabhi for most while Ram was Jai Walia from Kasamh Se. In those times, actors were identified more by their characters than their real names and as per Ekta Kapoor’s confession, many had warned her that the pairing will never work. Little did her critics know that it would turn out to be a stroke of genius.

It was such a refreshing change to see Sakshi Tanwar become Priya and shed her ‘pativrata patni’ image from Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. Priya was contemporary, practical and so relatable. On the other hand, Ram, even with that paunch became a national crush because of the way his character was written. Unlike most heroes on television, Ram was not the usual charming good boy. He was strict but had his sweet side, was quite a khadoos but Priya brought alive his romantic side too. The unconventional pair worked and how, and kickstarted the trend of mature love stories. Some worked, some didn’t, but no one could ever recreate the magic of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain.

How can we miss talking about the famous ‘on-screen kiss’. Now, people were used to watching the hero and heroine indulge in some intimacy on the big screen. Many times films while being premiered on TV would edit out scenes that had actors making out, given the ‘family audience’ watching it. However, BALH took the big jump and showed Ram and Sakshi indulge in a proper lip lock as they consummated their marriage. While many lauded the show for taking a step towards progressive viewing, a lot of fans criticised the move and TRPs too saw a decline post that.

Producer Ekta Kapoor, during the launch of Kundali Bhagya, had spoken about the same. Calling it a mistake, she said that she will never repeat a moment like that on television. “But at the same time, on digital platforms, it received 10 lakh views. I know how it feels when you are watching TV with your parents. It’s not that edgy content is bad, but you prefer watching it separately,” Ekta had said.

The new season, in the producer’s words, will explore the ‘loneliness among the urban youth’. As already seen in the promos, while Nakuul Mehta will play the workaholic businessman, Disha Parmar’s Priya will be running a bakery. While the 38-year-old is yet to get over his first love, the 32-year-old woman was cheated in love. How destiny brings them together and they find completeness in each other, will be for the audience to see.

Starting August 30, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2 will air Monday-Friday, 8 pm on Sony TV.