Maryada ... great scenes yesterday and today - yesterday between Roshnee devi and Devyani, and today the trio of RD, Devyani and Brahma. And the dance was excellent ... especially the way Devyani's expressions changed as it went on and she saw Uttara's junoon.
Friday, September 30, 2011
29/9 - Epi 86 ... Moving in, Moving out - cutiepie Khushi
29th Sept
When I said yesterday that the episode seemed to indicate La moving out of RM soon, never realised it would be so soon! And yes, she had to move out and her relationship with Arnav end, before Shyam exposure started. And that happened as well ... or at least, the next step. So things are on the move here!
Liked the way the La end was done ... as I wanted, La saw the writing on the wall, and ended it herself with what remained of her dignity - the showdown between her and Arnav was very dignified from her end. Including the part about not blaming Khushi. I think later, La will be responsible for Khushi's first makeover, especially if there is no marriage and Khushi starts working with a rival company.
Also saw a lot of changes in Arnav's attitude towards Khushi - no yelling at all for once, that was the first and biggest change. And his words about money were forced, out of habit, as though he's convincing himself, not her. Especially the last conversation, no anger at all at his end ... is he secretly relieved that because of Khushi, his one major problem has been sorted out? Now all that remains is to sort out his feelings for Khushi. And no, he's not in love yet ... he's strongly attracted, has been fighting it all the way, and now the fight has been mellowed because of the knowledge of her past, so he can't really yell at her any more. Every time she does something silly, he sees the child in her now, not a conniving woman.
Another thing about the showdown ... Arnav was shouting at La as usual, completely out of control, but after he saw Khushi, his anger actually came under control ... his words to her, though harsh, were not unduly so, and were justified, and were spoken by a man making a huge effort to control his anger. And when he turned to La again, his first words were again controlled ... so MAJOR changes in Arnav already! His fury gets out of control only when La asks him for something he is absolutely not ready to give her ... has never been ... and his feelings have just crystallised even more. La's changing for his family, winning over his family, making efforts for him ... nothing has softened him at all ... and he knows it.
Really liked one part ... La asks Arnav ... why are you scared of marriage? He's offended - scared? and ASR? She goes on - ok, if you're not scared, and it doesn't make a difference to you, but it does make a difference to me, then why can't we get married? And he just stops there - his eyes fall - he has NO answer to her question ... or maybe that's when realisation hits ... it's not marriage that doesn't make a difference to him, it's Lavanya. She doesn't make a difference to him, she doesn't mean anything to him ... his nani was getting on his nerves, La was just a means of getting Nani off his back, choosing purposely a girl who was sure to NOT win Nani's approval ... but that move has backfired completely. And when La asks him straight out, do you even love me at all, do you care about me, finally the truth comes out - no, I don't care about you!
And although he tries to rectify it by saying why would I have gone against everyone in my house, my Di, if I hadn't cared ... La has had enough. So what does she want, he asks her, and she tells him what she doesn't want. Which includes living as his girlfriend for the rest of her life. She wants more than that.
He can't give her more. Can't ... or won't.
Then she's had enough. She's going.
And he doesn't even make one single attempt to stop her.
The waiting women downstairs ... La only communicates with Anjali, who was her well-wisher but only for her brother, and Khushi, who became her well-wisher for herself, who opened La's eyes to what exactly she was letting herself in for longterm ... and leaves.
Arnav comes down ... his ex-girlfriend is less on his mind than Khushi ... La is leaving, now send Khushi away, and out of my life!
Arnav, when was Khushi even in your life? *rofl* your man ka chor showing again ... if La leaves, Khushi will leave automatically, itni bhi kya pareshani?!
Leaving Anjali distraught (as usual) at the exit of her brother's love (not to worry, Anjali, he's already recovered), poor Khushi genuinely upset at the result of her work (again, don't worry, Khushi, Arnav was looking for an excuse, you gave him one, he won't be angry with you for long, once he realises he's well out of the La mess), Mami worried about Akash's sanyas, and Nani frankly delighted!
Khushi worried about La, her new best friend, and decides she will try to undo the mess she made ... or thinks she made ...
Next set of festivals start ... Shyam very happy that Khushi will not be coming to RM any more.
Khushi apologises to La, La is not interested ... she did realise that ASR didn't make a single attempt to stop her, so she's seen the writing on the wall. And her heart is not broken, her self-respect is more important. And she doesn't blame Khushi at all - after all, it was Khushi who showed her how brittle her relationship was. So La off to spa.
But Khushi still upset and penitent ... decides to try on La's behalf ...
Hilarious bit, damn sweet ... Khushi's attempts at talking to Arnav, her nervousness, her pep talk to herself, to her babuji's amusement, and the way she tells him to shush because she's trying to concentrate ... Khushi was too cute here! And when Arnav on the phone finally tells her he knows it's her ... did he know all along? does he have her number on caller ID, or was it the wind again? *rofl* ... and Khushi starts blabbering, taking all the blame on herself ... *rofl* Khushi he knows that already, the only thing you're responsible for is that this time you kickstarted La's brain into actually working and thinking for itself! So the decision to insist on marriage and to walk out if she doesn't get it, was La's own decision.
But Khushi of course still feels bad, and feels responsible, so she decides to try yet again ... a love letter, in her best Hinglish ... maybe Khushi should take English lessons from La in return for the sanskar lessons she gave her!
Buaji's reactions on reading the first love letter ... *rofl*
Payal's horror that Khushi is writing a love letter to ASR ... *rofl* again. And her first bit of sensible advice to Khushi ... leave Devi maiyya to work out her couples herself.
Anjali still moping ... Khushi arrives
Arnav Khushi ... she's quiet, so he goads her into talking ... but tone changed completely. Rightly he should be still angry at how she brainwashed his girlfriend, but he seems to have forgotten about that completely, her phone call is more on his mind. And his expression when she says La has sent the letter is hilarious ... like, oh really now?! Then she says, La has even said sorry, you don't have to say sorry ... let's just go bring her back ... and he has this look as though, you really think I'm going to fall for this? But there's a softness mixed there, at the fact that she knows his allergy to saying sorry, so she's saying all the sorry's herself ... for herself and for La ...
So all he does is tear up the letter into pieces and chuck it all over her ...
I will be surprised if he gets angry at her ... I don't think he will. More like he will tell her it's over between him and La and he will never marry La, or something of the sort, and she leaves even more upset and guilty about his breakup.
Because at the moment, Khushi has no romantic feelings for Arnav herself. How can she? As he has never failed to point out to her, her aukat, her haisiyat, even her language, her beliefs, her values and culture, all are so different ... she has never looked at him as a man ... only as an employer, and a khadoos tyrannical one at that, and now as the love interest of her new friend, whose breakup she is responsible for. And the irritating and inconvenient way he has of intruding in her thoughts at all times, is just that ... an inconvenience.The only change is that she's not as scared of him as she was earlier, that there is an unexpressed kinship, a bond, between two people who have shared their most intimate memories of the worst moments in their lives, have exposed their naked grief to each other ... that night will always be a bond between them now. And it now gives her the right? the responsibility? of getting what she thinks is his happiness back into his life.
When I said yesterday that the episode seemed to indicate La moving out of RM soon, never realised it would be so soon! And yes, she had to move out and her relationship with Arnav end, before Shyam exposure started. And that happened as well ... or at least, the next step. So things are on the move here!
Liked the way the La end was done ... as I wanted, La saw the writing on the wall, and ended it herself with what remained of her dignity - the showdown between her and Arnav was very dignified from her end. Including the part about not blaming Khushi. I think later, La will be responsible for Khushi's first makeover, especially if there is no marriage and Khushi starts working with a rival company.
Also saw a lot of changes in Arnav's attitude towards Khushi - no yelling at all for once, that was the first and biggest change. And his words about money were forced, out of habit, as though he's convincing himself, not her. Especially the last conversation, no anger at all at his end ... is he secretly relieved that because of Khushi, his one major problem has been sorted out? Now all that remains is to sort out his feelings for Khushi. And no, he's not in love yet ... he's strongly attracted, has been fighting it all the way, and now the fight has been mellowed because of the knowledge of her past, so he can't really yell at her any more. Every time she does something silly, he sees the child in her now, not a conniving woman.
Another thing about the showdown ... Arnav was shouting at La as usual, completely out of control, but after he saw Khushi, his anger actually came under control ... his words to her, though harsh, were not unduly so, and were justified, and were spoken by a man making a huge effort to control his anger. And when he turned to La again, his first words were again controlled ... so MAJOR changes in Arnav already! His fury gets out of control only when La asks him for something he is absolutely not ready to give her ... has never been ... and his feelings have just crystallised even more. La's changing for his family, winning over his family, making efforts for him ... nothing has softened him at all ... and he knows it.
Really liked one part ... La asks Arnav ... why are you scared of marriage? He's offended - scared? and ASR? She goes on - ok, if you're not scared, and it doesn't make a difference to you, but it does make a difference to me, then why can't we get married? And he just stops there - his eyes fall - he has NO answer to her question ... or maybe that's when realisation hits ... it's not marriage that doesn't make a difference to him, it's Lavanya. She doesn't make a difference to him, she doesn't mean anything to him ... his nani was getting on his nerves, La was just a means of getting Nani off his back, choosing purposely a girl who was sure to NOT win Nani's approval ... but that move has backfired completely. And when La asks him straight out, do you even love me at all, do you care about me, finally the truth comes out - no, I don't care about you!
And although he tries to rectify it by saying why would I have gone against everyone in my house, my Di, if I hadn't cared ... La has had enough. So what does she want, he asks her, and she tells him what she doesn't want. Which includes living as his girlfriend for the rest of her life. She wants more than that.
He can't give her more. Can't ... or won't.
Then she's had enough. She's going.
And he doesn't even make one single attempt to stop her.
The waiting women downstairs ... La only communicates with Anjali, who was her well-wisher but only for her brother, and Khushi, who became her well-wisher for herself, who opened La's eyes to what exactly she was letting herself in for longterm ... and leaves.
Arnav comes down ... his ex-girlfriend is less on his mind than Khushi ... La is leaving, now send Khushi away, and out of my life!
Arnav, when was Khushi even in your life? *rofl* your man ka chor showing again ... if La leaves, Khushi will leave automatically, itni bhi kya pareshani?!
Leaving Anjali distraught (as usual) at the exit of her brother's love (not to worry, Anjali, he's already recovered), poor Khushi genuinely upset at the result of her work (again, don't worry, Khushi, Arnav was looking for an excuse, you gave him one, he won't be angry with you for long, once he realises he's well out of the La mess), Mami worried about Akash's sanyas, and Nani frankly delighted!
Khushi worried about La, her new best friend, and decides she will try to undo the mess she made ... or thinks she made ...
Next set of festivals start ... Shyam very happy that Khushi will not be coming to RM any more.
Khushi apologises to La, La is not interested ... she did realise that ASR didn't make a single attempt to stop her, so she's seen the writing on the wall. And her heart is not broken, her self-respect is more important. And she doesn't blame Khushi at all - after all, it was Khushi who showed her how brittle her relationship was. So La off to spa.
But Khushi still upset and penitent ... decides to try on La's behalf ...
Hilarious bit, damn sweet ... Khushi's attempts at talking to Arnav, her nervousness, her pep talk to herself, to her babuji's amusement, and the way she tells him to shush because she's trying to concentrate ... Khushi was too cute here! And when Arnav on the phone finally tells her he knows it's her ... did he know all along? does he have her number on caller ID, or was it the wind again? *rofl* ... and Khushi starts blabbering, taking all the blame on herself ... *rofl* Khushi he knows that already, the only thing you're responsible for is that this time you kickstarted La's brain into actually working and thinking for itself! So the decision to insist on marriage and to walk out if she doesn't get it, was La's own decision.
But Khushi of course still feels bad, and feels responsible, so she decides to try yet again ... a love letter, in her best Hinglish ... maybe Khushi should take English lessons from La in return for the sanskar lessons she gave her!
Buaji's reactions on reading the first love letter ... *rofl*
Payal's horror that Khushi is writing a love letter to ASR ... *rofl* again. And her first bit of sensible advice to Khushi ... leave Devi maiyya to work out her couples herself.
Anjali still moping ... Khushi arrives
Arnav Khushi ... she's quiet, so he goads her into talking ... but tone changed completely. Rightly he should be still angry at how she brainwashed his girlfriend, but he seems to have forgotten about that completely, her phone call is more on his mind. And his expression when she says La has sent the letter is hilarious ... like, oh really now?! Then she says, La has even said sorry, you don't have to say sorry ... let's just go bring her back ... and he has this look as though, you really think I'm going to fall for this? But there's a softness mixed there, at the fact that she knows his allergy to saying sorry, so she's saying all the sorry's herself ... for herself and for La ...
So all he does is tear up the letter into pieces and chuck it all over her ...
I will be surprised if he gets angry at her ... I don't think he will. More like he will tell her it's over between him and La and he will never marry La, or something of the sort, and she leaves even more upset and guilty about his breakup.
Because at the moment, Khushi has no romantic feelings for Arnav herself. How can she? As he has never failed to point out to her, her aukat, her haisiyat, even her language, her beliefs, her values and culture, all are so different ... she has never looked at him as a man ... only as an employer, and a khadoos tyrannical one at that, and now as the love interest of her new friend, whose breakup she is responsible for. And the irritating and inconvenient way he has of intruding in her thoughts at all times, is just that ... an inconvenience.The only change is that she's not as scared of him as she was earlier, that there is an unexpressed kinship, a bond, between two people who have shared their most intimate memories of the worst moments in their lives, have exposed their naked grief to each other ... that night will always be a bond between them now. And it now gives her the right? the responsibility? of getting what she thinks is his happiness back into his life.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
28/9 - Epi 85 ... Meh
28th Sept
After the high voltage drama on Tuesday, a 'meh' episode ... the only thing I can see is that it seems to be leading to La's exit, which I felt was a must before the Shyam unveiling.
So Arnav slowly ... ever so slowly emerging from ASR ...
Khushi chirpy as before, happy about that apology ... or happy that it might signal a change in LG's attitude? Whatever it might be, whatever the unknown feelings inside her, they just lift her mood, until she sees his mark of last night ... and remembers again ...
And then covers it up with her dupatta ... some things are private between her and her LG ...
Shashi babu doing very amateur detective work about Shyam ... clean character chit, except that Shyam has a family very much in Delhi ... so why PG? Shashi babu, all that is very well, but again, can you be a little more circumspect with your enquiries? And wonder of wonders, Shyam babu is actually at court.
RM - Ladies wondering at Arnav bitua's change ... Anjali, dumb as ever ascribes it to La ... Anjali really lives in her own little fool's paradise. Nani more correctly ascribes La's changes to Khushi, but adds very unfairly that just by dressing Indian and wanting marriage, La hasn't won her over yet ... Nani, then what will win you over? Blaming La for Arnav not wanting marriage is hardly fair ... when you haven't managed to persuade him for so many years, why blame La? Your apna sikka is khota, why blame the poor girl?
Nani is still more clued on than Anjali, though ... she says she doesn't understand what Chotey is thinking. Not only you, Nani, even Chotey doesn't know what he's thinking ... how can anyone else know!
But finally Arnav does make it clear to La that she will never be his wife ... so some things are clearing up in his mind for sure. Methinks this is paving the way for La's exit.
Khushi enters, all happy that LG will no longer glare at her for every little thing ... after all, he said sorry and she forgave him. So she gives him a big smile ... but gets a glare again *sigh* LG is back! He's mad after that scene with La, of course ...
And dupatta again ... stuck in lappy this time ... another eyelock, another Rabba ve ... and wonder of wonders, another apology ... for the bruise on her arm this time! And Khushi can't believe it ... till La intrudes complaining that ASR doesn't want to marry her.
Why is Khushi pushing La so much towards marriage? Just doing her job as best she can? Or is slightly guilt at that unexpressed tug between her and Arnav making her go the extra mile?
I liked the dupatta scene, because Arnav came to know why Khushi was wearing the dupatta the way she was,another acknowledgement of the privacy of their dealings ...
'Meh' phone call between PayAsh ... how come Payal found it so easy to call now? And what stopped her when Babuji was sick? And what did she call to speak to Khushi about anyway?
Actually why should Shyam, IF he were what he seemed, be concerned about Babuji doing enquiries about him? Any concerned father of a daughter would do the same. Shyam ji, your inner chor is showing.
Khushi dresses La as a bride and speaks more on her ideas about marriage ... she really has an ideal romanticised view! And Arnav of course is going to blow up ... Arnav dear, blow up on Nani, who insists on marriage, blow up on La, who's going against what you decided with her ... why is Khushi always your culprit?
Poor La ... she really has no brain of her own ... first ASR told her no marriage, only live in and she agreed, then Mami told her to get rid of Khushi, so she agreed, then Khushi tells her how to be 'sanskaari' so she follows her ... when is she going to wake up and realise that the main issue is the lack of depth in the relationship between her and Arnav? And retain the remains of her dignity and walk out?
Links
Part 1
After the high voltage drama on Tuesday, a 'meh' episode ... the only thing I can see is that it seems to be leading to La's exit, which I felt was a must before the Shyam unveiling.
So Arnav slowly ... ever so slowly emerging from ASR ...
Khushi chirpy as before, happy about that apology ... or happy that it might signal a change in LG's attitude? Whatever it might be, whatever the unknown feelings inside her, they just lift her mood, until she sees his mark of last night ... and remembers again ...
And then covers it up with her dupatta ... some things are private between her and her LG ...
Shashi babu doing very amateur detective work about Shyam ... clean character chit, except that Shyam has a family very much in Delhi ... so why PG? Shashi babu, all that is very well, but again, can you be a little more circumspect with your enquiries? And wonder of wonders, Shyam babu is actually at court.
RM - Ladies wondering at Arnav bitua's change ... Anjali, dumb as ever ascribes it to La ... Anjali really lives in her own little fool's paradise. Nani more correctly ascribes La's changes to Khushi, but adds very unfairly that just by dressing Indian and wanting marriage, La hasn't won her over yet ... Nani, then what will win you over? Blaming La for Arnav not wanting marriage is hardly fair ... when you haven't managed to persuade him for so many years, why blame La? Your apna sikka is khota, why blame the poor girl?
Nani is still more clued on than Anjali, though ... she says she doesn't understand what Chotey is thinking. Not only you, Nani, even Chotey doesn't know what he's thinking ... how can anyone else know!
But finally Arnav does make it clear to La that she will never be his wife ... so some things are clearing up in his mind for sure. Methinks this is paving the way for La's exit.
Khushi enters, all happy that LG will no longer glare at her for every little thing ... after all, he said sorry and she forgave him. So she gives him a big smile ... but gets a glare again *sigh* LG is back! He's mad after that scene with La, of course ...
And dupatta again ... stuck in lappy this time ... another eyelock, another Rabba ve ... and wonder of wonders, another apology ... for the bruise on her arm this time! And Khushi can't believe it ... till La intrudes complaining that ASR doesn't want to marry her.
Why is Khushi pushing La so much towards marriage? Just doing her job as best she can? Or is slightly guilt at that unexpressed tug between her and Arnav making her go the extra mile?
I liked the dupatta scene, because Arnav came to know why Khushi was wearing the dupatta the way she was,another acknowledgement of the privacy of their dealings ...
'Meh' phone call between PayAsh ... how come Payal found it so easy to call now? And what stopped her when Babuji was sick? And what did she call to speak to Khushi about anyway?
Actually why should Shyam, IF he were what he seemed, be concerned about Babuji doing enquiries about him? Any concerned father of a daughter would do the same. Shyam ji, your inner chor is showing.
Khushi dresses La as a bride and speaks more on her ideas about marriage ... she really has an ideal romanticised view! And Arnav of course is going to blow up ... Arnav dear, blow up on Nani, who insists on marriage, blow up on La, who's going against what you decided with her ... why is Khushi always your culprit?
Poor La ... she really has no brain of her own ... first ASR told her no marriage, only live in and she agreed, then Mami told her to get rid of Khushi, so she agreed, then Khushi tells her how to be 'sanskaari' so she follows her ... when is she going to wake up and realise that the main issue is the lack of depth in the relationship between her and Arnav? And retain the remains of her dignity and walk out?
Links
Part 1
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
27/7 - Epi 84 ... I'm Really Sorry
27th Sept
High voltage Arshi ... at their best.
And Shashi babu, watch out for the Ssssnake ... Slimeball Shyam can be dangerous.
Starts with La trying to wheedle a smile out of ASR, or at least find out why he's been so angry with her the whole day. How can he tell you, La, he doesn't know himself - why Khushi's absence has made him so restless and bad-tempered! Why that apology is the only thing on his mind ... I really wonder if he got any work done at all today, between his practice sessions and those abortive phone calls!
And then La says Khushi has come, and his whole demeanour changes completely - from trying to get rid of La, to complete attention to what she's saying ... Khushi? Khushi has come?
And of course he has to go to see for himself ...
Khushi waiting for La ... as she sees Arnav, her face softens, as though she was waiting for him, as though she is glad to see him, was wanting to see him ... and his softens too ... but he looks away, and she remembers his harsh words about parents, and her face hardens, she looks away as well ... but now he has to try, so he comes down (literally, figuratively he's not quite there yet) ...
Awkward silence ... he can't find the words ... she doesn't want to ...
And La drags her away ... stolen looks again, but out of synch this time ...
Of course he has to follow her to the party ... why has that apology become so important and urgent?!
Because she's always on his mind ... as he is on hers, much to her own annoyance! And even more to her annoyance, why does he land up just when she's thinking about him?
So when he tries to talk to her, she tells him to go away, go to La ... short fuse again ... hers blows, so does his ...How dare you, yes, I dare, you haven't bought daring ... fortunately she has the sense to stop before she reaches his family this time ...
His next words made me laugh ... what do you think, Khushi Kumari Gupta, that I've come here to talk to you? Dude, isn't that exactly why you've come here?! And uh oh, back to jagah again ... thankfully, not aukat this time. And Khushi sweetheart, I love you a lot, but seriously, if you shout at him, you have to expect he will shout back, stop crying when he shouts back ... It's unfair! Although as usual, her tears affect him enough to recall him to his main purpose - I've come here to say sorry, to say sorry ... hey bhagwan, Arnav, one would think saying sorry was more difficult than climbing Mount Everest ...
But as usual, she's gone again ...
{Shashi babu doing detectivegiri - sees the wedding ring mark on Shyam's finger, tries calling Rani Sahiba but backfires, and Shyam leaves hastily with his phone. Back to RM, where Shyam realises something is blackwa in the daal.}
Gazebo ... Khushi stands alone, still upset. Arnav goes slowly towards her, she senses him before she sees him, gives him one look and turns to leave. He calls her name, she keeps going, and he grabs hold of her - more gently than usual. But his fuse has blown again ... probably because he just doesn't know how to say what he has to. And so he shouts ... don't walk away when I'm talking to you, since morning you've driven me crazy ...
She's flummoxed ... You're the crazy one, I haven't even seen you the whole day ... but if you want to talk, go ahead ... say what you have to!
And oh boy ... is that an apology? Or an apology for an apology?! A furious release for his own frustration, his own guilt ... but definitely no recognition of what he put her through ... he's sorry because she's an orphan like him, he's sorry because he saw his own pain reflected in her, but her pain?! He hasn't even scratched the surface yet!
And that's what she tells him ... so all this while, you were wanting to say sorry? For what? Why would you, Mr ASR say sorry to me, Khushi Kumari Gupta? How can you? You don't even know anything about me ... wait, I'll tell you ... I was eight when my parents died. I didn't know what death was. For a long time, I waited for them to come back. What more? Even today I believe they've now become stars, and so I sleep with stars hanging over my bed. Even today I'm scared of fast cars, of the dark, of sleeping alone. Even today I hope this is all a bad dream, and one day I'll wake up and they'll be back.
And he closes his eyes ... does he have the same hope inside him? the same dreams, the same fears? And for the first time, he begins to see her ... the real her, behind that ever-talkative, ever-chirpy face.
But she's not done yet.
So now you know everything about me. Now say sorry?
But he can't. The word, so difficult to say a little while ago, because it was such a big thing for him to say, now seems so small in front of her pain.
But how can you say sorry to me? Because I'm not of that haisiyat, am I?
His own words, his own taunts, thrown back at him from a person as broken as him on the inside. She turns to leave. He says her name once. She stops. Looks back, he still can't say it. He looks away, she knows he won't say it.
Without looking at her, still struggling with the word. It finally emerges.
Sorry.
She looks back at him in disbelief. He turns to look at her, and when he's looking at her, the second time is easier. It comes from within, from the heart.
Sorry.
And she sees this time it's real.
I'm really sorry.
And she can't take it any more ... seeing her pain in his eyes ... she turns and runs from there ... leaving him looking after her ... feeling another's pain for the first time in years, her pain piercing through that shell he's made around himself, her pain cracking through the ice surrounding his heart.
Sibling love ... but they both are still struggling to get the facades back into place ... Khushi asks for time out to compose herself, for a cup of tea, Arnav just doesn't want to talk.
And when Khushi does talk, it's all about Laad Governer and how difficult it was for him to say sorry. Far easier to keep that in her mind than talk about why it was so difficult for her to hear it from him, why she told him everything about herself, why it was so important for her that he understand her, and why his genuine hurt for her moved her so much that she had to run away.
And Arnav is still stuck on how easy other people find it to say sorry, and why he found it so difficult! And why that 'sorry' has become the focus of his life!
Side note - Anjali bitiya, release your chotey from your pallu and worry about your own husband! Arnav is in good hands, can't say the same about you!
Links -
Arnav's first apology
High voltage Arshi ... at their best.
And Shashi babu, watch out for the Ssssnake ... Slimeball Shyam can be dangerous.
Starts with La trying to wheedle a smile out of ASR, or at least find out why he's been so angry with her the whole day. How can he tell you, La, he doesn't know himself - why Khushi's absence has made him so restless and bad-tempered! Why that apology is the only thing on his mind ... I really wonder if he got any work done at all today, between his practice sessions and those abortive phone calls!
And then La says Khushi has come, and his whole demeanour changes completely - from trying to get rid of La, to complete attention to what she's saying ... Khushi? Khushi has come?
And of course he has to go to see for himself ...
Khushi waiting for La ... as she sees Arnav, her face softens, as though she was waiting for him, as though she is glad to see him, was wanting to see him ... and his softens too ... but he looks away, and she remembers his harsh words about parents, and her face hardens, she looks away as well ... but now he has to try, so he comes down (literally, figuratively he's not quite there yet) ...
Awkward silence ... he can't find the words ... she doesn't want to ...
And La drags her away ... stolen looks again, but out of synch this time ...
Of course he has to follow her to the party ... why has that apology become so important and urgent?!
Because she's always on his mind ... as he is on hers, much to her own annoyance! And even more to her annoyance, why does he land up just when she's thinking about him?
So when he tries to talk to her, she tells him to go away, go to La ... short fuse again ... hers blows, so does his ...How dare you, yes, I dare, you haven't bought daring ... fortunately she has the sense to stop before she reaches his family this time ...
His next words made me laugh ... what do you think, Khushi Kumari Gupta, that I've come here to talk to you? Dude, isn't that exactly why you've come here?! And uh oh, back to jagah again ... thankfully, not aukat this time. And Khushi sweetheart, I love you a lot, but seriously, if you shout at him, you have to expect he will shout back, stop crying when he shouts back ... It's unfair! Although as usual, her tears affect him enough to recall him to his main purpose - I've come here to say sorry, to say sorry ... hey bhagwan, Arnav, one would think saying sorry was more difficult than climbing Mount Everest ...
But as usual, she's gone again ...
{Shashi babu doing detectivegiri - sees the wedding ring mark on Shyam's finger, tries calling Rani Sahiba but backfires, and Shyam leaves hastily with his phone. Back to RM, where Shyam realises something is blackwa in the daal.}
Gazebo ... Khushi stands alone, still upset. Arnav goes slowly towards her, she senses him before she sees him, gives him one look and turns to leave. He calls her name, she keeps going, and he grabs hold of her - more gently than usual. But his fuse has blown again ... probably because he just doesn't know how to say what he has to. And so he shouts ... don't walk away when I'm talking to you, since morning you've driven me crazy ...
She's flummoxed ... You're the crazy one, I haven't even seen you the whole day ... but if you want to talk, go ahead ... say what you have to!
And oh boy ... is that an apology? Or an apology for an apology?! A furious release for his own frustration, his own guilt ... but definitely no recognition of what he put her through ... he's sorry because she's an orphan like him, he's sorry because he saw his own pain reflected in her, but her pain?! He hasn't even scratched the surface yet!
And that's what she tells him ... so all this while, you were wanting to say sorry? For what? Why would you, Mr ASR say sorry to me, Khushi Kumari Gupta? How can you? You don't even know anything about me ... wait, I'll tell you ... I was eight when my parents died. I didn't know what death was. For a long time, I waited for them to come back. What more? Even today I believe they've now become stars, and so I sleep with stars hanging over my bed. Even today I'm scared of fast cars, of the dark, of sleeping alone. Even today I hope this is all a bad dream, and one day I'll wake up and they'll be back.
And he closes his eyes ... does he have the same hope inside him? the same dreams, the same fears? And for the first time, he begins to see her ... the real her, behind that ever-talkative, ever-chirpy face.
But she's not done yet.
So now you know everything about me. Now say sorry?
But he can't. The word, so difficult to say a little while ago, because it was such a big thing for him to say, now seems so small in front of her pain.
But how can you say sorry to me? Because I'm not of that haisiyat, am I?
His own words, his own taunts, thrown back at him from a person as broken as him on the inside. She turns to leave. He says her name once. She stops. Looks back, he still can't say it. He looks away, she knows he won't say it.
Without looking at her, still struggling with the word. It finally emerges.
Sorry.
She looks back at him in disbelief. He turns to look at her, and when he's looking at her, the second time is easier. It comes from within, from the heart.
Sorry.
And she sees this time it's real.
I'm really sorry.
And she can't take it any more ... seeing her pain in his eyes ... she turns and runs from there ... leaving him looking after her ... feeling another's pain for the first time in years, her pain piercing through that shell he's made around himself, her pain cracking through the ice surrounding his heart.
Sibling love ... but they both are still struggling to get the facades back into place ... Khushi asks for time out to compose herself, for a cup of tea, Arnav just doesn't want to talk.
And when Khushi does talk, it's all about Laad Governer and how difficult it was for him to say sorry. Far easier to keep that in her mind than talk about why it was so difficult for her to hear it from him, why she told him everything about herself, why it was so important for her that he understand her, and why his genuine hurt for her moved her so much that she had to run away.
And Arnav is still stuck on how easy other people find it to say sorry, and why he found it so difficult! And why that 'sorry' has become the focus of his life!
Side note - Anjali bitiya, release your chotey from your pallu and worry about your own husband! Arnav is in good hands, can't say the same about you!
Links -
Arnav's first apology
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
26/9 - Epi 83 ... Hidden fears and unaccustomed apologies
26th Sept
Hidden fears surface of a second loss ...
while practice makes perfect - or does it? To apologise or not to apologise ...
while Slimeball Shyam gets away in RM, but will he escape in Gupta house?
Cute episode, had a mix of everything ...
Slimeball Shyam reappears in RM just in time for the conclusion of the pooja, and has to work at making it up to Anjali for once ... under the approving eyes of Nani, mami and La, and the inquisitive-but-we're-not-looking Arnav and Akash - the brother duo hiding behind their newspapers and peeking were a riot!
Khushi at home, memories of her loss surfacing, raising fears of yet another loss as she holds tightly to Babuji's hand ... Arnav's words about cremating your parents in her mind ... she unburdens herself to Payal ... my poor Khushi! Tries so hard to be khush all the time, but is small and scared and so vulnerable inside.
And ASR finally realises he has to apologise to Khushi ... and spends the morning practicing what has become alien to him ... his dhobi is the first victim, then poor La ... and the family is dumbfounded as to why he's annoyed about Khushi's absence.
Just the day he wants to talk to her, she decides to take leave! So he calls her ... only to lose his nerve and disconnect at the first sound of her voice! Tries again ... can't speak ... and stays silent, only to hear a barrage from Khushi ... she is not the type to stay silent! She ends up with a 'aapke ghar mein maa behen nahin hai kya?' and disconnects the line before he can get in a word ... and he's left frustrated again ... the day he wants to talk to her, she doesn't come, and now she hung up on him again! And no anger or rage this time, just frustration ... how the hell can I speak to her now?! Because he still has to!
Shashi babu getting more and more suspicious of Shyam ... great going, babuji, but can you be a little less obvious about your James Bond activities?
La getting ready for party ... Arnav doesn't want to go ... then he hears that La has asked Khushi to accompany her ... lolzzzz ... is that his mind I hear changing rapidly?!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Hidden fears surface of a second loss ...
while practice makes perfect - or does it? To apologise or not to apologise ...
while Slimeball Shyam gets away in RM, but will he escape in Gupta house?
Cute episode, had a mix of everything ...
Slimeball Shyam reappears in RM just in time for the conclusion of the pooja, and has to work at making it up to Anjali for once ... under the approving eyes of Nani, mami and La, and the inquisitive-but-we're-not-looking Arnav and Akash - the brother duo hiding behind their newspapers and peeking were a riot!
Khushi at home, memories of her loss surfacing, raising fears of yet another loss as she holds tightly to Babuji's hand ... Arnav's words about cremating your parents in her mind ... she unburdens herself to Payal ... my poor Khushi! Tries so hard to be khush all the time, but is small and scared and so vulnerable inside.
And ASR finally realises he has to apologise to Khushi ... and spends the morning practicing what has become alien to him ... his dhobi is the first victim, then poor La ... and the family is dumbfounded as to why he's annoyed about Khushi's absence.
Just the day he wants to talk to her, she decides to take leave! So he calls her ... only to lose his nerve and disconnect at the first sound of her voice! Tries again ... can't speak ... and stays silent, only to hear a barrage from Khushi ... she is not the type to stay silent! She ends up with a 'aapke ghar mein maa behen nahin hai kya?' and disconnects the line before he can get in a word ... and he's left frustrated again ... the day he wants to talk to her, she doesn't come, and now she hung up on him again! And no anger or rage this time, just frustration ... how the hell can I speak to her now?! Because he still has to!
Shashi babu getting more and more suspicious of Shyam ... great going, babuji, but can you be a little less obvious about your James Bond activities?
La getting ready for party ... Arnav doesn't want to go ... then he hears that La has asked Khushi to accompany her ... lolzzzz ... is that his mind I hear changing rapidly?!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Saturday, September 24, 2011
23/9 - Epi 82 ...Sister of my Heart
23rd Sept
Anjali-Khushi tore at my heartstrings ... and Khushi-Babuji even more ...
I was angry with Arnav today in the first scene ... I forgave him for lashing out at Khushi earlier, because he was expressing his own pain, but in the temple, he went too far again ... really hurting her deeply, when she was already so hurt and upset. It was like kicking a small defenceless puppy ...
Khushi has never had the freedom to express her grief over her parents ... being in such a loving foster family, expressing grief must seem to her to be the height of ingratitude, that even surrounded by so much love as she is, she can still miss her own parents. And Anjali could see her grief (though I'm not sure how Anjali knows she is an orphan) and relate to it, so Khushi finally had the freedom to say yes, she misses her parents too ... had the freedom to cry for them ... every time I watch the scene, it makes me cry. Both Daljit and Sanaya were brilliant ... Anjali could comfort Khushi because of their shared pain, and Khushi looked like the little lost girl she must have been when her parents died.
And I was glad Arnav overheard ... fiercely glad. I didn't feel sorry for his remorse, I felt it served him right ... he has to feel remorse for his words, for he was thoughtlessly and needlessly cruel earlier. And this is the loss that has shaped his life and his current persona ... he has to see that the same loss has shaped another person so differently. And that his way of controlling his grief, which hurts everyone around him, and even innocent bystanders like Khushi, is not the best way ... he has justified his behaviour because of his loss, but now how to justify that behaviour, when the same loss has been handled so differently by the girl he pretends to hate?!
And the last scene, when Khushi returns home to find her Babuji sick again made me tear up ... her own loss brought home to her again, and now faced with the possibility of another loss, of the second anchor in her life ... the way she clutched at her babuji was heartrending, especially after what she has gone through just a short while ago.
Shyam (Abhaas) was good as usual ... turning greyer and greyer ... how I hope that Khushi insists on talking to the doctor herself, especially as Shyam has gone off belatedly to RM ... and does start to wonder why he didn't tell the family about Babuji's medicine. And more development, Anjali is getting pissed off with Shyam, so he will get more desperate to get Khushi into his life and out of RM as soon as possible. So teh Shyam exposure has to come soon.
Anjali-Khushi tore at my heartstrings ... and Khushi-Babuji even more ...
I was angry with Arnav today in the first scene ... I forgave him for lashing out at Khushi earlier, because he was expressing his own pain, but in the temple, he went too far again ... really hurting her deeply, when she was already so hurt and upset. It was like kicking a small defenceless puppy ...
Khushi has never had the freedom to express her grief over her parents ... being in such a loving foster family, expressing grief must seem to her to be the height of ingratitude, that even surrounded by so much love as she is, she can still miss her own parents. And Anjali could see her grief (though I'm not sure how Anjali knows she is an orphan) and relate to it, so Khushi finally had the freedom to say yes, she misses her parents too ... had the freedom to cry for them ... every time I watch the scene, it makes me cry. Both Daljit and Sanaya were brilliant ... Anjali could comfort Khushi because of their shared pain, and Khushi looked like the little lost girl she must have been when her parents died.
And I was glad Arnav overheard ... fiercely glad. I didn't feel sorry for his remorse, I felt it served him right ... he has to feel remorse for his words, for he was thoughtlessly and needlessly cruel earlier. And this is the loss that has shaped his life and his current persona ... he has to see that the same loss has shaped another person so differently. And that his way of controlling his grief, which hurts everyone around him, and even innocent bystanders like Khushi, is not the best way ... he has justified his behaviour because of his loss, but now how to justify that behaviour, when the same loss has been handled so differently by the girl he pretends to hate?!
And the last scene, when Khushi returns home to find her Babuji sick again made me tear up ... her own loss brought home to her again, and now faced with the possibility of another loss, of the second anchor in her life ... the way she clutched at her babuji was heartrending, especially after what she has gone through just a short while ago.
Shyam (Abhaas) was good as usual ... turning greyer and greyer ... how I hope that Khushi insists on talking to the doctor herself, especially as Shyam has gone off belatedly to RM ... and does start to wonder why he didn't tell the family about Babuji's medicine. And more development, Anjali is getting pissed off with Shyam, so he will get more desperate to get Khushi into his life and out of RM as soon as possible. So teh Shyam exposure has to come soon.
Friday, September 23, 2011
22/9 - Epi 81 ...Shades of Arnav
22nd Sept
I thought this would follow straight after Shades of Khushi, but the cvs gave us an Arshilicious episode in between!
First scene ... in your face, Sneakster Shyamu ... Shashi is not convinced at all about Shyam. Bua tries to convince them again, she has done all the jaanch ... arey, woman, what jaanch have you done?! Just asked the guy himself about his family ... he could - and did - say anything at all, and you're blindly believing it.
Shashi reiterates again that Khushi is not their own child, so they have to be extra careful ... Bua says Shyam has looked after them all so much (like how exactly, buaji? What exactly has he actually done, apart from sweet talking you all? And getting Khushi her first job ... ok, that's one thing he did do.) And Bua reminds Shashi that Shyam saved Khushi from gundas in Lucknow ... and Shashi looks very thoughtful indeed!
I do like an intelligent man! Shashi ji, aapke aur mere khayalat kitne milte hain! Kab se I've been saying that Shyam saving Khushi from gundas was not a coincidence, it was a set up.
Mandir ... Khushi brings her parents, Arnav comes to call the pandit ... he senses her, but doesn't see her, she senses him, actually looks around, her eyes searching ... but doesn't see him. He leaves with the pandit, and stops seeing a child crying.
She's crying for her father, she doesn't have the money to release a pigeon and make a wish. Damn cute scene ... very cute kid! 'Where are your parents?' 'Papa is in hospital, mummy is crying' ... such a cute, innocent childlike answer ... all the facts, exact and to the point! He feels bad, gives her his hanky, she blows her nose and he makes the same face he made just a couple of days back ;-) ... takes back the hanky gingerly *rofl* She tells him she doesn't have enough money, he sees the broken pieces of the kulhad ...
Khushi runs to buy a pigeon and make her wish ... but someone has just bought all the pigeons ... immediately she curses the selfishness of the man, to buy all the wishes for himself ... and then she sees the child and the man ...
Beautiful scene ... Barun stayed completely in character, quiet, few words, yet his empathy for the child and his pain when she mentioned his parents both showing clearly ... and his last words to the child ... don't come out alone again ... well done! And Khushi sees it all ... sees a new, completely different side of the Rakshas ... has she been mistaken in reading him?
And she tells her sister the same ... I liked the sisters scene, Payal gently and fondly exasperated with her bakbak sister, can you please talk less and explain more?! That is, if you understand yourself what you're saying!
Khushi at RM ... thinks there's a major celebration puja happening ... she and Anjali finally get around to discovering the common Shyam in their lives ... only the name though ... but Anjali is too preoccupied to think much about that ... Khushi wonders aloud that even Arnav is joining the puja without being asked, earning another glare from him ... and then she realises what the puja is about and is horror-stricken at her thoughtless mistake. And tries to apologise ... but he's back to angry mode.
Slimeball Shyam tries desperately to get Khushi sent back home, but Anjali is pissed off ... forget her, when are you coming? And he makes another excuse ... she's upset ... and Shashi overhears ... Rani Sahiba? and work? what work? All Shyam is doing is sitting at home making tea.
Khushi comes to Arnav to apologise ... she's really remorseful and guilty about her mistake. But he tells her to leave. She tells him she can understand ... and he bursts out on her ... you can't understand! How it feels to light your parent's funeral pyres, to come back home and know they're never coming back, you can't understand so don't tell me you can ... because nobody can!
Oh yes, she can, Arnav ... because she's been through the same thing, she's in the same boat as you.
But he adds, very unfairly ... don't think you'll get a raise by showing me your sympathy ...
She doesn't protest at his unfairness, because she can see his pain ... a shared pain, if only he knew ...
So Khushi has started seeing a different side to Arnav, a side he keeps hidden from everyone except his sister. What made him lash out at her? What made him show her a glimpse of his pain, even cloaked as it was in anger? What makes her the only person other than Anjali, with whom he can share his feelings of what it felt like to perform his parents' last rites, feelings he never shares with anyone, refuses to even talk about?
Last scene ... Shashi has a heart attack ... so soon?! Now what?!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
I thought this would follow straight after Shades of Khushi, but the cvs gave us an Arshilicious episode in between!
First scene ... in your face, Sneakster Shyamu ... Shashi is not convinced at all about Shyam. Bua tries to convince them again, she has done all the jaanch ... arey, woman, what jaanch have you done?! Just asked the guy himself about his family ... he could - and did - say anything at all, and you're blindly believing it.
Shashi reiterates again that Khushi is not their own child, so they have to be extra careful ... Bua says Shyam has looked after them all so much (like how exactly, buaji? What exactly has he actually done, apart from sweet talking you all? And getting Khushi her first job ... ok, that's one thing he did do.) And Bua reminds Shashi that Shyam saved Khushi from gundas in Lucknow ... and Shashi looks very thoughtful indeed!
I do like an intelligent man! Shashi ji, aapke aur mere khayalat kitne milte hain! Kab se I've been saying that Shyam saving Khushi from gundas was not a coincidence, it was a set up.
Mandir ... Khushi brings her parents, Arnav comes to call the pandit ... he senses her, but doesn't see her, she senses him, actually looks around, her eyes searching ... but doesn't see him. He leaves with the pandit, and stops seeing a child crying.
She's crying for her father, she doesn't have the money to release a pigeon and make a wish. Damn cute scene ... very cute kid! 'Where are your parents?' 'Papa is in hospital, mummy is crying' ... such a cute, innocent childlike answer ... all the facts, exact and to the point! He feels bad, gives her his hanky, she blows her nose and he makes the same face he made just a couple of days back ;-) ... takes back the hanky gingerly *rofl* She tells him she doesn't have enough money, he sees the broken pieces of the kulhad ...
Khushi runs to buy a pigeon and make her wish ... but someone has just bought all the pigeons ... immediately she curses the selfishness of the man, to buy all the wishes for himself ... and then she sees the child and the man ...
Beautiful scene ... Barun stayed completely in character, quiet, few words, yet his empathy for the child and his pain when she mentioned his parents both showing clearly ... and his last words to the child ... don't come out alone again ... well done! And Khushi sees it all ... sees a new, completely different side of the Rakshas ... has she been mistaken in reading him?
And she tells her sister the same ... I liked the sisters scene, Payal gently and fondly exasperated with her bakbak sister, can you please talk less and explain more?! That is, if you understand yourself what you're saying!
Khushi at RM ... thinks there's a major celebration puja happening ... she and Anjali finally get around to discovering the common Shyam in their lives ... only the name though ... but Anjali is too preoccupied to think much about that ... Khushi wonders aloud that even Arnav is joining the puja without being asked, earning another glare from him ... and then she realises what the puja is about and is horror-stricken at her thoughtless mistake. And tries to apologise ... but he's back to angry mode.
Slimeball Shyam tries desperately to get Khushi sent back home, but Anjali is pissed off ... forget her, when are you coming? And he makes another excuse ... she's upset ... and Shashi overhears ... Rani Sahiba? and work? what work? All Shyam is doing is sitting at home making tea.
Khushi comes to Arnav to apologise ... she's really remorseful and guilty about her mistake. But he tells her to leave. She tells him she can understand ... and he bursts out on her ... you can't understand! How it feels to light your parent's funeral pyres, to come back home and know they're never coming back, you can't understand so don't tell me you can ... because nobody can!
Oh yes, she can, Arnav ... because she's been through the same thing, she's in the same boat as you.
But he adds, very unfairly ... don't think you'll get a raise by showing me your sympathy ...
She doesn't protest at his unfairness, because she can see his pain ... a shared pain, if only he knew ...
So Khushi has started seeing a different side to Arnav, a side he keeps hidden from everyone except his sister. What made him lash out at her? What made him show her a glimpse of his pain, even cloaked as it was in anger? What makes her the only person other than Anjali, with whom he can share his feelings of what it felt like to perform his parents' last rites, feelings he never shares with anyone, refuses to even talk about?
Last scene ... Shashi has a heart attack ... so soon?! Now what?!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Thursday, September 22, 2011
21/9 - Epi 80 ... Changing Equations?
21st Sept
There was a lot of Arnav-Khushi tonight ... changing equations? Or will they go back to their 'aukat' and 'rakshas' status again? There does seem to be some progress on both sides tonight, though, and KTLK is starting as serious competition in a couple of weeks, besides, TRP's are on the rise ... so hopefully channel will sit back and let the PH tell their story at last, instead of putting in the ubiquitous and annoying 'phamily' moments!
So starting with Arnav realising he's been tricked, losing his temper again, he's really on a short fuse now! JP and mamiji leave, so does Blah ... after Arnav calls her Khushi ... Khushi is so on his mind ... why can't he stop thinking about her! Why does what she say annoy him so much, why does it even bother him so much? Why can't he ignore her, she's a 'chotey aukat ki ladki', as he's taken time again and again to point out to her ... or is he really trying to point it out to himself? And why, for God's sake, can he not get over the fact that she cut his call?! That she didn't want to talk to him?! He decides whom he wants to talk to ... who the hell is she to decide! How dare she ...? No, he has to ask her this, he has to show her this doesn't happen in his world ... if he wants to talk to her, he will, and nothing can stop him ...
Quite forgetting his own proclamation that he didn't want her in his house, and he only tolerates her around because of his Di ...
Blah leaves in Arnav's car, Khushi returns with the bulb, and thinks Arnav has left ... relief ... a reprieve for today, at least!
Short-lived relief ... because it's he who opens the door ... and the grim look on his face promises trouble ... yet again.
She tries to brazen it out ... slides past him ... he stops her ... she calls for Blah ... but Blah has gone to office ... she mumbles something about mamiji (she knows Anjali and nani are already out, no hope there) ... Arnav lets her go ... follows her ... and finally she is trapped. By his arms as well as by the beating of her own heart, thundering in panic ... She has to listen to him ...
Why oh why, Arnav is it so important to you that she listen?!
It just is.
Then he goes on ... No one is at home, no one to rescue you ... and she's even more terrified.
(Didn't like the shouted 'samjhi tum?!' somehow detracted from the intensity with which he was talking earlier, and made it more crude ... he should have kept his voice low and intense all through.)
But the next line was classic ... again back to his main grouse .. who the hell are you that I have to take all this trouble to talk to you?!
With others, he calls once, and they fall into line. And her ... he had to follow her, trap her physically, browbeat her forcefully to listen to him ... that is not ASR ... not ASR at all. ASR doesn't have to force people to listen to him ... they normally hang onto his every word! But not her ... not Khushi. How dare she!
So he has to show her her 'aukat' again .. I only tolerate you here for Di, otherwise ...
Really, Arnav? Is that why you have been itching to talk to her since she entered the house? Itching for that fight that only she can give you?!
And she has had enough.
Loved the low, fierce tone in which Khushi spoke ... this is the Sanaya I love :)))
And she tells him ... gives it to him ... this is what marriage is all about ... not just the social trappings, but the vow, the promise, the desire to hold and protect, to step into death's way if necessary for your loved one .. it's that promise which fulfils life ... but you don't understand the sanctity of that promise ... for you, marriage is a responsibility, a burden, a tie you don't want ... because you want to be able to walk away any time ...
Kudos to the dialogue writer for these words ... the words 'liberal thinking' and 'modern views' suddenly seem so hollow ... a euphemism for the fear of commitment and a lack of strength of mind to uphold those vows ... why is it that our sense of morals has become so blunted that we shout in outrage to defend Arnav's right to have a live-in relationship, because that is 'modern thinking' ... and don't defend the age-old institution of marriage from which we all come?
Back to the show ;-)
And he's mad ... hopping mad ... has she hit too close to home? She stares at him defiantly ... no, she's not going to apologise about convincing La about marriage, and he really has no answer, except for that red haze of rage creeping through him ... nothing gets a person more angry than being shown to be wrong ... so he reacts the only way he knows how ... brute force ... or the threat of it ...
And she is scared again ... they are alone in the house ... and he's hurting her ... besides, she didn't mean it that way, her unruly tongue ran away with her again ... he's holding her so close ...
And he pulls her closer still ...
Till La bursts in ... she has really turned 180 degrees! She knows of course, that ASR was mad at Khushi, sees her wipe her tears, and it's Khushi she rushes to, to ask, what happened?
And he leaves without a word.
La upset - he scolded you? I knew it, he's blaming you for the marriage idea, it's my fault ...
But she can't talk, can't think ... she needs to compose herself, recover from the pain, the hurt ... yet again ... hurt given and received ... she touches her bruised wrist and sees the marks on it, touches them gently ... his marks ...
And he stands behind the shut door, he needs recovery time too, why does he always lose his cool with her? Why does he always end up hurting her? And why does her hurt feel like it's piercing through his heart?
Shyam sweet-talking Shashi Gupta ... thank god there is someone with an ounce of sense among the two households ... Because Shashi Gupta catches the gaps straight away, and his antennae are raised. But Buaji rushes in and starts pushing the 'ideal boy' again, and Shyam leaves reassured that Khushi is on her way into his life.
Khushi trying to teach La how to change a bulb ... but she is distracted, lost ... till La holds her bruised wrist and she cries with pain. La is worried for her ... La has really changed overnight, and it's nice to see this friendship ... but Khushi covers it up with a shadow of her usual smile ...
Anjali and nani getting pooja stuff ready for barsi ... fuse goes and La and Khushi go to change it. Arnav annoyed ... does everything wrong in this house have to be related to Khushi? and he goes after them ;-) his defence shield firmly in place, he hates this girl, hates her ... he has to keep telling himself that ... and her ...
La tries to defend Khushi again, but Khushi herself is silent. She speaks to La normally though, asking her for matches ... and Arnav, ready to leave, stops mesmerised at the sight of Khushi in the glow of the candle. And she knows he's looking at her ... but she can't stop looking back at him ... he sees the candle tipping and La wobbling ... and runs to save Khushi from a few drops of hot candle wax as though his life depends on it. And La falls.
Belatedly he helps La up ... why didn't he go to help her first?! La asks that too ... and so do Khushi's eyes. But he doesn't have an answer.
Last scene - Anjali-Arnav, about their parents. Something niggled me about the scene ... wrong dialogues. Fifteen years after the event, still asking, you miss them, don't you? is just adding salt to the wound. Better and more natural by far to say bracingly ... we'll get over it, let's remember the happy times ...
Links
Part 1
Part 2
There was a lot of Arnav-Khushi tonight ... changing equations? Or will they go back to their 'aukat' and 'rakshas' status again? There does seem to be some progress on both sides tonight, though, and KTLK is starting as serious competition in a couple of weeks, besides, TRP's are on the rise ... so hopefully channel will sit back and let the PH tell their story at last, instead of putting in the ubiquitous and annoying 'phamily' moments!
So starting with Arnav realising he's been tricked, losing his temper again, he's really on a short fuse now! JP and mamiji leave, so does Blah ... after Arnav calls her Khushi ... Khushi is so on his mind ... why can't he stop thinking about her! Why does what she say annoy him so much, why does it even bother him so much? Why can't he ignore her, she's a 'chotey aukat ki ladki', as he's taken time again and again to point out to her ... or is he really trying to point it out to himself? And why, for God's sake, can he not get over the fact that she cut his call?! That she didn't want to talk to him?! He decides whom he wants to talk to ... who the hell is she to decide! How dare she ...? No, he has to ask her this, he has to show her this doesn't happen in his world ... if he wants to talk to her, he will, and nothing can stop him ...
Quite forgetting his own proclamation that he didn't want her in his house, and he only tolerates her around because of his Di ...
Blah leaves in Arnav's car, Khushi returns with the bulb, and thinks Arnav has left ... relief ... a reprieve for today, at least!
Short-lived relief ... because it's he who opens the door ... and the grim look on his face promises trouble ... yet again.
She tries to brazen it out ... slides past him ... he stops her ... she calls for Blah ... but Blah has gone to office ... she mumbles something about mamiji (she knows Anjali and nani are already out, no hope there) ... Arnav lets her go ... follows her ... and finally she is trapped. By his arms as well as by the beating of her own heart, thundering in panic ... She has to listen to him ...
Why oh why, Arnav is it so important to you that she listen?!
It just is.
You've crossed your limits, Khushi Kumari Gupta. How dare you cut my call?
Why is that the first thing on his mind always? Why is it the biggest insult, that she refused to listen to him?Then he goes on ... No one is at home, no one to rescue you ... and she's even more terrified.
(Didn't like the shouted 'samjhi tum?!' somehow detracted from the intensity with which he was talking earlier, and made it more crude ... he should have kept his voice low and intense all through.)
But the next line was classic ... again back to his main grouse .. who the hell are you that I have to take all this trouble to talk to you?!
With others, he calls once, and they fall into line. And her ... he had to follow her, trap her physically, browbeat her forcefully to listen to him ... that is not ASR ... not ASR at all. ASR doesn't have to force people to listen to him ... they normally hang onto his every word! But not her ... not Khushi. How dare she!
So he has to show her her 'aukat' again .. I only tolerate you here for Di, otherwise ...
Really, Arnav? Is that why you have been itching to talk to her since she entered the house? Itching for that fight that only she can give you?!
You're here to train Lavanya, not to brainwash her with your middle class mentality. Do your job, take your money and go home. And keep your shaadi ideas to yourself.
Is that because he does not want to marry Lavanya at any cost ... and he's terrified that now that La has actually been accepted by Nani, he might have to?! He brought La here to prove a point to Nani, he never bargained for La to change the views he had carefully chosen her for ... or maybe fed her himself. And she has had enough.
Shaadi is not my 'idea', Mr Arnav Singh Raizada.
And his hands actually drop in shock ... or is it that he's somewhere glad, fiercely glad that she's finally fighting back ... and he has an outlet for all his pent up frustration? Because she can take it ... he knows he doesn't have to hold her any more ... she's not going to run away now. Loved the low, fierce tone in which Khushi spoke ... this is the Sanaya I love :)))
And she tells him ... gives it to him ... this is what marriage is all about ... not just the social trappings, but the vow, the promise, the desire to hold and protect, to step into death's way if necessary for your loved one .. it's that promise which fulfils life ... but you don't understand the sanctity of that promise ... for you, marriage is a responsibility, a burden, a tie you don't want ... because you want to be able to walk away any time ...
Maybe you call this your new thinking ... but I call this a lack of character!
Kudos to the dialogue writer for these words ... the words 'liberal thinking' and 'modern views' suddenly seem so hollow ... a euphemism for the fear of commitment and a lack of strength of mind to uphold those vows ... why is it that our sense of morals has become so blunted that we shout in outrage to defend Arnav's right to have a live-in relationship, because that is 'modern thinking' ... and don't defend the age-old institution of marriage from which we all come?
Back to the show ;-)
And he's mad ... hopping mad ... has she hit too close to home? She stares at him defiantly ... no, she's not going to apologise about convincing La about marriage, and he really has no answer, except for that red haze of rage creeping through him ... nothing gets a person more angry than being shown to be wrong ... so he reacts the only way he knows how ... brute force ... or the threat of it ...
"I'll show you what character dheela really is ..."
And she is scared again ... they are alone in the house ... and he's hurting her ... besides, she didn't mean it that way, her unruly tongue ran away with her again ... he's holding her so close ...
And he pulls her closer still ...
Then what did you mean?
Eyes meeting eyes, tears of pain, coolness replacing anger ... her fear ebbs somehow as his rage dissipates, but they still can't look away ... still so close ... till he realises her pain ... the physical pain he's giving her ... and releases her ... and still she doesn't run ... they stand locked within their bubble ...Till La bursts in ... she has really turned 180 degrees! She knows of course, that ASR was mad at Khushi, sees her wipe her tears, and it's Khushi she rushes to, to ask, what happened?
And he leaves without a word.
La upset - he scolded you? I knew it, he's blaming you for the marriage idea, it's my fault ...
But she can't talk, can't think ... she needs to compose herself, recover from the pain, the hurt ... yet again ... hurt given and received ... she touches her bruised wrist and sees the marks on it, touches them gently ... his marks ...
And he stands behind the shut door, he needs recovery time too, why does he always lose his cool with her? Why does he always end up hurting her? And why does her hurt feel like it's piercing through his heart?
Shyam sweet-talking Shashi Gupta ... thank god there is someone with an ounce of sense among the two households ... Because Shashi Gupta catches the gaps straight away, and his antennae are raised. But Buaji rushes in and starts pushing the 'ideal boy' again, and Shyam leaves reassured that Khushi is on her way into his life.
Khushi trying to teach La how to change a bulb ... but she is distracted, lost ... till La holds her bruised wrist and she cries with pain. La is worried for her ... La has really changed overnight, and it's nice to see this friendship ... but Khushi covers it up with a shadow of her usual smile ...
Anjali and nani getting pooja stuff ready for barsi ... fuse goes and La and Khushi go to change it. Arnav annoyed ... does everything wrong in this house have to be related to Khushi? and he goes after them ;-) his defence shield firmly in place, he hates this girl, hates her ... he has to keep telling himself that ... and her ...
La tries to defend Khushi again, but Khushi herself is silent. She speaks to La normally though, asking her for matches ... and Arnav, ready to leave, stops mesmerised at the sight of Khushi in the glow of the candle. And she knows he's looking at her ... but she can't stop looking back at him ... he sees the candle tipping and La wobbling ... and runs to save Khushi from a few drops of hot candle wax as though his life depends on it. And La falls.
Belatedly he helps La up ... why didn't he go to help her first?! La asks that too ... and so do Khushi's eyes. But he doesn't have an answer.
Last scene - Anjali-Arnav, about their parents. Something niggled me about the scene ... wrong dialogues. Fifteen years after the event, still asking, you miss them, don't you? is just adding salt to the wound. Better and more natural by far to say bracingly ... we'll get over it, let's remember the happy times ...
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
20/9 - Epi 79 ... Shades of Khushi
20th Sept
Shades of Khushi today ... from childlike, innocent, carefree, to orphan with an unknown past, to gossiping girlfriend, and back to naughty, not-wanting to be found out child ... Her parentage came up again today for the first time after the first week's episodes, re-emphasizing that she's an orphan ... is that going to play a part in the non-happening Shyam-Khushi rishta track?
So starts with ASR's annoyed phone call to a worried Khushi - how does she get out of this one? Because if she lets her parents know she's being yelled at, or that she has goofed up yet again, it might be goodbye to her job, and at present, she is the only earning member of the family. So simple solution, she bluffs her way out, then carefully disconnects the line ... tomorrow she will have to face his wrath, but for today, she can enjoy her time with her parents.
ASR left spluttering at the other end of the line ... I thought the guy would have the decency to ask if everything was all right after the way she rushed off ... but nope, he's too furious at the havoc Khushi has created ... yet again ... in his carefully constructed life. He had decided on a live-in relationship, despite knowing his family's disapproval, he had warned La not to change, specially not into that wretched KKG-type, he didn't want marriage, and had silenced his family's complaints, and brainwashed/browbeaten La as well ... from where has this girl come and ruined his all his plans? She's even changed La and gotten her convinced that she wants marriage! And of course he knows La doesn't have the brains to think long term about repurcussions of living in ... it has to be Khushi who has brainwashed her ... Khushi with her middle class morality and her intereference in Arnav's life! Why does his Di like Khushi so much ... if it wasn't for Di, he would have thrown Khushi out ages ago ... and never brought her back! Now his hands are tied ... and his blood is boiling ... he's spoiling for a fight!
Which La doesn't give him ... and when he attempts to browbeat her again about marriage, she throws his clothes down ... she actually dares to defy him ... and walks out of the room on him. Just like she does ... Khushi Kumari Gupta, you have a lot to answer for!
Liked the scene where Khushi tries to return Shyam's money ... her self-respect is intact, and she has no feelings for Shyam, other than simple friendly ones ... doesn't like his feeling bad, but isn't ready to respond to obvious emotional blackmail ... her caution when he said he'd asked her for something, forced him to clarify ... just a cup of tea ... no, she's not making any promises she can't keep. Not except to ASR, because only ASR riles her to the point that she can't think straight!
La brings lunch for ASR, he sends her back ... not nice, ASR ... not in front of office staff/clients. Bad manners.
Khushi and family at dinner - cute, fun, masti, everyone happy to be together, except for Babuji, who is obviously upset. Is he upset at being brought here, upset at Khushi's having to work, upset at his own joblessness ... or all?
La at night ... she wants marriage now, and ASR is seriously annoyed with Khushi ... rightly laying the blame where it belongs!
Khushi and her Babuji ... talk again on Khushi being an orphan, and doing all she can for her family ... because they're all she has. And her optimism ... yes, they will manage, they will be together, they will be fine.
Next morning ... Anjali and nani preparing for another pooja, ASR joins, Anjali asks him what he's thought about marriage, La still in KKG avatar ... ASR doesn't want to hear the word. End of story ... no one dare question him. Khushi enters, to her dismay, ASR is still home ... his glare promises retribution, so she drags a relieved La to the kitchen asap ... cutting him off yet again ... sigh, this girl will never learn!
Kitchen ... La starts confiding in Khushi straight away ... Khushi replies about Laad Governer, Anjali is amused, La leaves, Khushi embarassed, Anjali leaves and Arnav enters ... all within the space of about three seconds *rofl* ... did they apparate and disapparate or what?! And again, Arnav is most annoyed about ... what? That Khushi cut his call *rofl* He is as bad as Khushi ... forgets to think when she's around ... dude, you were supposed to fire her about the marriage thing, not the call !!!
Khushi decides discretion is the better part of valour, because she's in for trouble - La just warned her ASR is spoiling for a fight ... she drops the tin of atta, Mami is her unlikely saviour, ASR decides he won't fire her in front of Mami (maybe because he knows Mami would be the only person actually delighted to hear him, and would probably add her tadka) ... with a final glare, he leaves ... and Khushi heaves a sigh of relief ... saved for the moment!His backward glare promises retribution ... he's not done yet.
Khushi's parents are not very convinced about the alliance with Shyam ... although Buaji is doing her best to convince them. Hope Khushi puts her foot down, because looks like Buaji is winning this one. :(
Chamkili 1 and 2 ... best of friends ;-) La warns Khushi about impending storm ... Khushi decides to go out and buy the bulb ... will take her out of the house - and firing range - for a bit ...
So she thinks, but Arnav has a radar where she is concerned ... now he's got her alone and will not leave her ... she has to stand and listen to him ... hey bhaggu, ASR, call attend kar lo ... jab deho call cut karke, he wants to talk to Khushi! Aise business kaise chalega ?! So Khushi pretends to faint ... poor guy gets genuinely worried, so when she asks for water, he actually runs ... and so does she ... in the opposite direction. And boy, he is even madder than before ... she is really in for it now!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Shades of Khushi today ... from childlike, innocent, carefree, to orphan with an unknown past, to gossiping girlfriend, and back to naughty, not-wanting to be found out child ... Her parentage came up again today for the first time after the first week's episodes, re-emphasizing that she's an orphan ... is that going to play a part in the non-happening Shyam-Khushi rishta track?
So starts with ASR's annoyed phone call to a worried Khushi - how does she get out of this one? Because if she lets her parents know she's being yelled at, or that she has goofed up yet again, it might be goodbye to her job, and at present, she is the only earning member of the family. So simple solution, she bluffs her way out, then carefully disconnects the line ... tomorrow she will have to face his wrath, but for today, she can enjoy her time with her parents.
ASR left spluttering at the other end of the line ... I thought the guy would have the decency to ask if everything was all right after the way she rushed off ... but nope, he's too furious at the havoc Khushi has created ... yet again ... in his carefully constructed life. He had decided on a live-in relationship, despite knowing his family's disapproval, he had warned La not to change, specially not into that wretched KKG-type, he didn't want marriage, and had silenced his family's complaints, and brainwashed/browbeaten La as well ... from where has this girl come and ruined his all his plans? She's even changed La and gotten her convinced that she wants marriage! And of course he knows La doesn't have the brains to think long term about repurcussions of living in ... it has to be Khushi who has brainwashed her ... Khushi with her middle class morality and her intereference in Arnav's life! Why does his Di like Khushi so much ... if it wasn't for Di, he would have thrown Khushi out ages ago ... and never brought her back! Now his hands are tied ... and his blood is boiling ... he's spoiling for a fight!
Which La doesn't give him ... and when he attempts to browbeat her again about marriage, she throws his clothes down ... she actually dares to defy him ... and walks out of the room on him. Just like she does ... Khushi Kumari Gupta, you have a lot to answer for!
Liked the scene where Khushi tries to return Shyam's money ... her self-respect is intact, and she has no feelings for Shyam, other than simple friendly ones ... doesn't like his feeling bad, but isn't ready to respond to obvious emotional blackmail ... her caution when he said he'd asked her for something, forced him to clarify ... just a cup of tea ... no, she's not making any promises she can't keep. Not except to ASR, because only ASR riles her to the point that she can't think straight!
La brings lunch for ASR, he sends her back ... not nice, ASR ... not in front of office staff/clients. Bad manners.
Khushi and family at dinner - cute, fun, masti, everyone happy to be together, except for Babuji, who is obviously upset. Is he upset at being brought here, upset at Khushi's having to work, upset at his own joblessness ... or all?
La at night ... she wants marriage now, and ASR is seriously annoyed with Khushi ... rightly laying the blame where it belongs!
Khushi and her Babuji ... talk again on Khushi being an orphan, and doing all she can for her family ... because they're all she has. And her optimism ... yes, they will manage, they will be together, they will be fine.
Next morning ... Anjali and nani preparing for another pooja, ASR joins, Anjali asks him what he's thought about marriage, La still in KKG avatar ... ASR doesn't want to hear the word. End of story ... no one dare question him. Khushi enters, to her dismay, ASR is still home ... his glare promises retribution, so she drags a relieved La to the kitchen asap ... cutting him off yet again ... sigh, this girl will never learn!
Kitchen ... La starts confiding in Khushi straight away ... Khushi replies about Laad Governer, Anjali is amused, La leaves, Khushi embarassed, Anjali leaves and Arnav enters ... all within the space of about three seconds *rofl* ... did they apparate and disapparate or what?! And again, Arnav is most annoyed about ... what? That Khushi cut his call *rofl* He is as bad as Khushi ... forgets to think when she's around ... dude, you were supposed to fire her about the marriage thing, not the call !!!
Khushi decides discretion is the better part of valour, because she's in for trouble - La just warned her ASR is spoiling for a fight ... she drops the tin of atta, Mami is her unlikely saviour, ASR decides he won't fire her in front of Mami (maybe because he knows Mami would be the only person actually delighted to hear him, and would probably add her tadka) ... with a final glare, he leaves ... and Khushi heaves a sigh of relief ... saved for the moment!His backward glare promises retribution ... he's not done yet.
Khushi's parents are not very convinced about the alliance with Shyam ... although Buaji is doing her best to convince them. Hope Khushi puts her foot down, because looks like Buaji is winning this one. :(
Chamkili 1 and 2 ... best of friends ;-) La warns Khushi about impending storm ... Khushi decides to go out and buy the bulb ... will take her out of the house - and firing range - for a bit ...
So she thinks, but Arnav has a radar where she is concerned ... now he's got her alone and will not leave her ... she has to stand and listen to him ... hey bhaggu, ASR, call attend kar lo ... jab deho call cut karke, he wants to talk to Khushi! Aise business kaise chalega ?! So Khushi pretends to faint ... poor guy gets genuinely worried, so when she asks for water, he actually runs ... and so does she ... in the opposite direction. And boy, he is even madder than before ... she is really in for it now!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
19/9 - Epi 78 ... Delicious mix
19th Sept
So things have started getting better ... hope this is maintained ... the last few episodes have been well-knit and the tempo good. And today was a good mix of everything - although I seriously think the cv's are throwing in Arshi scenes everyday to keep viewers happy, now that their chemistry has been acknowledged even by a leading daily newspaper! Obviously online viewers are not the only ones hankering for Arshi chemistry - they really lift the episode together and their sheer presence in the same frame, sets the screen on fire!
So starting with the continuation of the dupatta scene from Friday ... as the dupatta falls over Khushi, a conch sounds in the background, making it very obvious this is a Devi maiyya sign, like the Teej breaking the fast one was. Leaving Khushi totally stunned for once, remembering her own words to La ... but how can that be?! How can even be possible ... no, it can't ...
And then Arnav strides out, in a temper as usual, and then stops suddenly seeing Khushi in the dupatta ... don't tell me he knows this superstition as well?! Or is he just mesmerised by the sight of her as she slowly takes the dupatta off her head, confusion written on her face ... and as she unveils her face like a new bride does and he stares at her like a groom would, the unspoken tension between them sparks again, the nervousness on her face as she drops her gaze, while he keeps looking intently at her ... the way they played this scene, I could so vividly imagine a wedding night scene with the identical expressions, the shyness and nervousness on her face, while he stares at her mesmerised ... beautifully done by both actors! And she takes it off her head completely, still nervous, confused, both at the sign and at his look, while he looks at her, then seems to shake himself and walk away, leaving her standing there bemused ... what is happening? And the last stolen look again, which is becoming a trademark ... before he walks off, while she tries to get back to reality ...
La comes rushing out all upset because the sign didn't work for her, and she pulls the dupatta out of Khushi's hand, Khushi lets go with some reluctance, as though the dupatta and the sign were meant for her ... then she comes back to reality, because La, her new friend is upset, and Khushi being Khushi, can't let anyone around her be upset for too long.
Raizadas at breakfast, Nani says La has had enough time, Mami wants more time for La, Nani says Mami is going on a 'maun vrat'. Arnav's expression is hilarious, Mamaji actually rises from his chair in alarm, till mami gestures it's not true ... he subsides in relief - the sun would have to rise in the west, pigs fly and all that before Mami kept quiet! Mamaji's expressions are hilarious!!! Nani asks where Khushi is - interesting dialogue - Anjali bitiya, where is Khushi bitiya ... nani is not going to let Khushi leave RM in a hurry. And Arnav looks up again at Khushi's name ... her name itself sets his antenna off, let alone her presence!
Arnad decides to find La before he leaves for office, only to find that Khushi in trying to cheer up La (cute scene between the girls and hilarious dance to Ladki badi hai Kamaal ki ... San's expressions when taunting ASR's pic were hilarious!) ... the girls look like they were errant schoolgirls caught by a headmaster :P.
Fortunately for Khushi, she gets a phone call to come home before any eruption can happen, La actually is sweet enough to ask what the matter is, and as Khushi rushes off, ASR seems to forget his anger in his worry for her ... so I guess that's how La escaped retribution right away.
But she doesn't for long - she goes ahead with Khushi's plan to propose to ASR in front of his family - while that will get her major Brownie points from Nani, what will it do to her relationship with ASR? Poor La, she is really caught in a bind now!
In the meantime, Khushi rushes home, where Sneakster Shyam has organised for her parents to come to town ... now is he hoping they will persuade Khushi to leave her job? Or does he want to start the marriage talks and get the right to stop Khushi from working at RM?
Am I being optimistic in feeling that Khushi's parents don't seem overly impressed with Shyam? Hope they don't agree to the match ... and with Khushi's new found friendship with La, and truce with ASR, she has no reason to leave her job till Nani tells her she is done. Which I don't think nani is going to do in a hurry - even if Arnav agrees to La's proposal, nani will find more work for Khushi at RM!
Also, Khushi's parents' reaction ... is it less to do with Shyam and more to do with Khushi's past? So they can't allow her wedding to just anyone, because she is not who they say she is?
So La calls Khushi in panic, Khushi reassures her yet again, and thinks of another plan! Lolzzz, Khushi, take a break!
And then Arnav calls ... I *rofl*ed and *aww*ed at the scene at the same time ... he says her name menacingly, she says "aap?!" he says "haan, main." No need for either of them to ask who's on the line!
And liked the precap - so ASR has gotten used to someone answering him back ... just terrorising people is no longer enough for him, he wants a good fight! And the only one who can give it to him is Khushi!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
So things have started getting better ... hope this is maintained ... the last few episodes have been well-knit and the tempo good. And today was a good mix of everything - although I seriously think the cv's are throwing in Arshi scenes everyday to keep viewers happy, now that their chemistry has been acknowledged even by a leading daily newspaper! Obviously online viewers are not the only ones hankering for Arshi chemistry - they really lift the episode together and their sheer presence in the same frame, sets the screen on fire!
So starting with the continuation of the dupatta scene from Friday ... as the dupatta falls over Khushi, a conch sounds in the background, making it very obvious this is a Devi maiyya sign, like the Teej breaking the fast one was. Leaving Khushi totally stunned for once, remembering her own words to La ... but how can that be?! How can even be possible ... no, it can't ...
And then Arnav strides out, in a temper as usual, and then stops suddenly seeing Khushi in the dupatta ... don't tell me he knows this superstition as well?! Or is he just mesmerised by the sight of her as she slowly takes the dupatta off her head, confusion written on her face ... and as she unveils her face like a new bride does and he stares at her like a groom would, the unspoken tension between them sparks again, the nervousness on her face as she drops her gaze, while he keeps looking intently at her ... the way they played this scene, I could so vividly imagine a wedding night scene with the identical expressions, the shyness and nervousness on her face, while he stares at her mesmerised ... beautifully done by both actors! And she takes it off her head completely, still nervous, confused, both at the sign and at his look, while he looks at her, then seems to shake himself and walk away, leaving her standing there bemused ... what is happening? And the last stolen look again, which is becoming a trademark ... before he walks off, while she tries to get back to reality ...
La comes rushing out all upset because the sign didn't work for her, and she pulls the dupatta out of Khushi's hand, Khushi lets go with some reluctance, as though the dupatta and the sign were meant for her ... then she comes back to reality, because La, her new friend is upset, and Khushi being Khushi, can't let anyone around her be upset for too long.
Raizadas at breakfast, Nani says La has had enough time, Mami wants more time for La, Nani says Mami is going on a 'maun vrat'. Arnav's expression is hilarious, Mamaji actually rises from his chair in alarm, till mami gestures it's not true ... he subsides in relief - the sun would have to rise in the west, pigs fly and all that before Mami kept quiet! Mamaji's expressions are hilarious!!! Nani asks where Khushi is - interesting dialogue - Anjali bitiya, where is Khushi bitiya ... nani is not going to let Khushi leave RM in a hurry. And Arnav looks up again at Khushi's name ... her name itself sets his antenna off, let alone her presence!
Arnad decides to find La before he leaves for office, only to find that Khushi in trying to cheer up La (cute scene between the girls and hilarious dance to Ladki badi hai Kamaal ki ... San's expressions when taunting ASR's pic were hilarious!) ... the girls look like they were errant schoolgirls caught by a headmaster :P.
Fortunately for Khushi, she gets a phone call to come home before any eruption can happen, La actually is sweet enough to ask what the matter is, and as Khushi rushes off, ASR seems to forget his anger in his worry for her ... so I guess that's how La escaped retribution right away.
But she doesn't for long - she goes ahead with Khushi's plan to propose to ASR in front of his family - while that will get her major Brownie points from Nani, what will it do to her relationship with ASR? Poor La, she is really caught in a bind now!
In the meantime, Khushi rushes home, where Sneakster Shyam has organised for her parents to come to town ... now is he hoping they will persuade Khushi to leave her job? Or does he want to start the marriage talks and get the right to stop Khushi from working at RM?
Am I being optimistic in feeling that Khushi's parents don't seem overly impressed with Shyam? Hope they don't agree to the match ... and with Khushi's new found friendship with La, and truce with ASR, she has no reason to leave her job till Nani tells her she is done. Which I don't think nani is going to do in a hurry - even if Arnav agrees to La's proposal, nani will find more work for Khushi at RM!
Also, Khushi's parents' reaction ... is it less to do with Shyam and more to do with Khushi's past? So they can't allow her wedding to just anyone, because she is not who they say she is?
So La calls Khushi in panic, Khushi reassures her yet again, and thinks of another plan! Lolzzz, Khushi, take a break!
And then Arnav calls ... I *rofl*ed and *aww*ed at the scene at the same time ... he says her name menacingly, she says "aap?!" he says "haan, main." No need for either of them to ask who's on the line!
And liked the precap - so ASR has gotten used to someone answering him back ... just terrorising people is no longer enough for him, he wants a good fight! And the only one who can give it to him is Khushi!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Saturday, September 17, 2011
16/9 - Epi 77 ... Arshilicious episode :-)
16th Sept
Scene of the day - the Arshi scene, but of course!
OTT of the day - confined to La the Blah, so it was tolerable.
Most disliked person today - Mami. I dislike her even more than Shyam at the moment.
Comeuppance received - Shyam - in your face, Shyam babua. But yeh kya ... already planning next step? The pace is suddenly stepping up!
As is the love story - dupatta scene also today itself?!
So episode starts with fairly predictable stuff - Khushi produces mannat ki chaabi from bag and Laxmi produces necklace from collar. And Nani belatedly tells Mami to 'sut up hi kijiye' ... not in so many words - I wish she had! Why oh why, in all telly shows, do only the vamps have a voice and the 'good' characters fall conveniently dumb? Anyway, I guess Laxmi felt that one good turn deserves another ...
After this, I enjoyed the rest of the episode, it flowed naturally - Anjali and Blah upset at Khushi's obvious distress, take her to the kitchen and tell her to make as many jalebis as she wants. Cute ... also the way Khushi cheered up immediately at the mention of her beloved jalebis. And La the blah talking much more naturally to Khushi now, confiding as though in a friend ... ASR has problem with sweets, and with marriage ... for sweets, Khushi's solution is sugar-free, and for marriage, she paints Blah a horrific picture of old age and wrinkles and ASR with two new bimbos instead of one - hey bhaggu, did the man really not wisen up with age?! Best part of that inane scene was Nani in picture frame - a la Priya Tendulkar in Hum Paanch, still scolding away. And her evil laugh reminded me of Jayshree T in her good old vamp days *rofl*
Then Khushi gives Blah the dupatta ka funda ... heard of ande ka funda ... now dupatte ka funda?
These seials are so educational ... really!!! I feel my education has been left majorly incomplete without these gems ;-)
Anjali tells Arnav about mami and Khushi's humiliation, Arnav tells her to relax, but his face shows a different story.
Arshilicious scene ... Arnav lost in thoughts about Khushi's humiliation, Khushi scurrying along worrying about Buaji ... and they bump into each other. And stay there ... his arms come automatically to hold her, hers up to steady herself ... his hand falls away, she tries to move away and can't ... her earring has other ideas. So he tells her to wait, he'll take it out ... what a change from the Arnav of the first dupatta scene when he tore her dupatta off ... now he eases it off her ear gently, and holds it out to her even more gently, she puts it on and moves away again ... and stops again ... this time he is holding her dupatta, although unintentionally, and again a contrast from just a few hours ago when she whirled on him and threw hot tea ... she goes back quietly and untangles it.
And this time he asks her again ... are you okay? As though he really cares.
Is he asking about the dupatta and her stuck earring? Or about the evening ... the entire day? The recent humiliation, which he felt so bad about ... That one apology from her has just changed things around completely.
Her face shows her shock ... Sanaya's expressions there were so sweet!!! Then she manages a nod and leaves .... and looks back to see him still looking at her ...
A change in equation ... an awareness, an awkwardness on her side ... the hate and taunts she could handle by firing back, but this new Arnav is throwing her completely off balance ... why does he keep looking at her like that? And why does she keep looking back at him?
Why does he? Why can't he stop looking at her? Why this new protective feeling, which he only ever felt for Anjali before ... why this upset at her hurt, her tears? Why this wanting to hold her close and make sure no one can hurt her again?
Khushi reaches home ... Shyam waiting expectantly ... but she's smiling and his face falls. *rofl* In your face, Shyamji!!! He asks her how her day was ... she first remembers Mami's taunts, but then she remembers Arnav's smile, and she starts to smile ... and then La's friendship, and her smile widens ... yes, her day was good!
Shyam rushes to check how his plan misfired. And first slip ... he asks Anjali if Khushi had bee suspected. Anjali is surprised. Please, Anjali, tell Arnav that sainted jeeju suspected Khushi. Might lead him to start wondering why jeeju would suspect her without even meeting her.
Last scene ... La the blah may have made friends with Khushi but her brain is still an enemy! Does a Chamkili 2 - and the cross connections between Khushi, the auto driver and La are hilarious!
After some hits and misses, and an incredulous Arnav ... who is soon gonna lose it ... I can sooo see that coming! La remembers the dupatta and asks Arnav to throw it on her. Khushi hears this part and groans ... noooo, you're messing up again, you don't ask, that's not the way it's done, it has to fall unasked ...
And it does.
Leaving Khushi wondering what is going on ... Khushi, your devi maiyya, through your dupatta and now earrings are constantly giving you signals which this girl just doesn't read!
am pretty sure the precap is a dream.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Scene of the day - the Arshi scene, but of course!
OTT of the day - confined to La the Blah, so it was tolerable.
Most disliked person today - Mami. I dislike her even more than Shyam at the moment.
Comeuppance received - Shyam - in your face, Shyam babua. But yeh kya ... already planning next step? The pace is suddenly stepping up!
As is the love story - dupatta scene also today itself?!
So episode starts with fairly predictable stuff - Khushi produces mannat ki chaabi from bag and Laxmi produces necklace from collar. And Nani belatedly tells Mami to 'sut up hi kijiye' ... not in so many words - I wish she had! Why oh why, in all telly shows, do only the vamps have a voice and the 'good' characters fall conveniently dumb? Anyway, I guess Laxmi felt that one good turn deserves another ...
After this, I enjoyed the rest of the episode, it flowed naturally - Anjali and Blah upset at Khushi's obvious distress, take her to the kitchen and tell her to make as many jalebis as she wants. Cute ... also the way Khushi cheered up immediately at the mention of her beloved jalebis. And La the blah talking much more naturally to Khushi now, confiding as though in a friend ... ASR has problem with sweets, and with marriage ... for sweets, Khushi's solution is sugar-free, and for marriage, she paints Blah a horrific picture of old age and wrinkles and ASR with two new bimbos instead of one - hey bhaggu, did the man really not wisen up with age?! Best part of that inane scene was Nani in picture frame - a la Priya Tendulkar in Hum Paanch, still scolding away. And her evil laugh reminded me of Jayshree T in her good old vamp days *rofl*
Then Khushi gives Blah the dupatta ka funda ... heard of ande ka funda ... now dupatte ka funda?
These seials are so educational ... really!!! I feel my education has been left majorly incomplete without these gems ;-)
Anjali tells Arnav about mami and Khushi's humiliation, Arnav tells her to relax, but his face shows a different story.
Arshilicious scene ... Arnav lost in thoughts about Khushi's humiliation, Khushi scurrying along worrying about Buaji ... and they bump into each other. And stay there ... his arms come automatically to hold her, hers up to steady herself ... his hand falls away, she tries to move away and can't ... her earring has other ideas. So he tells her to wait, he'll take it out ... what a change from the Arnav of the first dupatta scene when he tore her dupatta off ... now he eases it off her ear gently, and holds it out to her even more gently, she puts it on and moves away again ... and stops again ... this time he is holding her dupatta, although unintentionally, and again a contrast from just a few hours ago when she whirled on him and threw hot tea ... she goes back quietly and untangles it.
And this time he asks her again ... are you okay? As though he really cares.
Is he asking about the dupatta and her stuck earring? Or about the evening ... the entire day? The recent humiliation, which he felt so bad about ... That one apology from her has just changed things around completely.
Her face shows her shock ... Sanaya's expressions there were so sweet!!! Then she manages a nod and leaves .... and looks back to see him still looking at her ...
A change in equation ... an awareness, an awkwardness on her side ... the hate and taunts she could handle by firing back, but this new Arnav is throwing her completely off balance ... why does he keep looking at her like that? And why does she keep looking back at him?
Why does he? Why can't he stop looking at her? Why this new protective feeling, which he only ever felt for Anjali before ... why this upset at her hurt, her tears? Why this wanting to hold her close and make sure no one can hurt her again?
Khushi reaches home ... Shyam waiting expectantly ... but she's smiling and his face falls. *rofl* In your face, Shyamji!!! He asks her how her day was ... she first remembers Mami's taunts, but then she remembers Arnav's smile, and she starts to smile ... and then La's friendship, and her smile widens ... yes, her day was good!
Shyam rushes to check how his plan misfired. And first slip ... he asks Anjali if Khushi had bee suspected. Anjali is surprised. Please, Anjali, tell Arnav that sainted jeeju suspected Khushi. Might lead him to start wondering why jeeju would suspect her without even meeting her.
Last scene ... La the blah may have made friends with Khushi but her brain is still an enemy! Does a Chamkili 2 - and the cross connections between Khushi, the auto driver and La are hilarious!
After some hits and misses, and an incredulous Arnav ... who is soon gonna lose it ... I can sooo see that coming! La remembers the dupatta and asks Arnav to throw it on her. Khushi hears this part and groans ... noooo, you're messing up again, you don't ask, that's not the way it's done, it has to fall unasked ...
And it does.
Leaving Khushi wondering what is going on ... Khushi, your devi maiyya, through your dupatta and now earrings are constantly giving you signals which this girl just doesn't read!
am pretty sure the precap is a dream.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Friday, September 16, 2011
Long awaited
I was waiting for the confrontation between Devyani and Uttara! Maryada going from strength to strength - am so happy to see the TRP's rising too. Well directed, brilliantly acted, great themes, daring to show the ugly side of life ... love this show!And I love the music in the show ... the Gaurav-Vidya Sajna song is beautiful, and the one they used on Uttara today was beautiful as well.
SGP - finally given up competely on it. Two more new shows coming on SP - the Behna one and the KW one - what are the shows to be replaced? One might be Dor - they seem to be wrapping up there. Is SGP the second? The rest are either far too new (DB) or are new and doing reasonably well - Navya, IPKKND, and of course the nauseating top three - SNS, YRKKH and Pratigya. Don't think Maryada will go - it's the slot leader at 11 pm, and the trp's are finally rising - the last week was above 2.
SGP - finally given up competely on it. Two more new shows coming on SP - the Behna one and the KW one - what are the shows to be replaced? One might be Dor - they seem to be wrapping up there. Is SGP the second? The rest are either far too new (DB) or are new and doing reasonably well - Navya, IPKKND, and of course the nauseating top three - SNS, YRKKH and Pratigya. Don't think Maryada will go - it's the slot leader at 11 pm, and the trp's are finally rising - the last week was above 2.
15/9 - Epi 76 ... Tales of the goatwa
15th Sept
Episode dedicated to goatwa ... and to setting up of the necklace theft. Interestingly, one more step - Blah and Khushi become friends.
The only progress I saw was that Arnav sees that Khushi is not the type to hold grudges - the moment Blah apologised and extended olive branch, Khushi accepted it. So yesterday Khushi saw one more hidden facet of Arnav - that he hides his hurt under that crusty exterior, maybe similar to her, that she hides her hurt under smiles ... and today Arnav saw this facet of Khushi - her big-heartedness and generosity of nature, that she forgives and forgets instantly. Something that he has been unable to do for years? Something that she will teach him to do? To get over the pain and bitterness hidden inside him?
Liked the small Arshi scene ... love the way there are no long eyelocks here, he looks at her unblinkingly, and she looks away. And then looks back to point out the smudge on his cheek silently, he tries to wipe it, questioning her with a look - is it gone? A communication without words, private even in the non-private space of the big hall. And yes, the thaw has set in, a major shift, no longer at each others' throats ... an awareness that is almost tangible, and now that it's not masked by the anger and hate of before, where is this going to go?
And then hell ... and mami ... break loose ... the necklace is missing, and mami is at her vicious best. Why does Mami have so much hate for Khushi? Just because of that one sentence at the start? Or because mami is really 'chote soch wali' ... and insecure besides - she comes from the same class as she thinks Khushi does, as she has branded Khushi as belonging to, and a deep insecurity inside her makes her lash out at Khushi at every opportunity, for fear of being classified in her category again.
Is Anjali never ever going to have even a smidgeon of doubt on Shyam? If I was in her place, I would have told Shyam - if you're so keen to see me wear the necklace, come home and I'll put it on. What's the point of imagining? Or else, imagine that I'm already wearing it ... here so much drama is happening in the house, and you're worried about my wearing a necklace!
Will the necklace be found in Khushi's bag? Or will it be Laxmi goatwa to the rescue? My bet - Khushi feels the mannat ki chaabi, not the necklace. And that is when Arnav opportunely makes his entry.
Am waiting impatiently for tonight!
Links
Part 2
Episode dedicated to goatwa ... and to setting up of the necklace theft. Interestingly, one more step - Blah and Khushi become friends.
The only progress I saw was that Arnav sees that Khushi is not the type to hold grudges - the moment Blah apologised and extended olive branch, Khushi accepted it. So yesterday Khushi saw one more hidden facet of Arnav - that he hides his hurt under that crusty exterior, maybe similar to her, that she hides her hurt under smiles ... and today Arnav saw this facet of Khushi - her big-heartedness and generosity of nature, that she forgives and forgets instantly. Something that he has been unable to do for years? Something that she will teach him to do? To get over the pain and bitterness hidden inside him?
Liked the small Arshi scene ... love the way there are no long eyelocks here, he looks at her unblinkingly, and she looks away. And then looks back to point out the smudge on his cheek silently, he tries to wipe it, questioning her with a look - is it gone? A communication without words, private even in the non-private space of the big hall. And yes, the thaw has set in, a major shift, no longer at each others' throats ... an awareness that is almost tangible, and now that it's not masked by the anger and hate of before, where is this going to go?
And then hell ... and mami ... break loose ... the necklace is missing, and mami is at her vicious best. Why does Mami have so much hate for Khushi? Just because of that one sentence at the start? Or because mami is really 'chote soch wali' ... and insecure besides - she comes from the same class as she thinks Khushi does, as she has branded Khushi as belonging to, and a deep insecurity inside her makes her lash out at Khushi at every opportunity, for fear of being classified in her category again.
Is Anjali never ever going to have even a smidgeon of doubt on Shyam? If I was in her place, I would have told Shyam - if you're so keen to see me wear the necklace, come home and I'll put it on. What's the point of imagining? Or else, imagine that I'm already wearing it ... here so much drama is happening in the house, and you're worried about my wearing a necklace!
Will the necklace be found in Khushi's bag? Or will it be Laxmi goatwa to the rescue? My bet - Khushi feels the mannat ki chaabi, not the necklace. And that is when Arnav opportunely makes his entry.
Am waiting impatiently for tonight!
Links
Part 2
Thursday, September 15, 2011
14/9 - Epi 75 ... First apology ... first smile
14th Sept
Two milestones
One hothead apologised for her actions, for causing pain unknowingly, and the other hothead smiled.
When I saw the SBB and the promo, I cringed at the OTT crying, and thought I would hate the episode. Started framing a strong post to make regarding the cv's turning Khushi into an idiot again. But thankfully the OTT part was kept to a minimum, and I could see why the obvious K3G copy was required ... to make the man SMILE! A dignified, sober apology wouldn't have had the same thaw effect.
So all in all, a decent episode again. Starting with Anjali and a very sober Khushi joining Nani ... and finally the cv's seem to have heard or realised the continuity issues between episodes, because after the yelling Arnav gave Khushi last episode, she was obviously still upset and down in this one. And liked the first touch - Khushi stopped Anjali from telling nani about the laptop incident.
Mami, la the blah ... blah taking Mary's little lamb for a walk. Any child could predict that lamb will get not follow blah to school, but will get lost.
Khushi goes to get the tea tray from poolside ... Arnav comes there ... to apologise? He starts off very gently for sure ... but as usual between them, she doesn't wait to listen. Then the dupatta not-holding and the tea throwing ... and she runs away, while he stays silent. Only after she leaves, does his face show his pain - pure physical pain from the burn this time. Maybe that's why he kept quiet and didn't shout at her for the tea.
Barun's expressions have really improved!
Khushi bumps into Anjali, hears that Arnav has got badly burnt and is horrified at what she did. Gets the ointment, and when Anjali asks Arnav how it happened, Arnav stops Khushi from saying anything. Anjali says this is what you're like since childhood ... you never show your hurt to others. And Khushi feels even more guilty. Anjali leaves, Khushi comes to the door again, her guilt and remorse showing in her face, she tries to say something, but he shuts the door on her. And she feels even worse. She has to apologise. It's her fault.
So she goes again to find him at the poolside with his plants. he starts off brusquely again, what are you doing here? And then he's taken aback at her tears and her obviously very heartfelt apology ... I never burnt anyone before, I didn't mean to ... I thought you held my dupatta ... when you hadddnnn'ttt ... bawl ...
He's very, very uncomfortable at the crying, and bewildered too. Is she crying because she thought he held her dupatta? Or because he didn't?
So he asks cautiously ... er, was I suppposed to?
She bawls again ... and I did all those pranks, the sugar in your car (he looks angry again), the jui-i-i-ce ... (he's taken aback) - mango juice (sternly) ...
She feels the need to explain ... because I couldn't find orange juice.
And he can't help it. He has to smile. This girl is one piece.
So I had to apologise. Please forgive me.
Very, very uncomfortable, but the anger is gone, vanquished by the amusement. He offers her a tissue box.
She looks at it, takes her dupatta and blows her nose vigorously.
I felt the way Arnav looked. Yuck! *rofl*
Then she says determinedly - I've said what I had to say. I'm going now.
Leaving him speechless. The only thing he can think of is "Unbelievable!" This girl is something else. Fights like a wildcat when provoked, but melts like butter in a warm oven when she actually hurts someone, even by mistake. And her genuine heartfelt contrition showed the pure heart inside that wildcat - so much remorse over a mistake! Over hurting him ... him, Arnav Singh Raizada ... when he had hurt her far, far worse, on many more occasions, and had never even once acknowledged his mistake, let alone apologise.
Apology was OTT, yes. But thankfully not stretched too long, and the reason for it being so OTT was clear - it was the only way Arnav Singh Raizada would have gotten off his high horse enough to smile. The childlike innocence and softness of the girl he had been fighting all along was laid before him in a way even he couldn't ignore.
Will this start the thaw? It definitely should.
Also, this change might play a role in the mystery of the missing necklace. Because if Khushi could be so upset over a mistake committed in the heat of the moment, and could bring herself to instantly apologise to Arnav, her nemesis, it shows that she is not the sort to bear grudges and to commit a theft knowingly. So hopefully we will see Arnav defend her in the necklace theft.
Rest of episode was more Blah, goatwa going missing, mami getting a duplicate, and Khushi going to find the original. And Nani has of course discovered that Laxmi is not Laxmi.
Interesting house - the loss of a goat is discovered faster than the loss of a diamond necklace. Or has Anjali forgotten that her sainted husband asked her to wear it?
Links
Part 1
Part 2
SBB - Arnav Ki Khair Nahin and Hawa Hawai
Two milestones
One hothead apologised for her actions, for causing pain unknowingly, and the other hothead smiled.
When I saw the SBB and the promo, I cringed at the OTT crying, and thought I would hate the episode. Started framing a strong post to make regarding the cv's turning Khushi into an idiot again. But thankfully the OTT part was kept to a minimum, and I could see why the obvious K3G copy was required ... to make the man SMILE! A dignified, sober apology wouldn't have had the same thaw effect.
So all in all, a decent episode again. Starting with Anjali and a very sober Khushi joining Nani ... and finally the cv's seem to have heard or realised the continuity issues between episodes, because after the yelling Arnav gave Khushi last episode, she was obviously still upset and down in this one. And liked the first touch - Khushi stopped Anjali from telling nani about the laptop incident.
Mami, la the blah ... blah taking Mary's little lamb for a walk. Any child could predict that lamb will get not follow blah to school, but will get lost.
Khushi goes to get the tea tray from poolside ... Arnav comes there ... to apologise? He starts off very gently for sure ... but as usual between them, she doesn't wait to listen. Then the dupatta not-holding and the tea throwing ... and she runs away, while he stays silent. Only after she leaves, does his face show his pain - pure physical pain from the burn this time. Maybe that's why he kept quiet and didn't shout at her for the tea.
Barun's expressions have really improved!
Khushi bumps into Anjali, hears that Arnav has got badly burnt and is horrified at what she did. Gets the ointment, and when Anjali asks Arnav how it happened, Arnav stops Khushi from saying anything. Anjali says this is what you're like since childhood ... you never show your hurt to others. And Khushi feels even more guilty. Anjali leaves, Khushi comes to the door again, her guilt and remorse showing in her face, she tries to say something, but he shuts the door on her. And she feels even worse. She has to apologise. It's her fault.
So she goes again to find him at the poolside with his plants. he starts off brusquely again, what are you doing here? And then he's taken aback at her tears and her obviously very heartfelt apology ... I never burnt anyone before, I didn't mean to ... I thought you held my dupatta ... when you hadddnnn'ttt ... bawl ...
He's very, very uncomfortable at the crying, and bewildered too. Is she crying because she thought he held her dupatta? Or because he didn't?
So he asks cautiously ... er, was I suppposed to?
She bawls again ... and I did all those pranks, the sugar in your car (he looks angry again), the jui-i-i-ce ... (he's taken aback) - mango juice (sternly) ...
She feels the need to explain ... because I couldn't find orange juice.
And he can't help it. He has to smile. This girl is one piece.
So I had to apologise. Please forgive me.
Very, very uncomfortable, but the anger is gone, vanquished by the amusement. He offers her a tissue box.
She looks at it, takes her dupatta and blows her nose vigorously.
I felt the way Arnav looked. Yuck! *rofl*
Then she says determinedly - I've said what I had to say. I'm going now.
Leaving him speechless. The only thing he can think of is "Unbelievable!" This girl is something else. Fights like a wildcat when provoked, but melts like butter in a warm oven when she actually hurts someone, even by mistake. And her genuine heartfelt contrition showed the pure heart inside that wildcat - so much remorse over a mistake! Over hurting him ... him, Arnav Singh Raizada ... when he had hurt her far, far worse, on many more occasions, and had never even once acknowledged his mistake, let alone apologise.
Apology was OTT, yes. But thankfully not stretched too long, and the reason for it being so OTT was clear - it was the only way Arnav Singh Raizada would have gotten off his high horse enough to smile. The childlike innocence and softness of the girl he had been fighting all along was laid before him in a way even he couldn't ignore.
Will this start the thaw? It definitely should.
Also, this change might play a role in the mystery of the missing necklace. Because if Khushi could be so upset over a mistake committed in the heat of the moment, and could bring herself to instantly apologise to Arnav, her nemesis, it shows that she is not the sort to bear grudges and to commit a theft knowingly. So hopefully we will see Arnav defend her in the necklace theft.
Rest of episode was more Blah, goatwa going missing, mami getting a duplicate, and Khushi going to find the original. And Nani has of course discovered that Laxmi is not Laxmi.
Interesting house - the loss of a goat is discovered faster than the loss of a diamond necklace. Or has Anjali forgotten that her sainted husband asked her to wear it?
Links
Part 1
Part 2
SBB - Arnav Ki Khair Nahin and Hawa Hawai
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
13/9 - Epi 74 ... False accusations
13th Sept
Starts with Shyamji finally getting off his backside and off the fence and starting to turn a darker shade of grey. And again underlining how he sweet-talks Anjali into following his every little whim, down to choosing what necklace to wear. Does Anjali set out such a bazaar every morning - just wondering! Shyam has been leading his double life for so long now, and it's getting out of control - how long can he continue staying out of Khushi's way at Shantivan, especially as her hours there are getting longer and longer? He has to do something. Mission - get Khushi out of SV, while keeping Rani Sahiba and marriage intact - after all, love makes the world go round, but it doesn't pay the bills. And the feelings for Khushi are deepening slowly into obsession, and an ugly one at that. So he doesn't care about Khushi's name, her reputation, her being insulted again by being labelled a thief - as long as it gets her out of SV, back into his personal orbit, without overlapping his saintly wife's orbit - all those crocodile tears about being distressed at her insults and humiliation at SV are forgotten. He's tried again and again to push her, cajole her, persuade her to leave her job, but Khushi is a tougher nut to crack than his wife ... Khushi won't budge. So he has to step in now.
This should give the story the needed push ... Shyam had to turn evil and actually start doing something. Next step will have to be Khushi or Arnav, or both, discovering his true colours, and wanting to protect Anjali - so the first uneasy alliance. So step One taken.
Cute Khushi Payal scene - liked the way Payal is enquiring about when Akash will come for the car! And Khushi wondering why Akash chose of all garages in Delhi, this particular one!
And Shyam puts necklace in Khushi's bag. Slimeball Shyam.
ASR's color combination was not good today. poor guy is obviously off balance by all the pranks - has to ask Jayprakash to check his clothes and shoes! Arey baba, the girl hasn't even reached Shantivan yet!
La blah, mami and goat.
ASR leaves for office, to find Khushi at the door, praying that she doesn't see him today. Wonder why he didn't blast her straight away - did he decide to wait till he got back home and more time to do a thorough job? Anyway, he listens to her prayer for once, sidesteps her and walks out while her eyes are still closed ... only to stop and look back at her.
*Sigh* I wish he had better expressions here, I really do - does his face soften, or is it angry, or just expressionless?
No such problem with Sanaya - her expressions are as usual perfect ... the pleased thanks to devi maiyya, then she looks slightly puzzled, and turns, her eyes searching ... to see nothing. And that slightest of frowns, as though to say ... did I imagine it? Before she turns and walks inside, still slighly puzzled, then she shrugs it off, and wonders why her bag is heavier than usual.
Lesson on daals today - and Anjali gets phone call from Slimeball, asking about necklace. While Laxmi the great attacks Khushi's bag .. go, goatwa, go!
Blah and mami and daals - Mami found someone more dumb than she is! Or more unwilling to learn!
Arnav-Khushi ... ahh, now this was more like it! Arnav accusing as usual without thinking, without listening, Khushi equally hot-headed, answering back, no appeasement here ... to the point that, all right, you're accusing me of breaking this, let me actually do it ...
Anjali comes to break the tension and tell Arnav that she broke the laptop and sent Khushi to put it back ... but Arnav hates being wrong, so he doesn't even allow Anjali to apologise ... calls Khushi 'naukar' and leaves ... only to turn back and see her holding back her tears. And he feels bad again ... yes, yet again, he did it. But he has to keep her away from him, he cannot allow himself to feel sorry for her, to think better of her ... because Arnav Singh Raizada is for the first time in many years, scared. So he has to keep reminding himself ... as loudly as possible, how vile, how despicable, how totally below his world she is. And maybe if he says it loud enough, he might start believing it one day.
And she is left in tears yet again, wondering why his words prick her so much ... she can ignore Blah's and mami's insults, their calling her a servant ... but why not him?
Creepy Shyam - this guy is becoming rapidly obsessive - he's already practicing his supportive friend speech for when Khushi returns after being accused of the 'theft' he engineered.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Starts with Shyamji finally getting off his backside and off the fence and starting to turn a darker shade of grey. And again underlining how he sweet-talks Anjali into following his every little whim, down to choosing what necklace to wear. Does Anjali set out such a bazaar every morning - just wondering! Shyam has been leading his double life for so long now, and it's getting out of control - how long can he continue staying out of Khushi's way at Shantivan, especially as her hours there are getting longer and longer? He has to do something. Mission - get Khushi out of SV, while keeping Rani Sahiba and marriage intact - after all, love makes the world go round, but it doesn't pay the bills. And the feelings for Khushi are deepening slowly into obsession, and an ugly one at that. So he doesn't care about Khushi's name, her reputation, her being insulted again by being labelled a thief - as long as it gets her out of SV, back into his personal orbit, without overlapping his saintly wife's orbit - all those crocodile tears about being distressed at her insults and humiliation at SV are forgotten. He's tried again and again to push her, cajole her, persuade her to leave her job, but Khushi is a tougher nut to crack than his wife ... Khushi won't budge. So he has to step in now.
This should give the story the needed push ... Shyam had to turn evil and actually start doing something. Next step will have to be Khushi or Arnav, or both, discovering his true colours, and wanting to protect Anjali - so the first uneasy alliance. So step One taken.
Cute Khushi Payal scene - liked the way Payal is enquiring about when Akash will come for the car! And Khushi wondering why Akash chose of all garages in Delhi, this particular one!
And Shyam puts necklace in Khushi's bag. Slimeball Shyam.
ASR's color combination was not good today. poor guy is obviously off balance by all the pranks - has to ask Jayprakash to check his clothes and shoes! Arey baba, the girl hasn't even reached Shantivan yet!
La blah, mami and goat.
ASR leaves for office, to find Khushi at the door, praying that she doesn't see him today. Wonder why he didn't blast her straight away - did he decide to wait till he got back home and more time to do a thorough job? Anyway, he listens to her prayer for once, sidesteps her and walks out while her eyes are still closed ... only to stop and look back at her.
*Sigh* I wish he had better expressions here, I really do - does his face soften, or is it angry, or just expressionless?
No such problem with Sanaya - her expressions are as usual perfect ... the pleased thanks to devi maiyya, then she looks slightly puzzled, and turns, her eyes searching ... to see nothing. And that slightest of frowns, as though to say ... did I imagine it? Before she turns and walks inside, still slighly puzzled, then she shrugs it off, and wonders why her bag is heavier than usual.
Lesson on daals today - and Anjali gets phone call from Slimeball, asking about necklace. While Laxmi the great attacks Khushi's bag .. go, goatwa, go!
Blah and mami and daals - Mami found someone more dumb than she is! Or more unwilling to learn!
Arnav-Khushi ... ahh, now this was more like it! Arnav accusing as usual without thinking, without listening, Khushi equally hot-headed, answering back, no appeasement here ... to the point that, all right, you're accusing me of breaking this, let me actually do it ...
Anjali comes to break the tension and tell Arnav that she broke the laptop and sent Khushi to put it back ... but Arnav hates being wrong, so he doesn't even allow Anjali to apologise ... calls Khushi 'naukar' and leaves ... only to turn back and see her holding back her tears. And he feels bad again ... yes, yet again, he did it. But he has to keep her away from him, he cannot allow himself to feel sorry for her, to think better of her ... because Arnav Singh Raizada is for the first time in many years, scared. So he has to keep reminding himself ... as loudly as possible, how vile, how despicable, how totally below his world she is. And maybe if he says it loud enough, he might start believing it one day.
And she is left in tears yet again, wondering why his words prick her so much ... she can ignore Blah's and mami's insults, their calling her a servant ... but why not him?
Creepy Shyam - this guy is becoming rapidly obsessive - he's already practicing his supportive friend speech for when Khushi returns after being accused of the 'theft' he engineered.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
12/9 - Epi 73 ... Best laid plans ... aft gang awry
12th Sept
And when plans are not best laid .. or even well laid ... even more awry!
Cute light-hearted episode ... Jalebi Bai was classic ... so was the juice in shoes. Though how did Arnav not notice squelching shoes till he actually reached the dining table?
And Arnav really needs to lighten up and stop taking himself so seriously! Being so offended in a family gathering about a childhood habit, whish is not exactly such a shameful habit in the first place ... jeez, man, get a life!!!
Didn't take rocket science for ASR to figure out who could have played the tricks, even without the mishri, should have thought he'd know that only one person in his house has the gumption to do anything of the sort!
After watching this episode, and then last night's episode of Maryada, which admittedly was not one of the best, yet was gripping enough (Maryada has reached a level of quality when it always manages to be watchable), the following thoughts came to my mind.
If Khushi was thinking things through logically, what would be the result of her pranks once she was found out? And again thinking logically, the pranks were so juvenile that NOT being found out was impossible. So she would expect that if ASR discovered she was behind the pranks, chances of her retaining her job will be next to nil. Now considering that she needs the money, that's not really what she wants, so she was foolish in the extreme in carrying out those pranks, and jeopardising her job.
But then ... two things struck me. ASR has given her the money upfront, without any conditions attached this time, the only condition was that she come back to the house to teach Blah, as that's what Anjali wants. Which she has done. And Anjali was the one who had put in the reminder about the contract, one of whose conditions was that Khushi pays one lakh if she leaves the job, but nothing if she is thrown out. So if she is thrown out, the one lakh clause in the contract is put to rest once and for all, she pays nothing and she is free from that sword hanging over her head for good. And Blah has by now amply demonstrated that she has no interest in learning anything from Khushi, no willingness, no inclination and no intention. In effect, Khushi is wasting her time at RM, and getting more insults thrown at her in the bargain, from blah, mami and ASR for no good rhyme or reason. If the insults didn't come as part of the package, any girl might be tempted to say, okay, go fish, I've got my money, I'll kill the remaining time here and get out of here, and not even bother to teach Blah anything, as she doesn't want to learn. But what about if Khushi is actually fed up of the daily misery this job has become, and just wants to be thrown out? The pranks are the ideal way to do achieve that goal - and get a little of her own back at ASR before she exits RM as a bonus.
So if Khushi was slightly more intelligent, or rather, I would say, slightly more street smart, this might be her thinking, and I really wouldn't blame her for it. But ... and I don't know if this is giving her credit or not ... she isn't cunning. She's simple, naive, outspoken, maybe too simple for her own good, but she isn't cunning.So I don't think she thought things through to that extent at all. Wish she had, though, so she could have her arguments ready when ASR starts his expected barrage.
Ah ... and the connection with Maryada ... Devyani struggling yet again to hide some truths ... hasn't she realised that the more you hide wrongdoing, the bigger the monster becomes? So being outspoken and speaking out or acting (in this case) against what you feel is wrong, is definitely the right path ... and should be done before it becomes too late. And in a way, as is what has happened with ASR ... his past is one thing, but his current avatar as Demon King really needs to be reigned in, for his own good if nothing else. He's well on the road to becoming a megalomaniac.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
And when plans are not best laid .. or even well laid ... even more awry!
Cute light-hearted episode ... Jalebi Bai was classic ... so was the juice in shoes. Though how did Arnav not notice squelching shoes till he actually reached the dining table?
And Arnav really needs to lighten up and stop taking himself so seriously! Being so offended in a family gathering about a childhood habit, whish is not exactly such a shameful habit in the first place ... jeez, man, get a life!!!
Didn't take rocket science for ASR to figure out who could have played the tricks, even without the mishri, should have thought he'd know that only one person in his house has the gumption to do anything of the sort!
After watching this episode, and then last night's episode of Maryada, which admittedly was not one of the best, yet was gripping enough (Maryada has reached a level of quality when it always manages to be watchable), the following thoughts came to my mind.
If Khushi was thinking things through logically, what would be the result of her pranks once she was found out? And again thinking logically, the pranks were so juvenile that NOT being found out was impossible. So she would expect that if ASR discovered she was behind the pranks, chances of her retaining her job will be next to nil. Now considering that she needs the money, that's not really what she wants, so she was foolish in the extreme in carrying out those pranks, and jeopardising her job.
But then ... two things struck me. ASR has given her the money upfront, without any conditions attached this time, the only condition was that she come back to the house to teach Blah, as that's what Anjali wants. Which she has done. And Anjali was the one who had put in the reminder about the contract, one of whose conditions was that Khushi pays one lakh if she leaves the job, but nothing if she is thrown out. So if she is thrown out, the one lakh clause in the contract is put to rest once and for all, she pays nothing and she is free from that sword hanging over her head for good. And Blah has by now amply demonstrated that she has no interest in learning anything from Khushi, no willingness, no inclination and no intention. In effect, Khushi is wasting her time at RM, and getting more insults thrown at her in the bargain, from blah, mami and ASR for no good rhyme or reason. If the insults didn't come as part of the package, any girl might be tempted to say, okay, go fish, I've got my money, I'll kill the remaining time here and get out of here, and not even bother to teach Blah anything, as she doesn't want to learn. But what about if Khushi is actually fed up of the daily misery this job has become, and just wants to be thrown out? The pranks are the ideal way to do achieve that goal - and get a little of her own back at ASR before she exits RM as a bonus.
So if Khushi was slightly more intelligent, or rather, I would say, slightly more street smart, this might be her thinking, and I really wouldn't blame her for it. But ... and I don't know if this is giving her credit or not ... she isn't cunning. She's simple, naive, outspoken, maybe too simple for her own good, but she isn't cunning.So I don't think she thought things through to that extent at all. Wish she had, though, so she could have her arguments ready when ASR starts his expected barrage.
Ah ... and the connection with Maryada ... Devyani struggling yet again to hide some truths ... hasn't she realised that the more you hide wrongdoing, the bigger the monster becomes? So being outspoken and speaking out or acting (in this case) against what you feel is wrong, is definitely the right path ... and should be done before it becomes too late. And in a way, as is what has happened with ASR ... his past is one thing, but his current avatar as Demon King really needs to be reigned in, for his own good if nothing else. He's well on the road to becoming a megalomaniac.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Saturday, September 10, 2011
9/9 - Epi 72 ... Hurt feelings and sweet revenge
9th Sept
After reading the initial comments on the episode, I thought I wouldn't like it at all. After a really explosive episode the previous night, sounded like the cv's had gone back to their amnesia and usual waywardness in character development ...also sounded too much like GH brand of juvenile humour - bubbliness = stupidity.
But on watching, I felt differently. First half - unqualified 'like'. Payal getting annoyed about the police episode, and ASR, Khushi manaoing her with that OTT nautanki Sholay scene was very cutely done, and completely in character for Khushi. Time and again it's been showed that Khushi is the one who picks herself up first, and tries to bring a smile to her family's face - from the Roop Suhana song, to the Goli Maare song and now the Sholay nautanki. It's as though the cv's are showing us another contrast between Khushi and Arnav - both have troubled pasts, she is an orphan too, but while his past made him turn all bitter and twisted and cynical, she has learnt to face life with a smile, to always look forward, and to try to bring a smile to those around her. He cloaks his hurt and bitterness with coldness and cynicism, and vows never to get close to anyone again, to stay away from all emotional entanglements, while she hides her pain within herself, and doesn't let anyone see it, disguising it with her 1000 watt smile. Maybe for fear of being abandoned again?
So yes, I liked the Sholay scene, Khushi nautanki, and then Arnav belatedly coming to her house to check, the relief on his face to see that she was all right, then the range of emotions as he gets alternately angry at her words about him, a hint of ?regret when she talks about his anger, and then when she seems to feel his presence and turns towards the window, her face soft, as though looking for him, his face is equally soft, half-questioning, as though to ask ... do you feel me too? The way I feel you?
But then she goes back to nautanki, and his face hardens again, as though thinking, here I was out of my mind with worry, and here you're safely at home doing nautanki! And he drives off, and she looks at the window again - did she see his car go by? No, it couldn't be, could it?
The Khushi Shyam scene - *sigh* Khushi looking soft, young and utterly innocent and ravishingly beautiful in her simple pink salwar suit and open hair ... hope Arnav sees her at some point like this, he's going to go completely crazy! Liked the scene - Shyam probing as to what happened at RM, Khushi doesn't really want to tell him, they both exchange simple confidences about life, till she tells him, stay like this, don't get angry and leave like you did the other day. And he talks about making mistakes in his life, which he wants to suljhao - but then later he thinks of Rani Sahiba as his meal ticket, so what is he going to do about Khushi? He is definitely in love with her, but he's not going to jeopardise his marriage for sure.
In the end, though, he asks Khushi again, so what did happen tonight, and she finally tells him, in a single sentence, which shows her hurt and her pain ... a hurt which is now deeper and personal, it's not just anger, but pain too - Arnav Singh Raizada again talked about her 'aukat' and left her in the middle of the road alone. And her tone shows her hurt ... why again and again does ASR bring up her haisiyat and make her feel small? Does he think so badly of her? But she covers it again with a smile and leaves.
Typical Sanaya - hurt, pain, unshed tears in few words ...
And Shyam vows to avenge her tears with ASR. Does he have another agenda as well, or is Khushi his only reason?
So Shyam is very much entrenched in the Guptas house, he's become their confidante, the one they trust ... it's a talent he has, because he's the same in the Raizada house as well. Everyone loves him, trusts him ... when his truth comes out, it will cause major, major upheaval in both homes. As to what he will do, remains to be seen - he can be an ugly customer for sure, but added to which, a dangerous one, because he is intelligent, and cool-headed, unlike the two hotheads Arnav and Khushi.
The second half was the part I had issues with - Khushi playing dangerous pranks with ASR? But turns out, on watching, she conferred with the mechanic about what to do, so her prank was foolish but effective, stalling a car is not the same as causing a blast, the only problem I had was that she's caused ASR a lot of monetary damage, and if he decides to claim it, she'll be working as a slave for the next ten years for him! And in view of the fact that she knows what money means to them at the moment, she should have been more careful. As for the prank itself - he left her stranded and alone in the middle of the road late at night, when his grandmother had entrusted him to drop her safely home, she has left him stranded in his own house in broad daylight, with other cars at his disposal - pretty much sums it up for me. He's still way, way ahead on the meanness scale.
Going on and on to La Blah about marriage was irritating, though - why doesn't she concentrate on ASR and forget about La?! La is not going to change, just do what you have to for a month, earn your salary and leave! Liked the fb of the sindoor, though ... oh yes, Arnav Singh Raizada has started to matter to Khushi, why and how, god only knows. He certainly hasn't done much to encourage it - except that maybe Khushi did see that he forgot his ego long enough to call her back home only for his sister, and she saw his feelings for Anjali and a glimpse of his vulnerability then. But with her ... nothing.
The prank with the phone - methinks that's going to be her undoing ... did she change the ringtone? Now that was cute and funny ... and if he outpranks her on that by putting it on silent, and then gloating that he won on that one, but without the meanness, but more as though it was a prank between two equals, then it will be nice - the beginning of a change of equation between them, the first thaw, the first time Khushi has managed to extract a playful Arnav from deep within the Rakshas ASR.
So yes, although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, I now really want the Arnav-Khushi equation to start changing ... it has to be really well thought out to stay different ... so let's see what the cv's come up with.
Links
part 1
Part 2
HT Brunch article on BALH and IPKKND
The uneasy romantics on the idiot box
Article bang on in many aspects - *rofl* at the line about the current top show on Star Plus!
After reading the initial comments on the episode, I thought I wouldn't like it at all. After a really explosive episode the previous night, sounded like the cv's had gone back to their amnesia and usual waywardness in character development ...also sounded too much like GH brand of juvenile humour - bubbliness = stupidity.
But on watching, I felt differently. First half - unqualified 'like'. Payal getting annoyed about the police episode, and ASR, Khushi manaoing her with that OTT nautanki Sholay scene was very cutely done, and completely in character for Khushi. Time and again it's been showed that Khushi is the one who picks herself up first, and tries to bring a smile to her family's face - from the Roop Suhana song, to the Goli Maare song and now the Sholay nautanki. It's as though the cv's are showing us another contrast between Khushi and Arnav - both have troubled pasts, she is an orphan too, but while his past made him turn all bitter and twisted and cynical, she has learnt to face life with a smile, to always look forward, and to try to bring a smile to those around her. He cloaks his hurt and bitterness with coldness and cynicism, and vows never to get close to anyone again, to stay away from all emotional entanglements, while she hides her pain within herself, and doesn't let anyone see it, disguising it with her 1000 watt smile. Maybe for fear of being abandoned again?
So yes, I liked the Sholay scene, Khushi nautanki, and then Arnav belatedly coming to her house to check, the relief on his face to see that she was all right, then the range of emotions as he gets alternately angry at her words about him, a hint of ?regret when she talks about his anger, and then when she seems to feel his presence and turns towards the window, her face soft, as though looking for him, his face is equally soft, half-questioning, as though to ask ... do you feel me too? The way I feel you?
But then she goes back to nautanki, and his face hardens again, as though thinking, here I was out of my mind with worry, and here you're safely at home doing nautanki! And he drives off, and she looks at the window again - did she see his car go by? No, it couldn't be, could it?
The Khushi Shyam scene - *sigh* Khushi looking soft, young and utterly innocent and ravishingly beautiful in her simple pink salwar suit and open hair ... hope Arnav sees her at some point like this, he's going to go completely crazy! Liked the scene - Shyam probing as to what happened at RM, Khushi doesn't really want to tell him, they both exchange simple confidences about life, till she tells him, stay like this, don't get angry and leave like you did the other day. And he talks about making mistakes in his life, which he wants to suljhao - but then later he thinks of Rani Sahiba as his meal ticket, so what is he going to do about Khushi? He is definitely in love with her, but he's not going to jeopardise his marriage for sure.
In the end, though, he asks Khushi again, so what did happen tonight, and she finally tells him, in a single sentence, which shows her hurt and her pain ... a hurt which is now deeper and personal, it's not just anger, but pain too - Arnav Singh Raizada again talked about her 'aukat' and left her in the middle of the road alone. And her tone shows her hurt ... why again and again does ASR bring up her haisiyat and make her feel small? Does he think so badly of her? But she covers it again with a smile and leaves.
Typical Sanaya - hurt, pain, unshed tears in few words ...
And Shyam vows to avenge her tears with ASR. Does he have another agenda as well, or is Khushi his only reason?
So Shyam is very much entrenched in the Guptas house, he's become their confidante, the one they trust ... it's a talent he has, because he's the same in the Raizada house as well. Everyone loves him, trusts him ... when his truth comes out, it will cause major, major upheaval in both homes. As to what he will do, remains to be seen - he can be an ugly customer for sure, but added to which, a dangerous one, because he is intelligent, and cool-headed, unlike the two hotheads Arnav and Khushi.
The second half was the part I had issues with - Khushi playing dangerous pranks with ASR? But turns out, on watching, she conferred with the mechanic about what to do, so her prank was foolish but effective, stalling a car is not the same as causing a blast, the only problem I had was that she's caused ASR a lot of monetary damage, and if he decides to claim it, she'll be working as a slave for the next ten years for him! And in view of the fact that she knows what money means to them at the moment, she should have been more careful. As for the prank itself - he left her stranded and alone in the middle of the road late at night, when his grandmother had entrusted him to drop her safely home, she has left him stranded in his own house in broad daylight, with other cars at his disposal - pretty much sums it up for me. He's still way, way ahead on the meanness scale.
Going on and on to La Blah about marriage was irritating, though - why doesn't she concentrate on ASR and forget about La?! La is not going to change, just do what you have to for a month, earn your salary and leave! Liked the fb of the sindoor, though ... oh yes, Arnav Singh Raizada has started to matter to Khushi, why and how, god only knows. He certainly hasn't done much to encourage it - except that maybe Khushi did see that he forgot his ego long enough to call her back home only for his sister, and she saw his feelings for Anjali and a glimpse of his vulnerability then. But with her ... nothing.
The prank with the phone - methinks that's going to be her undoing ... did she change the ringtone? Now that was cute and funny ... and if he outpranks her on that by putting it on silent, and then gloating that he won on that one, but without the meanness, but more as though it was a prank between two equals, then it will be nice - the beginning of a change of equation between them, the first thaw, the first time Khushi has managed to extract a playful Arnav from deep within the Rakshas ASR.
So yes, although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, I now really want the Arnav-Khushi equation to start changing ... it has to be really well thought out to stay different ... so let's see what the cv's come up with.
Links
part 1
Part 2
HT Brunch article on BALH and IPKKND
The uneasy romantics on the idiot box
Article bang on in many aspects - *rofl* at the line about the current top show on Star Plus!
Friday, September 9, 2011
8/9 - Epi 71 ... Explosion!
8th Sept
Liked it! Some tying up of loose ends, setting of scenes in place, leading up to the most awaited scene - the Arshi explosion!
Apologies again for the police from Anjali - so they didn't forget about it completely ;-) And Akash to drop Guptas home.
Waylaid by Blah who detains Khushi - Blah still smarting after her ticking off by ASR, wants to prove her place to Khushi. Nani is Khushi's champion though, and orders Arnav to drop Khushi home.
Liked the scene between the four - funny because of the dialogues and expressions so completely at variance. Especially Arnav giving killer looks to Khushi, that now I've got you where I want, and Khushi like a scared rabbit in a trap - having a female Gabbar for a champion has some dangerous side effects.
And then the explosion - driving in silence for a while, Arnav fuming, Khushi belatedly determined to keep her mouth shut - till he fingers Devi maiyya's chunni, and she protests. And he explodes - why?! Why can't I do what I want? Will you complain to Di and Nani? ... Oh yes, he's helpless and frustrated also because the only two people he cares about to any extent are both apparently in love with Khushi!
Is his insistence on Lavanya another safety mechanism? She won't be acceptable to Nani ever, does he know that? Is it another way to keep himself safe, an excuse to keep himself free from committment, to choose someone so obviously unsuitable to his family's way of life? Because if he gave in to those yet unrecognised feelings, that strange attraction for Khushi, it would have to lead to committment for sure - Nani and Anjali would have him bound and trussed at the shaadi mandap in double quick time!
Then his real gripes emerge ... how dare you NOT want to see me in my own house? Oh yes, that stung him real bad ... How dare you trick me into coming for the aarti when i didn't want to ... now that one was more ego, that she got the better of him ...
But she's still quiet ... and he's even madder. He wants answers, he does NOT like it when she's quiet. In a perverse way, he wants her to fight back, so that he can let out all his anger, his rage, that's been bottled inside him for so many years ... and with her, he can let it out, because she is strong enough to take it ... With Anjali, he can't, two angry words and she dissolves into tears, Lavanya ditto ... Naani just makes him madder ... but Khushi - he can fire his biggest guns at her, and she will fire back ... and he wants that, he's itching for a good fight, because this girl has gotten under his skin. She questions his beliefs, his very self ... she reminds him of the Arnav he once was, and at the same time shows him how much he has changed ... but can't she see that he had to change? That he had reasons, his compulsions, why can't she understand that? Instead of making him feel small in his own eyes all the time, instead of making him question himself all the time ... He wants her to listen to him, to understand ... when she is still silent and makes to leave, he locks the door ... no, you're not leaving yet, because I'm not done. I want you to listen, I want you to understand ...
Why, Arnav? Why do you want this chhote aukat ki, unimportant, girl to listen to you, to understand you ... why is it so important to you?
So Khushi sits, her normal self emerging ... not his employee, not his inferior ... just Khushi and Arnav ... a battle of equals. If he wants to listen, he will jolly well listen ... warts and all ... he's asking for it. Go ahead, ask what you want to.
Arnav - Why did you call me for the aarti?
Khushi - Because you insulted Balgopal.
Not because she wanted to change his faith, his beliefs. But because he insulted hers.
Arnav - Who the hell are you to ...?
Khushi - No, who are you? To insult my beliefs? I can't see my Balgopal insulted.
Arnav - Then turn your head.
Khushi - How about you bow your head?
Mutters to herself - I thought you might improve by attending the aarti, but not a chance ... forcing a girl into such a position ...
Arnav - Whatever you have to say, say it to my face.
Khushi with belated smidgeon of wisdom, stays quiet.
Arnav shouts - he's really asking for it now! I said something to you! Talk to me! Look at me!
Khushi - well he did ask for it ... I said you're a rakshas! Can't respect God, don't even respect human beings.
That hits home - he has been insulting her from the start.
But turns out she's not talking about herself.
And that's why you're insulting La by forcing her to live with you ...
Arnav is genuinely puzzled at this one ... insulting La? How? Where did Lavanya come into this conversation from?
By living with her outside marriage. That's the biggest insult to any woman. How can you live with a woman without marriage?
I can live. My life. I don't believe in marriage.
And her? Have you ever asked her what she feels? (Sweetie, La the blah doesn't have any thoughts of her own. Arnav probably told her he doesn't believe in marriage, so she doesn't as well. Besides, kids are bad for the figure and the complexion both.)
Arnav - how does it matter to you what she feels? Who are you to ...?
Khushi - I am a girl! And I cannot see this insult to another woman. Because as a girl, I can tell you there is no bigger insult to any girl than being in a relationship with a person who is scared to give a name to that relationship.
Why is she not blaming La at all? Because in her mind, no woman would agree to such a relationship except by force.She definitely wouldn't.
And why does she even care? Because what he does, hurts her, upsets her ... when his beliefs are so much at odds with hers, when their differences appear so stark ... and the distance between them even wider. It matters to her ... because he matters to her.
You are weak. So you're scared to give that name. But didn't your parents also have that relationship ...
She gets no further. She's hit a raw nerve. A very raw one, which hasn't healed after so many years, a wound which is still festering deep inside. And he can't take it.
Get out.
He actually does pull her out of the car, despite her protests ... backs away furiously. But gets no further. No, he can't leave her alone on the road at night like this ... once before she was left alone because of him, and she nearly lost her life, leaving him haunted for weeks with thoughts of what might have happened. So he bangs the wheel in frustration, comes back and curtly orders her back in the car.
But she's Khushi ... as proud and hot-headed as him, and as prone to losing her brains when she's in a temper. She won't get in the car - not till he apologises.
ASR and apologise? Not gonna happen. Not to a girl of her 'aukat'.
That word again.
Then she's not getting in.
Suit yourself.
And this time he really does drive off, ego and pride getting the better of common sense and even his sense of responsibility. But he shouldn't have looked at her before he did ... his last glimpse is of Khushi in tears, alone on the road.
His temper carries him as far as back home this time - he actually makes it to his room.Throws the keys on the bed in anger. She called him rakshas. How dare she?
And then he closes his eyes ... regret already seeping in. He pushed her forcibly out of the car. She fell down on the road because of him. She was crying.
Shit. He did it again.
So he goes back. Yet again. Only to find an empty road. And fear kicks in again. Where is that girl?
Last scene, when Khushi reaches home ... in sombre mode. And covers up for the mud on her clothes. Not blaming her Rakshas this time.
Is this going to be a repeat of the RM scene, when she blasted him all right, but never really felt good about doing so?
GOOD episode! And Barun and Sanaya's acting - fabulous! Hats off to the dialogue writers - great dialogues, and great delivery by the actors - the rapidfire exchange of dialogues was brilliantly done!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Liked it! Some tying up of loose ends, setting of scenes in place, leading up to the most awaited scene - the Arshi explosion!
Apologies again for the police from Anjali - so they didn't forget about it completely ;-) And Akash to drop Guptas home.
Waylaid by Blah who detains Khushi - Blah still smarting after her ticking off by ASR, wants to prove her place to Khushi. Nani is Khushi's champion though, and orders Arnav to drop Khushi home.
Liked the scene between the four - funny because of the dialogues and expressions so completely at variance. Especially Arnav giving killer looks to Khushi, that now I've got you where I want, and Khushi like a scared rabbit in a trap - having a female Gabbar for a champion has some dangerous side effects.
And then the explosion - driving in silence for a while, Arnav fuming, Khushi belatedly determined to keep her mouth shut - till he fingers Devi maiyya's chunni, and she protests. And he explodes - why?! Why can't I do what I want? Will you complain to Di and Nani? ... Oh yes, he's helpless and frustrated also because the only two people he cares about to any extent are both apparently in love with Khushi!
Is his insistence on Lavanya another safety mechanism? She won't be acceptable to Nani ever, does he know that? Is it another way to keep himself safe, an excuse to keep himself free from committment, to choose someone so obviously unsuitable to his family's way of life? Because if he gave in to those yet unrecognised feelings, that strange attraction for Khushi, it would have to lead to committment for sure - Nani and Anjali would have him bound and trussed at the shaadi mandap in double quick time!
Then his real gripes emerge ... how dare you NOT want to see me in my own house? Oh yes, that stung him real bad ... How dare you trick me into coming for the aarti when i didn't want to ... now that one was more ego, that she got the better of him ...
But she's still quiet ... and he's even madder. He wants answers, he does NOT like it when she's quiet. In a perverse way, he wants her to fight back, so that he can let out all his anger, his rage, that's been bottled inside him for so many years ... and with her, he can let it out, because she is strong enough to take it ... With Anjali, he can't, two angry words and she dissolves into tears, Lavanya ditto ... Naani just makes him madder ... but Khushi - he can fire his biggest guns at her, and she will fire back ... and he wants that, he's itching for a good fight, because this girl has gotten under his skin. She questions his beliefs, his very self ... she reminds him of the Arnav he once was, and at the same time shows him how much he has changed ... but can't she see that he had to change? That he had reasons, his compulsions, why can't she understand that? Instead of making him feel small in his own eyes all the time, instead of making him question himself all the time ... He wants her to listen to him, to understand ... when she is still silent and makes to leave, he locks the door ... no, you're not leaving yet, because I'm not done. I want you to listen, I want you to understand ...
Why, Arnav? Why do you want this chhote aukat ki, unimportant, girl to listen to you, to understand you ... why is it so important to you?
So Khushi sits, her normal self emerging ... not his employee, not his inferior ... just Khushi and Arnav ... a battle of equals. If he wants to listen, he will jolly well listen ... warts and all ... he's asking for it. Go ahead, ask what you want to.
Arnav - Why did you call me for the aarti?
Khushi - Because you insulted Balgopal.
Not because she wanted to change his faith, his beliefs. But because he insulted hers.
Arnav - Who the hell are you to ...?
Khushi - No, who are you? To insult my beliefs? I can't see my Balgopal insulted.
Arnav - Then turn your head.
Khushi - How about you bow your head?
Mutters to herself - I thought you might improve by attending the aarti, but not a chance ... forcing a girl into such a position ...
Arnav - Whatever you have to say, say it to my face.
Khushi with belated smidgeon of wisdom, stays quiet.
Arnav shouts - he's really asking for it now! I said something to you! Talk to me! Look at me!
Khushi - well he did ask for it ... I said you're a rakshas! Can't respect God, don't even respect human beings.
That hits home - he has been insulting her from the start.
But turns out she's not talking about herself.
And that's why you're insulting La by forcing her to live with you ...
Arnav is genuinely puzzled at this one ... insulting La? How? Where did Lavanya come into this conversation from?
By living with her outside marriage. That's the biggest insult to any woman. How can you live with a woman without marriage?
I can live. My life. I don't believe in marriage.
And her? Have you ever asked her what she feels? (Sweetie, La the blah doesn't have any thoughts of her own. Arnav probably told her he doesn't believe in marriage, so she doesn't as well. Besides, kids are bad for the figure and the complexion both.)
Arnav - how does it matter to you what she feels? Who are you to ...?
Khushi - I am a girl! And I cannot see this insult to another woman. Because as a girl, I can tell you there is no bigger insult to any girl than being in a relationship with a person who is scared to give a name to that relationship.
Why is she not blaming La at all? Because in her mind, no woman would agree to such a relationship except by force.She definitely wouldn't.
And why does she even care? Because what he does, hurts her, upsets her ... when his beliefs are so much at odds with hers, when their differences appear so stark ... and the distance between them even wider. It matters to her ... because he matters to her.
You are weak. So you're scared to give that name. But didn't your parents also have that relationship ...
She gets no further. She's hit a raw nerve. A very raw one, which hasn't healed after so many years, a wound which is still festering deep inside. And he can't take it.
Get out.
He actually does pull her out of the car, despite her protests ... backs away furiously. But gets no further. No, he can't leave her alone on the road at night like this ... once before she was left alone because of him, and she nearly lost her life, leaving him haunted for weeks with thoughts of what might have happened. So he bangs the wheel in frustration, comes back and curtly orders her back in the car.
But she's Khushi ... as proud and hot-headed as him, and as prone to losing her brains when she's in a temper. She won't get in the car - not till he apologises.
ASR and apologise? Not gonna happen. Not to a girl of her 'aukat'.
That word again.
Then she's not getting in.
Suit yourself.
And this time he really does drive off, ego and pride getting the better of common sense and even his sense of responsibility. But he shouldn't have looked at her before he did ... his last glimpse is of Khushi in tears, alone on the road.
His temper carries him as far as back home this time - he actually makes it to his room.Throws the keys on the bed in anger. She called him rakshas. How dare she?
And then he closes his eyes ... regret already seeping in. He pushed her forcibly out of the car. She fell down on the road because of him. She was crying.
Shit. He did it again.
So he goes back. Yet again. Only to find an empty road. And fear kicks in again. Where is that girl?
Last scene, when Khushi reaches home ... in sombre mode. And covers up for the mud on her clothes. Not blaming her Rakshas this time.
Is this going to be a repeat of the RM scene, when she blasted him all right, but never really felt good about doing so?
GOOD episode! And Barun and Sanaya's acting - fabulous! Hats off to the dialogue writers - great dialogues, and great delivery by the actors - the rapidfire exchange of dialogues was brilliantly done!
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Thursday, September 8, 2011
7/9 - Epi 70 ... Clash of beliefs
7th Sept
Buaji expresses her distress about the humiliation and tells Khushi that if she leaves her job, she (bua) will support her completely - a big thumbs up for Buaji. Khushi says she knows, but for her, this is a job which is giving them the money they are in need of. So she will do it - to the best of her ability. And put up with whatever it takes.
During her four days at AR, she faced not just public humiliation, but also physical abuse, and a life threat. Compared to that, this is nothing - plus she has received the money upfront. How can she back off? Would she have to return the money? Or has she already sent it to her parents, so she cannot? Plus, the matriarch is on her side, so she has some support, which is actually meaningful, as opposed to Manju aunty in AR. All in all, I can understand Khushi's decision to continue.
Payash scene - sweet. Finally they progress the Payash story. So this might happen in tandem with Shyam's truth emerging, which might give Khushi another reason not to burn her bridges with Arnav and the Raizada house.
Pooja starts. In view of Khushi's decision to continue with her job, could understand her normal behaviour with Lavanya, but felt it should have been tempered with some slight hesitation at least. Here she carries on as though nothing ever happened. Part of her determination to look forward? Being too caught up in the festivities? Or just a directorial glitch? Because Khushi has been shown to be a person who doesn't really hold grudges for too long - the one time she sounded off Arnav for the guesthouse episode, she was herself not happy with the whole shouting match. But I would have been happier with some hint of reserve with Blah, for a few moments at least. And where and why did Anjali suddenly disappear from the puja?
Arshi scene - I preferred Arnav's lines ... I don't want to attend the puja, so I won't. Let your God strike lightening on me for that - I'll wait! And Khushi takes it as a personal insult - Balgopal has sent a sign in the form of ghee on his shirt, how can he not attend?
*sigh* Indian blind belief at its best - or worst.
So Khushiji takes it on herself to bring Arnav to the aarti.
Mixed feelings on this scene. At first take, I sympathise with Arnav completely. Belief is a private thing - he has lost faith in God for his own reasons, and by dragging him to a ritual he doesn't believe in, is not going to magically restore that faith. Plus faith cannot be forced, it has to come from the heart. This seemed more like Khushi's own agenda - taking Arnav's atheism as a personal challenge and meeting it headon, with more sensibility than sense. But then, isn't that what ASR had done in office with her? Given her idiotic, stupid jobs to do, just to show her down and try to break her? So both seem to be equal in the ego department for sure. And the challenge wasn't really to change Arnav's beliefs, but more to make him join in a family celebration.
But the situation was very forced and inconsistent with what had just happened earlier. Since when has Khushi become so fearless with ASR? Till the last episode, she was in tears about the police incident, how has she recovered so completely, to be able to face him without shaking, as she was doing till now?
My take - one missing scene - where Arnav fired Blah about bringing in the police to RM without asking him, and telling Blah that he doesn't want a repeat of her stupidity. Blah saying that she just did it to verify Khushi, Arnav replying that Khushi doesn't need to be verified at this stage, after knowing her for over a month. A few biting words about Khushi being a gold-digger but not a thief, or not being stupid enough to try robbing a house where she is the only outsider, would have cemented his tacit support for Khushi, and a few added words about advising Blah to behave herself and not antagonise Nani any further than she already has done, would have put Blah further to hating Khushi but following her quietly as she did in the puja, and probably started to soften Khushi towards Arnav, at least enough for the ghee scene.
Also, I think the challenge to bring Arnav to the puja was not really to change his beliefs, but more to make him join a family celebration taking place in the house. And also, to avenge a perceived insult to not herself - for Khushi is prepared to swallow insults to her own self quietly - but to her Balgopal. It was as though Arnav had challenged Balgopal - I won't attend the aarti - what will your God do to me? Will he throw lightening at me? He can't harm me. So Khushi says, God will bring you to the aarti. With some help from his devoted servant, of course!
La blah tying sari, and trying to provoke Khushi again - leave the job if you can't teach me. Which Khushi can't do, of course. So she swallows her insult and pretends nothing has happened. And the part where she tells Blah to bring Arnav for the aarti is definitely her own agenda - her own challenge with Arnav - nothing to do with getting Blah into Nani's good books. Khushi seems to have learnt some tricks - she is not as simple as she looks. She's figured out how to manage Blah all right - Blah being dumb helps, of course. Because Blah can only resort to crude, direct stuff ... anything slightly subtle seems to be beyond her.
Don't think that Khushi thought about Blah getting into trouble with Arnav - she is genuinely not bothered about ASR at the moment. Except for some occasional touches and rabba ve's, she is not very conscious of him yet. Or maybe also, Blah being firmly in place, it's not Khushi's nature to think about ASR, as he is so obviously taken. Plus again, it's a job she wants to succeed at, and get the hell out of RM with her money.
Blah with ASR - he shouts, she cowers and runs away. He's already pissed that Khushi tried to pull him for the aarti, Blah gets the rough end of his tongue. And of course she can't handle it. I wonder if Anjali alone had tried to call him for the aarti, he might have agreed, but because it was Khushi, he said no. Because how can he listen to anything Khushi says?!
Khushi's plan for bringing Arnav downstairs and lighting the diya works ... and Anjali cements it by persuading him to stay for the aarti. Loved Khushi's wink to Balgopal and the mischief in her eyes. Arnav is of course glowering all through.
Like I said, I do sympathise with Arnav's feelings, plus faith cannot be forced. So being forced to attend a ritual is a big no-no for me.
On the other hand, Arnav has been shown to be a neo-athiest - the events in his life turned him into one. But also, he conforms to many of the traditions of his house fairly willingly - giving up non-veg during navratas being the first one, he may have gone to the mandir for Teej for Anjali's sake, but he took part in the aarti there willingly, he fasts for Raksha Bandhan with Anjali ... the beliefs are there buried deep within him, which is why Anjali is able to persuade him so many times so easily. So maybe this was the first step through Khushi's efforts, taken unwillingly, but taken nonetheless ... and a typical Hindi serial (and filmy) one ... the hero cannot be an atheist, he has to return to God at some point, preferably through the help of his saintly mother, sacrificing sister or his lover.
And Shyam the villain is emerging ... so hopefully the story will start to move now! He may have fallen in love with Khushi ... but now he just wants her.
Another Arshi moment - the diya shielding - loved this one! Short and sweet. Really like the way the eyelocks here are short ... not long and everlasting! Shades of things to come - mami handing over the reins of the jhoola to Khushi ... and Khushi to Arnav. Just some touches of awareness on Khushi's part, and Arnav is still glowering.
ASR overhears that Khushi hatched the plan to bring him downstairs for the aarti ... methinks he wasn't so furious about coming down as he was about losing to Khushi's challenge. And Khushi made it very clear that he had lost her challenge by staying for the aarti, and she was happily gloating about it. So although he fired Blah for falling for Khushi's tricks, his main anger will come out at Khushi as per the precap.
On the whole, I found a lot of inconsistencies in characterization, which I had to really think to try and explain. Seems as though the episodes are being written on a day to day basis - the CV's really need to chalk out whole tracks well in advance - it has the makings of a good complicated story, and this piecemeal work is very annoying.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
Buaji expresses her distress about the humiliation and tells Khushi that if she leaves her job, she (bua) will support her completely - a big thumbs up for Buaji. Khushi says she knows, but for her, this is a job which is giving them the money they are in need of. So she will do it - to the best of her ability. And put up with whatever it takes.
During her four days at AR, she faced not just public humiliation, but also physical abuse, and a life threat. Compared to that, this is nothing - plus she has received the money upfront. How can she back off? Would she have to return the money? Or has she already sent it to her parents, so she cannot? Plus, the matriarch is on her side, so she has some support, which is actually meaningful, as opposed to Manju aunty in AR. All in all, I can understand Khushi's decision to continue.
Payash scene - sweet. Finally they progress the Payash story. So this might happen in tandem with Shyam's truth emerging, which might give Khushi another reason not to burn her bridges with Arnav and the Raizada house.
Pooja starts. In view of Khushi's decision to continue with her job, could understand her normal behaviour with Lavanya, but felt it should have been tempered with some slight hesitation at least. Here she carries on as though nothing ever happened. Part of her determination to look forward? Being too caught up in the festivities? Or just a directorial glitch? Because Khushi has been shown to be a person who doesn't really hold grudges for too long - the one time she sounded off Arnav for the guesthouse episode, she was herself not happy with the whole shouting match. But I would have been happier with some hint of reserve with Blah, for a few moments at least. And where and why did Anjali suddenly disappear from the puja?
Arshi scene - I preferred Arnav's lines ... I don't want to attend the puja, so I won't. Let your God strike lightening on me for that - I'll wait! And Khushi takes it as a personal insult - Balgopal has sent a sign in the form of ghee on his shirt, how can he not attend?
*sigh* Indian blind belief at its best - or worst.
So Khushiji takes it on herself to bring Arnav to the aarti.
Mixed feelings on this scene. At first take, I sympathise with Arnav completely. Belief is a private thing - he has lost faith in God for his own reasons, and by dragging him to a ritual he doesn't believe in, is not going to magically restore that faith. Plus faith cannot be forced, it has to come from the heart. This seemed more like Khushi's own agenda - taking Arnav's atheism as a personal challenge and meeting it headon, with more sensibility than sense. But then, isn't that what ASR had done in office with her? Given her idiotic, stupid jobs to do, just to show her down and try to break her? So both seem to be equal in the ego department for sure. And the challenge wasn't really to change Arnav's beliefs, but more to make him join in a family celebration.
But the situation was very forced and inconsistent with what had just happened earlier. Since when has Khushi become so fearless with ASR? Till the last episode, she was in tears about the police incident, how has she recovered so completely, to be able to face him without shaking, as she was doing till now?
My take - one missing scene - where Arnav fired Blah about bringing in the police to RM without asking him, and telling Blah that he doesn't want a repeat of her stupidity. Blah saying that she just did it to verify Khushi, Arnav replying that Khushi doesn't need to be verified at this stage, after knowing her for over a month. A few biting words about Khushi being a gold-digger but not a thief, or not being stupid enough to try robbing a house where she is the only outsider, would have cemented his tacit support for Khushi, and a few added words about advising Blah to behave herself and not antagonise Nani any further than she already has done, would have put Blah further to hating Khushi but following her quietly as she did in the puja, and probably started to soften Khushi towards Arnav, at least enough for the ghee scene.
Also, I think the challenge to bring Arnav to the puja was not really to change his beliefs, but more to make him join a family celebration taking place in the house. And also, to avenge a perceived insult to not herself - for Khushi is prepared to swallow insults to her own self quietly - but to her Balgopal. It was as though Arnav had challenged Balgopal - I won't attend the aarti - what will your God do to me? Will he throw lightening at me? He can't harm me. So Khushi says, God will bring you to the aarti. With some help from his devoted servant, of course!
La blah tying sari, and trying to provoke Khushi again - leave the job if you can't teach me. Which Khushi can't do, of course. So she swallows her insult and pretends nothing has happened. And the part where she tells Blah to bring Arnav for the aarti is definitely her own agenda - her own challenge with Arnav - nothing to do with getting Blah into Nani's good books. Khushi seems to have learnt some tricks - she is not as simple as she looks. She's figured out how to manage Blah all right - Blah being dumb helps, of course. Because Blah can only resort to crude, direct stuff ... anything slightly subtle seems to be beyond her.
Don't think that Khushi thought about Blah getting into trouble with Arnav - she is genuinely not bothered about ASR at the moment. Except for some occasional touches and rabba ve's, she is not very conscious of him yet. Or maybe also, Blah being firmly in place, it's not Khushi's nature to think about ASR, as he is so obviously taken. Plus again, it's a job she wants to succeed at, and get the hell out of RM with her money.
Blah with ASR - he shouts, she cowers and runs away. He's already pissed that Khushi tried to pull him for the aarti, Blah gets the rough end of his tongue. And of course she can't handle it. I wonder if Anjali alone had tried to call him for the aarti, he might have agreed, but because it was Khushi, he said no. Because how can he listen to anything Khushi says?!
Khushi's plan for bringing Arnav downstairs and lighting the diya works ... and Anjali cements it by persuading him to stay for the aarti. Loved Khushi's wink to Balgopal and the mischief in her eyes. Arnav is of course glowering all through.
Like I said, I do sympathise with Arnav's feelings, plus faith cannot be forced. So being forced to attend a ritual is a big no-no for me.
On the other hand, Arnav has been shown to be a neo-athiest - the events in his life turned him into one. But also, he conforms to many of the traditions of his house fairly willingly - giving up non-veg during navratas being the first one, he may have gone to the mandir for Teej for Anjali's sake, but he took part in the aarti there willingly, he fasts for Raksha Bandhan with Anjali ... the beliefs are there buried deep within him, which is why Anjali is able to persuade him so many times so easily. So maybe this was the first step through Khushi's efforts, taken unwillingly, but taken nonetheless ... and a typical Hindi serial (and filmy) one ... the hero cannot be an atheist, he has to return to God at some point, preferably through the help of his saintly mother, sacrificing sister or his lover.
And Shyam the villain is emerging ... so hopefully the story will start to move now! He may have fallen in love with Khushi ... but now he just wants her.
Another Arshi moment - the diya shielding - loved this one! Short and sweet. Really like the way the eyelocks here are short ... not long and everlasting! Shades of things to come - mami handing over the reins of the jhoola to Khushi ... and Khushi to Arnav. Just some touches of awareness on Khushi's part, and Arnav is still glowering.
ASR overhears that Khushi hatched the plan to bring him downstairs for the aarti ... methinks he wasn't so furious about coming down as he was about losing to Khushi's challenge. And Khushi made it very clear that he had lost her challenge by staying for the aarti, and she was happily gloating about it. So although he fired Blah for falling for Khushi's tricks, his main anger will come out at Khushi as per the precap.
On the whole, I found a lot of inconsistencies in characterization, which I had to really think to try and explain. Seems as though the episodes are being written on a day to day basis - the CV's really need to chalk out whole tracks well in advance - it has the makings of a good complicated story, and this piecemeal work is very annoying.
Links
Part 1
Part 2
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