Sanaya ROCKS again!

13 Oct episode

It was a good idea to stop expecting things in MJHT in terms of the storyline. Because I found I enjoyed the last two days much more when keeping an open mind, rather than when I was wanting and waiting for certain specific things to happen.

And this episode was the best in a long time - because I saw again the Gunjan whom I had first fallen in love with. That Gunjan who was unbearably hurt about Sam's deceit in the bet, and broke off their friendship in a way that showed that deep hurt, but without the shouting and screaming that normally accompanies such scenes. In fact, it was that quiet dignity and grace that had won my heart, that and the depth of emotion which wwere all the more powerful for being unexpressed - when Gunjan said - when were we ever friends, Samrat? those words must have cut through Samrat as sharply as a thousand swords.

And yesterday's confrontation was similar - Gunjan's deep hurt, her unbearable sense of loss, of being let down yet again by the man she loves with all her heart - that came through in those few words - main itni bhi buri bhi nahin hun, Samrat. Tum mujhe itna toh jaante ho na?
I've said it before and I'll say it again - it's not just the words, it's the emotion that Sanaya gets into them that makes them so powerful, the subtle, understated emotion echoed by the look in her eyes - hurt, very deeply hurt - not even angry, because she's beyond anger - it's a sense of betrayal, loss, deceit ... not a single tear escapes her eyes, but she's crying deep inside.

The MN scene just before had similar emotions from Nups, but the shrieking shack was back, and the emotion was completely lost. Anyway, am very glad MN are back to being the comic couple, and SG the emotional one.

In contrast, in the SG scene it was even more powerful because Gunjan went there with the full intention of listening, her expression changed to joy because she thought, yes, he's going to tell her the truth himself ... and then the change, when he lied YET again ... she first just asks - when did you last attend an MBA class, Samrat - he digs his grave deeper by saying - yesterday ... and she breaks. Yes, she gets angry with him, but it's she who is broken, her trust, her faith, she was reaching out to him in the way she knew best, then she acknowledged her mistake and came to try to rectify it ... only to find that he was deceiving her all along.
And her "bas karo, Samrat" shows that. It wasn't shouted, it wasn't even in a loud voice, it was in an almost whisper, a completely defeated tone - just stop, because I can't take it any more, you've been lying to me for days and days, it wasn't on the spur of the moment, it's been thought about, planned ... and you're still lying ...

When Samrat did the SSC role, he unmasked himself before it went too far or for too long. And that was why Gunjan never found it difficult to forgive him for that - he did it for a purpose, to get her back to college, purpose achieved, he unmasked. And she knew why he had done it, she was angry yes, but not deceived. She knew and he knew that she would never have come back to college if she had known Samrat was there - and by unmasking himself, he gave her the option of leaving again. Which she didn't take, because after that, all his moves were out in the open - no deceit. So this one has broken her heart.

I loved the last scene for one big reason - the communication channels have slowly started opening, the gloves are off, the 'friendship' is pushed to the back burner, because Samrat says it straight out - what can I do to make things all right, because I love this girl very much. And that stopped Gunjan in her tracks.
Wonder what she was going to say when she stopped - apni mangetar? apni girlfriend?
She advises him to tell the truth. And to 'nibhao his vaada'? And asks him to leave - oh so politely and coldly.
And when he goes, equally quietly, she stares after him in despair ... she hates this situation as much as he does, she hates his lies as much as she loves him.

And SO - and this is getting my hopes up, so I need to dampen them again ;) - SG seem to be back to the S2 SG that we loved - not only that, they are the stage they were after the Look At Me scene - yes, they love each other, and they both know it, but those distances are so much there. Even though Nups is back. And this is exactly what we wanted - that they not make up just because Nups is back. But we still want an accounting for Sam's pain during those three years.

Precap seems to be of the next track rather than of a scene - girls are mad, guys have to win them back. M is totally at fault, so he has a tough one, but for Samrat, will this finally bring into the open his feelings about those lost three years? Will Gunjan finally ask WHY he felt the need to lie at all?
Or have the CV's forgotten about those missing three years?

Anyway, Sanaya was the ROCK of this episode. Right from that starting scene with Mayank and Ash, to going to college, becoming hopeful and happy that she will be back with Samrat in the same way, to the heartbreak yet again - masked again with anger ... and in the last scene, her mask back in place, her feelings hidden under a cool facade ... showing only when he leaves. This girl is surely the most expressive and most under-rated actress on Indian tv. And for serious, emotional tracks, there is just no one to match her. The good thing is that Mohit can hold her in these scenes, which is what makes them so effective. He has evolved into a really good actor in these scenes - he just needs to lay off the comedy.

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