22/5 - Epi 258 ... Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?

Tuesday 22nd May

First thoughts ;)
- 87 comments before I wrote a single word - this has to be a record! Will need that second post today for sure :)) ... edit - make that 98 :))
- Thought I'd title this "Khushi, I Love You" ... but I want to wait for the real confession for that one. So Sandy's title wins the day :)

-  Gloatwa Ve ... Gloatwa Ve ... (to the tune of Rabba Ve) ... played out EXACTLY the way I predicted days ago, when the promo first released :)) And the ILU was a confession as well as a message ... whether the message was intended or not, but that is what will click for Khushi ... hopefully with a Heer Ranjha fb.

Quick update - it seemed like things were moving in fast forward mode today ... Khushi worried about Arnav, trying to find a logical explanation, a grown man can't go missing all of a sudden ... should she have hidden the truth ...
Anjali suddenly wakes up after three days and remembers that she's supposed to be the paranoid one, not Khushi ... so she dutifully goes paranoid ... Khushi sees her, tries to hide the truth from her with a pretend phone call, caught by Nani, she tells Nani the truth, Nani starts panicking ... MM overhears, tells Mami, Anjali overhears  ... and of course she collapses ... and all hell breaks loose ... the whole family comes to know in one sharp jhatka ... Akash decides to call the police ... VLR is completely alarmed, slinks off ... and promptly comes the phone call from Arnav ... who listens patiently to all th hysterics and the general chit chat, never letting on that he has a gun held to his head ...

And the last ArHi scene reminded me why I love this show and this couple ... :"> :"> :">

*edited - this will be a long one*
Things MOVED today ... and how!!! 
Continuing from the last scene ... Khushi back in her room alone, trying desperately to make sense of that phone call saying that Arnav never reached London, didn't check in at his hotel, didn't even board his flight ...
Typical Khushi ... she always takes time to think ... to sift through the information she has before she makes any decision or arrives at any conclusion (even if it's a crackpot one like Arnav trying to kill her! ... or the reason he married her ... or even whether Shyam could be telling the truth about being henpecked)
So she worries ... how can that be ... she saw him off at the airport herself, his flight was called, how could he disappear from the airport? Did he take the wrong flight by mistake? When he's angry, he makes mistakes ... and he was angry ...
Then she shakes herself ... that's a stupid thought, a flight is not a bus, that one can get on to the wrong one ... then what happened?!
She's so worried, she can't think straight ... she pauses ... should she tell Nani and Anjali? Did she do the right thing by lying to them? But Di will worry ... should she tell her?

On the other hand, Anjali suddenly remembers that her precious baby bro hasn't called her even once since he left, and all along she has been so occupied in consoling and reassuring Khushi that she forgot to do her usual freakout act for Chotey ... sometimes I feel Anjali does this for attention-seeking ... she loved being the wise counsel for Khushi, and now that Khushi is keeping it together, time for Anjali to regain centre-stage by throwing a tantrum! Or else it was just poorly written - after being so calm and cheerful about Arnav's silence, Anjali suddenly cracking up into near hysteria didn't gel ... the worry should have built up slowly ... maybe after Khushi made that unexplained decision not to go to London. This hysteria should have been a reaction to that decision, rather than just out of the blue - felt a little forced.

Khushi is still worrying whether to tell Anjali or not ... she hears Anjali worrying, refusing to take her medicine before she speaks to Chotey ... should she tell Anjali or not? She will freak out even more if she hears ... and Nani reinforces it b saying Anjali shouldn't worry so much in her pregnancy, so it would be best to call Aman and check with him ...
And Khushi galvanized into action ... if Anjali calls Aman, she will find out that Arnav never reached London, Nani just said that in her current state she shouldn't worry, it's not good for her ... so Khushi acts out a pretend call from Arnav ... he's fine, he's rushing for a meeting, he'll call Di later ... complete with bright smiles ...
Anjali leaves, relieved ... and Nani catches Khushi in her lie ... and knows that something is very wrong ...

Masala Mama roaming around at night ... Arnav Bitwa, when you get back, the first thing you need to do is invest in a big foolproof lock for your bedroom ... it's worse than Mumbai Central!
MM overhears the Nani-Khushi conversation ... Khushi confesses her lie to Nani instantly, and the reason ... (Khushi confessed to her lie spoken only to protect Anjali, and Nani understood and forgave her, Nani also saw Khushi's concern for Anjali ... again I feel Nani will be the next person to know Shyam's truth, and will understand Khushi's reason for keeping quiet, and will forgive her and stand by her).
And Nani hears that Arnav is missing, as Khushi tells her the entire story about the phone call, Arnav never boarded his flight ... and Nani panics instantly ... and once again, Khushi is unable to confide her own fears, has to hide them and instead take on the mantle of protector and comforter ... again the strong one in the family, taking Arnav's place in his absence ... reassuring Nani, he could have taken a different flight, he would be busy, maybe he didn't go for the meeting, he's busy somewhere else ... I saw him off at the airport myself, the flight was called and he went in ... and he did message me when he reached ... everything will be all right ...
She's pieced together all the facts, they all make sense, enough for her to reassure Nani, but not enough for her to shake off her own feeling that something is wrong ... but that for later, first she has to hold strong for the family ... because even Nani, the strong matriarch, is cracking and holding on to her for support ...
And Khushi begs Nani not to tell Di ... because Di will be even more upset ... that's why she had lied in the first place ... and Nani understands ...

But Masala Mama and Loudmouth Mami put paid to that plan ... after some light moments with HP and his marriage that wasn't ... :))
HP's comment ... even I didn't attend my own wedding!  =))
So MM and LM announce at full volume that Arnav hasn't reached London at all ... Anjali overhears and dramatically drops a glass of milk ... and equally dramatically proceeds to get completely hysterical ... very true to Anjali's nature, the last I remember her getting so hysterical was when her mangalsutra broke and Khushi saved it ... the start of this entire 'hide things from hysterical Anjali' track.
So everyone crowds around Anjali as she gives way ... she gasps out 'Chotey didn't reach London ...'

Three shocked faces ... Khushi, Nani ... and Shyam ... and Sham's face showed more consternation than shock ... Khushi and Nani exchange glances, they were trying to hide this from Anjali because they knew she would react this way, who told her?! Shyam in deep thought almost instantly ...

Thoughts:
Why didn't Shyam organise that phone call from Arnav the moment Khushi was on her way to London? Or did he think that it would take her 8 hours to reach there, find out Arnav was missing, ask around and get worried, and true to her nature maybe hide things from the family as long as possible to protect them from worry ... Khushi would find out the truth when she reached London, but he still had a lot of time till that happened ...
But Khushi found out even before she could leave, and true to nature, she did hide it from everyone, so he still sat quietly ... probably warned the guy holding Arnav to be prepared to make that phone call ...
And when the news broke that was the time for the reassuring phone call to be made ... under threat at gun point - don't alarm your family or tell them you're in danger, or else your Di and Khushi will be killed ...

Akash gets into action, the head of the family in Arnav's absence ... look after Di first, that's priority ... leaving Shyam in deep thought ...

Di's room ... everyone crowding around her as usual, fussing, worrying, Anjali blasts Khushi, how could you hide anything about Chotey from me? Unspoken - you don't have the right, I have the right to know everything about him ... a tough call for Khushi, and no answer is right ... am glad Nani is with her on this one, and understands her reasons ...
Akash wonders why Aman didn't call him ... a shot of Shyam's face here ... so is Aman really involved? I thought that was a joke ... hmm ... but Shyam is definitely not playing a lone game here, he has to have an accomplice or a mastermind, I still don't think he could be the mastermind yet ...

But Khushi explains - Aman waited for Arnav the whole day, then called office, no one knew Arnav's whereabouts, that was when he called her ...
Anjali remembers the message from Arnav, Shyam seconds it - yes, he did message that he had reached ... but Anjali wonders belatedly, why didn't Arnav message her even once?
Shyam's face seems to indicate, oops, that was an oversight, I should have done that too ...

Khushi takes over the strong role again, trying to calm an increasingly hysterical Anjali ... Aman just said Arnav didn't attend the meeting, he wasn't on his scheduled flight ... maybe he got delayed, took another flight, reached his hotel late ...
Akash is not convinced ... but Arnav knows his Di, why didn't he let her know ...
Arey, Khushi has been saying this for the last two days, tab toh no one listened to her ...
Akash tries Arnav's phone ... no response ... Anjali weeps, he didn't call me back after my message, boo hoo, he never does that ... boo hoo ... Khushi tries to calm her down again ...
Anjali says we need to call the police, Akash agrees ... Shyam is very perturbed ... and slinks out of the room quietly ...
Khushi is worried ... police? Akash says, it's just as precaution ... and she's quiet ... yes, it's better ...

And the phone rings ... so late at night ...?
Anjali snatches it up ... Chotey?!
And a mixture of relief and scared disbelief on everyone's faces ... Payal, Nani, Akash, Mami, MM ... and Khushi ... is it really him? She needs to hear his voice for herself ...
But everyone else has to have their say first, starting with Anjali ... her usual emotional bursting out ... 'where are you, why didn't you call, don't you know how much we all are worrying ... why didn't you call, why didn't you message even once ...?

And Arnav finally makes his appearance ... disheveled, haggard looking, few words as always ... an apology to his Di for worrying her ... I'm sorry ...
She blasts again ... 'sorry?! Do you even know how worried we all have been here? We were going to call the police!'
A flicker in his eyes at the word 'police' ... did he think of saying Scotland when she said this?
'And why didn't you tell us that you didn't go to London?'
He closes his eyes briefly ... no, she's gone off track again, how he wishes they had called the police ... and he tries to give a hint ... 'I didn't go to London because I came to Scotland instead ...'
(Wonder whether this will be used by the cv's ... it was a good ploy, hope it was deliberate, and not just random ... but only Akash will be able to put this together, not Khushi ...)
He carries on ... 'I had a deal last minute, so I came here ...'
Anjali ... 'Scotland?!'
The whole family is confused ... including Akash ... Scotland?
Arnav closes his eyes and repeats it ... 'yes, I had a deal so I came here to Scotland instead of to London ...'
And finally Anjali gets around to asking ... 'are you all right?'
And he closes his eyes almost in exasperation ... she hasn't understood anything ... and he doesn't dare to say more ... 'yes, Di, I'm fine ...'
'all right ... take care of yourself ...' her last words ... and he swallows ... are those loving words the last time he will hear her voice?

Nani snatches the phone, her turn now to express her relief in scolding ... but he knows the love behind the scolding and mock-anger ... 'How are you, Chotey? This is the last time I forgive your carelessness ... in future, you have to call us regularly ... however busy you are ...'
A brusque 'Ji, nani ...' she's talking about the future, and he doesn't know how much of it he has ...

Manorama takes the phone, her very real affection showing through even through her light-hearted words ... 'what do you do? How did you reach Scotland ...?
'Yes, Mami, that ... it ...'
He knows he doesn't have to say much to her, she won't listen anyway ... she's busy on her own trip as usual ... 'get me something nice from Scotland ...'
The family smiles ... typically Mami ... even Arnav's lips lift in a small smile ... Manorama Mami will never change ...
Payal comforts Khushi ... 'now you know he's all right, at least now smile ...'
She tries, but she's aching to hear his voice once for herself ... waiting patiently for the family to have their say ...

Mami goes on 'and something for Mama also ... and how are you?'
Before he can answer, Akash takes the phone, he knows his mother can go on forever ...
'Bhai ... what's this deal about Scotland, Aman didn't tell me anything ...'
Arnav interrupts brusquely ... no one is getting any hints, and the one person he wants to talk to, whose voice he wants to hear, is probably not even there ... no one is giving her the phone, no one is mentioning her name ...
'Aman doesn't know anything about it, no one knows, I'll tell you when I get back ...'
And his phone time is running out ...
'Listen, I may not be able to stay in touch, the reception isn't good here ... don't tell Di, she'll freak out as usual ...'
Akash looks at a tearful Di and nods understandingly ... and Arnav continues with some hesitation ...
'And look after Di ... and ... K ...Khushi ... ' and his face changes even as he says her name ...

Akash understanding again ... 'of course, I will ... here, speak to Khushi ...'
God bless Akash!
And Arnav's face changes yet again ... she's there ... waiting to talk to him ... the way he was waiting to talk to her?
And Khushi gazes yearningly at the phone, scared, trembling, apprehensive ... waiting, longing ... puts it tremblingly, almost hesitantly to her ear, as though scared what she will hear ... they parted on unhappy terms ... she was begging him to stay, he went away ... he didn't believe her, he said she had lost her last chance ... he spoke to everyone in his family ... will he even talk to her?

And she slowly walks away from the family circle ... leaving them celebrating their relief ... while she waits to hear his voice ... just once ...

Does he sense her presence on the phone? Can he hear her soft breathing as she wait? Or can he just sense that she is there, holding onto the phone fearfully,
Yes, he knows she's there, he can feel her ... and it's even more difficult than he thought to keep his calm in front of her ... with everyone else he could be strong, play cool, because he had to safeguard them ... as he always had ... but when she breaks, he has no defense, no strength left ... because she is his strength ...
And he has to summon all his reserves just to say her name ...
'Khushi ...' 
She hears his voice, hears him say her name ... and the dam breaks ... tears flowing freely as she clutches onto the phone as though it's her lifeline ... her one connection to him ... she holds onto it with both hands as though she won't let it go ... she was trying to hold strong for his family, but he is her strength ... when he's not there, how can she be strong ...
And he feels her break down ... he can feel every tear, every sob that she's trying desperately to keep silent ...
'Khushi, I'm fine ... main theek hun ...'
He knows ... that's all she wants to know ...not where he is, why didn't he call, what will he bring for her ... none of that ...  just 'aap theek ho?'
But now the dam has broken, she can't stop ... the last three days of waiting, of worrying, of unexplained fears, unspoken nightmares ... the final tension of his unknown whereabouts ... now he's on the phone, she just wants to hold on to him and cry her heart out, cry out all those fears and worries ...
'Please ... mat ro ...' 
And he knows ... he knows she's crying ... she was crying when he left her ... begging him to stay and give her a chance ... how he wishes he had listened and stayed back ... because now he doesn't know whether he will get another chance ... and if she doesn't stop crying, he will break completely ...
'Khushi, bas ... stop ...'
She tries, she really does, but the tears don't listen ... unbidden, with a mind of their own, they keep coming ... he's alive, he's there, he's talking to her ...
'Khushi, rona band karo ...' how to make her stop, it's tearing him inside, listening to her silent tears, it's killing him that he left her crying ... the last words he said to her were goodbye ... will those be the last words between them? Will he leave her with his hate ... will she never know what he really felt for her?

The words don't come easily to him ... he struggles ... really struggles to say them ... she always wanted the words, and he was never able to give them to her ... but when death is staring at him down the barrel of a gun, they come ...
'Khushi ... main ... Khushi main ...tum ...'
She holds that phone as if it's her oxygen, her lifeline, her only link to life ...  

Jab jo bura kaha, uska koi matlab nahin
jab jo bura kiya, uska koi matlab nahin 
iss pyaar mein sahi aur galat ka koi matlab nahin hai ... bas iss cheez ka matlab hai ki main hamesha hamesha tumse ...

And today he completes the sentence ... gives her the words she was asking for ... because he might not have another chance ever ...

'Khushi ... I ... love you.'

And her eyes snap open in shocked disbelief ...
His face is suddenly calm ... he said it ... the words locked inside him for so long, struggling to get out, yet beaten back inside every time by memories of sights seen, words overheard ... but now all that doesn't matter any more ... he loves her ...
And he waits ... for her reply ... whatever it is ...

And Khushi's eyes move from disbelief to barely dawning hope ... as a single tear finds its way out again ...

Precap - yes, he said that staring down the barrel of a gun ... well, that was about the only way Arnav Singh Raizada would ever have said those three words ... when her answer even if it was a deathknell, would only hasten an already certain fate ...

Thoughts :
And those three words will now become Khushi's strength, her determination ... like Savitri, she will hunt her man out from the jaws of death ... she's been given a second chance at life, and she will not lose it.