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Show: Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala
Cast: Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, Rajeev Khandelwal, Maninee Mishra, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Mrinal Dutt, Madhussneha
Director: Pradeep Sarkar
Rating: 3.5 Moons
The wait is finally over as ALT Balaji's and ZEE5’s first co-created original titled Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala has premiered its first ten-episodes. The recipe of love is garnished with the sizzling chemistry between the reigning queen of television Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya and heartthrob of the nation Rajeev Khandelwal.
The story revolves around the lives of two aspiring chefs, Nitya (Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya) and Vikram (Rajeev Khandelwal) who fall in love but get separated due to unforeseen circumstances. Nitya a hardworking and an ambitious woman is the chicken masala in the series, hot-headed, moody, cynical and full of bitterness, yet a perfectionist. On the other hand, Vikram is exactly the opposite of Nitya, very much like cold lassi who takes things easy in life, jovial and carefree. As predictable as it gets, Nitya falls in love with Vikram’s talented personality and his cooking, on the other hand, it is love at first sight for Vikram. He falls head over heels for Nitya’s headstrong personality, her uprightness, brutal honesty and is absolutely besotted by her. Their romance brews, leading them to see the ‘happily ever after', by tying the knot. Until one day a misunderstanding shakes their world and tears them apart. Love turns sour and the two get separated. However, as destiny has it, the two come back face to face with each other after 8 long years.
Now, Nitya is a single mother of an eight-year-old son named Vian (Vidhan Sharan) and is a skilled chef, who works at Indie Spice, owned by her friend Revati (Maninee Mishra). This restaurant is bearing a loss for the longest time and her life takes a sudden change when the financially poor eating joint is taken over by two Michelin Star owner-chef Vikram. Well, this encounter doesn't go down well with Nitya as she comes to terms with her ex-husband for the sake of professionalism. As we proceed, the screenplay moves back and forth between Mumbai (present) and Bhopal (2010) showcasing ups and downs in the lives of the lead characters.
Has time healed the wounds? Have they moved past the misunderstanding and found solace in other partners or are they still stuck with an unknowing beacon of hope? All these questions will be answered as the show progresses. The show promises to take you on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as it depicts romance, betrayal, separation, pain in the most realistic manner. The stirring series is directed by ace filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar. The show also features actors, Barkha Sengupta, Maninee Mishra, Navniit Nisshan, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Mrinal Dutt, Madhussneha in pivotal roles.
Talking about the performance of the actors, Rajeev and Divyanka are indeed a fresh pair to watch on web, they are relatable, realistic and add the flavour of romance with a tadka of hotness. It’s a delight to see them in one frame.
Rajeev is back with a love story after a sabbatical and is synonymous with quality. As Vikram, the actor goes through heaps of emotions from being a flamboyant, flirtatious, romantic Bhopali boy to a classy, poised, sensitive chef and a responsible father. His character matures with each passing episode. Rajeev gets into the skin of his character very well, for instance, getting the Bhopali accent right whenever required. Rajeev as Vikram is perfect and kudos should be given to Ekta Kapoor for casting him in the lead role.
Meanwhile, Divyanka, the perfect bahu and mother, that is what we have perceived over the years is bang on as the feisty yet disciplined Nitya. She has modified her image really well and surprised us with her portrayal of Nitya. From changing her hairstyle to using cuss words, this avatar of hers is hard for us to believe. Divyanka is as real as she could have ever been and watching her experiment with looks (sari to shorts and skirts) is a delightful treat served for her fans.
Remember Priyanshu Chatterjee from the film Tum Bin? The actor also stars in Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala and is refreshing to watch as he essays the role of Karan, a psychiatrist who is Nitya’s close friend and potential love interest. Despite sharing the screen with popular TV actors like Divyanka and Rajeev, Priyanshu manages to get a meaty role and have a commanding presence onscreen. We would hope to see him in more shows. The ensemble cast does their job well in supporting the lead duo.
Maninee as Revati makes her presence felt in every episode. Madhussneha Upadhyay as Tanvi and Mrinal Dutt as Kayzaad make a fun pair as they steam up the screen with their hot and sizzling chemistry. Navneet Nishan as Vikram’s mother, Shaila, makes for the perfect saas but with urban vibes (Balaji feels)
In a nutshell, Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, is a freshly brewed love story with a recipe of love, betrayal, emotions with full of drama. Ekta Kapoor weaves magic yet again and brings for fans the biggest Jodi together. Predictable yet delightful, it’s fascinating to see Divyanka and Rajeev serve us food with a touch of romance. The cinematography is visually appealing seeing new delicacies in every episode.
If you are a food lover and a sucker for love stories, binge-watch Alt Balaji’s and Zee 5’s Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala and keep yourself free on September 10 as the season finale will surely tug at your heartstrings.
Peeping Moon gives Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, 3.5 moons.
(Source: Peepingmoon)
