8/8 - Epi 315 ... Skeletons in the Closet

Wednesday 8th August

So Arnav's mother did commit suicide.
And Dadi does not like Khushi for some unexplained reason. Which she doesn't even want to share with Nani.
And Anjali has perked up tremendously ever since Dadi's arrival.
And Nani has not yet told Dadi about the absconding VLR damaadji ... and Arnav is annoyed about that.
And Janamashtami is coming ... with it, Anjali's invisible baby? And a mention of twins today by NK.

Khushi tries to be there for Arnav ... am so glad they played the original song ... and somehow was not surprised the way it played out ... although I expected Arnav to get angry at the end ... instead, he bared his heart and his pain ... and then accepted Khushi's comfort ... :">
NOTE TO CV'S ... IN BIG BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS, IF YOU ARE READING ... PLEASE DO NOT CUT SHORT ANY ... REPEAT ANY ARHI HUGS. Linger on them, take your time, show each expression five times over, show close shots and long shots, show them coming out of the hug and looking at each other, then hugging again ... you get the drift ... JUST DON'T CUT THEM SHORT ... especially not with a break!!! I vow I will never buy any of the products advertised if they interrupt an Arhi hug!!!

Dadi loses it with Khushi again ... how dare she pry ... I was glad Anjali spoke up that she had indeed sent Khushi to the store room ... and when Dadi went on and on about the photographs, as though Khushi had committed treason, just as I was about to ask "So What??!!" Arnav came on screen and did exactly that!! Arnav, you really took the words out of my mouth today ... mine were actually more explicit ... more on the lines of "So Bloody What??!!" :)) She just looked at some photographs, she didn't murder anyone!
And again, loved the way he defended Khushi's right to do anything at all in the house ... she is the bahu of the house and his wife ...
CV's ... again if you are reading, please stop making Khushi the typical SP bahu scared to open her mouth in front of her unreasonable Dadi-saas ... let her start rediscovering her fire and her spirit ... instead of cowering in fear when Dadi questions her, Khushi should try to reply back ... she has nothing to feel guilty about and she should show that.

So why is Dadi so prejudiced against Khushi? Is Shyam the culprit? Has he poisoned Dadi's mind, maybe anonymously, to disturb her enough to break her self-imposed vanvaas of fourteen years and return to throw out the woman who has broken her granddaughter's marriage and is now entrapping her grandson?
Or does Khushi remind Dadi of the 'doosri aurat'?

I prefer Shyam being the culprit to Khushi reminding Dadi of the 'doosri aurat' ... but with the blast from the past connection, am a little apprehensive ...

*edited*

The Episode:
First scene continued from yesterday ... Arnav repeats ... I'm not needed where my wife cannot enter ... Dadi says she doesn't want to say any more (implied - in his wife's presence) ... Arnav says 'your wish ...' and walks off. Realises Khushi has not accompanied him, turns and comes back for her, looks at her almost angrily ... as though saying, 'what are you still doing here?' and holding her hand, pulls her away with him.

After their wedding, he made his announcement, and then walked off, leaving her alone to face the family, his and hers ... today, he took her with him ... another statement in itself ... he will not leave her alone to face his grandmother's ire for a fault which is not even hers ... well done, bitwa.

Khushi ... her face didn't show happiness or satisfaction at her place being cemented ... she continues to be worried ... because Khushi being Khushi, she does not like conflict, specially not due to her, she doesn't like 'klesh' in the family ... she wants to win her place yes, but with love and affection, not with threats.

There was a saying I always loved in childhood ... respect has to be commanded, not demanded ... Dadi needs to understand that.

Khushi already knows it. 

NK -Payal ... I am beginning to love this new devar-bhabhi couple :) They are too cute together as Khushi's worried, clueless, confused champions ... the little thump Payal gave NK with the 'dhamaakedar' correction was damn cute! And her worry when she sees Arnav walking away towing a worried Khushi - has Khushi messed up again?! :)) 

Nani-Dadi ... So this is not Dadi's usual demeanor ... why is she so anti-Khushi after all? What reason does she have? And Dadi refuses to answer.

Possibilities - one, Dadi is just sheer obstinate. She made up her mind about Khushi at first look, and she doesn't like to be proved wrong. First impression was that Khushi is a maid, adding insult to injury, a maid who spilt dirty water on Dadi at first meeting ... so in Dadi's eyes, a maid she remains. Much like Arnav at first ... he made up his mind that Khushi was a gold-digger, out for what she could get, and refused to change that mindset for ages, even when repeatedly proved wrong.

And maybe both Dadi and pota's prejudices about low aukat middle class girls/ maids out for what they can get stem from a common source ... their own experience of a low class girl who was out for what she could get. 

Two ... a mix of one and two, actually ... Khushi reminds Dadi of that low aukat girl, not just in spirit, but also in looks. Khushi's mother? or aunt or cousin, or some relative? 

Three - Shyam is instrumental in sending Dadi here ... maybe anonymously. Thought about this ... but Dadi did not know Arnav was married, she was surprised to hear that Khushi was his wife, and her prejudice had already started before that. And so far she doesn't seem to know that Shyam has been thrown out. So possibility seems more remote than the first.

Aaja Piya ... Arnav Khushi at night ... I love old songs, this song would have worked for me pretty much any which way ... but I liked the way Khushi played it on her mobile, and acted out the words ... Khushi has always used music and dance to cheer up others ... and this song was just perfect in mood, lyrics and message, an 'I'm there for you, always ...'

And Arnav gets upset ... he's not ready for this, not ready to accept that helping hand, that comfort ... he's kept it bottled up inside him for too long ... and a festering wound like this hurts like hell  to open up ... 

But open up it has to ... if it has to have the slightest chance of healing ... 

And Khushi is horrified that she might have hurt him even more ... she knew he was hurting inside, she didn't know why, and she just wanted to tell him she's there for him ... he doesn't have to say anything, tell her anything, she doesn't want to pry ...

'My mother committed suicide when I was fourteen.'

Stark, plain, almsot brutal words ... statement of fact which doesn't even begin to hint at the pain and anguish he went through ... why his mother chose to end her life and leave her children ... leave him ... what pain was more important than being there for her own children?!

And Khushi stops ... horrified ... and sees the pain ... and is there also a plea in his eyes? A plea ... help me here, help me understand, why did she do this, why did she leave me and go ... was I so undeserving that she couldn't stay for me?

There are times words are not needed, a hug is the only thing which speaks ... silent reassurance, silent comfort ... I'm here, I'm with you, you're not alone ... I understand, I feel your pain, let me help you through it ... let me hold you tight, and show you that you're not alone ... 

And Arnav's arms slowly come up to return the hug ... he is not alone, finally he too has someone he can find comfort in, someone he can lean on, show his weakness, his vulnerability, his pain ... someone for whom he doesn't have to be Mr Perfect all the time, someone with whom he can be a child again ... 

WHY did they cut the hug short??? :( :( :( See thoughts below. 

Morning ArHi ... morning ArHI scenes are becoming cuter and cuter ... do these two really just sleep off peacefully every night? Kya yaar ... kuch nahin karte?! 

Khushi's turn to niharofy her sleeping hubby (wasn't that a shiddat as well? :) ) ... upset at saddened at the pain Arnav hides within ... and promises she will be there for him whenever he needs her ...

Arnav catches her not-so-hidden glimpses, 'why are you looking at me like that?!'

'Haan toh?! Arnav Singh Raizada ko dekhne ka tax lagta hai kya?' 

Leaving him befuddled, yet amused again, at his completely pagal but cute biwi!! :) 

Janamashtami arrives in RM :) All the ladies busy in preparations, Khushi moves to help Anjali find her mother's conch ... and gets overcome with emotion when she hears it's Anjali's mother's conch ... her tender heart can appreciate Anjali's loss so much more now that she has heard the story behind ... and she moves to give Anjali a tight hug ... much to Anjali's surprise ... and Arnav's pleasure and pride in his wife and her tender loving heart ... So he flirts a little on the stairs on his way out :"> resulting in a shy smile ... reflected in both their eyes ...

Dadi has no problem with Payal ... does she know that Payal is Khushi's sister? NK mentions twins ... arey baba, inside that flat tummy, one baby seems an impossibility, unless it's a snakechild, two are beyond belief!!! And what about the multiple ultrasounds Anjali has gotten? 

And Anjali is remarkably chirpy these days ... is it all due to Dragon Dadi and her favorite pooja path? Or Rakhee when she was assured of being aankhon ka taara again? Or is there something more? 

Nani has not told Dadi yet about VLR damaad. Arnav is not happy at all. Nani says she will wait till after the Janamshtami pooja.

Which means that some dhamaka will happen before that ... ;) 

Khushi explores the storeroom and finds the conch and other pooja stuff. Knocks down some old photographs and starts going through them ... did she pause at the one of Arnav's dad and mom? Yes, she did ... looked as though she was trying to remember something ... then went on ... founds the picture of Arnav's mother ...

And Dragon Dadi emerges ... and is as mad as though Khushi was committing blue murder ... and emerges from storeroom clutching the album ...

'Do you all even know what she was doing behind your back? Going through family pictures?! Touching my son and bahu's things, looking at family objects, playing with memories ...'

Umm, her son and bahu are Khushi's in-laws, she's part of the family ... and photographs are meant to be looked at ... so Nani is understandably puzzled ... what exactly was Khushi doing that was so criminal?

'She was handling the pooja things and the conch ...'

Anjali's memory stirs and she clarifies ... 'I sent her there to get the conch ...'

Dadi is not noticeably stumped ... 'then why was she looking at pictures?'

Umm, Dadi, breaking news ... photographs are meant to be looked at ... what is the big deal here, seriously?

And Arnav apparently agrees ... don't know why the rest of the family is so shocked ... and why Khushi even has to defend this ...

Fortunately Arnav is back ... 'So what if she was looking at family pictures? She can go where she wants, touch what she likes ... she happens to be the bahu of this house ... part of the family ...' 

Nani and Anjali are happy at Arnav's firm stance ... Mami is a bit shocked, probably worried ;) 

Dadi is still trying to assert her authority ... 'If she's the bahu, I am Dadi of this house ... and what I say goes ...'

"sure you are ... and sure we all respect you ... but let me repeat what I said earlier too ... Khushi is my wife. And she can do what she wants here.'

Nani is delighted, Mami is still shocked -is she revisiting PS in her head? :)) Payal is tearful ... probably wishing, can you tell my husband this too? Anjali's expression is non-committal ... and Khushi is perturbed. Grateful, relieved, but worried. Her husband is standing up for her at every step, giving her the confidence in her position in his house and his life, validating her presence in his home ... but that will not be enough to win over Dadi.

And Khushi wants to win hearts, not rule people.

Thoughts: One - Arnav bitwa is clocking up those miles on his RTRW at rapidly increasing pace day by day Yesterday it was a statement - I stand with my wife all the time, and she stands with me ... we are one. Directed to Dadi alone.

Today repeated in front of the entire family ... including one overdressed glittery lady as well as afore-mentioned Dadi ... my wife has full rights in this house, she goes and does exactly what she pleases, and no one can stop her.

I'm waiting for one last sentence from him ... this is HER house as much as it is mine ... and he will, to my mind have redeemed his words on the day of the forced marriage pretty comprehensively

Also liked the way he took Khushi's hand and took her away from Dadi in the first scene, not leaving her to face Dadi alone. Which it looked as though Khushi was ready to do ... Khushi wants to apologise to Dadi, and she hasn't had the chance yet.

Second - the song ... and more important, the aftermath. And why I was talking about the ArHi HUG in the first place.

Not because it was an ArHi hug, or a romantic ArHi moment. Nope, not at all.
REALLY, CV'S???!!! This is what your editing team comes up with???!!! THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SCENE of the episode ... and you fell so woefully  short in execution? Don't you know when the commercial breaks are coming up? Don't you know which scenes need to be stretched, where you HAVE TO allow the emotions to seep in??? Show the expressions, the emotions ... and give them time to be absorbed ...
This was not just an ordinary hug ... this was the crux of the change in Arnav ... a defining moment after the first star gazing scene ... 

Watch this scene ...   Arnav Khushi - Star Gazing, 17th Nov 2011

Why do we still remember this scene? Because it was a defining moment ... the first time Arnav exposed his vulnerability, his pain to anyone else, not even his sister was privy to this ...  Watch the time the camera takes to linger on the expressions of Arnav and Khushi ... especially watch the last bit, as Khushi leaves, turns to look back and ask with concern 'are you all right?' ... watch as Arnav gives that barely perceptible nod, and then turns back to look at the stars ... his torment still there but noticeably lessened ... the comfort he has received registers in his eyes, his stance ... all there, the camera takes time to capture every single nuance ...

Today, the song worked for me ... mainly because I love all old songs ;)  My main apprehension was that they would use the remixed version. As long as the original was used, it had to work, because the lyrics are just so apt ...
I expected Arnav to get angry at the end ... but the way the scene played was far better ... the bursting out of raw emotion and pain, exposing a vulnerability he had suppressed for so long, saying out his biggest nightmare, putting it into stark plain words ... a catharsis, or the beginning of one. 

BUT ... that hug needed to be prolonged ... Arnav's expressions and their change needed to be focussed ... a man who has spent the last fourteen years locked in a shell, that shell was slowly cracking open with the advent of Khushi in his life... the first crack in the star gazing scene ... and today a huge hole was made, when he admitted his biggest sorrow, the source of his biggest vulnerability, to his wife, his soulmate ... I wanted to see a change in expression, the vulnerability, the anguish, the helplessness of the lost boy, as he finally puts his worst nightmare into words ... the comfort and the love in Khushi as she holds him close, and then the beginning of peace seeping in ... there was so much more needed in that scene, so many more expressions ... the actors are capable of delivering them in spades ... so what was the rush???

That scene left me very dissatisfied and wanting much more :(