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Star Plus and Story Square Productions recently launched their latest offering, ‘Yeh Fitoor Tera.’ The show features Ishaan Dhawan and Debchandrima Singha Roy as its lead pair. The show has been on air for a few weeks now, and it’s time for our verdict!
The show is set in Prayagraj and follows the Mathur and Saxena families, who are neighbours. We are introduced to Soumya’s (Debchandrima Singha Roy) family, the Mathurs, a middle-class household supported by her father, a paediatrician, and her uncle, a musician. Saumya is visibly uncomfortable around men, likely due to a hidden family secret involving her uncle. The Saxenas, meanwhile, are the owners of a college franchise, with Jeet’s biological father, Sanjeev, at the helm of the company and college. Jeet (Ishaan Dhawan) is known as Sanjeev’s illegitimate son and naturally resents him. There has been no mention of his mother so far, although there have been references to his maternal grandmother, who passed away.
The story’s essence lies in how Jeet and Saumya cross paths and empower each other through their respective life journeys, something we have already begun witnessing. Their bond will likely develop into a passionate romance, but there is an added layer to the equation in the form of Jeet’s half-brother, Ridhaan (Arnav Maggo), who appears to have loved Saumya for a long time.
Yeh Fitoor Tera initially caught my interest because the issue of studying at a co-ed college doesn’t seem to be a major concern, at least in the West and much of urban India that we are exposed to. So, I wanted to understand what the deal was here after seeing the promos. As I watched, I appreciated how the show demonstrates the impact that events during a child’s early years can have on their views and behaviour in the long term. Child abuse being perpetrated by members of the household is also, unfortunately, a common occurrence across the globe. It is therefore nice to see this important social issue being brought to light in an interesting and non-preachy manner.
I also appreciate that the show does not antagonize men through the character of Jeet. Jeet, a character seemingly raised by women, particularly his grandmother, regularly uplifts Saumya, helping her build her confidence and gradually become more comfortable with her surroundings.
Performance-wise, the cast is quite impressive. Debchandrima Singha Roy is brilliant as Soumya, aptly conveying her character’s softness and fear. Her transitions from fear to confidence within scenes are also remarkably seamless. Ishaan Dhawan is set to give his best performance to date. Dhawan has a powerful screen presence and delivers Jeet effortlessly, portraying the enigmatic character in a way that reaches the audience’s hearts. The chemistry between the two is praise-worthy and given the strength of the story, this pair can become a force to be reckoned with.
Indraneel Bhattacharya perfectly complements the narrative within the Mathur household as Anup, and it will be quite interesting to see the new direction this character takes following a revelation. Aman Verma is set to deliver another memorable performance, but there is something different about this character because, so far, we’ve been witnessing the calm before the storm. His character is visually impaired and seemingly the cause of Saumya’s condition. How the audience reacts to this character will certainly be something to look out for.
Arnav Maggo makes a smashing television debut as Ridhaan, bringing a charming and natural presence that adds richness to the story. Sanjeev Seth is yet another veteran on the show and is effective as Jeet’s father, who is ready to remove him from his surroundings at any given moment. Rinku Ghosh appears to be playing another layered character in Neeta, who also does not want Jeet around but seems to suppress her anger towards Sanjeev for cheating on her. Gunn Kansara, who plays Saumya’s mother, Madhu, also carries her role well, and you can’t help but feel a little angry with her for keeping Saumya’s secret for this long. Khushi Rajpoot succeeds as the evil yet sometimes comedic aunt, who also seems to have been keeping the secret like Madhu. Mohit Duseja adds a breezy and colourful touch to the Mathurs, and is likely to become a strong support system for his sister.
The rest of the cast is also quite impressive, and it’s only a matter of time before their characters unfold further.
Another praiseworthy aspect is the difficult bond between Ridhaan and Jeet, which shows them standing up for each other rather than hating one another. Hopefully, this dynamic continues and does not turn into just another love triangle on television. This would be my only concern regarding the show as of now. The show has everything working in its favour, so it should definitely not fall prey to the love triangle trope that television audiences are already more than exhausted by.
As a side note, Soumya and Jeet’s growth is something to look forward to, and hopefully, they continue to positively influence each other. Jeet is a character who is clearly not the typical angry young man the promos made us think he would be. There is plenty of room for growth in this male protagonist, and hopefully, this is given as much importance as his role as Soumya’s support system.
With a promising start fuelled by well-written characters, strong performances, and a story that stands out, Yeh Fitoor Tera earns an 8 out of 10!
Yeh Fitoor Tera airs on Star Plus in India, South Africa, the UK, and the Middle East, and streams on Hulu in the USA.
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