R.I.P Tom Alter

Tom Alter passed away on Friday at the age of 67 after battling a long illness with skin cancer.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tom-alter-padma-shri-actor-and-writer-dies-aged-67/articleshow/60889109.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TOI&utm_content=om-bm

Tom Alter, Padma Shri actor and writer, dies aged 67

MUMBAI: Veteran film, television and theatre actor and Padma Shri Tom Alter has died aged 67. The renowned actor and one-time sports writer and author had been battling stage four skin cancer.

Alter acted in over 300 movies apart from numerous TV shows, most famously as the gangster Keshav Kalsi in the hit soap opera Junoon which ran for a record five years during the 1990s. In addition to acting, Alter also ventured into direction and was a sports journalist in the 80s and 90s. He was the first person to interview Sachin Tendulkar for TV when the cricketer was yet to debut for India. Alter has written three books, one non-fiction and two fiction, and in 2008 was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Indian government in recognition for his services to the field of arts and cinema.

A statement released on behalf of his family said: "It is with sadness we announce the death of Tom Alter, actor, writer, director, Padma Shri, and our dear husband and father. Tom passed away Friday night at home with his family and close family members in attendance. We ask for their privacy to be respected at this time."

Born in the hill station of Mussoorie in 1950, Alter was a third-generation American in India who studied at Woodstock School in the Himalayas and then briefly at Yale University in the USA, before returning to India in the early 70s. In 1972, he was one of three men - the others being Benjamin Gilani and Phunsok Ladakhi - chosen from over 800 applicants across north India to be enrolled in at the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, where two years later he graduated with a gold medal diploma in acting.

Alter's first release was Ramanand Sagar's Charas in 1976, in which he played the role of superstar Dharmendra's boss, a CID official. Among his notable roles during the first decade of his acting career were Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977), Shyam Benega's Junoon (1979), Manoj Kumar's magnum opus Kranti (1981) and Raj Kapoor's Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985). Other notable directors he worked with during the 70s and 80s were V Shantaram, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Manmohan Desai, Subhash Ghai, Chetan Anand - who gave him his first break in the Dev Anand-starrer Saheb Bahadur - and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who gave him the pivotal role of the gangster Musa in the critically acclaimed hit Parinda.

In the 90s, Alter was seen in many films, prominent among them Mahesh Bhatt's Aashiqui, Junoon and Gumrah, Ketan Mehta's Sardar and Priyadarshan's Kala Pani. During this time, he also acted in regional cinema - Bengali, Assamese, Telegu, Tamil and Kumaoni films. Among his foreign films are Richard Attenborough's Gandhi and One Night with the King, in which he acted opposite his idol, the legendary Peter O'Toole.

On TV, Alter's leading work came in Junoon, Zabaan Sambhalke, Jugalbandi, Bharat EK Khoj, Ghutan, Shaktimaan, Captain Vyom, Mere Ghar Aana Zindagi and Yahaan Ke Hum Sikandar. Most recently, he was seen in a pivotal role in the ongoing serial Rishton Ka Chakravyuh on Star Plus. At the time of his death, Alter had approximately 16 unreleased films lined up as well as a web series by Eros Now titled Smoke.

Throughout his cinematic and television career, Alter remained busy with theatre, having co-founded Motley Productions with Naseeruddin Shah and Gilani in 1979. His prominent stage work includes the two-and-a-half-hour-long solo play in Urdu, 'Maulana', 'Babur ke Aulaad', 'Lal Qile ka Aakhri Mushaira', 'Ghalib ke Khat', 'Trisanga', 'Teesveen Shatabdi', Copenhagen' and the theatrical reproduction of William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns'.

In early 2017, Alter enacted a festival of his various plays in Hindi, English, Hindustani and Urdu titled titled 'Jashn-e-Maazi: The Play of History' which featured 19 of his portrayals and adaptations of leading historical figures such as Maulana Azad, Mirza Ghalib, Manto, Saahir Ludhianvi, Rabindranath Tagore, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Alfred Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi.

He is survived by his wife Carol, son Jamie, and daughter Afshaan.

Rishton ka Chakravyuh week 8, Ep 43-48, 25th- 30th Sept

Monday 25th Sept

Sudha's nautanki fools Anami completely ... Anami still has a lot of growing up to do.
Sangeeta Ghosh is playing Sudha really well ... the crazy psychotic woman with a thread of sanity ... or is she the sane revenge filled woman with a streak of madness? The scene where she dons her red saree again, her jewelry ... to the strain of 'naina barse rimjhim rimjhim ...' and muses ... Anami is like a sword ... a sword is made of steel, and steel can rust ... I will rust her steel with the power of my emotions.

Adhiraj warns Anami ... against everyone in Laal Mahal. Everyone ... means everyone. Including Narottam. And he gives her another cellphone.
I like the way their relationship is building ... although he doesn't trust her to be the real heir, he does trust her somewhat to help him truthfully and fairly. And Anami knows he doesn't believe her truth, yet she trusts him to be fair in his work. Since his work is her aim ... uncovering the truth of Vatsalya's murder ... she is well prepared to help him.
The question is ... with Adhiraj's own vested interests in the case and Laal Mahal, will he remain fair towards his work? If he does, he will automatically be fair towards Anami.

Gayatri and Satrupa ... their conversation reveals Vikram's thinking ... son is heir, heir has to be son ... even Satrupa who has handled Royal Steel for so many years is, and was, just the caretaker. Slowly Satrupa's motives for sending Anami away are becoming clearer ... though I'm still not sure why she's treating Anami so curtly.
But Gayatri is prepared for change. Change has to come ...  change is the only constant.

I always like Anami-Vatsalya scenes ... am so glad they have retained him to connect to Anami through his diary. So he warns Anami that Pujan has a strong streak of cruelty in him.
Anami puts her new cellphone to good use ... taking pictures of Pujan with shady characters, receiving a shady file.


Tuesday 26th Sept 

Dadaji will not accept Anami as the heir. First he cast doubt on her lineage ... now that is proved, he falls back on the real reason - heir has to be a son. Not a daughter.
And he even goes against the revered guruji on this ...
Idiot Avdhoot gets the khandaani necklace ... but it's Anami's blood which is used for the 'tilak' ... so blood is thicker than water after all.

And Anami is very annoyed ... not because she's not declared heir ... but because Dadaji insulted her, her upbringing ... who is he to say all that? She didn't come here willingly, she was brought here. And her parting shot - after dadiji and Satrupa ask her to keep quiet ... diya vahi jalta hai, jisme jalne ki kshamta hoti hai. varna hava kisi par rehem nahin karti. Aisa hamari pagli panditayin kehti hai.
Who is the more capable of the two? That is the one who should be heir ... regardless of blood, gender, or anything else.

And Avdhoot whimpering at the thought of shedding his blood for the teeka, while Anami, impatient at his cowardice steps forward to complete the ritual ... indicates who is the stronger and more fearless, for starters.
As Satrupa is quick to point out. But Dadaji is still unbowed ... till his shawl catches fire ... and it's the daughter of the house, not the son ... who rushes to put it out.

Guruji warns Satrupa ... barse to os, bigde to toofan ... she's just like you. Those who brought her up, have transformed the raw child into pure gold ... now you need to mold that gold into your shape. From Benaras ki Anami to Satrupa's Anami ...

Pujan and Avdhoot exult ... they have got the heirdom in the form of the necklace. Done deal. From Royal Steel to LM ...
Avdhoot isn't fully convinced though ... Pujan's plans have a habit of flopping.

Satrupa ponders ... how to make Anami Satrupa's Anami. How to make her worthy of being heir.
Answer is simple ... educate her. Satrupa took a long time realise that a jobless Anami's empty mind is the devil's workshop.

Poonam's theatrics ... Adhiraj's arrival ... as usual a clash with Anami ... this time she soaks him.

Wednesday 27th Sept 

Adhiraj wants more information on the file ... so they go investigating in Pujan's room. Leading to near discovery as chachi returns unexpectedly and Anami gets an allergic attack from the mosquito repellent.
Liked the attention to details ... chachi had gone shopping, and returned with shopping bags.
And the first hug of sorts, as Adhiraj shelters Anami and leads her out of the room ... not before getting pics of the incriminating file.

Satrupa starts the work of getting Anami's admission to college.

Dheeru sees the file Adhiraj is making on the Laal Mahal case.

Sudha is delighted ...Anami has fallen completely into Sudha's trap. Sudha sold her pain, Anami bought it hook, line and sinker. Now next step ... sell her Narottam's pain. And her counter will sink to the bottom of the ladder.

Satrupa ... oh dear, why is so dictatorial with Anami?! Doesn't she know Anami responds worst when she is challenged ... that too, by Satrupa?
And Anami ... what do you plan to do for the next one year? Sit around at home? Just to spite Satrupa, she won't listen to something for her own betterment. And her blind hatred for Satrupa prevents her to even try to understand Satrupa's motives. Like seriously ... Anami's education is for Satrupa's benefit alone?! Anami is becoming a brat ... and an arrogant one, at that.

Dheeru warns Baldev ... disaster is coming to Royal Steel ... not that it's Baldev's hard work that has gone into it, but he's going to lose everything anyway. Baldev didn't recognise the voice? But he's worried nonetheless.

Pujan starts some drama ... what now?

Thursday 28th Sept 

Lol .. Pujan starts drama in courtyard, so Anami can't practice martial arts with her child brigade ... so she invades Chachi's room ... so chachi yells at Pujan ... end of his drama.

Update later

Few thoughts on Thursday-Saturday episodes:

Dheeru - seems to have the future of Royal Steel close to his heart. Whether he is bent on saving it or destroying it, time will tell. But his actions seem to  indicate the former - first he made an anonymous phone call to Baldev to warn him, then he explained in detail to Adhiraj what was happening, the takeover bid ... and encouraged him to go to warn the Lal Mahal inhabitants. So what is his final game plan?
Interestingly Satrupa was absent during the discussion between Vikram, Gayatri, Baldev and Adhiraj ... she is busy trying to tame Anami. So how much time is she giving Royal Steel these days? Or is it that with Avdhoot being declared heir, she has given up on dealing with the company for now?

Anami - is blackmailed into going for the college interview. Although she gets the better of the principal and teacher, a la Slumdog millionaire, she doesn't get admission ... or refuses admission ... much to Satrupa's annoyance. As Satrupa makes no bones about telling her.
I was glad Satrupa ticked Anami off about her arrogance ... thinking one knows everything and doesn't need to learn more, is the biggest sign of ignorance.
Also Anami is arrogant about one more thing, again incorrectly - her ability to recognise people. Despite both Satrupa and Adhiraj warning her about Narottam, she persists in thinking she knows better. Of course, if Narottam does turn over a new leaf, her thinking will be justified ... his life has been quite hellish till date, all due to his own family - father and mother both. And it might well happen that Anami's support gives him the courage to change. The way he described his upbringing was really sad ... handed over to kinnars to be brought up as one of them ... if that is true, it was cruel and unforgiveable of those responsible for doing that.
But for the moment, Narottam is very firmly Sudha's pawn ... and Anami is treading a dangerous path ... it looks like she is heading for a fall.

Baldev-Vikram - the scene showed the reason for the distrust between them. Vikram always wanted the perfect son - Baldev could never be that. What was more, it appears Baldev was the typical bigda hua raees baap ka beta, who never worked a day in his life, and expected all the benefits of belonging to the family he did. It was Dheeru who worked hard for Royal Steel ... Dheeru and then Satrupa. Baldev merely enjoyed the spoils. And he still blames his father for forcing him to marry Satrupa ... was he really in love with Sudha? Could not have been ... judging by the way he treats Narottam. or does he treat Narottam that way because he was the cause of Baldev being disinherited? Baldev is a weak man.

Dheeru again - Pujan in of course hand in glove with the investors/trustees to bring down Royal Steel, buy out the majority shares while the market is down, and gain control. So the trustees between them have managed to corner 25% of the shares, and one more trustee has another 26%. But that trustee is kidnapped on his way to the meeting ... by Dheeru.

Anami-Vatsalya - Vatsalya's diary warns Anami that Narottam has had a very tough life, in ambiguous terms speaks about pain being his mother ... or was that his mother is his pain? Vatsalya was a very intelligent and perceptive boy ...  he saw everything happening in Lal Mahal, understood it ... but was too young and too sweet to counter it strongly. That fire is in Anami ... the ability and the courage to challenge,  to fight, to counter. Together they would have been an amazing team... sadly, that was not to be.
I'm so glad the makers have decided to retain the actor and keep bringing him in flashbacks ... it strengthens the Anami-Vatsalya bond, to see them physically on screen together, even though we know Vatsalya is only there in spirit.


One good thing with RKC moving to 8 pm ... we will have only 5 episodes a week. Time for the writers and crew to take a break and maintain the intensity of the episodes.
I am very happy that the pigeonpoop chicken shit show is going off air! And even happier that RKC is taking its place - this show deserves to be prime time. Although I really hope the makers get to tell their story the way they have been doing till now, and don't fall prey to the TRP race.

Narayani Shastri talks about a love angle to her story ... wonder if that will be Baldev or Dheeru. I hope it will be Dheeru ... I am disappointed with Baldev's character so far.

http://www.indianwikimedia.com/television/celebrities/every-generation-has-its-own-set-of-good-and-bad-actors-narayani-shastri/2017/09/24/amp

Talented actor Narayani Shastri is quite happy with the growth of her Star Plus show Rishton Ka Chakravyuh.

“There is  good content,  no wonder it is picking up steam and we have got promoted to a prime time slot (8PM).  Having said that, the new time slot does not mean much to me. As an actor it is important  for me to do the role to the best of my ability irrespective of time. That is more the job of the channel and production house,” says the talented lady to IndianWikiMedia.

So how does she approach her ‘royal’  character? “For me, more than tha aspect of being a queen, what is more important is what & why happens in her life, i.e. the character graph. But yes, social position  does impact what you do and where you come.”

Narayani further states that she does not lament the loss of glamorous role on TV .  “I don’t go by established norms of how a woman must look at a  particular age.  I played the mother to Akaashdeep Saigal (now Skywalker) at 22 years and even now my current character is quite glamorous, there will  also be a love angle to her.”

Talking about working with younger lot of actors, she avers: “Every generation has its own set of good and bad actors. Most of my co stars come from well-bred families and are very courteous and professional.  I know folks  crib that some new lot of actors are rude but for them I will blame their parents for not imbibing the right values in them.”  Besides Rishton, she has also worked with younger lot of actors in Piya Rangrezz.

Narayani,  who has been around for years, attributes her continuing TV stint to luck. “Yes  I do make choices. I  don’t jump at any odd role.  There have been times where I  have not had projects for six months to a year.  Insecurity of an actor does rankle, but then I hold myself knowing  something  better is on the anvil .”

In closing , she shares that she would also be okay taking up digital shows. “But  they need to  pay well  and secondly the role needs  to be kickass for me to leave my comfort zone. The digital space is still  finding  its hold, so quite a lot of bad content is also churning up. The makers need to exercise self censorship much more .”

We wish her all the luck and success.

Rishton Ka Chakravyuh week 7, Ep 37-42, 18th- 23rd Sept

18th Sept Monday

Anami returns to Laal Mahal, determined to seek justice for her brother, and even more consumed with hatred for her birth mother for separating her from her twin brother. So consumed is she with the hatred, that she never stops to think for a moment, whether the hatred is wholly justified, and whether the reason she assumes she was separated from her brother, is truly accurate.

When Anami was accusing Satrupa, I saw guilt mixed with sorrow in Satrupa's eyes. More than ever I want to know the full reason behind Satrupa sending her daughter away rather than her son, despite Guruji advising her to send her first born child. I do feel bad for Anami ... very, very bad ... as she struggles to come to terms with the tragedy which has only just sunk in ... but Anami has a long road to go to reach maturity.
Anami said ... I too have a right to go into Vatsalya's room ... he was my brother! The first time she has acknowledged a relationship with any inhabitant of the Laal Mahal ... even though a deceased one. In life Vatsalya tried to bridge the gap between the residents of Laal Mahal, especially between his parents ... but he was a dreamer, an idealist, a poet ... he never had the strength. Anami, his fire brand sister does. She has the strength to make or break relations. What will she choose?

Episode ends with Adhiraj spewing fire at Anaami ... furious at being hoodwinked (or so he thinks) by her.

Quick updates for Tues-Thurs before I watch Friday's episode :

19th Sept Tuesday 

Adhiraj furious with Anaami for fooling him ... and refuses to believe that Anaami is really Satrupa and Baldev's daughter ... she has managed to fool him somehow.
(side note ... The actor has improved a lot in his acting and dialogue delivery)

Gayatri is very happy with her new granddaughter ... the first girl in the family in seven generations.  And she has no interest in Vikram Singh's grumpiness.
Vikram still thinks this is all Satrupa's manipulation.

Adhiraj returns home, still hopping mad with Anaami. And has a fight with his father ... you were a coward and ran away ... dad says, I told you not to get involved in Laal Mahal, this is a Kurukshetra.
Dad ruminates on the past ... so Baldev got him arrested? And Baldev seemed quite cozy with Pujan at the time.
Hum yeh ladai chhod dete hain lekin yeh ladai humein nahin chodti.

Adhiraj crashes his jeep in anger ... still sulking. This guy is a CBI officer?! His bias is clouding his judgement big time.

Dadi gets ready for a ritual to welcome Anaami. And manages to win her over with Khaike Paan Benarasvala ... interesting to see Anju Mahendru in a new avatar!
Dadiji wants Anaami to bring about a change in the thinking of the Laal Mahal. She is far more progressive than her husband for sure. And more farseeing too.

Adhiraj now drunk! Did he fall for Anaami that hard?
Also, I think with the change in time slot coming up, the makers are slowing down the story for the moment, and bringing in a few light moments. Hope they don't make this a story about angry young man and chirpy young girl, that's all. Fortunately, the girl is not middle class! Ila has improved in her acting too, she is not playing such an airhead now.

Dadji gets ready for the vidhi for the new granddaughter ... much to the annoyance of the male members of the family ... and Pujan and family, of course. None of them are ready to wash her feet.

20th Sept Wednesday

Vidhi of washing Anaami's feet goes ahead ... after some emotional blackmail by Dadiji of Baldev ...  (Pujan drops his head on Kamini's shoulder out of sheer frustration ... lol ... here she goes again!) some stern talking to Pujan, who of course, can't afford to let his mask of good behaviour fall ..

Satrupa washes her daughter's feet ... tells her ... you can say and do what you like, it won't make a difference, you are still my daughter and our future. So you have to learn the ways of the house.
Anaami of course isn't impressed ... what does her matlabi maataji know about relationships?  Satrupa is keeping the feud going, stoking Anaami's anger against her all the time ... her expressions when Anaami is not watching her, are far more fond and maternal ... when she speaks directly to Anaami, her mask of curtness in firmly in place. For some reason, she doesn't want to break Anaami's impression that she abandoned her girl child.
Also she sees that Anaami is not enamoured of Pujan and family ... and is quite happy with that.
Vikram Singh refuses to take part in the vidhi, refuses to accept Anaami ... and is rather rude to Gayatri about it.

One comic scene with Pujan, Kamini and Avdhoot ... they are becoming resident comic relief. Again Pujan repeats ... from Royal Steel to Laal Mahal ... that's the way he will go this time. Kamini is fed up of his plans.

Narottam- Anaami ... he gives her his mother's kangans. After all, he's her brother.
Narottam is very dangerous ... he will win Anaami over with sweet words ... but does he mean any of them? Will her open support make a difference to his thinking?
Narottam has had a very tough life ... he is truly unloved by all. Even for his mother, he has been nothing but a pawn. And his father's family keeps him at the Laal Mahal only on sufferance. He has never ever received genuine love and affection from anyone ... maybe from Vatsalya, but Vatsalya's love was weak. Will Anaami's genuine affection and strong support change him?

Uh oh ... Anaami tells Narottam all about meeting Vatsalya ... the connection between them ... and the attack on him. So Narottam knows now that Anaami saved Vatsalya that time ... and that she knows he was attacked ... she thinks deliberately. Did Pujan organise that attack? Or did Sudha? Narottam was disturbed to hear about the attack ... did he know about it already? Or was it news to him?
Beautiful scene ... but now Narottam knows about Anaami's connection with Vatsalya ... and also that she wants to find his killer. Anaami has chosen the wrong confidante :(

21st Sept Thursday 

Anaami and Narottam steal out to meet Adhiraj ... but Adhiraj, still smarting at 'being fooled' by Anaami, isn't interested in what Anaami has to say. She is a fraud.
Best scene ... Narottam's 'peeche hat' to Adhiraj ... for a moment he forgot his effeminate mask, and was just a protective older brother. The guy is a damn good actor!!! His eyes speak.
Again I wonder ... will Anaami's genuine love and affection change Narottam?
Anaami tells Adhiraj ... I wish that you one day feel what I'm feeling. Kisi ka insaaf adhura reh gaya hai ... aur koi sun nahin raha ...
Will Adhiraj remember these words one day ... with regard to his father?

Gayatri is very upset with Vikram Singh ... but he's still annoyed about her accepting Anaami. Things cannot change so quickly in this house. Anaami cannot be heir. She is not his granddaughter.
Anaami creates drama because Satrupa has gotten her bedding shifted back into the house.
This time I sympathised with Pujan and the rest ... midnight drama!!! Some of Anaami's shenanigans are really childish!
Satrupa of course puts her foot down ... you're the daughter of the house, you have to sleep inside the house. That's the rule, and you will follow it.
Anaami's condition ... she gets the keys to Vatsalya's room. The only room where she feels comfortable, at home ... where she feels a connection to at least one member of the family.
Dadiji puts her foot down ... Anaami can take the keys ... she has the right. Now can Anaami please go to sleep? Inside the house?!

Anaami can't sleep!

Next morning, new drama ... Satrupa has figured out how to handle Anaami ... just tell her to do the opposite of what she wants ... so have breakfast in your room, means that Anaami wants to eat at the table with everyone.
Satrupa muses to Damo ... it's not about winning or losing ... it's about keeping the game going, and Anaami keeps playing the game the way Satrupa wants her to. Anaami is winning because she's letting her win.
But Anaami's next drama is tough even for her champion Dadiji ... Anaami wants Narottam to eat with the family.
Dadaji's words ... nothing has changed in this family, and nothing will change ...
are completely at odds with Dadi's words to Anaami ... you will bring change into this house. 

Yes, Anaami is the harbinger of change ... some people are prepared for change ... while others will resist it.

22nd Sept Friday

Ah, the arrogance and confidence of youth! Satrupa tries to warn Anami, but of course, Anami will never believe her mother ... that goes against her grain. Anami has a lot of growing up to do ... and Satrupa hasn't helped matters by giving her away at birth, and not telling anyone about it. It will be a long time before Anami trusts Satrupa on anything ... as Satrupa says, that might be to the detriment of the family as a whole before Anami sees sense.

To begin the episode ... Anami and Narottam left the breakfast table ... I thought Anami would make the family leave, but fortunately her brattishness stopped short of that.

Sudha-Narottam - Narottam was definitely affected by Anami's goodness and strength ... but Sudha quickly brings him on track ... he has and should have only one relationship with Anami ... Hate.

Sudha is a mother from hell ... the way she gives Narottam chilli to eat when he says something that annoys her ... and Narottam eats the chilli quietly ... he gets the message all right, but doesn't have the guts to spit out the chilli. Something tells me that's the way he was punished in childhood too, as he was growing up ... among other punishments, of course. His self-flagellation being another one ... the boy has had a hellish life so far ... so Anami's support and affection will win him over eventually. But the road to that is long and hard ... and both he and Anami will face many pitfalls along the way. He has Sudha egging him on the wrong path ... and Anami will fight Satrupa all the way. Ironical ... the one who blindly follows his mother, will probably go against her eventually, and Anami, who can't stand her mother, will eventually follow her path.

Satrupa and Anami in Vatsalya's room ... Satrupa destroyed the relationship between herself and her daughter almost at birth by giving her away ... but here they are, bound by the person they are bonded to. Anami never knew her brother except for a few fleeting moments, yet those moments have given her a bond which she can't seem to break. A soul connection between twins. And Satrupa was so close to her son ... he was her solace, her friend, within the cold walls of Laal Mahal. Will these two women ever find common ground through the person they both love?
Not for a long time yet ... as Satrupa tries to warn Anami against Narottam, forgetting her own words of the morning, when she knew Anami would do the opposite of what she told her to. But this was no childish rebellion she was indulging ... this was much more serious. But Anami, with the arrogance of youth, dismisses her like she dismisses everything Satrupa says ... she is matlabi maataji, so she doesn't know what love is. And Anami will not abandon her new friend because Satrupa says so.

Satrupa gives up for the moment.

Anami explores Vatsalya's room ... why did he call her to LM? Why did he want her to stay back? And she finds his hiding place ... and sees his slides ... tearing up again as she feels the bond.

Narottam at work on his mother's orders ... work on Anami, but never forget she's the enemy. So he spins a sob story of how his mother is ill, but he can't meet her ... because he can't fight.
Anami sets up a martial arts class for him in the corridor ... good going by the cvs, as they showed in the earlier episodes that Anami knew martial arts.
Pujan gets the best dialogues ... Anami ... Badnami ...

Adhiraj gets out of Devdas mode and determines to use Anami as bait to investigate Vatsalya's murder.

And Anami will get a shock while teaching Narottam to defend himself ... will that give her the first check that Narottam may not be all that he seems?

23rd Sept Saturday

No, Anami didn't get any check or suspicion about Narottam ... he is far too clever for her ... for now. Before it sinks in that he is more than capable of defending himself, he dons his weak helpless persona again.
But before that, she is rude to Pujan ... Dadi and Satrupa are not overly concerned about that ... but they are far more concerned about Anami's growing closeness to Narottam.

Did Baldev just call his own son a servant? Whatever it is, he is becoming more and more unpleasant, with his adamant refusal to acknowledge Anami as his daughter.  Maybe he is one of the reasons for Narottam being the way he is after all ... of his three children, it seems Baldev only loved Vatsalya ... maybe because Vatsalya was the perfect child, the chosen heir. Narottam was the cause of his being disinherited ... and Anami is a jungli ... and only a girl.

Dadi cautions Satrupa about Anami and Narottam ... Satrupa blames her for her unconditional support to Anami ... hello, lady, I thought that was what you wanted. Both busy blaming each other ... but neither knows how to handle the rebellious teenager.

Sudha prepares for the next stage of her drama ... the weeping helpless abandoned wife and lonely mother ...
I will sell my pain, and buy my peace ... 

Anami has prepared for Narottam to visit his poor abandoned lonely mother ...
Satrupa forbids her ... really, Satrupa?! Just this morning you said that the best way to get Anami to follow your wishes is to tell her the opposite ... and now she lays down the law in an autocratic manner which couldn't have gotten Anami more determined to rebel than if that had been Satrupa's intention.

Adhiraj seems to have gotten over his Devdas hangover, and is back to business. He needs a khabri from inside Laal Mahal ... who better than Anami herself? She came to him for help ... well, he will help her, but she will have to help him too.

With all the added security that Satrupa has supposedly arranged, how does Munna paanwala get in and out of LM to meet Anami so easily? And with him, how does Adhiraj?

Oh well ... the best of shows has loopholes ...
Anami repeats her story about the attack on Vatsalya in Benaras ... her meeting with him ... she is staying back in LM only to find out about this ... and she has no problem helping Adhiraj ... after all it's for her brother ...

 Which leads Adhiraj to his second objective ... a hair sample for a repeat DNA test ...

Poonam knows a way out of LM that Anami can use to visit narottam's mother ... but why is Anami so keen to help him? Is it only to trouble Satrupa? To hurt her?
Anami understands the pain of separation from one's parents ... that's why.
Of course, Narottam has no such pain ... but for the poor guy, that pain might be more bearable than the pain of being his mother's pawn, and the object of his father's unrelenting contempt.
Of course Anami is even more sorry for Narottam for being separated from his mother as a baby, being reared like a girl ... ah, she does know that ... did Narottam tell her? and for the poor suffering mother ... yeah, right!
But Anami understands the pain of separation from parents, being too weak to oppose the oppressors, the stronger ones ...
Although she can never fall to the depths her birth mother did, of abandoning her child just because it was a girl ... and then bring her back when it suits her ... she will die before she does that ...

I feel Anami is heading for a big fall ... right now she is caught up in the arrogance of youth ... her mother was wrong to give her away, she abandoned her ... hence everything Satrupa does is wrong, and she, Anami is right, she knows better. The typical arrogant over-confidence of a teenager ... one day she will learn the full truth of why Satrupa gave her away ... and I think that will shake Anami to her roots.

Kunti gave Karna away because she was an unmarried girl, scared of the effect on her reputation. Satrupa had no such reason. She had twins, a boy and a girl ... even if a girl was not allowed to be heir, Vatsalya was there to inherit. Satrupa gave Anami away to protect her child/children ... she gave away the wrong child, true ... maybe out of love for the son over the daughter ... maybe because she felt the daughter had a better chance of survival away from LM, maybe because she felt being mother of a son would cement her own position in LM ... maybe a combination of all ... maybe some other reason entirely. But judging by Gayatri's reaction to Anami, it was not only because Anami was a girl that Satrupa gave her away ... it might have been one of the reasons, but only one. Satrupa gave her away because for some reason Guruji felt her children's lives were under threat if both of them stayed in LM.
Did Satrupa's first set of twins die of natural causes? Or were they also put to death in a way that looked like an accident?

But Satrupa's way of dealing with Anami is also so wrong ... she is curt, brief ... never warm or loving, never maternal ... if this part of some strategy, it might misfire ... badly. Anami is at the rebellious teenager stage ... and is more rebellious than most ... she needs to be handled very differently .. starting with maybe telling her the truth, or at least part of it, as to why she was given away.
But then the story will end very quickly ... :)

Adhiraj is still barking up the wrong tree ... trying to disprove that Anami is Satrupa and Baldev's daughter ... only this time he's going about it the right way ... getting the test done without anyone knowing. So now when he gets the proof he wants ... or rather, doesn't want ... what will he do?

Narottam and Sudha start their drama with Anami the wide-eyed gullible audience swallowing every word, every tear, every sob story ... Sudha in white, shorn of her ornaments, and her psycho crafty attitude ...
Sudha is in the same room ... did Anami not notice it's a mental rehabilitation centre?

Precap - Guruji is back! Poor Tom Alter, I believe he is very, very ill. :( Hope he recovers.

Dia's note - With RKC moving to prime time slot, I do feel the makers need to tone down Anami's rudeness somewhat. She is a well brought up girl, her foster parents have given her nothing but love, and have taught her to be fearless and independent, but also to respect her elders. Her current behaviour doesn't show that upbringing ... also for a prime time FL, she's too rude. Now that RKC will be competing in the trp race, the makers need to look at these things.
Also some monologues from Satrupa as to why is she being so curt and cold with Anami, instead of being warm and loving, as she was with Vatsalya ... 

Happy Birthday, Sanaya!

Making the post a day late, but couldn't let it go by without wishing Sanaya Irani a very happy birthday and all the best for a wonderful day and a wonderful life! A girl with an ever present smile, an everlasting zest for life, an amazing positive and never say die attitude, and a golden heart. Wish her all the best for her birthday and always!

Hope that includes her return to TV soon in a kickass show!

RKC - Ep 36 -Across the chasm between two worlds, we meet

16th Sept Saturday

Rarely if ever have I watched such beauty unfold on screen.The realisation of Anami as to who her twin was/had been, could have been filmy, over-dramatic, an often seen sequence both in BW and on TV.

Instead it was rare, precious, gossamer-delicate ... a slow unfolding of emotions through poetic words ... a twin reaching across from the other side ... both twins snatched from their homes and now straddling unfamiliar worlds ... she in his ... and he in another, unreachable one. And the pathos, the sadness of what could have been ... the joys of growing up together, the teasing, the laughter, the shared secrets, joys and sorrows that siblings share ... all snatched away by a cruel twist of fate ...

They had both felt that bond ... even in that one chance meeting ... the tangible proof of which lay now wrapped around Anami's wrist ... the rudraksha bracelet, the raksha dhaga, protection band, that Vatsalya had been given, and which he handed over to Anami at their chance meeting ... with the so prophetic words ... 'if I had a sister, she would be like you ...' 

He did ... and she was.

The meeting was set up beautifully ... Anami manages to get the keys from a sleeping Satrupa with a minimum of fuss, and runs to meet Poonam at the gate. Poonam waiting with her luggage and her rudraksha bracelet ... which Anami wears.
Did that bracelet call Anami to Vatsalya's room? Did it establish the connection she had forgotten, or was till now unaware of?
Then as Anami struggles with the keys, she tries one which is ... the key to Vatsalya's room ... as Poonam reminds her.

Vatsalya

She had almost forgotten.

The reason for her being here ... the boy who once lived behind the forbidden door ... her twin.
She had no feeling for him ... how could she? She had never even met him. Yet in dying, he had been the cause of her exile to the hated Lal Mahal. She would not leave without taking a peek behind that forbidden door ... without getting a glimpse of the cause of all her troubles. If she left without seeing his face, she would leave a part of herself behind.

And so she finally opens the forbidden door.
Stumbles to switch on the lights.
Drops her phone in the process.
And straightens ... to look straight into ... the eyes of her unknown twin.

Except that he is not unknown at all.

The boy she met on the ghats of Benaras. The boy she shared a birthday with, a day they both hate. The boy who gave her the rudraksha bracelet she now wears, the bracelet that gave her an inexplicable feeling of sorrow and anguish the day it broke. The boy who felt complete when in Benaras, but when he left, he felt bereft, as though losing something precious.

Was it sheer chance that they met that day? A coincidence?

Vatsalya does not think so. And he has something to say to her ... if she would care to listen ... to open his diary and read his words ... words that feel as though they were written only for her.

Adhoore se aasmaan main rang bharta hai koi... 
samay ke dhaagon se kya kya bunta hai koi... 
boond ki aas main zameen ko tarasta hai koi... 
phir baras ke aankhon se birha mitata hai koi...
Adhoore se aasmaan main rang bharta hai koi... 

Someone fills in the colors in an incomplete sky
what does he weave with the threads of time?
Someone craves the earth while waiting for a drop of water
then that water bursts from the eyes to wipe away the grief of separation
someone fills in the colors in an incomplete sky

sawalon ka jor, jawabon ka shor... 
kyun akhir kyun itna toofan uthata hai koi..
samay ke dhagon se kya kya bunta hai koi..

The force of questions, the noise of answers
why oh why does someone raise such a storm?
what does he weave with the threads of time?

jab dard ke badal chaye the, man pe raat ke kale saye the, 
pane khone ke fer main jab duniya lagi thi, us waqt tum kahaan the ? 

Kudrat ne kaha tha, wada liya tha, jab lahu ke ek dhage se bandha tha, 
jab lahu pani ban raha tha, tab tum kahan the ?

When clouds of pain surrounded me, when the darkness of night shrouded my mind,
when the world was lost in the game of  winning and losing,
at that time, where were you?
The universe told me, took a promise from me, tied us with a string of blood,
when that blood was flowing like water, at that time, where were you? 

An ever smiling Vatsalya, a harmonica playing, guitar playing Vatsalya ... gentle, musical, poetic ... far removed from the hard selfish inhabitants of Lal Mahal she had met ... was this her twin? 

She touches his harmonica, his guitar ... and she can feel her twin, see him sitting there, smiling, happy ... 
She sits at his desk, and writes in his diary ... as though by writing to him she can talk to him again ... the boy with whom she felt such a strange instant connect ... 

Ganga Maiya ne humein apne godh main milaya ... lekin us din humare mann main bhi toofan machha tha aur tumhare mann main bhi hahakar tha..
tumhari baatein bilkul waise hi hain jaise humari mann ke sawaal hote hai ... kash ek baar ... ek baar hum tumhare sawaal sun paate 
vatsalya ... ye kaisa parichay hai, tum is sab kuch chodkar us duniya main chale gaye jahaan se kabhi nahin lautoge aur hum tumhari duniya main base hue hain..
hum dono apni apni duniya se nikal diye gaye hain.. 

jaante ho jab tum aur hum mile tho hume laga tha ki hum tumse zyada hoshiyar hai lekin apne haath main tumhara diya ye raksha sutra dekhke ab samajh aa raha hai ki tum humse zyada hoshiyar the isliye ye gift chupchap dekar nikal gaye taaki hum tum tak pahonche, tumhe dhoondhe, tumse baat karein..yehi chahthe the na tum..

vatsalya... aaj tumse humara parichay hua hai.. tumhare shabdon ke zariye.. hum kismat pe bharosa nahin karte hain kyunki humara shradh pandit kehte hain kudrat ne humara kismat ka panna khali chod diya hai aur humare haath main kalam pakada diya taaki hum roz apni karmon se bani kismat likh sakein

lekin ... lekin aaj hume lagta hai ki hamare baba humara mann rakhne ke liye aisa kehte hai ... nahin tho humne aisa koi karam nahin kiya hai jisse hum dono janam ke sagei, khoon se bandhe, zindagi aur maut ke do kinaron pe khade ho jaye..

As Anami lays her head on the table, Vatsalya is there next to her, his head close to hers, his eyes looking into hers.

And he gets up, with that ever present smile still on his face ... and backs away ... into nothingness.
He's gone.
Her twin brother is gone.
She lost him even before finding him, knowing him.

And she turns to write again with new determination ... she has lost him, but she will not lose anyone else dear to her.

Logon ke pane khone ki tamanna ne humse hamara sab cheen liya hai.. jo bach gaya hai, use bachaye rakhna bahut zaroori hai nahin tho woh bhi iss lalchi duniya ka bhent chad jayega... vatsalya hum ja rahe hain, wahi jahan tum humse mile the, Ganga maiya ki godh main.. Hum Banaras jana hi padhega ... nahin tho woh ghar bhi ujhad diya jayega. Humse tumhare mann ka rishta koi tod nahin payega..

But Vatsalya has other ideas ... as Anami exits the room, her bracelet is caught in the door.
As she struggles to free it, Vatsalya sits at the desk, reading the words she just wrote ...

Logon ke pane khone ki tamanna ne humse hamara sab cheen liya hai.. jo bach gaya hai, use bachaye rakhna bahut zaroori hai nahin tho woh bhi iss lalchi duniya ka bhent chad jayega... vatsalya hum ja rahe hain, wahi jahan tum humse mile the.  

And he turns to look at her, with a small quizzical smile on his face, as though asking ... 'Really? You will really go?'

Anami stares at him unbelievingly ... and then at her raksha bracelet ... she struggles again to free it ... yes, she has to go. 

And leave she does ... the waiting Poonam hands her her tin bag, the waiting auto takes off ... but her tears will not stop. Shraadh Pandit will have the answers for her ..

What should I do? I don't understand any more ... what is right, what is wrong ... 
Vatsalya was my twin brother ... I met him on the ghats of the Ganga ... but he's dead now. Why did Ganga maiyya make us meet? 
When I was in his room ... I met him ... got to know him. Usse parichay hua. 

Shraad Pandit tries to reassure her ... people say twins are joined by their souls. Maybe destiny wanted you to meet him once before leaving his world.

But Anami isn't convinced. If it was just that, why that unknown pull to Vatsalya's room? Why did he give her his raksha sutra, why did he make her get to know him? She cannot understand ... what is the right path for her? Was Vatsalya ... and destiny ... trying to tell her something? 
And she tells the Pandit about that feeling when she was leaving his room ... she felt he was calling out to her ... 
Is that raksha sutra on her wrist tying her feet down as well? 

Shraad Pandit tries to explain to her ... on one hand, she has her righteous duties ... on the other hand, her worldly duties ... and it is her mind, which is ruled by love, which will guide her choices. She will have to choose ... one side her Pandit family, who will support her no matter what her decision ... the other side, her real parents, and her dead brother. 

Karna had the same choices ... he was indebted to Duryodhana, so chose to fight on his side, leaving behind his charioteer father and his foster mother. However Karna fought on the wrong side ... Anami will now fight for her dead brother, Vatsalya ... the right side. Along the way, she will have more choices to make ... for unlike in the Mahabharata, where Karna knew he was on the wrong side, here Anami will take time to understand which side is the right side, and which is the wrong one. For as Adhiraj famously says, nothing is as it seems in the Laal Mahal. 

Rishton Ka Chakravyuh week 6, Ep 31-35, 11th-15th Sept

Monday 11th Sept

The DNA saga begins in earnest.
Dadi tries to persuade Baldev to agree.
Satrupa tries to tell an unconscious Vikram that she needs to prove Anami is his granddaughter.
Adhiraj tries to push Baldev into agreeing for the test ... and on the way out, tells Anami she needs to do something if she wants her ticket to  freedom.
Anami tries her wiles ... telling Baldev it's his best chance of getting rid of her ... Baldev is suspicious ... what if she has been coached by Satrupa, and the test shows what Satrupa wants it to show? Not that he thinks for a moment that Anami is his daughter ... but Satrupa, that wily lady is quite capable of doctoring the test.
Ironic ... since Satrupa is most invested in making sure the test is done accurately and honestly!
However Anami reassures him that she will ensure the test shows what she and Baldev want it to show ... since they have a common goal - her to leave Lal mahal as soon as possible.

Baldev finally caves in ... and summons Satrupa to tell her so ...  after insulting her and questioning her motives ... he really seems to hate Satrupa. Satrupa listens quietly .. she is just so relieved that Baldev has agreed for the test.
Pujan in the meanwhile fumes that Baldev has agreed for the test ... he is worried the girl is really the true heir.

Adhiraj is summoned to take the signed permission for the DNA test ... and on his way out, informs a jubilant Anami of the latest development.

Anami starts her plotting immediately ... Poonam will give the DNA sample instead of her ...  so Poonam has to come with her to the hospital.
However, Satrupa is up to Anami's wiles ... from the precap, Poonam is busted!

12th Sept Tuesday

The whole episode was cat and mouse of Anami trying to get Poonam to the hospital, and Satrupa trying to prevent her ... a fairly light episode, stretching credibility at places.
Pujan bribed the lab head  ... lab head said he would test the sample he was given ... so Pujan has to make sure he gives a sample. Credible, as most tests are run through machines and the lab reports are printed by the machines as well, so not much opportunity to tamper there.
Pujan also told Avdhoot to keep Adhiraj out of the way for some time while he did the switch ... so Avdhoot will target Tanya.

Poonam's car dicky foray was amusing ... smart thinking, as she tied up her own hands to show Satrupa she was taken by Anami forcibly :)
Poonam eating a banana in the dicky was cute too.



13th Sept Wednesday 

Swap ... and double swap ... Anami manages to take Poonam's blood sample and substitute it for her own ... she then walks around with her blood sample, collides with Pujan, and her blood sample gets exchanged with the one he was planning to substitute ... so he ends up substituting Poonam's blood sample with Anami's. Phew!!!

The only stretch was how Poonam managed to label her blood sample with Anami's name ... given that her slip had the random pregnant lady's name on it ... and then managed to walk out with her own sample ... instead of leaving it in the tray to be analysed.

Avdhoot manages to distract Adhiraj from the hospital ... and seems to be falling for his sister in the process.

I was very annoyed with Vikram Singh ... why is he so adamant that Anami is not his granddaughter, and he doesn't even want to allow for the possibility?

Kamini has another one of her daydreams, as Pujan returns home flushed with the success of his plan.

Satrupa is suspicious of Poonam ... but Poonam manages to cover up ... down to the wound of the supposed rose bush. Was that Poonam or Anami ... either way, Satrupa is happy that Anami has found her own Damo ... someone who will be with her no matter what.

14th Sept Thursday

Anami is flushed and exultant with the success of her plan - her goodbye game with the kids.
Poonam is very disturbed ... Anami is worried, has she leaked her plan to Satrupa? But then she sees Poonam's wound, and is unbearably touched ... Poonam deliberately hurt herself for Anami? Anami is indebted for life ... can't Poonam come with her to Benaras?
Narottam is angry and disappointed ... why is Anami leaving? She promised to stay and protect him.
Anami suggests he comes with her as well ...

Unknowingly Anami has already started building some bonds in Lal Mahal ... some true, some false.
Narottam gloats as he walks away ... Anami will leave, Satrupa has lost ...

Adhiraj's house ... his father is back. And we have already seen the connection between his father and Vikram Singh and Lal Mahal ... there is a connection ... but what is it?
Adhiraj is a little suspicious ... why is his father here? And he's wrapped up his work, and come here for good?  Why? For love of his children?
Adhiraj doesn't seem completely convinced.

Anami calls ... and Adhiraj forgets about his father ... Benarsi girl and Benarsi kachoris beckon.
Anami's kachoris are a farewell party ... she's getting ready to leave, after all the DNA test will be negative. She thinks she has ensured that. Adhiraj also thinks he has ensured that ... after all, Anami is Satrupa's pawn, not her real daughter.
(Would like Mahima to tone down her acting just slightly ... she tends to be a little OTT at times. Well, it suits her character of a hyper teenager, so for now it's okay ... I do just hope her character matures a little over time.)
Anami comments how easily Adhiraj trusted her, believed in her ... and helped her.
He believed she was being kept here against her will ... that much was true :)
But how is she so sure the test will be negative?

Because every truth has a source ... and the source of the truth of the DNA test is her blood.

Anami should have pondered on the truth of that statement ... well, she will get plenty of time to ponder it. The source of the truth of the DNA test was indeed her blood ...

Kachoris eaten, time to say farewell. he offers to help in Benaras ... she retorts Benaras is her home ground, she won't need his help.
Adhiraj is a little miffed ... he's not planning a pleasure trip to Benaras any time soon.

And then ensues a sleepless night ... for Anami, Satrupa, Dadi and Baldev ... and Pujan.
Loved the song they used :)

In the morning Anami is chirpy and happy ... sure of the success of her plan. Satrupa is suspicious ... Baldev still angry ... Pujan and family confident and ready to gloat ... Satrupa's suspicions and tension deepen as she sees Anami's confidence and pleasurable anticipation.

And the result is announced ... Anami is Baldev Singh's daughter.

Anami is shocked ..
Pujan and family likewise ... he can't believe his ears.
Satrupa is immeasurably relieved ... Dadi is frankly delighted ...
Baldev astounded ...
Adhiraj inscrutable at first ... then directs an accusing glare at Anami ... did she fool him all along?
(Must say his fool proof arrangements were no where near foolproof ... not one but two, sample substitutions happened ... and no one any the wiser!)
Satrupa and gayatri almost smile at each other ... they are the only two happy with the result ... Satrupa for more reason than one ... as her 'I told you so' look to Baldev indicates.

Anami is in complete shock. What happened? How?! Adhiraj glares at her, but she cannot respond ... she is too shocked. As tears run down her face ... did her plan fail somehow? Did someone ... Adhiraj .. get wind of it and correct the sample switch? Is that why he's angry with her ... because he knows she did something? But none of that matters any more ... her escape route from Lal Mahal is closed now ... for good. She is trapped.

Small media scene ... why was Anami kept away from the family for so long? At the question, Baldev directs an angry look at Satrupa ... yes, he also wants to know the answer to that.

Pujan roughs up the lab head ... lab head insists he tested the sample Pujan gave him ... And Pujan remembers the collision with Anami in the corridor. He messed up his own plan.

Precap - Anami planning to escape.

15th Sept Friday 

The best scenes - Satrupa confronting a silent Vikram Singh ... why is he so angry and unwilling to accept Anami as his grand daughter? Would he have been as unhappy if Anami had been a son?
Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. And Vikram Singh's silence gave her her answer.
But she will fight for the rights of her daughter.
Is that why Satrupa sent away the daughter and not the son 17 years ago? Because she knew this would happen?
(Side note - love Satrupa's jewelry)

Anami entering Laal Mahal and feeling claustrophobic ... the scene was very well shot, and Mahima emoted very well.

Before that, Dadi's obvious pleasure and happiness in welcoming her grand daughter home ... contrasts with Vikram's and Baldev's displeasure. A mere girl can never make up for the loss of their grandson. Especially not this jatadhaari jungli girl.

Narottam is angry? upset? annoyed? Not happy for sure.

Pandit and panditayin recognise the angst and despair in Anami's voice, and are ready to do anything for her ... including leaving their home of so many years ... just as long as they can be together. Anami draws her strength from her pandit family ... if they are with her, she can be strong again.

And Anami is back to her temper tantrums with Satrupa ... she is angry as hell ... it's all due to her matlabi maataji ... and she will not stay here ... she will not even talk to her mother. Satrupa tells her sternly that she needs to accept the truth ... but that's just what Anami is not prepared to do. She wants her Pandit and panditayin ... failing that, she wants to listen to music.

A small encounter with dadi later that night, as Anami sneaks into Lal Mahal to get the keys from Satrupa ...
While the Pandits pack their belongings. Another lovely scene as they pack their belongings and look around at their home ... including Laddoo's look at his only familiar home ... as they get ready to leave for the unknown. But it's all worth it for their child.

Dadi is probably the only person who has shown Anami some genuine affection since she arrived at the Lal Mahal ... because Anami reminds her of her beloved Vatsalya .. and Dadi is old and wise enough to recognise and accept the truth ... and accept Anami. Anami hears again how much she is like Vatsalya ... but she doesn't want to listen ... she just wants to leave.

So the final attempt ... she needs to get the keys from Satrupa's bedside ...

16th Sept Saturday
This episode deserves a separate post

Rishton Ka Chakravyuh Week 5, Ep 25-30, 4th-9th Sept

Monday 4th Sept
Pujan get dirt all over him ... literally :) Some smart one liners from Anami ... especially when Pujan dares to insult her beloved parents ... 'you see everyone as a beggar' ... unspoken, since you're a beggar yourself. 
Narottam becoming fan of Anami? Another one after Vatsalya to defend him ... but in a different way.
Satrupa missing Vatsalya ... and Anami's curiosity is aroused at the sight of the locked door.

Adhiraj questions the residents of LM about the jewels.

Tuesday 5th Sept
Pujan has an explanation ... but of course ... emotional atyachaar.
Adhiraj is not moved. Kamini is a weak link ... he presses her ... Kamini has a sudden headache.
Pujan fabricates the story of a robbery ... with some round and round story of company files and Kamini's jewels ... he even has an FIR copy. But Adhiraj is smarter ... unfortunately he finds no cooperation from Vikram.
Satrupa's suspicions seem to be very much aroused ... and she is definitely smarter than any of the men in the house.
Amend that ... most of the women seem to be smarter than most of the men in the house. be it Dadi, Satrupa, or the latest chip off the block, Anami :)

Speaking of Anami ... she's up tp no good as usual. Now trying to get a peep into  Vatsalya's room ... and falls ... straight on to Adhiraj.
Adhiraj thinks Anami is an unwilling captive ... so he tries to help her by telling her about the upcoming DNA test. Anami of course is going to try to use it for her own ends ...to get out. He thinks the test will be negative, and assures her it will be done without Satrupa's interference, so she will be able to get out. But Anami knows if that happens, the test will show the truth and she will never be able to get out!

Vikram is really an idiot. Kamini uses the opportunity to play martyr ... Satrupa is not impressed at all. Neither is Baldev, surprisingly ... finally showing an iota of brain. Satrupa's suspicions are slowly and surely crystalising around Pujan.
And Narottam sees an opportunity.

Sudha makes an appearance. Mental rehabilitation centre.

Adhiraj and boss ... Adhiraj gets a warning ... and of course, Pujan has already doctored the file.

Anami and Poonam ... Anami is excited at the possibility of getting away from LM. Poonam teases her about love :) But then Anami explains ... she will sort out the DNA test.

Satrupa is hopping mad ...
Narottam has to tell her something about Vatsalya. The night V left, Pujan spoke to him ... maybe he knew V was running away from home.
Satrupa is a dangerous woman. Precap is exciting ... wow!

Wednesday 6th Sept
Saturpa disappointed me today ... thought she was smarter than Pujan ... but he is two steps ahead. Was he really willing to sacrifice his son? Or was he sure enough of Satrupa, the mother, to know she would not let harm come to another child? I feel the latter.

While Satrupa pulling back at the last minute did not surprise me too much, her apology to Avdhoot and Pujan did ... I hope she is as smart as I have been giving her credit for, and the apology was merely to throw them off and make Pujan feel he is no longer under suspicion.
A nice touch of symbolism there as Pujan falls into muddy water again as he rushes to his son. First he was drenched by Anami ... now he is dunked by Satrupa ... he's not having a very good week!

Adhiraj is falling for Anami ... and from the precap, it seems she's developing a crush on him too.

It does seem that Satrupa has been thrown off the scent ... as she warns Narottam from using her shoulder to fire his gun from ... again, was she warning him? His words set her off to catch Pujan without complete preparation ... the mother triumphed over the cold calculating power seeking head of Royal Steel, and lost the first battle.

Anami tries again to find out the secret behind the closed door ... did she get the keys?

Thursday 7th Sept

A sweet mellow episode ... whenever Vatsalya's flashbacks are interjected in the episode, his sweetness of character lights up the screen.  Such a well written character ... and it seems the writers are aware of his popularity, so we keep getting flashbacks. Or maybe they were intended to be there all along ... this show is so well written, it feels like everything is planned well in advance.

As Anami hides behind the curtain, she sees for the first time, a grieving Satrupa ... a mother who has lost her child ... and how broken she is inside.
The scene brought me to tears ... the lovely interlude of Vatsalya and Satrupa playing the piano together, their playful oneupmanship, their friendship ... in Vatsalya's death, Satrupa lost not only her child, but also a friend, a playmate ... the only person in the house with whom she could unleash her playful, happy self. For the rest of the family she was dutiful bahu, unforgiving wife, strict CEO of Royal Steel ... with Vatsalya, she could be free and childlike ... she could be a child with him. She could be happy.
As the flashback fades, reality kicks in ... and with it, Satrupa's realisation of what she has lost. And she hlds Vatsalya's memories close ... wears his watch and holds it close ...
Anami is affected ... she tries to steal out quietly, but stumbles ... Satrupa opens her eyes from her quiet grief.

Was so glad that Anami was sensitive enough to not be her usual brattish self ... she tries to brazen out her presence, probably thinking she will encounter the usual curt, distant Satrupa. But Satrupa is uncharacteristically mild ... soft ... as she tells Anami, 'you can come here any time you want, the door is always open.' For you.
Anami nods and leaves quietly.
Satrupa sees her broken bracelet left behind, and picks it up ... looks at it, then at Vatsalya's watch ... as the realisation sinks in ... she had two children, not one ... and she still has one left.
Narayani was brilliant in that scene ... her eyes say it all. As she holds the watch and bracelet and looks from one to the other ... 'he was my child ... she is my child too.'

And Anami for the time saw her mother as a mother.

A fairly standard, slightly melodramatic scene between Pujan and Avdhoot and Pujan reassures him ... and the viewers ... that no, he is not a bad father, he just knew Satrupa would never kill a child. Nor would she create such drama. She would fire directly.
And now Satrupa's attention is fully diverted away from them. They can do what they like.
Or so he thinks.
I hope he is wrong.

Adhiraj and sister ... he has started falling for Anami :) And his sister, like all sisters, has a blast teasing him.
So right now Adhiraj is falling for Anami... and she is developing a crush on him. I can't call  it more than a crush for her, because she's just 17. But she knows the truth, that she is Satrupa's daughter ... he thinks she is not. When he finds out that she is ... that she is part of the family he detests so much ... then how will that change the dynamics? when she finds out that he has his own agenda, that he wishes ill for her family, will that change the way she feels about him?
Another twist in the chakravyuh of relationships in this show.

Adhiraj-Anami ... another encounter. Ila is not happy that Adhiraj trusts Anami so much, Adhiraj assures her he trusts Anami as much as he needs to.
He's not quite accurate there.
Anami happily playing with kids ... she really is a baccha herself. Adhiraj tells her (trusting her much more than he should!) that the DNA test is going to be soon ... Anami is delighted and runs off with the kids into the garden, where mosquito spray is being sprayed.

And there comes another similarity between Anami and Vatsalya ... both are allergic to mosquito spray. As Dadi sees ... and remembers. Another flashback with Vatsalya ...

Later that night, a thoughtful Dadi reminisces about wanting pota-poti ... she apparently had a good relationship with Satrupa at the time ... very sweet scene, with both ladies looking pretty and so happy.
(Wonder what happened with Adhiraj's visit ... that was glossed over completely. Maybe he just interviewed some servants ;) )

Vikram warns her not to talk again about Anami being their grand daughter.
Dadi's expressions at that are classic ... 'we'll see about that' is written clearly on her face! The women in this family are kickass ... not one is anything less than a lioness! So of course when she's told by her husband not to talk about similarities between Anami and Vatsalya, Dadi goes about promptly trying to find more similarities ... modus operandi - peanuts in the poha.
And she finds them.

Only problem is ... will Pujan get the wind up about Anami actually being the real granddaughter?
As it is, he was not happy when Dadi said she stopped the mosquito spraying because Anami was allergic ... much to Vikram and Baldev's displeasure. So he shot a few barbs about the upcoming DNA test ... just in time for the peanut reaction. Now Pujan babu might be a little worried.
Another one who wants to interfere with the DNA test? or at least get a peek at the results before they are made public?
The DNA test saga promises to be an interesting one.

Brief updates for Friday and Saturday, as I was travelling 
Friday 8th Sept 
Peanuts in the poha bring the desired result  Anami, like Vatsalya, is allergic to peanuts, and has exactly the same reactions. Not very wise of Dadi to try this - severity of allergic reactions can differ in siblings, and Anami's reaction could have been less severe, or more ...
Anami refuses Vatsalya's medicine, and has her own home remedies, which work like magic! Sarson ka tel? Like seriously? I must remember to try that some time!
Dadi is pleasedwith the result of her experiment, and turns to Dada watching from the balcony (with Baldev and Pujan) with a "See? I told you so" expression. Vikran might not be fully convinced yet, but Pujan is definitely getting suspicious.
And Satrupa is dumbfounded at Dadi's quiet triumphant smile ...
Anami doesn't know why Dadi likes looking at her ... Dadi tells her 'tum nahin samjhogi'. She could have added 'kuch kuch hota hai' :D

Back at the dining table, Baldev quite unfairly accuses Satrupa of using their son's allergy as a means of manipulating the family. Vikram agrees.

Damo tries to tell Baldev he's being unfair ... he's having none of it.

I thought Baldev was supposed to be alcoholic ... Pujan is the one always having a tipple.
Pujan is up to his tricks ... attack Lal Mahal through Royal Steel. And tells Avdhoot to track and find Adhiraj's weakness. While he ensures Vikram will attend the RS meeting.
Did Pujan do something to precipitate Vikram's heart attack.
Avdhoot in the meantime locates Adhiraj's weakness ... his sister, Tanya.
Royal Steel investors meeting - ends in Vikram having a heart attack.
Noticed that Baldev was not at the investors' meeting. Vikram, Gayatri, Satrupa and Pujan were there. So has Baldev been thrown out even from the board? No wonder he is so bitter.

As usual, medical scenes in Indian shows are the pits ... sadly, this show is no different.
Operation theatre for a heart attack? Have they never heard of ICU? And ECG monitors? At least try to make things a little authentic ... some basic research please!

And the shocker at the end ... which was not really such a shocker, as we had guessed as much ... Narottam is Sudha's son.

Saturday 9th Sept
Narottam - the Pawn or the Player?
The Chess Game
Either could be the title of this episode ... which brings out Narottam's true colors ... or rather, his many shades.

Some brilliant double edged dialogues
You play from both sides ... black and white.
I like the color black, so you take white.
I will defeat you in your own game ... tabhi to mazaa aayega. What's the fun otherwise?
Play whatever side you will ... I will defeat you in six moves ... you won't get a chance to play the seventh. 

I still feel sorry for Narottam. Does he have anyone at all in his life who  cares for him as a person, an individual? His mother seems to think of him only as a pawn, an instrument, in her thirst for revenge. Her words ... tumhari maa ko maaf karna nahin aata ... is she the one who gave Narottam the choice of flogging himself as punishment for his mistakes, or she would do it? His father and father's family detests him, barely tolerates him ... his stepmother was not his stepmother by choice, she was not told about his existence before marrying his father, so she hates him too. Pujan chacha and family are frankly abusive, with the promise of more abuse should they get more power in their hands. Vatsalya seems to have been the only person who gave Narottam any shred of affection ... yet, for all that, Narottam did not show much grief when he died. Was that because his mother engineered the accident? And also  Narottam's reactions?

Now he has Anami ... who promises to stand up for him, to defend him, to punish anyone who dares to punish him. But his mother has told him ... she is your pawn, your means to an end ... befriending her is just a means to his mother's revenge.

Shkhandi in the Mahabharat was born eunuch by her own wish, so that she could avenge her insult from Bheeshma. But she was avenging her own insult. Narottam, the man-woman ... or rather, the man forced to be woman ... is being used, almost from birth, it seems, to avenge the insult of his mother. Will he turn against her? Will Anami's genuine affection and strong support change his path?

The actor playing Narottam is brilliant. The scene when Anami enters the Lal Mahal and his body language changes from normal man to effeminate ... subtle yet obvious. the shift is all in his body language and his eyes ... which go from menacing, calculating, to soft, meek, defenseless, entreating ...

The episode ...
Sudha-Narottam ... she decides who lives, who dies. It is not yet Vikram's time to die.
Did she decide it was Vatsalya's time to die?
For Sudha, her life, even her son, is all about her revenge. Even when she caresses her son as he is about to leave, her caress is accompanied by a threat ... don't make any mistakes ... you know I can't forgive mistakes. Motherly love, there is not an iota.

Hospital scene ... was fairly cringeworthy ... operation for a heart attack :(
Gayatri blames Satrupa ...  Baldev draws her away ... Satrupa has been uncharacteristically silent through the accusations, first at the dining table scene yesterday, and again today ... as though on the verge of giving up ... why is she putting herself and her daughter through all this? For what? She could give up, let Anami go back to the Pandits, and leave herself ...  But she has to follow the right path. Anami is the heir ... this is her birthright ... Satrupa has to fight, till Anami sees the right path and starts fighting herself.

Noticed that Avdhoot makes a move to comfort his grandmother ... and Pujan stops him. Will there be some redemption for Avdhoot? He seems to be not such a villain as his father, only dumb.

Anami-Narottam-chess ... the chess game was the major part of the episode ... forecasting the battle ahead?
Anami wishes for the first time that she could have met Vatsalya. In this house where everyone is at each other's throats all the time, he is the only person about whom no one has a single bad word.
The chess game starts ..
Anami - Tumhare game mein tumko nahin haraya to kya haraya ... 
Narottam - Humein kaala rang pasand hai ...
Anami - Tum safed bhi chunte, to chhe chaal mein tumko hara dete ... saatvein chaal ki naubat nahin aayegi ... 

She asks why does he stay here ... he says he has no choice ... then asks in turn, neither does she, isn't it?
She agrees ... but her stay is going to be short ... she will leave soon.
Then she broaches a forbidden topic ... his mother.
He is not allowed to talk about her ... he gets up and leaves ...
Was the tearing of the kurta accidental? if so, it was a lucky accident for Narottam's plans ... he definitely thinks so.
Anami is furious ... who hurt you? Narottam did it to himself ... but of course, he's not going to tell her that.
Narottam plays martyr ... my only fault is that I'm an illegitimate child of Baldev Sigh. 

Anami vows to change history ... she will be his friend ... and if anyone touches him, she will hurt them ten times more.
She actually sheds a tear for him. Wonder what will happen when Anami realises Narottam has been playing her all along!
Narottam is touched ... let's finish the game. Anami finished it already ... defeated him in six moves like she promised.
What was that last evil look? Narottam just being evil? or unhappy that she actually managed to beat him?

Hospital again ... Dheeru makes a very dramatic ... and rather filmy ... entry. The actor is very good, though ... look forward to seeing what his role is like. He is also the co-producer of the show ... kudos to him for making such a good show!
So Dheeru warns the doctor that Vikram has to live or his family will die ...
Side note - doctor washing blood off gloves??!!! Seriously??!!! *head desk*
Has the doctor been paid by Pujan to kill off Vikram? Now he's being paid to keep him alive ...
And Dheeru visits Vikram ... (when the family was not allowed in ... seriously?!) ... and tells the unconscious man (finally on oxygen) that he can't die ... not till scores are settled.
The last scene was rather filmy ... for the first time in an otherwise impeccably crafted show.

precap - Anami finally approaches Baldev about tampering with the DNA test.

The new promo - Anami all set to leave ... and sees the picture of Vatsalya.

So it seems next week will be all about the DNA test ... and when the result is about to come/has come ... Anami will make plans to run away from Lal mahal ... only to see the picture of vatsalya ... game changer.
Superb promo ... very well shot!