20/2 - Epi 191 ... Heartwrenching ... :(((

20th Feb Mon

Heartwrenching, heartrending, heartbreaking ... Khushi, dammit, break your silence and tell them all - even I don't know why he's done this!!!

And it's a live-in disguised as marriage ... :(

Why did he leave her alone to face both families? x(

I actually don't blame her family for their reactions ... in their eyes she has shamed them completely, getting married like this in a runaway fashion, on the same day as her older sister's marriage, into the same family ... Nani getting worked up on Khushi was very annoying, though ... but again, same thing ... he left her to handle both families and she did ... and was totally broken by the end of it.
The small Shashi scene at the end was the saving grace - Shashi able to tell her that he believed in her ... Shashi probably would guess that Shyam is up to his tricks again, right now Shashi is the only person who has actually seen the ugliest face of Shyam. 

He broke his word ... he asked her to marry him, not to live in ... but what he did was not a marriage ... sindoor and mangal sutra don't make up a marriage ... he has basically told her to live with him and pretend to be married for six months ... the saving grace is of course that he isn't planning an actual affair under the guise of marriage. And also that he gave her the cover of the symbols of marriage - a token respectability, as it were.But she is ruined nevertheless ... her family abandons her, her in-laws lose respect for her and the man she loves, hates her ... all to save her adopted sister's marriage the second time around ...

When is she going to ask him that all important question - WHY???!!!

Arnav, search your heart and ask yourself - was this really the only way out? Is this really only for your sister? Isn't it the love that turned suddenly and corrosively into hatred overnight when you felt she had let you down ... and isn't that the most unfair decision you have taken in your life? Marry her - yes ... but in this way?

I keep repeating a self-evident truth ... Sanaya Irani is simply heartbreakingly, breathstoppingly awesome in emotional scenes - I hate her for this!!!  =D> =D> =D>

*edited ... more thoughts, am not doing a detailed update because there were not many subtleties today, just adding a few thoughts*
So Arnav does suddenly and belatedly start realizing the enormity of what he just did ... says, you wanted me to get married, so I did ... end of story.
But is it slowly starting to sink in that this is NOT the end of the story - the importance of marriage, the rituals, the sacred promises taken not just between two individuals, but in front of witnesses - marriage is a social contract ... All other relationships are from ties of blood, but marriage is the only relationship that is based only on trust, respect, mutual understanding and love - that is why they say marriages are made in heaven - by a higher power and with even greater sanctity than the blood ties that define all other relationships. Two people NOT related to each other by ties of blood, come together, promise to spend their lives together, make a brand new family, raise the next generation ... it is easy to stick to a brother or sister, even to mother and father, because those relationships are pre-defined by blood ties - but what makes two virtual strangers come together, promise to stay together and start a new family propagating new ties of blood ... only that sacred bond, with love, trust and understanding. A bond formed by God, and witnessed on earth by family, friends and society. Sindoor and mangalsutra, wedding bands, those are the mere symbols of that bond - they cannot be equated to the bond itself.

But Arnav chooses not to believe that - he does not believe that ... for him, marriage is a ritual, just a name, a face to show the world - so he gives Khushi that face ... but none of the emotions that define the ties.

So their bond was determined by Devi Maiya, and witnessed only by her too ... this time, not even the priest to do the honors.
Which reassured me - there WILL be a full ArHi marriage down the line - with full pomp, ceremony, all the rituals and all the emotions.

Nani blasts Arnav - good for her. Arnav is a bit abashed, but for him getting the better of Shyam is paramount. And Buaji starts off on Khushi ... okay, it was all justified, but painful to watch ... the only saving grace was that Shashi still seemed to understand that something big must have made her do this.
Anjali also questions - no answer. And he leaves - only stopping to give Shyam a victorious look.
Anjali and Arnav heartbroken on either side of the door - he says, "I'm sorry, Di," ... that's all very well, but have you given a thought to the girl whose life you just ruined? No, he hasn't - that half smile through his tears, because he's glad he destroyed her as well ... the girl who would have broken his sister's marriage or the girl who broke his heart?
Arnav is being painted VERY dark grey here ... a few thousand miles added onto that road to redemption ...

Nani now baulked of her prey, turns on Khushi ... rest was again painful as Nani, Anjali, Garima and Buaji all hound her ... Mami also gets into the act ... and Khushi can't say a word ... because what they're calling a marriage isn't even actually a marriage. Arnav tricked her, betrayed her .... told her to marry him, then gave her the symbols and the trappings of marriage and nothing else - to give her face in front of his family and the world ... but she knows in her heart that she and he are not married ... and yet will live together as man and wife ... a complete revulsion of all her principles and ideals.

And she can't say a word ... the sword of Payal's wedding will hang over her head always ...

Was Shyam angry because of her humiliation? Or because he realized that Arnav had won this round? The latter, I'm sure ... Shyam was equally willing to humiliate Khushi by implicating her in the necklace theft ..

The temple scene in Khushi's fb's ... again painful to watch as Khushi still begging Arnav silently to spare her, not do this ... tying the mangal sutra, putting sindoor, witnessed only by the havan fire and a silent Devi Maiya ... as though he's telling her, he's in charge of her destiny, not Devi Maiya ... but with Devi Maiya as her witness, she can't even repudiate their marriage.
"You believe in all this, don't you? Sindoor, mangal sutra ... here you are. We're married. But I will never acknowledge you my wife, never give you the respect of a wife. And six months later, I will set you free."
Destroy the girl. Who, just by being, just by existing, would have destroyed his sister's marriage. Through no fault of her own. She didn't ask Shyam to fall in love with her, to become psychopath in his pursuit, to attempt to kill not only his wife but her own father in that pursuit ...
Now it's a few LAKH more miles on that road ...

A repeat of the first Payal marriage break ... then too, Garima and Buaji were quick to break ties with Khushi ... has this happened with Khushi all her life ever since she was adopted? Every time there was a problem, was she always reminded of her adopted status? It happened during the forced engagement also ... Is that why she always tried her best to do everything she could for her family ... out of that ever-present fear that she never, ever truly belonged ... no matter how much she tried? Is that why she always hid her own tears, her pain ... and tried to be sunshine to them ... because they were never interested in her pain? Every time she went wrong, it was because she was not their own ... never because she was just a young girl making a mistake ...

Thank God for Shashi ... I think Buaji will be the first to soften ... she softened when she saw the father-daughter bond, and then fired again ... but there was genuine pain in her eyes as she saw the helplessly sobbing Khushi almost collapsing in her father's lap.

But it is always darkest before dawn ... Khushi is as down as she can be ... alone, completely alone, bereft of family, her supporters among her in-laws also lost, and the man she loves turned suddenly into a cruel unrecognizable stranger. She has nowhere to turn to except herself ... no one to rely on but her own strength ... and like a phoenix, she will rise again ... she has to.  

Precap - if being married himself didn't stop Shyam, do you really think Khushi being married is going to stop him? Start using your brain, Arnav! Empty threats and picking on a defenceless girl are nowhere near enough to defeat the real enemy.

Abhas was found wanting today ... he didn't make an impressive villain.
Barun was okay ... hardly any screen space ... Arnav's unsympathetic character made it difficult for me to appreciate any acting. Although his smile through his tears in his room was strange ... we need an insight into his thoughts now, he hasn't conveyed them well enough.
Abha Parmar was good again ... Shashi was good, he conveyed his sympathy through his eyes. So did NK and Akash, they seem to be far less judgemental of Khushi than the older people ... I hope Akash is among the first to support Khushi, Nk is leaving and I feel really bad about that - Khushi needs all the friends she can get.
Sanaya was brilliant again ... I found myself urging her almost frantically ... talk!!! Say something!! Ask him why???!!! In the temple scene, she was simply brilliant as the dazed Khushi, the actual situation slowly sinking in, and her shame ... unable to say a word ... to anyone ... In the last scene as she runs after her parents and Buaji, frantically begging them to stay, not to disown her, to understand her ... to still love her ... because she has no one ...

17/2 - Epi 190 ... Six Months Contract Marriage

17th Feb Fri

First of all, I'm so relieved that it is a real marriage after all, and not a forced live-in, that I'm ready to forgive Arnav anything! lol :))

The entire episode went in the family's reactions and in the flashbacks ... how Arnav forced Khushi to agree to a contract marriage for six months, how she actually refused at first, then bowed down because she could not let Payal's marriage break again ... fb's of Payal's first marriage, to showcase Khushi's conflict ... Sanaya's eyes showed her conflict, her struggle and her final surrender ... and probably Payal's first marriage was brought in a few episodes ago to reinforce the reason.

And Arnav finds it as difficult to face his family as Khushi does to face hers - but she got a slap, for no fault of her own ... it was good to see him give Garima that glare, as though to tell her, no one ... but no one hits my wife from now on ... and then school his face into indifference as Khushi looked at him.

Anjali is shell-shocked ... and actually very, very upset ... Arnav will find it tough to explain to her why the secrecy and rush for a marriage which would have been welcomed with open arms by his family ... actually, thinking logically, why the rush? Just announcing his engagement, and then getting married within a week would also have been enough to shake off Shyam, wouldn't it? Unless Arnav thought that Shyam might use the time to run away with Khushi ... okay, from his pov, there was a rush ... the surprise element. Which worked - Shyam's expressions were a treat to watch. Not too much of a treat, actually - Abhaas was just about okay in expressing his frustration and anger today.

Barun and Sanaya shared the honors today ... Arnav was not all about hatred, his pain, his dichotomy of feelings was there too, and Khushi was all about bewilderment, shame and heartbreak ... flashes of the fiesty Khushi showed in the poolside scene, when she refused to bow to his blackmail, making me hopeful that she won't become a weeping wall. And when Khushi begged him not to break her sister's marriage, did he for one moment, just one moment, wonder if this girl, who could agree to do anything for her sister, could ever be actually capable of willfully breaking HIS sister's marriage?
And did anyone else feel the six months part was dubbed in later? So what was it originally going to be?

Precap - I am getting seriously annoyed with Anjali and her waterworks ... and if Arnav reverts to being Di's baby boy, I will lose all the sympathy for him that he regained today. =))

*edited*
Plus points today - It's a real marriage ... phew!
Arnav cannot stand anyone hurting Khushi - he alone reserves the right.

Minus Points -
Of all the foolish, badly thought out knee jerk reactions that Arnav takes in anger, when his dimaag has shut down, this has to be the worst planned. Six months ? Why six months? A baby takes nine months to arrive, and do you plan to tell Anjali on the delivery table once she's delivered, that oops, Di, been meaning to tell you that the father of this baby is a two-timing jerk ... if you feel she can't stand the news right now, she's gonna be in such a GREAT position to stand it then!

Did Arnav really never stop to think what reaction his family would have? Or was he so naive to feel that Nani and Anjali like Khushi already, they will accept her with open arms and just be happy that he's married? And what about the reaction of Khushi's family? Did he really think they would be so delighted at getting a rich son-in-law like Arnav that they would overlook the whole rushed shotgun-type wedding?
Arnav has to learn the whole truth of what Khushi told him - a marriage is not just a name, it is a holy union, binding not just because it is legal, but because it is made with the blessings of family and elders, it is a social contract, the joining of two families, approved and witnessed by society, and is a symbol of lifelong commitment, love, trust, respect and understanding. Not a tool to be used for blackmail - a sacrifice of all relationships to save one.

If being married himself, didn't stop Shyam from lusting after Khushi, how exactly is Khushi being married going to stop him? And Shyam isn't exactly falling over himself to tell Rani Sahiba anything either, in fact, he's completely delighted that Arnav's hands are tied now! So it's patently obvious that Shyam isn't planning to declare his grand love, abandon Anjali tomorrow and run off with Khushi into the sunset ... He's planning to continue doing exactly what he was doing earlier - have a hole in the corner affair ...that's assuming Khushi is willing. How is Khushi being married going to stop that one - in fact, with Khushi in RM, it makes things easier for Shyam. He saw that Shyam is not going to give up Khushi in a hurry, the only other way to stop him was to send Khushi as far away as possible.

Nope - dimaag had gone on holiday here for sure ... this was a decision made from the depths of his heart - he cannot let Khushi go. And although in the long run, this was the right decision, in the short term, it's going to hurt a lot of people badly, his own family, Khushi's family ... and Khushi. Shredding her reputation in tatters, leaving her open to questions from her own family and his as to the reason for the rush - what most people would think ... And what showed how badly thought out this was, was the fact that he had no answers for his own family, let alone hers! And hurting her ... she was dreaming of a marriage proposal, of love, of a Prince Charming ... and she gets a brutal six month contract - take it or leave it, it's your sister's marriage on the line.

Arnav has a lot of repentance ahead if he is to be redeemed ... and it's only Khushi's forgiving nature, which is being derided so badly, which is going to be his salvation.

The episode
Starts with the fun and games, Chotey and Khushi are missing again, but they start anyway ... accompanied by lots of extremely cheesy lines from Anjali, and silent fuming from Shyam. Garima actually wonders about her missing daughter.

And halfway through the missing couple reappear ... much to the shock of everyone present ... the only thing missing as the Ekta-ish clang-clangs and b/w focus on each person's reaction =))
Arnav's face - determined, Khushi terrified ... much more mature than him, she realizes the implications of this huge step taken without anyone's consent, the runaway nature ... what it could show about her ... and the worst thing is, she has no clue why! She has no answers for anyone, he hasn't given her any. All she can do is pray to her Devi Maiyya as she stops for a second behind him ... clutching onto her clothes with trembling hands, as she awaits the storm that is about to erupt.

And he holds her hand ... I found this slightly reassuring that it wasn't grabbing her wrist ... it was holding her hand, as though telling her ... or himself ... that from now on, they were in this together.

And as he pulls her in the family finally see them ... pan to all the shocked faces ... Anjali's and Nani's expressions were the best, I think, NK was good too ... and Shyam looked as though the ground had been pulled out from under his feet. Shashi babu looked mildly questioning =)) and Anjali looked shell-shocked ... she is shaping to be one possessive nanad! And tearful again ... does this woman do anything but cry?! :(  Buaji's reactions were spot on ... Abha Parmar is an excellent actress.
Arnav faces his family with determination, while Khushi can't lift her eyes from shame ... poor girl!!! What should have been the best day of her life, getting married to the man she loves, made into something sordid and dirty ...

I really liked the way Buaji reacted ... shock, disbelief, then approaching Khushi to ask her, gently, pleadingly, still not angry, just shocked ... what is this? And Khushi's tears, not able to meet her eyes ...

Nani questions Arnav angrily ... and Khushi feels even worse ... she has let down not only her own family, but the Raizadas, Nani and Anjali, from whom she has always got so much love and respect ...
And Arnav still silent ... honestly, man, you made a decision, now defend it ... be a man! Why let that girl face the whole brunt?!

And I think in the face of all the questioning from the entire family, both his and hers, it finally begins to sink in what a huge decision this was ... what has he done ... how completely he has ruined Khushi .. and did he actually even want this?
But when he says ... we have got married ... he addresses it only to Shyam ... you wanted her, you can't have her, she will never be yours. You hurt my sister, I hurt you where it hurts the most.
So what if the collateral damage is to the girl he loves, to an innocent 19 year old who can't fight back ... his Di is everything, everything else is justified ... including using an innocent as a pawn ... because the man he really hates is out of his reach at the moment.
Arnav, your road to redemption just became a few hundred miles longer ... and I really hated him when the only regret he seemed to have was that he had hurt his precious Di by not telling her ... the Di who is a psychiatric case, and whose blind faith is the cause of all the problem in the first place.

Fortunately they showed the poolside conversation in flashbacks, because if it was left open whether this was a live -in or not, I would have lost all sympathy for Arnav ... his character would have been utterly destroyed.
So he struck her at her weakest point as expected ... her sister, and her sister's marriage.
Sanaya's voice modulation in the fb's was PERFECT ... the first soft voiced single word questions, then her incredulity ... as his tone remains impassive ...
The six months clause seems to have been dubbed later ... but good, otherwise why should she object so strenuously? Only to the rush ... which was bad enough ...
So she turns him down instantly ... shaadi, today, for six months ... you're talking nonsense ...

Repeat of the first 'dori' scene ... walks past him, he pulls her back and up against him ... Yes or no?
And repeats it as she's silent ... and she breaks away furiously ... No!!! How can you even think this way ... what do you think marriage is ...
And she almost gives voice to her dreams ... "aur hum soch rahe the ki ..." ... ki you care for me, you like me, maybe even love me ...
But he cuts her off again ...
Think again ... your sister's marriage and her life is on the line ... if I don't go out there, my brother will not take the pheras ...
And she stares at him, shocked beyond belief ... he would do that?!

Back to present ... Anjali weeping again ... you got married, you don't have anything more to say ...
No.
Arey, if your jhalli sister can stand the shock of her beloved Chotey getting married without telling her, and letting her do her million poojas for the occasion, can't she stand the shock of her husband being a two-timing rat?
Apparently he doesn't think so ...

The scene I hated - thrown in for the saas-bahu audience ... and to reassure viewers that Arnav loves Khushi, he really does ... even if his spine has gone missing along with his siblings' ... he glares at Garima when she slaps Khushi, but doesn't say a word ... shit, man, at least now speak up, say she's my wife, not your daughter any more, lay off! Agreed Garima had the right to be furious, but just glaring impotently when you've got the girl into this mess, is not going to cut it!
More miles added on that road to redemption ... 

Nani asks him again for answers, he doesn't give any ... Khushi looks at him as though asking the same ... if she wanted, she could have opened her mouth then and there, and said, yes, even I want to know ... WHY??!!! Why this way ... you could have asked me once to marry you and I would have said yes instantly ... why this blackmail, these threats, this instant runaway marriage ... why?!
But she doesn't say anything ... doesn't expose him in front of his own family, taking the blame, the humiliation being meted out to her ... Bua asks her questions to which she doesn't have the answers ...
why ...
And Khushi's fb's ... why ... as she begged Arnav for the same answers ... why are you testing me this way ... with my sister's marriage ...
I can do it ... if I say no, Mami will break this marriage right now ... marry me, today, for six months ... or this wedding is off ...
And she can't ... she can't ... because she knows, she values the institution of marriage, she knows what it's all about ... and it's not this ...
Fine ... on your head be it ...

And her worst nightmare coming true again ... her sister's marriage breaking ... because of her ...
Wait!
I'm ready.
I'll marry you ... just please don't break my sister's marriage ... whatever you say, I will do ... and she breaks down, hiding her face in her hands ... she agreed to anything ... everything ... a six month contract marriage, after which he will throw her out ... and she will be ruined ...
Sanaya choked me up in that scene ... Khushi knew exactly what she was agreeing to ... the fact that it was cloaked with the respectability of sindoor and mangalsutra, didn't make it any better ...

The last exchange of looks ... as she looks at him desperately, pleadingly, broken inside ... and he looks back as though just starting to realize what he has done to her ...

And if Arnav goes back to Amitabh Bachhan- Nirupa Roy type scenes of Meri Di, Meri Maa hai ... I will kill him! If you're going to cry, cry for Khushi and what you did to her ... your Di is a nutcase, get her to the nearest psychiatrist pronto!

*edited again*
Pictures of Mr and Mrs Raizada - from SPA photoshoot ...

 Drool over these and forget the tears for the moment, people! :"> :"> :">

I had to add this new pic ... it had me totally goggle-eyed for a second ... WHEN will we get such a scene in the show!

16/2 - Epi 189 ... Total Eclipse of the Heart

16th Feb Thurs

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

Did you hear the sound of her heart break as it shattered into a million pieces?

I said just yesterday that Sanaya Irani is the Queen of Emotions. Today she proved me right ... yet again. Sanaya, take a bow ... you reduced me to tears today ... and this is just the start of the track!

What is the deal made behind closed doors? The deal that shatters her heart into a million pieces, so that through the chanting of the mantras and the sound of the shehnai, the sound of her heart break is clearly audible … to the man who caused it … 

Arnav has an Achilles heel – his sister, Anjali. Khushi has an equally sensitive Achilles heel – her sister, Payal. More specifically – Payal’s marriage. She was held responsible the first time around for the break … completely unfairly – as Arnav, the man who was actually responsible, acknowledged – to Payal, if never directly to her. But the stigma, the pain of those accusations never went away …

And today, he brought it up … he, who knew how much it would hurt her … no, he knew it would kill her if the same thing happened again, and she was again held responsible … he knew it, played on it, used it … 

Arnav Singh Raizada using his dimaag to the fullest to cut a deal. What a pity he didn’t use it enough to find out the truth (on second thoughts, if he had, we might not have such a tense, gripping story, superbly enacted … so forget I said that!)

*edited. This is going to be one hell of a track.*

So Akash, the obedient younger brother, waits for Arnav - 'uske bina main shaadi nahin karunga' Lakshman bhaiyya ki aulad :) ... Khushi looks around for him too, her eyes already worried ... and Arnav walks in, all grim and purposeful ... Khushi looks at him wonderingly, worriedly - what happened to him? Mamaji cracks a joke, she smiles involuntarily with the general laughter, and her smile dies away immediately as Arnav glares at her ... what is wrong?! Even more worried ... as it is, she's had a traumatic evening, and with his unexplained sudden anger, it's making things even worse.
Yes, Arnav wasn't the only one who had a traumatic evening ... Khushi did too ...

Payash finally do jaimala ... Khushi showers flowers automatically, not even looking at what she is doing ... all her attention on Arnav, and his on her ... his look, angry, accusatory, hers bewildered, wondering, apprehensive ... what happened, what did she do, why is he angry? Again and again as the rituals progress, she stares at him, her eyes asking questions, he glares back, only accusation in his eyes, but no answers ... and she has to move with the family to the wedding mandap ... yet she can't help looking back at him again ... what is the matter?! What's wrong? What is so very wrong?! Where is the man who till barely a few short hours ago was teasing her, gently flirting with her, making her smile with his every look, making her starry-eyed with dreams ... where is that man, and who is this in his place?
And again she doesn't get any answers ... but maybe her backward look galvanizes Arnav into action ... and he moves quickly, purposefully to her, as she walks slowly, falling back behind the others ... Maybe she was waiting for him, hoping he would come to her and explain ... he does come... but not in the way she expected at all ... and she looks at him, startled ...
He holds her hand ... no, grabs her by the wrist, her injured wrist, which he had bandaged to tenderly and lovingly just a day ago ... now he holds it hard, uncaring for the gasp of pain that escapes her ... and drags her away from the crowd ... to their favorite rendezvous ... the poolside.

And another pause in the Payash wedding ... as both Payal and Akash want to wait for their siblings ...

Who at the poolside are striking a deal ... but only one party holds all the bargaining chips. The biggest one - her sister's wedding.
Once before, Payal's wedding was cancelled at the mandap ... the whole family accused Khushi, said it was all her fault ... Khushi's biggest pain and guilt. She can't let that happen ever again ... And Arnav knows it was not her fault, it was his ... he even acknowledged it in so many words to Payal. Yet, when it comes to the crunch, he uses it to save his sister ... his sister's marriage for her sister's. Because he knows that is Khushi's biggest source of guilt ... she will do anything, literally anything ... to prevent her sister's marriage breaking. Even selling her own self ... body and soul.

She looks at him beseechingly, but sees nothing but ice-cold contempt ... you have to decide. Whether your sister's marriage goes ahead, or breaks ... because of you.
His words perfectly chosen ... to strike her where it hurts her the most.

What does he ask her to do? A contract marriage? Or a pretend one?
For Khushi's sake, I really hope it is a contract marriage, because to force her into a live-in situation would be for her the biggest insult and humiliation. But judging how angry and implacable Arnav is at the moment, it could well be the latter.

And if it is, Arnav is behaving no better than Shyam ... I hate to say this but it is true. Shyam used her Babuji's health and her family's humiliation to force her into an unwanted engagement, Arnav is using her biggest weakness to force her into a fake marriage ... he is trying her, judging her and condemning her without even a fair trial or a chance at defence.

The only plus, if it is a fake marriage, then when things blow over, when Shyam is exposed, Khushi can walk out with her head held high ... I did what you wanted, I fulfilled my end of the deal ... contract over. I'm out of here. And then he will have to beg all the Gods he professes not to believe in, to get her back.


If it is a real marriage, on the other hand, Khushi gets a protector, one she badly needs. And Arnav, following his heart, without using his much vaunted 'dimaag' at all, unwittingly does the right thing ... both for him and her. And gets what he needs as well - his Khushi.


Deal struck, they both return ... to the barely disguised fury of Shyam, who knows something is up, but doesn't know what. Khushi walking in a daze ... barely comprehending what is going on around her, so completely and brutally has her world of dreams been shattered. Arnav follows her - a confident look at Shyam ... now do what you want, check and mate. This game is mine. With Khushi the all-important ... and helpless pawn.


Can't believe the families are so dense as to smile with relief when both are back, without wondering why they keep disappearing!
Akash asks Arnav, is everything okay? Arnav replies yes, and Khushi gives him one last beseeching look, as though begging, don't do this. But he is implacable.
And Shyam is worried - okay, that was the only time I actually enjoyed watching Shyam. :)


And Payash wedding finally happens ... did Arnav feel a tinge of guilt at using Akash as his pawn in his game with Khushi? And Payal ... the girl he had wronged before, and would willingly have wronged again?
And Khushi almost in tears as she thinks about what she just promised Arnav ... manages to smile through her tears at Payal ... Arnav sees the tears and the smile ... and fleeting softening/?guilt in his eyes ... he looks down ... Though he smiles when the Payash wedding is done ... but then looks back at a tearful, devastated Khushi ...


Buaji asks Khushi to put the 'shagun ka thaal' from here to there, asks Arnav to help ... that must be another sign of sorts ... again that speaking exchange of looks between Khushi and Arnav, hers pleading, shattered, despairing ... don't do this, please don't make me do this. But he is still implacable.

I could have watched the exchange of looks between them the entire episode ... their eyes spoke, and Khushi made me choke up with the devastation in hers. Dazed, disbelieving what was happening, trying to come to terms with it ... trying to make sense of it ... pleading with him, at least tell me what happened, why ... make me understand ...
Sanaya is BLOODY BRILLIANT in these silent scenes! Her eyes say it all ... she is unbelievable!!!


And Shyam knows something is happening between them ... and he is twitching in fury ...


Payal and Khushi embrace .. both in tears, but Khushi breaking from inside ... and Arnav actually has to look away from the naked pain in her eyes ... she still manages to smile and wipe away Payal's tears ... her silent promise to her sister? that she will always do what she can to keep Payal happy?
Arnav may make repeated verbal promises to Anjali all the time about keeping her happy and not letting any problems come into her life ... Khushi makes those same promises non-verbally all the time ... and follows through on them, regardless of the cost to herself.


Time for Grihapravesh of one new DIL ... and time for the other to leave the house. Buaji comes to call Khushi, Khushi says she will follow soon ... one last beseeching long look to Arnav, but he is relentless ... and Khushi silently bows to her fate.


She moves towards the door as instructed, moving in a daze, the walking dead ... Arnav follows, goes past and waits at the open door. She goes out, he shuts the door behind her ... shutting her out, away from her family, away from love ...

Was her mistake so great that it deserved this punishment? Her punishment is not for the mistake she made in trying to break Anjali's marriage ... it's for the one she made in breaking his heart. And the worst is, she's being punished for a crime she didn't even commit.

Post marriage games ... and Arnav and Khushi are missing yet again!!!


Precap - the way he held her hand, rather than grab her wrist ... gave me hope ... will he be gentle and loving in public at least?

Link
Full episode

15/2 - Epi 188 ... Her Eyes, Her Face ...

15th Feb Wed

First of all, the title is for Sanaya ... her eyes in the bedroom, silently accusing Shyam, incredulous as to the depths to which he could sink ... and have to add, Abhaas was fabulous in that scene as well ... the silent conversation between Shyam and Khushi ... and how Shyam immediately took full advantage of Khushi's disgust and disbelief and with his own change of expressions, turned it into a private conversation to be seen and misunderstood by an already overwrought Arnav.

And her eyes later, as she keeps looking again and again at Arnav, trying to decide whether or not to tell him, looking for something in his eyes to help her decide ... wondering at his strange looks ... trying desperately to read him ... did she see his upset, or was she too distraught with her own thoughts to register it?

And finally at the wedding, although she decided not to tell Arnav, yet her eyes were constantly looking for him ... the worry never quite left her face ...

And Abhaas was fabulous in the first scene as well, as he first thought his game was up ... that was a repeat, done once earlier ... but then as the truth emerged (through some very corny dialogues by Anjali)  ... how Shyam immediately realizes the situation has turned to his advantage ... much to Arnav's impotent fury. I actually laughed with Shyam at the seething Arnav, felt his glee and Arnav rage at his hands being so swiftly and unexpectedly tied ... 

And Barun was fabulous in the car drive, as he remembers the old flashbacks of childhood, Anjali's first broken wedding, his mother ... and then remembers his moments with Khushi ... the old ones ... what were his thoughts there? Not about Anjali ... it seemed to be more about losing Khushi like he had lost his mother ... And will this be what triggers him to tie Khushi to himself ... even though he ostensibly does it to save Anjali's marriage?
Wonder why those fb's of Khushi were played there ...

They all spoke with their eyes today ... Arnav, Khushi and Shyam ... all three were fabulous ... but Khushi took the cake ... my heart went out to her ... and this is when the storm hasn't even hit her yet ... a pawn between the two men ...

Precap ... Arnav dragging Khushi away upstairs for their confrontation ... shit, another 23 1/2 hours to wait!

*edited ... this is going to be long!*
Starts with Arnav hyperventilating about Anjali's reports .. I was wondering why the sister-brother scene made me more impatient than touching me ... realized it was because the acting was not up to par. Been there, done that ... has Arnav really hyperventilated his way through every little sickness of Anjali's all his life? And has she cried her way through them?  
Watching again ... am wondering, did Anjali have an inkling about Shyam? Why the tension and hesitation when she discovered her pregnancy? And does she really not notice that Arnav is less than ecstatic?
Arnav is of course lost ... what does he do now?! Silenced for the moment ...

Shyam enters, worried that Arnav has been true to his word and told Anjali the truth. Both getting ready for the confrontation ... Shyam nervous, Arnav glaring ... Shyam tries to explain, Anjali goes to him and starts off her spiel ... designed to keep Shyam guessing ... I would have been amused but it was a repeat of the time he thought that Khushi had told Anjali the truth ... so it lost the impact slightly.
But the impact returned full force as Anjali tells Shyam of her pregnancy, Shyam is shell-shocked for a moment (what's the matter, Snakewa, don't you know how these things happen? You just admitted as much to Khushi up on the terrace ... :-&) ... and then his eyes change as he realizes he has a winning hand ... the fear he had of his bluff being called gone, banished ... and he stares victoriously at a fuming, silent, frustrated Arnav ...
No wonder Shyam isn't happy with Anjali ... no man likes sharing his wife so much with her family ...
Anjali goes on with her smothering love ... and Shyam playacts to full measure ... his victorious glee at this turn of events never quite leaving his face ...
Arnav closes his eyes as Anjali dreams about someone calling her "Ma" ... his Achilles heel again? How can he take that away from Anjali? Motherhood ... when they both have missed a mother for so long ...
And Shyam smirks hatefully again ... as Arnav shoots him murderous looks ... you may have won this round, but watch out, Mr. Snakeman ... Shyam doesn't care, he knows he's got Arnav good on this one ...
Great acting by both Barun and Abhaas ... Shyam was completely utterly hateful in his gloating victory, and Arnav utterly miserable as he stands helpless, frustrated ...

Shyam gathers an unsuspecting, dumb as usual Anjali into his arms ...

Scene of the Day! 
Arnav leaves on a long drive ... he has to get away before he murders someone ... 

And as he screeches to a stop, he remembers ... Anjali is pregnant, Shyam gloating, Anjali is so happy, she loves Shyam ... Shyam loves someone else ... Shyam playacting ... Khushi saying, leave Anjali ... Anjali is pregnant ... what should he do???!!!
Arnav's frustration, his helplessness, his rage, his anger ...  beautifully portrayed ... =D>
And then his thoughts move to Shyam saying Khushi is his life, his passion, his madness ... Khushi in Shyam's arms ... alternating with visions of Shyam the perfect husband ... those damning words "leave Anjali," ... his anger, his rage,  in full flow ... and then his fear, Anjali will leave him like his mother did ... flashbacks of the past ... Anjali's wedding, his mother's death ... she left him, abandoned him ... and the pain kicks in, the agony starts, sharp, piercing, unbearable, till a scream erupts from the depths of his agonized tortured heart ... "Maaa" ... she left him ...
And then ... Khushi ... only Khushi ... Khushi and him ...  
She came into his life when he had died inside ... she brought him back to life ... soft as the rain, gentle as a scared doe trapped under him ... lighting up his life with her light ... accepting, absorbing the pain he gave her ... and the passion ... and she left him ... like his mother did ...


And he breaks ... Arnav is gone, he just died again ... because once again, the one person who loved him unconditionally has left him ... or so he thinks ...


And ASR is back ... Shyam loves Khushi ... Anjali loves Shyam ... Anjali is pregnant ... Khushi wants Shyam to leave Anjali ... Shyam will never leave Khushi ... Anjali stands between Shyam and Khushi ... so Shyam should leave Anjali ...
No, he won't ... decision time ...

RM - the house celebrates Anjali's pregnancy ... Garima, Bua and Khushi come in too, to congratulate Anjali ... Khushi still very perturbed ... still lost in thought ... waiting to talk to Arnav ... unable to even congratulate Anjali ...
And Shyam is all loviing husband, seemingly excited about his coming child ... and Khushi wavers again ... does he mean it, can he mean it?  Shyam seems to be genuinely happy ...
She looks at Arnav again, as though seeking her answer in his eyes, but he avoids her gaze ... NK asks Khushi, you wanted to say something to Arnav, ... Shyam is scared again as Khushi looks at Arnav ... and he gazes accusingly at her ...
No, she doesn't want to say anything ... (how could she anything else in front of so many people, anyway?) ... and she thinks ... maybe she should keep quiet, maybe things will be all right now, there's a baby on the way ... by speaking, she might deprive a child of its father, a woman of her husband when she needs him the most ... maybe one last chance?
But she's still worried ... very worried ... seeking his eyes continuously ... looking from Arnav to Shyam-Anjali ... what should she do? And Arnav sees her looking at Shyam and misunderstands ... again ... 


A wrong decision again ... and one which will rebound on her the most ...


And finally it's time for the wedding ... as Akash comes down escorted by NK ...and Payal by Khushi ... and Khushi's eyes look for Arnav again and again ... and again ... she may have made the decision, but she still wants to talk to him ...
Akash says he won't get married without Arnav ... and Khushi looks again for him ... her tension so evident in her eyes ...

14/2 - Epi 187 ... Waiting to Exhale

14th Feb Tues

Waiting for the explosion with bated breath ... when will it come?

Shyam-Arnav face-off continued ... Shyam dares Arnav to tell Anjali anything at all ... yet in the same breath, declares his intention to fulfill his love story ... it felt like he was daring Arnav to win Khushi, rather than lose Anjali ... On the one hand, he dares Arnav to tell Anjali about Khushi, on the other hand he declares his intention of not hiding his love story ... Shyam sounded confused!

Khushi trying desperately to find Arnav ... and when he comes face to face, she can barely talk ... the exchange of looks there was mind-blowing ... his flashbacks, both of his own moments, and then the last damning moments with Shyam ... honestly, Arnav, you remember your moments, they're a darn sight more in number than Shyam's ... give the girl a chance!
Khushi's look ... relieved to see him, pleading, hopeful, apprehensive, nervous ... she says it all with her eyes, her expressions ...
Arnav's look - those of a man betrayed ... accusing, unforgiving ... condemning her without allowing her a chance ... asking, how could you ...?
And she tries to tell him ... she tries her best ... but Anjali's voice stops them both ... and he goes after Anjali instead ...

Arnav-Anjali ... although I felt bad for Arnav, and agreed he needed to tell Anjali, I felt that more than his insecurity, Arnav showed immaturity here ... is it really such a national emergency that you have to tell her when there's a wedding going on downstairs?! Wait for the right moment ... this is definitely not it, with her attention all over the place, a million guests in the house ... and you want to break this news out of the blue ... what seemed like the right decision, started looking like an impetuous, immature one ... Arnav does need to think things out more rationally and choose the right time to make an announcement of this sort.
I remembered Descendants, where George Clooney's daughter sees her mom having an affair, and doesn't tell her father right away ... she wants to wait till she's sure ... I think she had a point there ... 

More than Anjali or Khushi, sometimes I feel Arnav needs to grow up ... he has to emerge out of that scared, insecure 15 year old clinging to his sister's pallu ... that child showed very clearly today. And I wonder is that intentional of the cv's? To show Arnav as being so insecure and clingy ... or was it a scripting glitch because they had to get the wedding done somehow, so he had to break the news to Anjali so soon? Because it definitely didn't look mature and well thought out ... in terms of the timing and the way he broke the news ... not the actual decision to tell Anjali. And then of course he goes all hyper and insecure when Anjali faints ... more and more, the scared child Arnav ... saying sorry to his mother for doing something which hurt her ...

Shyam getting worried ... will Arnav take him up on his bluff and actually tell Anjali? And then what?! I thought Shyam hadn't thought things out too well in the first scene ... seemed he realized that by the end too. And again Mamaji is the one to see Shyam's confusion ... will that have any bearing on anything? Shouldn't think so ... the main players will be Arnav, Khushi, Anjali and Shyam ... Mamaji, Bauji might be facilitators ... Buaji and Garima are blind ...
Shyam tells Mamaji again how much he is missing Anjali ... still keeping the facade intact, he still doesn't think Arnav will tell Anjali anything ...

And of course Anjali's reports come just as Arnav is about to tell her ...  and he goes all hyper again!

Ah yes, there was a Payash scene somewhere ... not relevant to the main story, except that Payash are very comfortable in admitting their love for each other ... maybe ArHi need to learn at least that from them!  And Buaji and Garima also fussing around about something or the other ...

Precap - Akash Payal waiting for Arnav Khushi ... but they are missing. Anjali is already downstairs at the wedding, so obviously Arnav didn't tell her anything.

13/2 - Epi 186 ... Slimeball's Slime-antics

13th Feb Mon

In a very tense, taut episode, I was glad of one thing ... even though it followed the cliched predicted track, all the characters were true to themselves.

Khushi ... distraught, tense, running to find Arnav, because she realised this madness of Shyam's is bigger than she had thought ...
 ... after, of course pushing Shyam away and giving him (finally!) a piece of her mind ... and letting him know that his machinations were useless, and his pursuit hopeless.

Arnav - today after ages, Barun acted very well ... he was very average in the emotional scenes in the last couple of episodes, but today he was back to being excellent ... as Arnav comes to terms with the biggest shock of his life and decides he has to tell his sister.

Shyam - evil, wicked, manipulative to the core ... quick to realize Arnav's distrust of Khushi, and take full advantage of it ... now turning fully evil with a vengeance ... and the game begins in earnest.

Shyam-Arnav confrontation ... Arnav furious, raging ... Shyam laughing, in control, unapologetic ... do what you like ... what can you do?! Because he holds the trump card ... or so he thinks ...

And if Anjali is actually pregnant, he might well be right. And Arnav might find himself in the same situation as Khushi - having to hide the truth of her husband from Anjali ... will he do it? Or will he go ahead and disclose the truth regardless?

*edited*
Call it cliched or call it staying true to character - fully expected Khushi to lash out at Shyam and tell him where he stood with her, married or not ... i.e nowhere ... and she did :)
Call it cliched or staying true to character - Arnav did stay to listen to her response, but not completely ... and left before he heard the relevant part ... now that was expected ... :-s
Expected Khushi to tell Shyam to stay away and never touch her again ... and she did ... Well done, Khushi! :)

Wanted Khushi to tell Arnav about Shyam because she realized he full extent of his deceit, after remembering Shyam's words about following her from Lucknow ... and that's exactly what she wanted desperately to do ...
Expected Payal to stay clueless ... and she was ... expected Khushi not to tell her anything, after all, it was her wedding day ... and Khushi didn't ... but didn't hesitate to look for Arnav to tell him everything, regardless of any possible repurcussions on Payal's wedding ... trusting that there would be none. Trusting Arnav to know what to do, how to handle things, handle Anjali ... because she knew she couldn't handle this on her own. :-<

Expected Shyam's reaction to Anjali being alive ... and his ability to pull the wool smoothly over doting wife's eyes ... happened exactly that way.
It was actually understandable that Anjali had kept herself brave for her family and Chotey, and broke down only in Shyam's arms ... her husband is supposed to be her protector, while she is the strength and weakness of her family, so she has to stay strong for them, while leaning on her husband's support.

Arnav's reactions ... today Barun was spot on, both as he walked down the stairs, trying to take in what he had just seen ... his heartbreak in his eyes, as he remembered Khushi in Shyam's arms, and her telling Shyam to leave Anjali ...
Then in his room as the ramifications of what he had seen sank in ... and he starts thinking about his Di ... yes, I'm happy they did it this way, showed that Arnav's first thoughts were of Khushi and his own heartbreak, and only later did the wider implications sink in as to what it actually meant for his sister ... the respect he and the Raizadas had given Shyam, the love his sister bore for him, and the betrayal ... and what it would mean to her, yet he had to tell her ... immediately ...
Loved the part where Arnav tears off his tie and sits on the bed in tears, remembering again the betrayal ... but this time, it's about his sister ... Barun acted fabulously there ... nothing OTT, very restrained, the suppressed fury and pain all in his eyes and body language ...

And best scene was undoubtedly the confrontation between the two men ... finally we have a villain worthy of the hero ... and heroine, for that matter. Shyam - evil personified ... obsessed, maniacal, unrepentant, wily as a coyote, quick to seize advantage of Arnav's misunderstanding about Khushi, and use Arnav's two weaknesses ... Anjali and Khushi ... using Arnav's love for one to challenge Arnav - go tell your sister what you want, she won't believe you ... while using Arnav's love for the other to sow the seeds of doubt and weaken Arnav's trust ...

Only problem is, Shyam's plans always backfire :p ... every time he tries to drive Arnav and Khushi apart, he only succeeds in bringing them closer together :)
By telling Arnav that the only person between Shyam and Khushi was Anjali, Shyam made a huge mistake ... now Arnav will put himself between Shyam and Khushi ... and Arnav is a far more difficult obstacle to remove. Especially after Arnav hears Khushi's side of the story ... which hopefully, Khushi the fiery tigress, will insist he listen to, even if he doesn't believe it at first.  Even if Arnav doesn't believe her nitially, it should be enough to put himself between her and Shyam, till he figures out the truth ... and till he figures out the right time to tell Anjali ... with the news of her pregnancy ...And when he has to hide the truth for Anjali's sake, will he be better able to understand why Khushi also hid it?

Both Barun and Abhaas were fantastic in that confrontation scene! Well done!



RED ALERT ... NEW PROMO - ArHi married! 

10/2 - Epi 185 ... The Confrontation

10th Feb Fri

Am still in a state of shock ... knew this would happen and they would leave us dangling over the weekend! :( but still!!!
Why was the damn hug so long??? x( x( x(

It will be all about trust ... what more will Arnav overhear? Because it was very clear why Khushi said what she did - a clear challenge to Shyam ... 'Oh yeah? You say you love me ... enough to want to make me your wife while still married to Anjali, which doesn't mean a damn thing ... but enough to leave Anjali to make me your wife? No?! Thought so! So don't give me that crap about loving me ...'

I hope she says something of the sort to Shyam on Monday ... and even better, Arnav overhears that part. The first I am hopeful about ... the second, not really ...

Will Arnav actually tell Anjali about this?

Next week is going to be nail-biting ... and the cv's are giving out no clues. Except for the TB article which said the ArHi wedding might happen. No pictures of either Arnav or Khushi in their wedding clothes ... this is a heck of a closely-guarded track!

Oh, and the first Arnav-Anjali scene was much better than yesterday - much more like what I wanted and true to character. 

*edited* ...
For me, THE scene today was the Shyam-Khushi scene ... the unveiling of the true colors of Shyam to Khushi. It over-shadowed the previous scenes completely ... and was a huge step in the story ... till now, Khushi has been tolerating Shyam, and trying to save Anjali's marriage ... now will she still feel the same way? And if not, what will she do about it?


But first - the rest ... Arnav crying in Anjali's lap over his insecurities again ... and she promises not to leave him ... like the way she spoke about what she felt when she thought she might not see them again ... and then she tries to tell him again... don't waste time, live for today, and tell those you love what they mean to you ... because you might not get the chance again. And listen to your heart.
And for once, after ages, Anjali does know what she's talking about.:)

Khushi on her way to the terrace ... awww, her fb's of Arnav rescuing her earring ... probably their first close encounter where he was soft, gentle ... she walks upstairs, watched by a smiling Arnav ... he gets waylaid by guests ...

Khushi on the terrace ... my first thought ... what a waste of such a beautiful setting :( ... the night, the lights, the softly-lit gazebo ... a perfect setting for romance ... as Khushi fingers the lights and more fb's ... of Diwali lights ... and I feel worse and worse as to what she is expecting, and what is going to come up and hit her ... =((
And Arnav watched a flickering candle and has his own fb's ... of Diwali night again ... and rows of candles ... and Khushi and him holding hands ... :">
Khushi remembers his first kiss by the poolside ... Arnav remembers his first almost-kiss on Diwali ... his letting down her hair after Teri Meri :"> ... and both are waiting ... waiting ... in that pleasurable anticipation which makes their hearts beats faster, brings those soft shy smiles to their faces ...

A touch on her shoulder ... she turns with a soft smile ... and is hit by cruel, ugly reality ... smiling Snakewa :( x( :-&
Watching this again to write the update was painful ... x_x
So Shyam is till now playing the good guy ... thank you for coming, Khushiji, I knew you would ...
Khushi is startled ... you wrote that message?
Ugly face for an instant - who did you think? ... then recovering quickly ... of course, I did ... I want to say my dil ka haal ...

Khushi tries to leave ... first attempt ... he hauls her back ... 'no! I will tell you ... you have to listen!'
'You're a married man!'
'So what? Just for that one little problem, should I keep quiet?'
And for the first time, Khushi starts to see the ugliness emerging ... little problem?!

Again she wants to leave ... second attempt ... this time pulled back by both hands ... harder this time, beginning to hurt ...
Don't make me angry ... more ugliness emerging, the danger starting to show, his madness ... barely veiled threats, as she continues to struggle ... and then stops at his words ... looking at him again, starting to see the madness there ...

Again he veils his anger and goes back to smooth sweet-talking ... 'I have to tell you what I've hidden in my heart for months ... I love you ...'
And she is shocked ... completely ... her struggles stop as she just stares at him ... dumbfounded completely as he goes on ... how he came after her to Delhi, became PG, got her a job ... as she remembers everything as he speaks ... so all that was planned?! Deliberately done?

'Everything was going so well ...we got engaged' ... she struggles again ... 'and if Rani Sahiba hadn't come in the way, we would have been happily married by now ...'
And here is where Khushi realises the extent of his madness, his sickness ... and she manages to shake him off this time in her own anger ...

'Thank Devi maiyya I got to know ... you did all this deliberately? Deceived us all, and you ..'.
'Would have made you my bride by now ...' cold, no remorse at all ...
And she sees that and is horrified ... 'you're not even the slightest sorry, are you? About your lies, your deceit ... the deceit you're doing with your wife ... Why don't you understand - you're married?'
'And why don't you understand that I love you?!'
She cannot comprehend ... she really cannot. How can he be so remorseless, so sick, so ugly ... so against everything she believes in and yet justify all that ugliness by that word 'love'?
He goes on ... 'so that's your only problem, right? If I wasn't married, if I was single ... then?'

She starts to leave again ... this man is dangerous, there is no reasoning with him, for him it all boils down to that one little obstacle ... he doesn't even see the extent of his deceit, his lies ...third attempt to leave, third time he grabs her, harder and harder ...
'If I wasn't married, you would have trusted my love, wouldn't you?' Cold, dangerous, angry ...
Back again to pleading, sweetly ... 'then why can't you trust me now? Trust me, please ...'

His lightening swift mood changes, the changes in tone of voice ... alternately pleading, angry, dangerously cold and controlled, then sweet as honey ... as he narrates his obsession ... he thinks of her even when with his wife, he longs for her ... lusts after her ... she starts to see... and fear the madness ... but still she manages to talk ...
'You disgust me! What is this madness?! Doesn't it matter even the slightest how much Anjali loves you?'
'No, it doesn't ... at all. I don't care about her.' Coolly, calmly, as though assuring a child, if she accepts that, it means she accepts him ...
And he hugs her tight, and she is shocked ... appalled ... struggling to free herself but he has her tight in a vice-like grip ...
'Leave me ...'
'I won't ...'

And Arnav opens the door to see Khushi in Shyam's arms ... and his face changes ... to disbelief ... and shock ... dumbstruck, he can't move as he stands and watches ...
And Shyam holds her tighter still ... 'I just love you, Khushiji ... Rani Sahiba doesn't matter to me ... neither does my marriage ... I love you, very much ...'
And finally, with a last burst of strength, she manages to free herself ... push back from him ... her temper rising ... LOVE? He dares to call this love? His filthy thoughts, his madness, his obsession, his deceit, his lies ... she faces him angrily ... as a horrified Arnav watches ...
'So your marriage doesn't mean anything to you?'
'No, Khushi, it really doesn't, believe me' ... pleadingly ... not a thing ...
'So if it doesn't mean anything to you, why are you in it? Why don't you break this marriage? Leave Anjali ...' her tone an open challenge ... can you do that?!
And unspoken, as Shyam stares at her in silence - she managed to silence him for the first time ... no, you won't ... you can't ... because all your words are empty, hollow, bullshit ... you don't love me at all ... you only want me ...

And Arnav turns away in shock ... will he actually leave after hearing this? Or will he wait to hear Khushi out? And will she complete what I think she means, what I want her to say?

This weekend is gonna be long!!!

Nice to see Arnav Anjali back to their usual squabbling teasing bro-sis mode ... but really, Arnav? You chose this moment to play nurse?

When I saw the precap of Khushi telling Shyam to walk out of his marriage, I suddenly realized one very important fact ...

 Till date Khushi has not yet realised the extent of Shyam's sicko behaviour ... all said and done, she believed that he agreed to marry her for HER family's sake, HER babuji's sake ... that he has kept quiet for the sake of the Payash marriage ... all right, he tried to show her he had an unhappy marriage, and she told him she wanted to stay out of his personal affairs, but she never, ever realized his real reason for his deceit ... it was still mostly centered on her family issues ...

Today, for the very first time, Khushi saw Shyam's true colors ... when he revealed that this had been a deliberate pursuit right from the start, right from following her to Delhi, staying as PG etc ... slowly as he talked, she started to see the extent of his derangement, his obsession, that he could justify even his wanting to marry her ... saying that if his WIFE hadn't interfered, they would be happily married by now ... she started to see the psychopath, the mentally sick person ... the violent person ... he was violent in the way he stopped her from leaving the terrace, not once, not twice, but three times ... and she was SCARED ... petrified ... you can reason with a sane sensible person, but HOW do you argue with a mentally sick person??? And one who is dangerous ... and she STILL hasn't seen the extent of the danger in terms of the murder attempts!  People wonder why she didn't struggle more - for one, the guy is double her size, he's strong ... and madness and anger gives even more physical strength to a person ... And the girl was scared witless!!! A guy who has lived in their house for months ... and she suddenly realizes how dangerous he is ... am surprised she still had the courage to try and argue with him at all!!!

And the last bit ... it was a challenge ... you're saying your marriage means nothing to you ... then why are you still in it??? Why don't you walk out? Why don't you leave Anjali if you don't love her?!

Because the man just justified his actions, he showed that he felt absolutely NO remorse in wanting to marry her even when already married ... essentially saying he loves her and wants to make her his wh*** ... so that is her challenge to him ... that this is NOT love, this is lust, his filthy thoughts, his sick mentality ...