1/4 ... Epi 5 - Dog Day Afternoon

Mon 1st April

Settling in ... enjoyed the episode. Mix of light and more serious moments. Mr Uma Ben needs to be figured out ... so does Uma Ben and the relationship with her bahus. Interesting ...
Uma Ben is the kind who holds grudges till eternity.
Farhan was much better today.
Love the relationship of Chhanchhan with her mom ... and Daadi is damn cute! Chhanchhan is sweet ... fun-loving and sweet ... as Sanaya said, just a normal girl.

Loved the dogs ... Dhyanchand and Anarkali are adorable! Will Chhanchhan take Anarkali with her to her sasuraal? Awww, that will be fun!

*edited*
Parents of wimpy groom whose name we forget add fuel to fire of Uma Ben's wrath ... how could Purvi's father refuse you, the great sethani, the leader of Gujerati society ... seems Uma Ben is shrewd enough to catch the barely hidden taunts beneath the smooth words, and they add to her wrath ... that 'do paise ki modern ladki' put her nose out of joint ... such that these people can dare to taunt her today. But groom's mom is only worried about her son, can Uma Ben get an even better girl for her son? Uma B absently takes the responsibility, while she mulls over what to do to put Tushar bhai and Purvi in their place.

Himanshu lands up like a bad penny, Uma Ben tries to insult him, but it's like water rolling over a duck's back ... the guy is cheerfully shameless ... or purposely so. Manav is smarter than he looks ... he knows what his mom is getting at, but he also cheerfully ignores her barely hidden animosity towards his friend ... he will do exactly as he pleases, including his choice of friends. Good, good ... no Ahem dikra here ... and Uma Ben is no scheming mom/saas as of today ... she's merely an arrogant orthodox woman, full of her own importance and annoyed when anybody shows her down.
 
Chhanchhan, mom and friend trying their best to make Purvi comfortable ... and going a bit overboard about it ... Purvi tells them so. Love the Chhanchhan-mom interactions ... cute!
Chhanchhan gets a new client ... Mogambo. Who gets angry very often ... especially when he sees red ... tomatoes Mogambo proceeds to prove his master's words ... by going berserk over spilled tomato ketchup.
Reminds me of my cat ... who goes crazy when he hears a particular music group ... he really does! And he sleeps peacefully when he listens to classical music Animals are smart!
Had to pause the video to take a look at Chhanchhan's three dogs sitting in a row with their tongues hanging out ... so CUTE!!!!

So CC and her friends take the dogs out ... of course to the same park where Manav and his friend are jogging (using the term loosely ) And Himanshu enjoys himself teasing Manav about CC and her dog ... Manav remembers the girl and her dog very well ... some corny jokes about 'kutte, main tera khoon pee jaunga' and Manav repeats CC's words ... 'she's not my type' ...

Purvi debates about the relative merits of a dog vs a husband ... CC wants a husband who will love her dogs ... her priorities are very clear And she will take Anarkali with her when she gets married, Anarkali can't live without CC.
Aww ... good idea! Why only Anarkali? Why can't she take all her dogs?!
And Manav and Himanshu want juice ... the moment unknown man took his tomato juice, it was predictable what would happen  ... juice spilled over Manav ... Mogambo gussa hue ... and chased him to his car. With a frantic CC running after him, shouting to him to stop running ... as that would only make Mogambo run even more! As every animal lover knows! But rather difficult to remember that when a big black barking dog is running after you with very unfriendly gleam in his eyes!

Simple and Himanshu take a break to indulge in some flirting ... while Manav manages to outrun Mogambo ... Manav makes it to his car, but Mogambo gets in a quick nip just as he gets in ... Manav understandably furious as he sees a panting CC run up ... CC thinks Manav got away from Mogambo before he did anything, and thanks God for that ... and then is puzzled at Manav's fury ... now what did she do?!

Back at Chhanchhan's house ... where all the girls have a good laugh at the remembered sight of Manav doing an Olympic-type sprint for his life ... Mom admonishes them not to laugh at other people's misfortunes, and they look suitable sober and chastened for a second ... till Mom starts laughing herself ... it was rather funny after all. Daadi can't help laughing at the coincidence ... first Puch Puch pee'ed on him, now Mogambo chased him ... poor guy's kismat is bad!
Mom says Manav and CC's kismat is joined ... that's why they keep meeting ... CC demurs ... Daadi says, kismat connection is not with Manav and CC, but with Manav and dogs!
I love Daadi! She's hilarious!
Simple is happy about kismat connection between her and 'him' ... Manav's friend.
And CC says the connection is that of dushmani ... she hates the guy!
Promising start Inn donon ke khayalat kitne milte julte hain

Tushar uncle arrives to take Purvi to Uma Ben to apologise ... CC is already apprehensive.That lady is bad news.

Uma Ben and bahu no. 1 ... lesson on pallu and how it should not sarako from head. Iron fist cloaked in velvet glove. Uma Ben keeps rein on bahus using Babuji's shoulder to fire from? Or is Babuji also equally grim? Bahu no 1, Kaumudi, very apprehensive and scared. And Uma Ben covers her own head with pallu to reinforce her words.

Uma Ben with Babuji ... so Uma Ben has given her own version of the story to her husband as well? Leaving out her part in the drama? Or does Babuji also believe in dowry? But whatever, he has no intention of turning out Tushar bhai from his job for this, that much is clear ... merely admonishing him. But Uma B has other ideas. And she cunningly reminds her patidev of the vow he owes her ... reminded me of Kaikeyi! And Patidev is smart ... he knows what she's getting at and asks her straight off ... what do you want?
Turn a blind eye and a deaf ear, and let me get my revenge, that's all.
And the beginning of the dysfunctional family ... apparently eldest son left home three years ago, and Uma Ben had to coax him back.
This show will go on for some time ... three brothers, do they all have their sagas to sort out? Plus CC's own brother and sister.

Precap - Mother and son both plotting revenge against Chhanchhan ...

And the show is beginning to settle down ... all the characters still to be introduced but the character sketches starting to take shape slowly. Shades and layers start to appear in Uma Ben and the apparently perfect family with perfect bahus ... cracks that have apparently been papered over. but not filled or repaired.