Tues 27/3 - 217 ... Lady Pretty in Pink, Man in Red ... Smoking Hot!

Tues 27th March
And we hit 100,000 hits for the blog yesterday - thanks to you all ... you girls rock! :)) :x

Quick update: So Nani's plan takes off - to give the newly wedded couples a Bali honeymoon in Delhi ... again, am glad the comedy and light bits were for the supporting cast and the leads still had the intensity ... again, Sanaya missing in the family scenes :(

Mamaji ... who mama, what mama =)) he rocked! valet cum attendant
Mamiji ... has obviously never been to Bali ... or the cv's thought it was like Hawaii =))
Nani looked wow ...
The coconuts were an authentic touch (yes, I have been to Bali - beautiful place :) )
Anjali looked stunning in the black with her hair up.
Shyam looked quite smart, have to say.

Arnav looked positively drop dead dashing in that red shirt ... dhak dhak ... :">
Khushi looked beautiful ... I liked her in the green suit also ... wish her hair had been left open in front as well. I guess they're keeping that for the real romance.
Akash Payal ... looked nice too, I guess - didn't notice them much ;)

So Khushi makes it clear to Arnav that she's doing all this for Di too ... and only for Di. Will that ring any bells at all?
Arnav actually missed her usual fight back ... I said I'm going to change first ...  didn't you hear? Aren't you going to argue?
The dance was surprisingly very good ... I made the mistake of reading a few comments from IF before watching - complaining about no chemistry ... don't know what they were watching, tbh ... if they were expecting sweet gentle romance, it wasn't there ...
This was anger, passions running high ... and once Arnav caught Shyam watching Khushi, the temperature reached flashpoint ... the junoon built ... laying claim to Khushi in front of the world - she's mine, she dances to my tune and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.
A dark character is Arnav indeed.

In the room ... still at daggers drawn, but Khushi can't help but live in the moment ... this is all so beautiful ... her romantic dream ... roses, candlelight ... and Arnav is still angry, but again, the edge from yesterday is gone ... what are they leading to ...? Locked in the room, no phones can disturb ... and he blows out the candles in a fit of petulance before he realizes that the lights are off ...
And they're actually stumbling back to that same comfort zone every time ... the most bitter of fights, yet somehow they get back to the familiarity they now share ... matches, candle ...

If this was a western show, the UST would have hit the ceiling by now ... as it is, it's crackling pretty close to the surface ... the tension was very obvious during the dance, especially the latter half ... in the room later, it kept waxing and waning ... but the RV's weren't forced ... they were well placed. And thank you, cv's ... only instrumental!!!!! yippeee!!!

But the lounger is on fire ... so does that mean the end of that little interlude already? :(

Will dissect the RV's tomorrow ...

Gargi ... Khushi was in green!!! And Arnav lost his waistcoat!!! Yippeeee!!!! Thank you, cv's!!!! One last confirmation next week - third time will cement it!

*edited*
Episode starts with the brothers waiting under order, for their wives, to enter their own house ... wives appear ... and on cue, so does Mamaji ... 'who Mama what Mama ... I'm driver cum valet cum attendant' =)) Mamaji was damn good!!! ArHi and Payash all flummoxed ...
The foursome enter a transformed RM ... meet and greet by transformed Mami =)) ... coconut water ... and Mami makes a joke about the 'bin badal barsaat' :))
Transformed Nani ... Hotel Manager - graceful and very elegant - Naniji, you rock! :)

Daljeet looking a total knockout ... gives Payal welcome bouquet, and Shyam gives Khushi bouquet of red roses ... :(
Was Arnav too lost in the glare session with Shyam to notice Khushi's discomfort? Or would he have misinterpreted it anyway? And Shyam tries to cover up by saying his RS also loves red roses ... for Arnav's benefit, to convince him of his newly turned over leaf? Or for the rest of the audience, keeping his challenge to Arnav in place? Confusing, as he is apparently trying to convince Arnav he has reformed ... but he couldn't quite hide his gloat there ... is Shyam slipping up again? (Or is the script?)

So Anjali sends them to change ... 'but why? We're in our home?' 'No, you're not, you're in Bali!' And Arnav has no choice but to go along with the play-acting, but with very bad grace.
(SN - BD's for Sanaya all through, except for her closeups ... :( but her expressions stayed perfect, and today her dialogues were in place)

As he grumbles to Khushi in their room ... 'what's wrong with them all, I don't understand what they're doing.'
'They're trying to make us happy, but you won't understand that ... because you never think about giving anyone else happiness.'
No, he doesn't ... because he can't play act like she can ... he hasn't mastered the art of smiling for the world and hiding his pain like she does ... just to keep everyone around her happy. He does what he has to for his sister's happiness, but no one understands him, he can't tell anyone ... not even the girl he loves and hates both.
And he doesn't understand that it's his own happiness which would make his Di the happiest ... which is why she's going to the trouble of doing all this ...

And just a small exchange showing how used he has got to Khushi in his life, around him all the time, arguing with him, fighting with him over every little thing, bringing him back to life ...
'I'm going to change first.'
No reply, she's busy brushing out her own clothes ... sorting, folding ... not arguing ... why isn't she arguing with him? Didn't she hear him? He stops, turns back to repeat ... she didn't hear, obviously, or she would be fighting already ...
'Did you hear? I'm going first.'
'I heard you. Did I say anything? You said I have to do what you say, so all right, I will ...'
But the whole point is to win over her, to challenge her to an equal fight ... a tame victory is not what he wants ... as he suddenly realizes to his chagrin ... he wants to win, but only after a fight ...
And she won't give him one ... she's tired of being bullied again and again ... hand him his victory, and maybe he'll just go away ... and he does ... and she's not sure she likes that either ...

Anjali shows Payash to their room ... now here's a couple very happy for the Bali in Dilli honeymoon - pehle aap, pehle aap ... what a contrast! =))

Payash enter hall ...
Arnav enters ... lookin' hot hot hot ... in open-necked dark red shirt and jeans ... for once, I actually noticed what he was wearing :)) ... which means he looked good!!! :"> :))
Anjali quizzes him about his partner, and Khushi makes her entrance ... nervous, hesitant, beautiful in pink, her eyes shadowed ... and a mesmerized Arnav stares at her as she approaches him nervously ... and they have a moment as they search each others eyes again ...

(the problem with Sanaya is that she always looks stunning, even in her everyday clothes, her face and her complexion are her most striking features, not the makeup and accessories as for most heroines ... so unless she has a drastic makeover, she doesn't look very different, unless she opens her front bangs, then the sensuality comes to the forefront immediately ... I loved her dress though, it was beautiful ...)

Anjali troubled ... 'please try to forget your fights and enjoy this one night honeymoon ... for my sake.' And of course, Arnav cant refuse his sister anything.

Mamaji another Cupid - 'hold her hand, man!' So Arnav holds his out ... and Khushi puts hers in it, still troubled, still searching his eyes, why is she trying to find something when he told her it doesn't exist?

Anjali, exuberant as ever ... dance time ... errmm ... really? While the entire family just stands and watches? (But of course .. how else would we have got that passionate "She's mine and you can just keep your hands and eyes off her" statement dance?)
And Arnav again has to do what Di says ... hand out again for Khushi ... as she hesitates, 'what?' Why aren't you taking my hand?
'You want to tell me what to do every time ... so tell me now. Am getting used to it. You don't ask, you tell. So now you're asking ... I don't know what to answer ... you haven't told me yet.'
This is what you wanted, isn't it? Meek and mild, unquestioning Khushi, obeying your every command ... well, here you are ... you have her ... you won't have the real me, the real Khushi ...

No, he doesn't like this Khushi at all ... he wants his fighter back ... but he himself had banished her ... and the fire starts building ... he wants his Khushi back ... but she wants someone else ... she won't have that someone else either ... if he can't have her, no one else can ...
'Don't start dreaming again ...' don't think I will forgive you ...
Her answer should give him a clue when he starts thinking again ... 'I don't link any dreams with you now ...'
Her dreams were all linked to him ... with him ... and he shattered them ... she will not make the mistake of dreaming again ...
'I'm doing this only for ...'
She completes his sentence ... 'for Di? I know. You're not the only one. So am I.'
She can hide her tears, her pain, her unhappiness for his Di ... because she cares for Anjali.

And they dance ... first only to show the family, to show his Di ... who look on, happy at the success of their plan ... the fighting duo have made up ...
(All said and done, the Raizadas are a very caring family ... all happily took part in this drama, even Mami)
And Shyam continues to gaze at Khushi ... till Nani pulls him and Anjali onto the dance floor as well. Should have got Mama Mami to dance as well ...
The first half of the dance - to the title track ... we finally get to hear the title track ... and BS can move quite well ...
The contrast between the two honeymooning couples - one smiling, looking into each others' eyes, happy, content ... the other, no smiles, tension palpable, physically so close, emotionally miles apart ... as he leads grimly, she follows ... just follows, no trace of her usual joyfulness, her zest for dancing ... in her face or in her eyes ... her emotions dulled, deadened ... not even looking at his face, his eyes ... but his don't lift from hers ... watching her every move, feeling the lifeless obedient doll in his arms, in place of the warm vibrant woman ...

And then he sees Shyam staring at Khushi ... while Shyam's own wife is held close to him, her face, her smile adoring her faithless husband ... and Arnav looks back at Khushi dancing lifeless in his arms ... and the junoon builds ... Khushi is his ... his wife ... dare Shyam or any other man look at her ... she is his, whether she wants to be or not ... a fb of Khushi held in Shyam's arms ... no! She is in his arms, and there she will stay ... his ... only his ...
And  bewildered Khushi looks at him, sensing the change of mood instantly ... the anger, the fire building ... but bewildered as to the reason for the sudden change ... bewildered, and scared as she senses the raging passion leashed tightly ...

And the second half of the dance ... a branding, a stamping of possession, a marking of territory ... mine and only mine ... to have and to hold ... to touch, to twirl, to play, to pull the strings ... and finally pulling her to end where she will always be ... in his arms. Even as the family watches in mixed shock and awe ... at the dance? Or at the raw passion on display?
And they stand frozen for a long moment, recovering ... then she raises her head to look at him ... questioning, searching ... desperately seeking answers ... he did it again ... threw her away, and then pulled her back to him ...

Final step ... locked into their room, no lights, and no mobiles ... no lights, no way out.
Payash continue their romantic evening happily ... they were actually cute ... progressing to laughter and teasing ... okay, that's enough for them ;)

Back to ArHi ... Arnav stumbles against a table, Khsuhi shows her concern, then covers up instantly ... Khushi wants to eat, tells Arnav to eat too, to have enough stamina for fighting ... (change of mood suddenly ... was this shot earlier and the storyline changed, because the angst all but vanished)
He blows out the candles ... and then discovers there's no lights ... as usual, creating the problem, and then looking for a solution ... they discover they are locked in. Good thing they already started sharing the room. And forgetting their quarrel, they go back to some kind of comfort zone ... we need matches, ok, let's look ... found them ... I'll get a candle ... and a trip fall onto the bed ... (with a lighted matchstick that has to have set some kind of record for longevity and sturdiness =)) )

Again an instrumental RV (thank you, cv's) and not a very long one ... because while Arnav is lost in the sight of Khushi by firelight, Khushi sees the burning matchstick and yelps out 'your hand' ... flinging it away ... another small RV as he helps her up, and she takes his hand, this time much less hesitatingly ... and that matchstick sets another record as it manages to set fire to the recliner ...


 Thoughts - The ArHi story seems to be back on track, and I feel that the MU is getting closer to being sorted out. The feeling I got today - Khushi is trying her best to shut Arnav out of her life, because he has given her nothing but pain. In yesterday's episode, he told her to give up on her dreams, they would never come true. Today he repeated it. When she believes it, that will be the day he will get to know the truth - and it will be too late. Because then it will be her turn to not believe a single word, a single romantic gesture. And his junoon will be to win her back. Will she know what he thought about her and Shyam? Maybe - and that will further break her and worsen her mistrust ... because she won't know it was Shyam who put the thought into Arnav's head.

The dance was about Arnav showing Shyam that Khushi belongs to him, and Shyam will never get her. Again cv's are painting Arnav very dark here - true, he has an excuse that he thinks Khushi loves Shyam, but that is not uppermost in his mind at the moment, it was all about - you want her, but she will never be yours, because I will make sure of that, I will keep her chained to me. Similar to the thoughts Shyam has - whether Khushi cares for him or not, she is his, and he will have her one way or the other, even by destroying her life. So both men are objectifying the girl ... without bothering about her own wishes, her feelings, her desires ... Shyam is okay, he's the villain, but for Arnav, this is lengthening his RTR even more, and painting him a very dark grey. That's why I said this episode showed him to be a very dark character - his back story has to be really well thought out to justify this level of mistrust and angst and dark passion.

I really want a screaming match between Arnav and Khushi at some point, when she points this out to him, preferably after he confesses his love ... that he never gave her feelings a thought in all this, never asked her even once, ... that he tried her, judged her and punished her without a single chance at defense ... and this is not love. And she doesn't want it. More and more, a separation where Khushi walks out and Arnav has to beg her to come back is becoming essential. And she has to refuse to return - she will come back only for Anjali's sake, not for Arnav ... thereby proving to Arnav that she would never, ever have harmed Anjali willingly or knowingly - Anjali's sleazeball husband falling for Khushi was not in her hands or under her control.

To my mind, after this episode, it makes more sense for Arnav to discover the truth ... after Khushi's distrust of him has been cemented and she has buried her feelings for him all over again. For Khushi to discover the truth will not take the story forward in any meaningful way - what will she do? He has decided not to believe her ... how can she convince him? And knowing that he could believe such a thing about her, that she would willingly break up a marriage, that too, his sister's ... would she even want to try? If at all she does discover the truth, then again I want her to walk out ... and let him discover the truth himself. In both scenarios, therefore, once Khushi finds out what Arnav thought of her, there has to be a separation with her leaving him. That will be the real 'saansein ruk jayengi' moment ... and the realization of Khushi's words in the temple ... when his realization comes that he misjudged her, she will not be there.

Cv's, dear Cv's ... did you put Khushi in a green suit for those first few minutes just to give us our ishaara? Thank you, CV's ... can we have Khushi in white next week for a final confirmation, please? Tougher one, because Khushi doesn't usually wear white - for the morning pooja, maybe?