8/11 - Epi 383 ... Is the Shatir Dimaag Awakening?

Thursday 8th Nov

After the mayhem of the off screen drama, the episode was surprisingly good. Make that very good. After many days, I felt BS was involved and emoting properly, and the characterization was good.

And I swear to God, the cv's are stalking this blog! They seem to be laying out the track exactly as I said here quite a few days back. Hope to God it does go that way! 

Khushi breaks the news to Arnav ... he reacts angrily, she shows him the DNA report and he is flummoxed ... it's not possible. Khushi says Sheetal confirmed it ... Arnav's face changes ... ok, his dimaag is finally starting to wake up. And when Khushi tries to tell him Arav has a right on him, Arnav is not interested. Khushi is important, Khushi has a right on hm, that's it. 

Is this the first hint that Arnav has registered that Khushi's fears were not without foundation, they were not all in her head, she was not just being a jealous wife? But in fact those fears had been carefully planted and nourished purposefully ... Sheetal confirmed that he, Arnav was Arav's father ... Arnav's face changes on hearing that ... yes, why would Khushi not believe her? Especially when substantiated by substantial proof - that DNA report. It wasn't a simple misunderstanding like what he had seen on the terrace ...
But on the terrace Shyam had lied about Khushi being involved with him ... and Arnav KNOWS for a fact that he did not sleep with Sheetal, at least not as far as he can remember. So it's Sheetal's word against his ...
In normal course, his word should be enough for Khushi, but Sheetal's word is backed by a piece of paper that even he can't negate. 
Does that piece of paper make Arnav realise that he is up against a carefully thought out plan here? Or does it merely puzzle him as to how this report could be positive when he knows his own innocence? Khushi could only infer that the report is positive, could Arnav decipher that the report didn't necessarily mean father, but could mean a more distant relative also? So there are two possibilities - either that the report is tampered with and is part of a plan, or that it is true but it means only that Arav is related to the Raizada family, not necessarily to him alone.

But for the moment, Arnav merely stalks out in anger that Khushi could still be so insistent on Arav's rights, but not her own ...

The thinking probably starts later that evening, when the family sits for dinner. Arnav, furious with Khushi, refuses dinner, and doesn't come to sit with everyone ... Sheetal sees him walk away, and she has to stop him ... she needs to push Khushi harder into taking the decision to leave.
So a public announcement ... she and Arav are leaving the next day, thanks for everything ... with meaningful looks at Arnav ... main bechari dukhiyari akeli abla naari ...
Go woman, go! Who asked you to stay?! 
But he doesn't react at all ... only Khushi looks worried.
The family tries to make her stay, a glowering Arnav doesn't utter a word in support.  Nani promises to come meet Arav, but the kid is only interested in Arnav ... he does an emotional number on him ...'will you come to meet me? I have no friends except you.'
Me thinks the kid is a tad ungrateful ... the whole family fusses over him and he claims he is alone and friendless ... yeh bhi maa ne zaroor sikhaya hoga.
Arnav remembers Khushi's words and bends to console Arav ... 'I'll come, you're not alone, don't say that.'
And as Arav hugs him, Arnav very slowly hugs him back and reassures him ... and Khushi looks worried yet relieved. Sheetal looks suitably morose, the family goes all sentimental, and Arav is happy.

Arnav Khushi together (the second of many good Arshi scenes today ) ... actually communicating completely ... sitting by the poolside together talking quietly, in tune with each other ...
'Now what?'
'We face it ... together.  As long as you're with me.'
'Hamesha.' 

So they confront Sheetal together ... Sheetal looks a bit startled to see them enter together, and she starts crocodile tears and very filmy melodramatic dialogues ... they looked totally fake, and Arnav seemed to think so too.He listens with growing disbelief, changing to skepticism ...
'I don't want to disrupt your married life ...' yeah right, woman, then why were you fasting for Arnav and drinking Khushi's water?
'Arav is my son and mine only ... don't take him away from me ...'

Arnav interrupts ... 'no, no ... you've got the wrong ... no one's taking him away from you ...' meaning ... I don't want him it's my wife who's got this bee in her bonnet about the kid.
Darn it, that's not what he was supposed to say!

Next try ... 'I don't want your help, I don't even want your money ...'

Uh oh, he wasn't offering that either actually ... Arnav looks slightly flummoxed, the idea hadn't even struck him.

Sheetal goes on bravely ... 'forget everything, Arav and I will go away from here, you live happily with Khushi, I will live happily with Arav ...'
Arnav looked as though he thought that was the best thing Sheetal had said so far! But he looks more and more puzzled ...that goes without saying, he wasn't offering to break up his marriage or make Sheetal a long term guest here ...

Sheetal goes on ... Arav will forget Arnav with time ... don't worry ...
But that's not what Arnav is worrying about at all, he's bothered about something far more basic ... if the woman would stop shedding tears and let him speak!
Darn it ... she doesn't stop speaking, but now Khushi chimes in ... totally taken in by Sheetal's emotional nonsense that she doesn't even realise Sheetal was throwing big hints as to what she expected Arnav to do ... but Arnav did ... Khushi has fallen for Sheetal's emotional blackmail completely and stops Arnav from saying what he really wants to ... and he strides out impatiently ... followed by Khushi.
And Sheetal gives a very tiny triumphant look.
And Arnav now knows exactly what Sheetal is up to ... blackmailing his emotional fool of a wife ... so that she can stay here longer and make trouble, either in their marriage or for money ... she's spelled it out herself.

Another Arshi scene ... again talking like normal couples ... wow! Khushi wants Arnav to stop Sheetal from leaving, he doesn't want to stop her ... Khushi has to understand what he's getting at.
But she doesn't ... she's too worried about an innocent child ... to see through the nefarious plans of the mother ... and he knows Khushi won't listen or believe, because of the damn DNA report. 

So he tries to reassure her, he'll make everything all right ... she has to trust him ...

And Khushi decides as usual that no, she will make everything all right, and as usual, that can only happen if she goes away ... Sheetal's poison finding its mark ...

So she tries to leave later at night as Arnav sleeps ... but this time finding it so much more difficult to do than ever before ...
He's not accepting Arav because he feels it will hurt her ... for the sake of the child, she has to leave ... however much it hurts her ...
Fortunately she comes back for one last kiss ... equally fortunately Arnav knows her very, very well by now, knew she would try something like this ...
One last kiss, one last caress as she looks at his sleeping face, tears falling down her own ... remembers her promise never to leave him ... but also remembers Arav's joy when he said 'Dad', when he hoisted Arav on his shoulder ... the child needs him more ...

But Arnav doesn't agree ...
A tug on her dupatta ... she turns incredulously, to find him holding firmly, looking at her steadily, without anger, without surprise ... he knew she would do this, because she always puts others first, and this was about a fatherless child ... it wasn't even a question ... not after Sheetal's emotional words, which he knew had found their mark ...
A brief look at her bag lying at the door ... then back at her ...
'You're going?' quietly, as though he knew this would happen ...
'I have to ... for Arav's sake ...'
Arav's sake, Di's sake, his sake ... never her own ... 

And he pulls her down to the bed ... to talk, gently, calmly, to get it into her head that her running away will not solve the matter ... if she leave, things won't magically become all right, she has no reason and no need to sacrifice her own happiness and his, because it will not solve the problem at all.This problem has a different solution altogether ...
'Khushi, let's say yeh sab sach hota ... toh chhod ke chali jaati mujhe?'

So Arnav doesn't believe a word of Sheetal's lies ... but first and most important thing is to make sure that Khushi stays put and doesn't do her martyr act.
'Even if this is true, can you really leave me and go away?' 

And Khushi breaks finally ... clinging to him tightly ... she doesn't know, she tried to leave, but she can't leave him, it's too difficult, she can't let go of him now ...for once she can't do what she thinks is the right thing ...
Because it's not the right thing ... it's no solution ... and he tells her so in no uncertain words ...
'Khushi, I know this much ... even if you try, we cannot be separated ... Arnav and Khushi will always be together ... hamesha ...'
Bas ... bol diya ...
And Khushi clings to him in relief ... crying freely ... no more fears, no more doubts, no more sacrifice either ... this is where she belongs ... for always. Arnav and Khushi belong together.

SN - now end the show, dammit! After this, they cannot show Arnav walking away into the sunset with Sheetal!

Next morning, Arnav in deep thought, how to deal with this problem called Sheetal, and get to the truth ...
But his wife makes it more difficult for him, because she's convinced he did father the boy, and she's genuinely trying to get over that ... after all, it happened during college days, he's not completely at fault ... she understands ...
But he doesn't want her to understand!
He tries to explain to his too-understanding wife that the problem lies elsewhere ... he didn't sleep around, he's not sure the kid is his at all, DNA report and mother's story notwithstanding ... he should at least remember sleeping with the woman! Which he doesn't!

And he wants Khushi with him when he goes to clarify matters with Sheetal ... because he wants her with him every step of the way. Everything that happens in his life, she is a part of it.

So Arnav and Sheetal go together to question Sheetal exactly under what circumstances Arav was conceived. Because he needs to be sure Arav is in fact his son - he doesn't remember anything happening between him and Sheetal.
And Sheetal spins a sob story of how Arnav got drunk on graduation night ...
Arnav is even more incredulous as he listens ... he doesn't remember any of what she's telling him ... and why didn't she tell him herself at the time?!
Because he broke up with her the very next day ... so she was broken and went away ... but not so broken that she decided to have her baby and rear him well even as a single mother ... Arav will not need Arnav, she will make sure Arav doesn't miss a father.

Soft-hearted Khushi tries to stop her ... Arav needs a father ... Arnav doesn't say a word, he's too busy thinking over this new picture of himself that Sheetal has suddenly painted
SN - dare I hope his shatir dimaag is finally making an appearance?

And Khushi tussles with Sheetal on the stairs, Sheetal calls for Arav, they're leaving immediately ... more tussle, while Arnav makes absolutely no move to stop Sheetal, instead just watches her very carefully ... and Sheetal falls down the stairs ... Khushi holds on to Arav, leave Sheetal to her fate ... which unfortunately is only a sprained ankle, nothing worse ...

Whole family in attendance on Sheetal, Arnav is still deep in thought ... doctor diagnoses a sprain and prescribes rest ... Sheetal says she and Arav will leave ... Nani stop her ... Sheeta protests for form's sake and Arnav says one word ... 'Stay.' 
And he walks away without another word.
Sheetal is quiet ... she got what she wanted ... or has she really?

So Payash's leaving for America is set.

Arshi again ... yes, Arnav's brain is working full time here.   finally!!!
An apology to Khushi ... don't ask me any questions for a while please ... and everything will be all right.
She knows it will, he doesn't have to say sorry. She loves him, she trusts him ... those are things that will never change.
And Arnav is overcome with love, admiration and respect for his wife and her love. 
'How can you be like this?' Not a word of complaint, not a cross word, no feeling of betrayal ... just pure love, pure trust ... atoot vishwas ...
'Because of you ...' because you're like this ...

Again ... end the show on this note, dammit!

A few days back, my shiddat was that Arnav realise that Sheetal is up to something and act as though he believes everything she says, while working to trip her up in her story.
Shiddat ... that seems to be happening!