Whenever somebody uses the term ‘Laad Governor’, we should conclude that the person was an avid watcher of Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? A one of its kind show, Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? introduced us to one of television’s most adored on-screen pairs- Barun Sobti and Sanaya Irani. They played the characters of Arnav Singh Raizada and Khushi Kumari Gupta (Singh Raizada). Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? premiered on Star Plus on June 6, 2011, and got three seasons in total. While Barun returned with the third season, fans missed Sanaya. 

The Gul Khan-produced romantic drama set the benchmark high for many shows and attained the title of a cult program almost instantly. While saas and her bahus were busy with kitchen politics in daily soaps, Barun, Sanaya and the rest of the team of Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? kept their audience engaged with a fresh narrative, good music, great production value and of course, outstanding performance by every actor. 

Today, as Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? completes 10 years, let’s revisit moments and factors that made the show stand out from the crowd and why nobody can ever recreate the magic. 

Fresh Pairing

Barun Sobti and Sanaya Irani were a treat to watch. While Sanaya has multiple shows to her merit, Barun was still new to the industry. As Arnav and Khushi, the actors breathed life into the show. From their banters to romantic moments, one couldn’t just stop gushing. If one was the storm, another was the calm. 

Simple and Relatable Story

Keeping complicated twists aside for highly dramatic saas-bahu shows, Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? had a simple and relatable story. The audience felt comfortable watching Khushi and Arnav’s love-hate relationship. Well, much before icchadhari naagins and mornis took over, we saw people changing colours for their benefits. Small pleasures over materialistic joys, parents-in-law adapting to new habits for their son-in-law, and the financial gap between the lead pair, were some factors that blurred the line between reel and real.  

Broke Stereotypes

There was a time when female characters on TV were highly stereotyped. They were docile, sanskari and ticked off every box that made them a ‘good girl’. But Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? challenged the notion by giving Khushi’s character a vibrant touch. Though she was well brought up, nothing stopped her from making her own decisions and implementing them according to the situation. A special mention to Lavanya’s character played by Sana Makbul who proved modern-day girls are not necessarily evil, cunning and wrong. 

The men, especially Arnav and his cousin Aakash, were progressive. Though Arnav had his own reservations, he always stood up for his sister. 

Familiar Storyline, New Touch

Indian television has many stories that talk about rich men and middle-class women. What separates Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? from them is the fresh twist Barun and Sanaya added it to. They made old wine taste delicious. 

Not Your Regular Saas-Bahu Drama

Saying goodbye to kitchen politics, Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? redefined the relationship shared by the matriarchs of Indian households. Though Manorama mami (Utkarsha Naik) had shades of grey, she became Khushi’s greatest support when Arnav went missing. It was an out-and-out romantic show that dealt with complications in marriage and love. 

Cliche Moments We Couldn’t Stop Gushing Over

Let’s admit, Khushi falling into Arnav’s arms every now and then did bring a smile to your face. Cliche but fun, there were many moments that made you chuckle but still left you addicted to it. Which moment was your favourite?

Crackling Romance Without Going Seductive

When you say love stories, intimate scenes come to your mind. But, thankfully, Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? didn’t have any uncomfortable moments. Though Barun and Sanaya’s chemistry and romantic scenes were crackling, they weren’t seductive or highly dramatic. They dragged us into the love story with their pure romance. 

Fire and Ice Combination

Well, we leave it up to you to decide who is the fire and who is the ice, but all we can say is Barun and Sanaya ignited the screen with their scenes together.  

Music

Rabba Ve playing the background simply gives us chills to date. The music enhanced the feel of Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon? and it definitely played a key role in adding life to scenes. 

Supporting Cast

From Dalljiet Kaur (Anjali), Abhaas Mehta (Shyam), Deepali Pansare (Payal), Akshay Dogra (Aakash), Karan Goddwani (NK), Pyumori Mehta (Garima), Sanjay Batra (Shashi) to Jayshree T.(Devyani), each actor did their best and added depth to the narrative.

Happy ‘Laad Governor’ and ‘Sanka Devi’ Day!