4/7 - Epi 136 ... Birthday Blues

Friday 4th July

Quick update

Stalker caught ... but is he the real guy?

Paro expresses confidence that no one can hurt her as long as Rudra stands between her and danger.
Is he her husband or bodyguard? Where is the passion?

Mala says the same thing ... her pride in her son ... maybe she had no hand in his upbringing, but she's proud of him nevertheless.
The great thaw has begun.

Shatabdi comes to the Ranawat haveli for a quick recce ... is Samrat worth her while or not?
I hope she ends up married to Sumer ... that would be a good comedy of errors, and Mohini's struggle to deal with this DIL would be epic fun to watch.

Calling Maithili a cow? Like, seriously? The writers of this show need some lessons in what constitutes good comedy. Sumer calling Maithili a cow was disgusting ... not only is she his older bhabhi, but she's always been more than good to him.
Sumer is beyond redemption :(

Paro giggles with Mala over preparations for Rudra's birthday.
How do Paro and Mala get over the danger and the attacks on Paro so quickly? Wish they would show some fear, some tension in both women ... absolute trust in Rudra is all very well, but some fear would be more natural.

Rudra sulks that everyone has forgotten his birthday. And Paro enjoys his bafflement. The whole family is in on the secret, and they all enjoy Rudra's sulks.
Six months ago, this situation would probably have been in real, not in fun. Everyone would have forgotten, or not been allowed to remember. What a difference six months, and one slip of a beautiful girl, make. Now they all remember, but pretend they don't ... and Rudra is annoyed and puzzled ... no one remembers? Not even Paro? Not even Bapusa?

Even Aman has forgotten. And to make matters worse, Rudra gets called to the border ... just as he gets a phone call.
Apparently the stalker he caught is NOT the real guy after all.

Precap ... was scary and mysterious ...where is Paro? Where is the guy? Does he really shoot at her? And what's all that business about love and hate?

3/7 - Epi 135 ... Stalking the Stalker

Thursday 3rd July

Again the writers are doing the same thing ... glossing over Paro's emotions, making her reactions superficial and childish. When the show started, and through a good part of the subsequent tracks, Paro was the more mature, sensible, calm person. Ever since she has realised Rudra's love for her, she has become more and more childish, and it does not sit well on Paro.
She is happy that Rudra saw through her nautanki about Maasa, happy that he's not angry ... but does she really think he can forgive and forget everything so quickly?
She gets over two murderous attacks on herself so quickly, and starts worrying about Rudra's clothes? And displays not the slightest nervousness in going alone to the market where she was attacked just two days ago?  And her chirpiness in the market, when Rudra leaves ... is she in on his plan, or is that yet another instance of the way the cv's neglect Paro and her emotions?

Paro is mistaken ... Rukmini is not an omen of good tidings ... she usually heralds a storm in Paro's life.

I was happy though, to see that Rudra is finally looking at someone's feelings over his own ... he saw that Paro needed maasa when she was shaken after the acid attack ... even if he says that he's being more polite to Maasa for Paro's sake, it's a start, that he's considering her feelings over his own. Of course, he wants to forgive Maasa, that's another matter ... and he can't really see even Paro insult his mother. He already defended Mala from Mohini.
And he remembers Paro's love for her butterfly friend. So he seems to be getting out of his self-obsession and starting to look at the other side of the picture. The start was when he told Mala that it wasn't her fault Paro was attacked ... when he slipped up too, how could he blame her alone.

The Samrat Maithili track is being set up well ... interesting thing, which sets Rangrasiya apart from many other shows, is that husband wife seem to communicate. Samrat tells Maithili the whole truth about his trip, and reassures her that he is with her, come what may ... Maithili confronts Mohini about the matter, and vows she will stay with her husband, regardless of child or no child ... many 'good bahus' would tearfully agree to a second marriage for the sake of a 'waaris'. Of course, this is just the start of the track ... Samrat hasn't shown much spine till date ... he might bend in front of Mohini later. But Rudra and Paro will support Maithili fiercely.

The writers are showing Maithili's emotions much better and in more depth than Paro's ... and these days, Rudra's emotions are being ignored too ... he sets up this plan putting Paro in danger, and shows not the slightest hesitation or concern? And overconfidence too ... judging by the precap ... already, his single sentry was knocked out of action.

No wonder the TRPs are going nowhere. 

2/7 - Epi 134 ... Stalker in the House

Quick update ... hectic day ahead!

Stalker enters the house ... Paro, Maithili, Mala, Sunehri are alone ... did Rudra go out without making sure that the men stay there as protection? Not very smart of him! 

Sunehri wants a man in uniform ... hmmm...

Lights go out ... Maithili and Sunehri out ... Mala also leaves ... stalker enters ... Paro thinks it's Rudra ... she's smiling, happy .. until he speaks ... then shock and horror on her face, as she scrambles off the swing ... Rudra enters ... typical PaRud pose, as she runs behind him for protection ...

Rudra runs after the stalker ... stalker escapes ... (well of course ... he can't be caught so early!) 

Rudra finally doing some interrogation ... Paro is confused ... she doesn't know the background ... so the confusion is greater than the fear ... who is this guy?! 

Small PaRud scene ... I wanted Paro to question Rudra ... and Rudra to tell her the whole story ... so glad to see that happened. And PaRud continue to be each others' support, as well as confidantes. 

although I do wish they had spent a little more time on Paro's emotions, and less on that rather long interrogation scene with Rudra and the family ... especially since most of it was with Rudra's BD. 

Rudra realises there must be an insider involved ... first suspect is Mohini and Sumer ... but for once, they are not involved (at least, doesn't seem so). 

Mala apologises for not taking care of Paro ... Rudra says it wasn't her fault, the circumstances were such ... the guy even managed to give him the slip ... so how can he blame Mala alone?

Methinks there were double meanings in that scene ... Rudra beginning to realise that Mala alone was not at fault ... today ... or fifteen years ago. 

In other tracks ... Samrat blasts off his mother about wanting a second marriage ... asks a pertinent question ... will the new girl come with a certificate that she can produce a male heir? Good to see that question being asked? 

Hope they show a PaRud Teej scene tonight ... 

So who is the insider? A gullible Sunehri? A two-timing Mala? Or a scheming Mohini, making sure she was outside the house, so away from the line of suspicion? Or a completely unsuspected Danveer? 

Or could it be Laila? 

1/7 - Epi 133 ... Bloopers galore!

Edited - Very quick take ... there were more bloopers than actual track today!

The tracks being set up ...

The stalker track. Understood - there is a man out there who is stalking Rudra and Paro. He is probably a mole in the BSD. 

Bloopers - how did he get cameras installed inside PaRud's bedroom? A job which takes the best part of a day ... how was that done unnoticed? Big blooper!!!! It would have been more than adequate if the stalker had pics of PaRud's time outside the haveli ... eating ice golas, shopping for vegetables ... having cameras inside their bedroom is downright creepy!

Rudra doesn't want Paro to know about the stalker. Fine, acceptable - protective Rudra. 

So he romances with her, forced kiss, distraction with talk about honeymoon ... what the heck are the editors doing, cutting the PaRud scenes so badly and obviously? The editing is going from bad to worse! And again ... why are they rushing the track? Shouldn't Paro be a little more traumatized by the acid attack?
Okay, she thinks it was a random attack ... shouldn't Rudra be more creeped out by the fact that someone got into the house, INTO THEIR ROOM, took the doll from his wife's bedside table ... shouldn't he be sweeping the entire house with a toothcomb to check for clues? And he's got a threatening letter ... shouldn't he post BSD guards at the haveli? Considering the haveli houses not one, but two important state witnesses! Is he really depending only on Maithili and Mala?!
Also, where are the two men, Dilsher and Danveer? Shouldn't they be told about the acid attack too?

Mohini wants to get Samrat re-married. Fine. Been wanting a parallel track for ages.

How exactly does she plan to get him to the mandap? Drug him? Even a bhondu like him just might smell a rat if she asks him to attend a wedding as guest, and then sit in the mandap in the place reserved for the groom.
And what was that Shatabdi girl? Does Mohini really want her as a DIL? That would be actually fun ... to see Mohini deal with a DIL like Shatabdi ... pity the girl is 31, otherwise I would wish for her to end up married to Sumer. The two would be a riot! Wait, how does it matter if she's older than Sumer?! Let Mohini's plans backfire, and Shatabdi end up with Sumer ... it would bring some major comedy into the show!

The only nice thing was the way Rudra is getting over his anger with Mala ... the need to protect Paro overriding his bitterness of so many years. And good that Paro, after the initial push, has backed off ... she's stopped trying to push Mala down Rudra's throat, instead she just shoots a few barbed ones now and then, to let Rudra feel that yes, she's on his side ... and hey, he doesn't really like those barbs ... so he avoids shooting any barbs of his own. 

And the cute part was Paro teasing Rudra about the honeymoon ... so she's ready to go on a honeymoon now that the first shock of Mala's appearance is over and Rudra is cooling down towards her. 

30/6 - Epi 132 ... Sunshine and Shadows

Monday 30th June

Rudra investigates the acid attack ... arre waah! For once, he's actually doing some investigation!
Maithili doesn't know anything ...
Aman says Tejawat is quiet and has gone across the border.
Rudra fires up at the thought that this could be the work of local insignificant goons ... for his Paro, only the most dangerous villains are acceptable!

Mohini taunts Mala that her lover is responsible for more tamasha ... Mala declares her priorities ... lover out of the window, she's on Rudra's side now.
Mohini surprised that Rudra has become 'her son' now ... Mala replies, yep, my son, nothing can change that fact. So has Mala realised that Mohini had a hand in poisoning Rudra against his mother?

BSD office ... local goons are ruled out. So who can it be?

Back home ... Mala thinks maybe Tejawat meant to attack her, Paro got hurt by mistake. Paro reassures her, nope, he's after me too. I'm a state witness against him. (Good thing she hasn't forgotten that!)
And changes her tone when Rudra enters ... please leave now.
Mala apologises to Rudra too ... maybe Tejawat meant to hurt me, Paro got hurt instead. Rudra tells her gruffly, it wasn't Tejawat behind the attack.
Paro can't keep up the pretense for too long ... offers Mala her room again ... besides, that's what Rudra had said, so she was safe in doing so. Rudra chooses wife's comfort over his mother's, but he does what he should have done ages ago ... make arrangements for Mala to stay with Sunehri. Almost calling Mala 'maasa' in the bargain. Paro smiles.

I could swear that Laila stayed in a 'guest room' ... what happened to that? Or did Sumer return and take it over?

At night, Paro finishes her milk (what happened to her allergy?) and wants to keep the glass ... Rudra runs to help. Then she wants to get up, he tells her that he will get her what she wants. She says, he can't ... Rudra is indignant at the thought that it's even possible he can't get anything his beloved biwi wants.
Paro is shy enough now to whisper to him what she wants ... uh oh, yes, that's one thing he can't get for her ... but he can take her to it.
One tiny burn on the dorsal surface of her foot ... Paro is having a field day with Major saab at her beck and call!
Rudra waiting outside the loo ... a very familiar sight for all married women! Usually the men have handbags as well :)

Paro comes out and holds out her arms for him to carry her ... he asks if she's six years old.
Paro was six when she lost her parents ... since that day, she had no one of her own. No one she could beg, cajole, scold, cry, throw tantrums in front of, and get away with it. She was adopted ... she had to be the good, well behaved child ... because she never belonged, she had no right. It was only kindness that kept her from being homeless, and she had to be grateful and be a good girl all the time, to repay that kindness.
Now she belongs. She has someone of her own, someone who loves her, someone she belongs to, someone who panders to her whims, who coaxes her out of her tantrums as though she has a right to throw them ... Rudra can be a child with her ... and she is finally confident enough of her position and her importance in his life, that she can be a child with him too.
And tell him that however childish she is, she behaves older than him most of the time!
Back to the room ... she wants water ... he gets it. The imp in Paro awakens ... this is a good situation, make the most of it.
So she wants a pillow for her foot ... put into position most carefully and gently.
One more for her head ... not this one, a bigger one please ... arranged equally carefully.
Can I have my doll? 
Produced and handed over ... accepted with a mischievous smile. Arranged carefully on the bedside table.

Anything more, memsaab? He knows what she's up to ... he'll pander to her demands today ... for now ...

Paro winks at the doll. Since he's asking ...why not?
Maybe you should sing me a song too ... that one ...
She's teasing him, time to tease her back ...
And Paro in the middle of her tease, gets a shock to find her husband very close .. too close ... drat the man, when he knows what that does to her. It dries up her tongue ... as he knew it would.
'Which song ...?' in a husky voice, which says he can do more than sing ...
She smiles, blushes, moves slightly ... and jerks her injured foot ... immediately teasing forgotten in concern.
She's in pain, but says it's okay ... and he feels bad again, how little she complains ... he's sorry, he should have gone with her, maybe this wouldn't have happened ... he feels bad because it's her ...
Why? Wouldn't he have felt equally bad if it had happened to say, maasa?

He clams up immediately ... she knew he would but her words strike where they were meant to.
Sleep.
She settles down, so does he ... then he speaks again .... but it's not in anger for reminding him of maasa. Instead, it's more teasing ...
'I'm waiting, memsaab ... any more orders? Pillow, doll, water ... rain, snow ..?'
No, he's not angry this time at the mention of maasa ... the edge of the fifteen year old anger is already fading.
A small giggle ...

Overheard by Mohini ... much to her fury, as she shuts the big main door ... poison, Laila, mirchi, acid ... nothing seems to be able to separate these two. They're actually laughing together ...

Shutting the door seems to be like bolting it after the horse has bolted ... as a strange hand snuffs out the diya Paro had lit.

In the morning, Rudra wakes to find Paro's doll missing ... and he goes out to search for it ... he and Maithili see the missing doll at the same time ... with a torn arm. A letter with it ... and an anonymous phone call ... the acid fell on Paro's foot not by accident but by design. If the attacker wanted, it would have fallen on her face.
Next shock ... the extinguished diya ... Paro had lit it for her fast. Her first Teej.
Maithili shows Mala the letter.
Rudra finds his co-conspirators in Maithili ... and Mala. They will not tell Paro any of this ...
And he lights the diya again quickly before Paro can see it.

Seems like Rudra will come closer to Mala through his need to protect Paro ... their joint need.

How come Rudra, the brave, brilliant BSD officer, wakes up the moment Paro stirs, but sleeps through Laila stomping through their room to meet Mala, and through a stranger entering their room, picking up the doll and leaving?

precap is scary.

27/6 - Epi 131 ... Plans Afoot

Friday 27th June

So it was all Paro's plan ... and it worked ... or started working. Much to Rudra's discomfort ... he really doesn't like Paro not catering to his Maasa's every comfort. And she cannot ... absolutely cannot ... think of throwing his maasa out of the room! After all, he doesn't want to fall in Paro's eyes.
Yeah right!

Paro apologises to maasa ... and they're happy over Rudra's progress in emerging from his childhood.

In the meantime, more plans are afoot ...

Mohini's plan to send Maithili to her maayka, and get Samrat re-married.
Sumer doesn't think much of that one!

And some mysterious stranger's plan to hurt Paro. So we see Rudra doing his taandav again ... who dares hurt his Paro?!
And he actually manages to ask Paro some pertinent questions ... the first time I've seen Rudra doing his job.
And then informs his family and the world in general, that he's going to catch the culprit, whoever he is.

Diya's note - hold on, was he going slow on the Tejawat search because of his mother?! Who the heck gave this guy a job in the BSD?
And Ashish should NOT try to look shattered ... he looks funny!

Okay, regardless of disclaimers ... I DO NOT approve of showing acid attacks on girls on screen. It is a disgusting, pathetic, obnoxious, repulsive thing to do! At the very least, they should show the guy getting caught and beaten up by Rudra and the entire BSD. 

26/6 - Epi 130 ... Reverse Psychology

Thursday 26th June

Reverse psychology ... works every time!

Update :

We said this just yesterday ... maybe the cv's heard us! Stop pushing, Paro! She did.

So Rudra says, he doesn't want to remember his childhood. He can never reconcile with the mother who loved him, and then left him. He doesn't want any reminders of childhood, because they remind him of what he lost.

And finally, Paro, who has been trying to convince him that he does want to reconcile, with both his childhood and his mother, he's just fighting his feelings, decides to give in ... back off ... and give him what he wants.

Or rather, what he says he wants.

Wrap up the cupboard of childhood momentos. Not let Mala cook for Rudra ... because after all, Mala doesn't know what Rudra likes and doesn't like any more. Not make Mala feel at home ... because this isn't Mala's home any more ... she left it and ran away ... she can't just waltz right back in and expect things to be the same as before. She needn't bother to help anyone ... she should stay in her room and rest. She's a guest, not a member of the family. That's what Rudra says, that's what he wants. And being his wife, Paro doesn't want to go against him ... doesn't want to hurt him. Maybe she's been too pushy ... she's hurt Rudra. She's very sorry, she won't do it any more.

And of course Rudra realises that he doesn't really want it at all. Doesn't want his mother to be called a guest  in her own home ... doesn't want her to be insulted ... of course, it all right if he's the one doing the insulting, but how can anyone else insult his mom? Even Paro? Didn't Paro love her like a mother?

She did ... but he's right, Maasa isn't her mother ... she's Rudra's ... the mother who hurt him. Paro should stop trying to see her as her loving mother, and only see her as her saas, moreover a saas that her own son, Paro's husband, doesn't even love, a saas who hurt Paro's husband. So Paro should be on her husband's side ... and stay away from her saas. That's what she's doing. That's what he wanted, isn't it?

Is it?

Reverse psychology ... works every time. Especially on children. The little ones ... and the big ones.

Precap ... what on earth is this all about? Why this attack on Paro? :(((