The Vamp - Komolika Basu

Komolika Basu was a character featured in Kasautii Zindagii Kay. As the title suggests, she is the vamp of the show. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to her...

We first see Komolika styled like the picture above. She has long hair which is braided and she always has a few hair loose towards her face. Whenever she is plotting the end of Prerna (the female lead), or just plotting in general, she can be seen twirling a few strands of her hair, just like she does in the picture above. She always wears sheer saris. Even though Komolika was the vamp, her hairstyle and sari style were the rage of the time! Over the course of the show, her sari blouse style varies and her hairstyle varies but the one thing that stays constant is her distinctive background music. For your listening pleasure I have included the video below. Watch as Komolika makes her grand entrance to her signature tune...

Enough about her styling and her tunes, as difficult it is to believe, there is more to her. Komolika's mother and Anurag's (the male lead) mother were friends. In fact, Komolika and Anurag even grew up together, which made them childhood friends. Anurag's mother secretly wanted Komolika to be her bahu and when she saw her after she 'grew up', she made her desire known to her son. Of course by that time, Anurag had already fallen for Prerna. But then again who would Komolika be if she let such a tiny little problem stand in her way. Komolika's sights were set on the Basu family money and business. She wanted it all and knew that the easiest way to get it would be to marry the head of the Basu empire, namely Anurag.

 Komolika knew that she was beautiful and she could get the attention of any man she desired. So she decided to use her charm on Anurag and seduce him. When that didn't work she manipulated her way to Basu bahudom. All that while she pretended to be sympathetic to Anurag and Prerna's failed love story. After marriage her true colors are revealed to the Basu clan. Slowly but surely she manages to get hold of the Basu empire and manages to throw Anurag and the rest of the clan to the streets. She even aborts her and Anurag's child to make her plan to control the Basu empire a reality. She couldn't let a baby get in her way. Of course, Prerna comes to the rescue of the Basu clan and Anurag is finally able to get Komolika out of the picture. But alas like every Vamp, Komolika keeps reappearing throughout the series. She goes to great lengths to make the lives of Prerna and Anurag miserable. She even kidnaps their son and raises him as her own.

I've always wondered why Komolika always set her sights on destroying Prerna. She didn't really love Anurag, but yet wanted him to herself. She had no need for him, yet she craved his attention. She always knew that his heart belonged to Prerna, yet she tried to make him favor her. Now that I think about maybe she grew to love him or rather tolerate him. Or maybe she just wanted to have him because she knew that nothing else would make Prerna miserable than to see Anurag with her. Even though Kasautii was about the relationship of Prerna and Anurag, Komolika always managed to steal their thunder. Needless to say, Komolika was Urvashi Dholakia's ticket to fame. In fact, I have a very difficult time imagining her playing any other character!

No matter what you think about Komolika, she is one person every Anurag and Prerna supporter loved to hate!

Essential Characters In Every Saas-Bahu Saga...

For those who watch Saas-Bahu sagas, you can't help but notice that each show has the same set of main characters. The setting for the show may be different and in some cases the gender of the main characters may be different but they are still essentially the same. Most of the time the stories intersect as well. We'll leave that for another post. Let's focus on the main characters first. Think of any Saas-Bahu that you've watched while you're reading this list and I bet you will think of a character that matches the list I have come up with. 

So without further adieu here they are:

Elderly Person: This person can be male or female. They are essentially the voice of reason in the show. They typically sit back and watch as mayhem takes over their household. All they have to offer the main character is courage and blessings. Just in case you forget, they are very 'elderly' and hence very fragile. They can't do much but they are always the sharpest tool in the entire household. An example of this type of character would be Baa from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi.

Dutiful Bahu/Beta: This person is typically the heart of the show. Most of the time it is the Bahu but sometimes it can be a combination of Beta and Bahu. They are the ones who make the world go round, literally. They are the center of the show's universe. They are smart and dutiful as their name suggests. They work hard so that their family has whatever they want no matter how irrational. They are also the ones who end up fighting the negative characters singlehandedly. In the beginning of the fight, they lose badly but then the Gods are with them and they prevail in the end.  An example would be Om and Parvati from Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii.

The Vamp aka Femme Fatale aka female villain: She is sly, conniving, beautiful and extremely over the top. She is always after the family money and will do anything to get her dirty hands on it. She also hates getting her hands dirty so she undoubtedly creates a plan that makes the family believe that the Dutiful Bahu/Beta are behind all the destruction. Another important characteristic to point out would be the fashion. Her clothes are over the top and often revealing. Her makeup is crazy to the point of being frightening. She also commands her own background music. And most of the time she has a distinctive mannerism or saying that she has to perform in every episode. An example would be Komolika Basu from Kasautii Zindagi Kay.

Check out my full post on The Vamp - Komolika Base here...

Maa or Saas: Depending of whether the show has a Dutiful Beta or Bahu, there is a Maa or a Saas. If the show has a Beta and a Bahu, then there will be both a Maa and a Saas, most of the time. This character has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is responsible for the happiness of the household. She is a big proponent of customs and rites and makes sure that every occasion celebrated in the household is done as per the approval of her husband. She is a dutiful wife to the point of becoming a doormat in the face of her husband's desires. She never questions authority until the Dutiful Bahu or Beta give her courage to hold her head up high. An example would be Devyani Bhramanand Jhakkar from Maryada.

The Snake aka male villain: This character is capable of anything. He is will go against his own mother to get what he wants. He will cheat, fight, insult, steal and most importantly rape or torture to get his way. He first gains the trust of the household, then he begins to strike. At first no one knows that he is responsible, but then the Dutiful Beta or Bahu finds outs about his intentions and confronts him. Now this confrontation can end two ways: a challenge if it is the Dutiful Beta or a rape/molestation type thing if it is the Dutiful Bahu. As I said earlier, he would kill his own mother if she was in his way. An example would be Shyam Manohar Jha from Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?  

Almost every successful Saas-Bahu saga has these characters present at one time or another. With the help of certain plot devices they can mix and match characters and create a crazy mix of Vamps and Snakes, Bahus and Betas and Maas and Saases. Everything is possible in the world of Saas-Bahu sagas. All you have to do is sit back and keep watching...