The Beauty And The Brain - Episode 3 - Serial With Weekly Episodes

Kamla · Mar 25, 2006

What begins from this end?!?....

Dear Varalotti/Sridhar,

 Read the much awaited third episode. Most of us already anticipated that Shweta would live and you did not disappoint us.

What comes across very vividly from your writing is the imagery: Firstly, the hospital scenario is all too familiar to most of us and many of us can identify with those surroundings. Secondly, you have a knack of already casting your characters with actors like Aishwarya, Salman and now Kareena for Neha! It is Sharada that baffles me as I cannot yet give her a face! ( maybe you too?!) You write with a flourish, words and scenes flowing smoothly.

Now coming to the critic(-ism) part! I think you were a little too hard on the doctor! Agreed that today’s medical profession is a business. Dr Reddy seems to have gone out of his way to attend a celebrity patient in secrecy and tried to give Sharada all the attention she needed at a difficult time. When you say , “Dr. Reddy could never understand that basic psychological rule.”, it comes across a bit exaggerated assuming he has all those years of doctoring behind him. Just my thoughts.

 “And that was when the end began”…liked that! How true, many beginnings do start when something ends. Apart from my musings, I am waiting to read the pain and mortification that love caused our protagonist!

 Good going sir, now am looking forward to next SaturdayJ

vidhukumar · Mar 27, 2006

Dear Varalotti,
The pace is just right&enjoyed reading the episode in one breath!!ofcourse we all knew that shwetha was going to live!!!till now i guess it has become a little predictable......waiting for some twists&turns!!!good going!

AGR · Mar 28, 2006

What about story for serials

HI Varalotti

Along with serial storeis I think u can give these story for serials.......actually we can visualise the emotions of the characters .........very well described...

ambika ananth · Mar 28, 2006

enjoyed it

Dear Sridhar

When one has an ample and appreciative circle of admirers, one tends to better and better oneself…to live up to the high expectations. You are exactly in that position and you are doing a wonderful job in bettering yourself at every given opportunity… every episode of your serial continues to hold attention and appreciation, because you are filling them with your inspiration, imagination, conviction and sincerity. When we read it, its almost like seeing a live performance of real life characters…such is the narrative quality. Of course I knew Shweta will not die...and your Sharada is a great character indeed..
That I enjoyed this episode goes without saying…because it carries your typical stamp, depicting the marvelous ways of human mind and life beautifully....

thanks
ambika

nuggehallipankaja · Mar 29, 2006

Rewritten

Sridhar,
Once again I put my opinion on wrong track! As you may be knowing now, I have no roadsense; Anyway, i come back to the right road with the guidance of Sharada etc.

Re your third episode, Sridhar, you have made ' hitherto insignificant Saturday ' popular ! We all look forward to it. Each episode is getting more and more gripping! I am sure the next will surpass all the three,leaving your admirers in a swoon! Inn't there a tinge of Aishwaryarai
in it?

Well, wishing you and all your characters-esp heroines,

a memorable Ugadi,,

Nuggehalli Pankaja

varalotti · Mar 30, 2006

How Am I Going To Thank You All?

Most Gracious ILites,
Once again you have overwhelmed me by your affection which is manifest in every reply that is posted here.
We mould our characters based on the ones from real life. Yes, Swetha comes out of Aishwarya Rai and Dr.Reddy is moulded on the lines of Dr.P.C.Reddy.
Why should I say Dr.Reddy is emotionally underdeveloped? Emotions are what you show and if you don't show any it's difficult to have any. Dr.Reddy by virtue of his position has to be like that. If he is as emotional as Sharada, then he cannot run that huge machinery. I remember attending a meeting with a CEO of a large company. We were negotiating tough with a group of bankers. One of our team members just showed a feeling of shock on his face at some of the expressions used by the bankers. After the meeting was over the CEO pulled up that guy and told him 'why did you show the feelings on your face? you have given power to the other side' Corporate CEOs train themselves hard not to show anything. After a while they end up having no emotions. That's a hard fact of life.
Many have said that they enjoyed every word, which to them appeared as if chiselled out of stone. Yes. Seeing your response, I decided to spend at least an hour a day (starting from Sunday onwards) on the serial. Every time I read it I made at least a dozen corrections. I am very happy the end product has the desired effect.
There is also a charge (Was that you Kamla?) that I am a little too hard on the Doctors. If there are Doctors in the forum, please forgive me, if I had hurt you. But in the heart of your hearts, you will understand the profession has become like that. Considering some other real life examples of doctors I met, Dr.Reddy comes across as Mother Theresa. He did his best to save Swetha and at a weak moment even remembers the debt he owes Sharada and makes her cry.
But a person who is hardened by this kind of dog eat dog competition will not be generally able to understand the niceties of life; like crying in gratitude, for example. If you think I am hard on doctors, wait till you read my words on Bollywood.
There's a suggestion that I should give this up for TV serials. One way of killing a good story is to give it for serials. What I have written in 3 episodes they will film for 30 episodes. Thus the pace will be lost.
Moreover there is another important reason. Reading the story in words makes your computer a cool medium(to use the words of the great linguist, Marshall Mcluhan) You just take in the words and allow your imagination to run riot. That's why you are able to visualise the hospital scene and enjoy it. But in a TV serial everything will be shown on the screen and you will have nothing to imagine. That's why TV viewing makes us dull, whilst book reading makes us brisk. And that's why many great novels fail as films. For instance when I write about Swetha you conjure up the image of Aishwarya Rai. In a TV serial somebody like Manju (a TV actress) or Gayathri will play that role and you will be drained of all your energies.
Many have said that the serial is gripping. I owe it to you. It's by your overwhelming responses that you made me run to my desk again and again and better what I have already done.
In this week we are going to have a peep in to Bollywood, it's value system (if any) it's system of morality (if it can be called so) , it's lures and viles. So keep your seat belts fastened and stay tuned.

All the good characters of this serial join me in wishing you all a very happy and a prosperous Ugadi.

With Affectionate Regards,
your
varalotti

Sharada · Mar 30, 2006

Varalotti's response

Your response was carefully articulated, and the queries have been well tackled. Characters in stories are moulded from real life - but as a writer you have deftly picked the traits that are most suitable for the reel life ones. Resemblance is there - but not in entirety.
Public people and in public places feelings shouldn't flit across the face. "Smile and smile and still be a villain." It's allright to let the mask down if you are among close friends - otherwise it could be counterproductive.
It gives me goose pimples when you say that Swetha, Sharada and Dr.Reddy wish us a Happy Ugadi. Seems as if they have sprung to life and are walking and talking amidst us!
Sharada