Today, perhaps, this mega serial with 1432 episodes will end. This series has been gripping lots of viewers including us for nearly 3-4 years now.
The story of Shirdi Sai Baba who lived in early 20th Century CE is legendary. His devotees span many religions and countries. He was a living God. Indeed, Sai Baba of Puttaparthi said he was his reincarnation.
The Avatara of Shirdi Sai Baba can be summarised as follows
* He never said he is God.
* His Upadesha was simple: "Shraddha Aur Saburi" meaning "Faith and Patience."
* Being an unlettered man of unknown birth antecedents, he still attracted learned men as his followers.
* He quoted from Gita and Ramayana often.
*He performed a series of miracles for his devotees, mainly curing people.
*He is said to live forever in his Samadhi.
There are parallels to Sri Raghavendraswamy and Satya Sai Baba.
Miracles galore fill up the present mega serial. Most of it is too much to swallow for anyone except a very staunch devotee who has experienced such miracles in his own life. Of course Bhagavan Sri Krishna performed even greater miracles.
Indeed, great saints are known to avoid miracles as whatever happens in a person's life is the result of Karma and the best way to reach God is not to avoid the effects of Karma but to engage in Dharma in a spirit of acceptance. The innocent Shirdi people pray for help at every turn and get it too from Sai to overcome any and every trouble.
But Mere Sai has been written by very creative writers with a good knowledge of all legends of saints. The result is indeed most gripping. We can also learn from the follies of the devotees who are corrected by Sai. So overall, I give high marks to the serial. However, it is a separate matter that my reverence for Shirdi Sai was high and established even before I saw the serial and remains so.
The acting, especially of female characters, is outstanding.
Repeated use of great classical musical backscore designed to intensify emotions is a very effective ploy. Indeed each scene for me in Mere Sai has highly predictable moves and musical elements.
The two stars portraying Sai Baba (one young and one old) have been outstanding. They have literally carried the show on their shoulders.
There is a VILLAIN. He is Kulkarni Sarkar. This character has nothing to do with the historical account of Shirdi Sai. His character has been created in this serial as the most evil person one can think of. He has tried to kill, burn down, exploit, betray, rob, blackmail, torment, torture, poison, and so on EVERY Character in the serial. He is a very effective villain. Indeed the entire serial hinges on the tension between him and Sai.
Sai is a nonviolent Saint. He saves every devotee from Kulkarni's atrocities in the last minute. Just 2 days ago, Kulkarni set fire to the entire village. Sai swallowed up the fire, let copious rain fall and all was perfect again.
When Kulkarni's house is set on fire in revenge, Sai extinguishes it too. This is his last miracle. After disowning all his people, Kulkarni has a change of heart and becomes a Sai devotee. This was shown in a most hurried and unconvincing way. Maybe the serial had to end so they rushed it.
The tension and balance between evil and good is thus finally broken and the Sai Avatara in physical form ends.
I find the Kulkarni evil element intolerable and irreconcilable with anything I know about saints and Avataras. Imagine if Sri Rama went on fighting the war with Ravana for a few years, all the while Sita was being tortured constantly by Ravana with Sri Rama saving her every time in the last second from Ravana's final blow. You will get the idea of what happens in Mere Sai.
And imagine this going on for about 700 hours in 1432 episodes. You will get an idea of what I find unacceptable.
Someone asked Ramana Maharshi why there are evil people in this world. Ramana replied with a smile, "to thicken the plot."
Here Kulkarni deals us a terribly thick plot and Sai only mildly stirs it for 1432 episodes.
When Kulkarni falls from evil, it is as if the rope at one end of the hammock is broken. The hammock cannot function anymore. So Sai ends his Avatara!
The actor who portrays Kulkarni is a superb actor. He matches with Navarasas Sai's Karuna Rasa. That's it.
