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The Art of Prevarication
Watching Shaan and Rajni's relationship evolve over the past few weeks has been fascinating. The conversations between them in the privacy of their bedroom are always significant, very well-scripted, with excellent performances by Karan and Ridhima that bring out the complexities of this human-robot dynamic. With each new episode, I continue to be impressed by the way they bring the differences in their characters off the pages of the scripts and translate them into contrasts that can be seen and heard and felt. Shaan rants and gesticulates to express his thoughts, Rajni sits quietly and voices her logic with composure. His energy manifests in abrupt movements and constant changes in tone, her tranquility comes across in deliberate movements and smooth voice modulation.
Somehow, Karan is able to use both verbal language and nonverbal cues to convey or hint at the thoughts going through Shaan's head, which amazes me to no end. And somehow, Ridhima is able to maintain a stoic expression and still convey what Rajni is thinking through body language and tone shifts. I don't know how she does it...This review only focuses on a few of the brilliant moments where Ridhima shows that she can leave a lasting impact with her subtlety in movement and tone. She is constantly redefining what it means to be a truly nuanced actor. Such finesse, such control over her body and her voice...Incredible! She's truly deserving of all the accolades that are coming her way! 👏 👏 👏
There is so much to glean from every conversation that Shaan and Rajni share, but what I've noticed lately is that there is quite a bit that is left unsaid between them. They talk to each other, as they always have...But sometimes they don't directly answer each other's questions. Sometimes, when Rajni tries to gently push Shaan to express his feelings more openly, he deflects. Sometimes, when Shaan asks Rajni an important question, she falls silent.
"Tum kuch nahi bolna chahti, chup rehna chahti ho. No problem! Mujhe pata hai tumhare system mein kya chal raha hai! Tumhare system mein yehi chal raha hai, na, ki 'Main dekhti hoon Shaan kisi hero ki tarah mujhe aag se bachaane aata ki nahi, Shaan mein woh humans waale feelings hai ki nahi mere liye.' Right? Haina?"
Provoked by Rajni's silence, an aggravated Shaan lets a torrent of words free. These are thoughts that have probably been playing on his mind ever since Rajni asked him about the extent to which he would be willing to go if her life was ever in danger. "Agar main jal jaati, toh aapko koi farak nahi padta! Kyunki aap mere jaisa hi ek naya robot bana dete. Am I right?" At the time, he didn't answer her. He couldn't answer her when she asked. Now, having escaped from a fire that could have far-reaching consequences for both of them, Rajni dodges Shaan's assumptions and brings up that question again.
"Shaan. Aap aag mein kyun koode? Kya aapke dil mein mere liye feelings hai?"
"Rajni, maine tum mein feelingswaala koi feature nahi daala hai kyunki iss poori duniya mein feelings aur jazbaat ke koi programs nahi hai!"
Shaan prevaricates. He evades Rajni's questions by talking about her lack of feelings. At no point does he mention his own feelings. Rajni catches this...and she shakes her head. It's a barely perceptible movement. Her expression is stoic...but there's a hint of disapproval there. And that's what makes the nuance so brilliant.
"Aapne sahi kaha, Shaan. Mujhme emotions nahi hai. Logic hai. Main...apni baat nahi kar rahi. Aapki baat kar rahi hoon." Rajni tries to focus their conversation back on the most important issue - that of Shaan's emotions. She circles back to the question she asked earlier, restating it a bit differently. "Aap jab aag mein koode...mujhe bachaane ke liye...aapka woh reaction logical tha...ya emotional?" The change in her expression as she says those last two words surprised me. She looks at him out of the corner of her eyes, with a smile. Almost like she has an inkling of what the answer could be, but is eager to find out how he responds.
"Mujhe nahi pata mera woh reaction logical tha ya emotional tha! Mujhe itni samajh nahi hai apne emotions ki aur na hi main itna track rakh paata hoon ki kab main kaise react kar raha hoon! I'm too absent-minded that way!" As expected, Shaan flies into a highly-charged ramble. He admits that he can't keep up with his emotions, he can't track them and analyze them, so he can't answer that question.This is a very spontaneous, honest concession on his part - very true of humans, I feel. It's not always easy to think before speaking or acting, and it's even harder to reflect on words and actions in the moment or even in the aftermath of a situation.
"Lekin mujhe itna pata hai ki meri lab jal chuki hai! Aur tumne apne aap ko khatre mein daala, jiska tumhe koi right nahi tha! Tum meri zimmedaari ho, do you know that? You're my responsibility! Agar tumhe kuch ho jaata toh? Kahan repair karta main tumhe? Kahan se paise laata? Kya jawaab deta gharwaalon ko? Kya jawaab deta Matthew ko? Socho!"
In Shaan's case, I feel that the supposed dichotomy of logical vs emotional is blurring more and more. The way he reprimands Rajni demonstrates that. Losing his lab presents a huge problem for him, no doubt. He has lost his workplace, his resources, and probably a lot of important things that were worth a lot of effort, time, and money. But his main concern is that Rajni put herself in danger and he feels accountable. In all of his ranting, that one thing is crystal clear. The logical and emotional are mixing together. Is there a clear distinction between the two, though, when it comes to humans and decision-making? Don't we all make some decisions based on facts and logic, others based on emotions, and still others based on some combination of the two? Doesn't our understanding of emotions and feelings come from the mind?
"Rajni, zara socho, yaar! Just think! Once! Logically! You're supposed to not harm yourself! Yeh tumhara rule hai! Tum tab tak apni jaan khatre mein nahi daal sakti jab tak kisi aur ki life aur death ka sawaal na ho! Do you get that?! Say OK!"
Rajni doesn't say "OK." Which makes me wonder...was that because she is so focused on figuring out the paradoxical puzzle that is Shantanu Kant, or was that deliberately an indication of her increasing ability to make her own decisions and act accordingly? From a storytelling perspective, is this foreshadowing? Rajni has already put herself in situations where she needed to be repaired or reactivated because she was saving her family...but now she can't be repaired or reactivated easily, due to the destruction of the lab. In any case, Rajni is not concerned about herself at the moment. She bypasses Shaan's command and begins to explain the two reasons why she acted the way she did in the burning lab.
"Pehla reason. Agar main aag bujhaanewaala feature use karti, toh Matthew Sir ko pata chal jaata...ki main Rajni the Robot hoon. Rajni the Human nahi. Aur phir...aapki life aur death ka matter ho jaata."
It takes a moment for that to sink in..."Yeh toh maine socha hi nahi...Yeh toh bhool hi gaya ki tum apna logic board follow karogi, tumhara logic toh...galat...ho hi nahi sakta." Shaan slaps himself on the forehead, berating himself for taking all of his frustration out on Rajni, when all she had been doing was saving him. I love the way Karan delivered these lines - the furrowed brow, the disjointed speech as Shaan thinks out loud and verbalizes the realization that Rajni's logic did in fact save him...And I love the kiss that Shaan drops on Rajni's shoulder. It only lasts for a second, but it hints at the growing comfort in their physical interactions from Shaan's side. He has always been demonstrative of his affection towards Rajni in little ways, with his hugs and hi fives and the many little touches shared between them...but this kiss is something he didn't need to do. She didn't ask him. He chooses to do so as an apologetic gesture, but it is so natural, instinctive. There's an intimate familiarity in the way he casually and quickly presses his lips to her skin...and she acknowledges the gesture.
"Aur doosra reason yeh tha...Bauji ne kaha Shaan emotions nahi dikhaate. Mujhe dekhna tha Bauji ki yeh baat ka logic sahi tha ya galat. Lekin aag mein kood kar aur mujhe bachaa kar, aapne yeh prove kar diya...ki aap emotions dikhaane ke kaabil hai. Sirf admit nahi karte."
This circles back brilliantly to the unfinished conversation between Shaan and Rajni after they returned home from her "funeral." She had asked him, "Agar pyaar nahi karte, toh kyun bachaate?" She came to the conclusion that since she is an "investment" of his, Shaan could replace her if she were to be ruined in a fire, that it would make no difference to him. Rajni's deduction had rendered Shaan speechless...but later, he indirectly answered her question, claiming that he could make another robot, but "doosra robot Rajni nahi hoga!" Another robot would be a replica of his original...it wouldn't be HIS Rajni. Shaan has already ascribed so much emotional value to Rajni, but he doesn't want to admit that out loud to her...if he is aware of it, that is. That's why I think it's so fascinating that Rajni's monologue essentially affirms Shaan's earlier thoughts about her testing him to see if he feels anything for her. He remembered what they had talked about...he thought she was testing him...and he was right. It may not have been the only reason behind her actions, but she was trying to figure him out.
"Shaan. Kya ek sawaal poonch sakti hoon? Aap mujhe...Matthew Sir ko de kyun nahi dete? Aapne mujhe unhi ke liye banaaya hai."
Rajni poses an important question to Shaan, along with a statement that has validity. Why doesn't Shaan just hand Rajni over to Matthew, like he's expected to? That would make everyone's lives easier, right? That was the plan. Shaan didn't have issues with it earlier. But now, he rounds on Rajni and hisses at her, "Shut up!" Things have changed now. He is changing, whether he realizes it or not.
"Kyun doon main tumhe Matthew ko ya kisi aur ko bhi? Tum meri creation ho! Maine tumhe banaaya hai, meri mehnat se! Theek hai? Aur tum abhi ready nahi ho kahin baahar jaane ke liye! Aur main bhi ready nahi hoon ke main tumhe kahin bhej sakoon! OK?"
Shaan launches into a rapid tirade, claiming ownership of Rajni in a way that is different from his typical "I'm your creator" outbursts. He has worked hard to make her, true. She is not faultless, true. But she is almost ready, she is fully-functional in many respects - so why not honor that agreement and let her go? Shaan has provided the answer himself. Because he is not ready to let her go. It shows in his stunned reaction when Rajni suggests that he should honor his contract agreement. It shows in the way he ascribes emotions to Rajni without thinking twice, asking her if she wants to leave him. He doesn't see her as just a machine anymore, I think. She has become a part of his life beyond the lab, a being he has become accustomed to spending time with, sharing his life with. Bewildered by her logic, Shaan asks Rajni to consider Matthew's lack of principles and values, along with his fear of her being misused and abused by others. She agrees with Shaan. That is a good reason for her to stay with him.
"Shaan. Kya...yehi ek reason hai? Ya koi...aur bhi reason hai?" Rajni looks at Shaan pointedly, emphasizing her words with her gaze and her tone. She flutters her eyelashes at him as he stares at her, brow furrowed. This turn in their conversation was so unexpected that I remember staring at my screen the first time I saw this scene, taken completely by surprise. Rajni is attempting to get Shaan to open up and express his feelings again. And he's trying to close himself off. I absolutely love how Shaan mimics Rajni's body language and tone, tilting his head, blinking at her, modulating his voice to have a more singsong tone. Shaan uses his sarcasm as a mechanism to deflect her efforts to pry deeper into his mind, and it kicks into full-gear now.
"Aur kya reason ho sakta hai, Rajni? Ki mujhe tumse pyaar ho gaya hai? Main tumhe leke selfish ho gaya hoon? Main tumhe apne se door nahi jaane dena chahta? Tumhe chahne laga hoon?"
Shaan prevaricates. Again. He fires a volley of questions at Rajni, and she just listens, taking it all in. The beautiful irony of this situation is that Shaan himself answered those questions through words and actions already. His feelings have surfaced, unbidden, because he was trying to deny them aloud.
"What rubbish!" Shaan raises his eyebrows at Rajni, as if to underscore his point. She simply smiles. She has all the data she needs. She didn't need to do anything. He said it all on his own. And he probably doesn't even realize the implications.
"Yeh sab main nahi...aap keh rahe hai, Shaan."
Then it hits him. Rajni just outmaneuvered him in this game they've been playing. Silence.
Coherence is out of the question for a little while. Shaan struggles for words, something, anything to hit back with. He tries to reorient himself by focusing on the argument that it won't be wise to trust his boss with Rajni, agreement and consequences be damned. Then he suddenly swerves back off track, probably without even realizing exactly what he's saying. "Mujhe sirf apni Rajni se lena dena hai!"
Apni Rajni. At that, Rajni looks at him. She takes in his warnings about staying updated and vigilant, but it's probably safe to presume that her mind is working rapidly to process everything that she has heard and observed over the course of the past few days. When Shaan leaves the room, Rajni doesn't move. She just smiles, her eyes brighter than ever before, as she comes to an extremely significant conclusion.
"You...are in love."
A final point to consider...Rajni told Shaan, "Chahne ka feature mujhme hai hi nahi."
I love the ambiguity of this statement. Chahna could mean to want, to wish, to desire...to love. Rajni says that she can't want to do anything because she doesn't have that feature. But she does have her own sense of morality, her own sense of what decisions she could and should take, as dictated by logic. Technically speaking, Rajni cannot wish for anything or desire or love anything, right? But then...what are her reasons for acting the way she does around Shaan? She focuses on understanding him, his motivations, his emotions, so that she can help him introspect. But why does this matter to a humanoid robot who was created to fulfill the role of a domestic help? What does she gain from this?
Rajni has stepped into the role of Rajni Kant, wife of Shantanu Kant, with full dedication. She is very quickly picking up the finer nuances of human behavior and interpersonal relationships, and it shows in her evolving bond with Shaan. She likes spending time alone with him, tries cheering him up when he is sad, keeps prodding him gently to be more expressive...Rajni has her ways of showing that she cares for Shaan. She may not be able to want or wish or love...But Shaan can. Shaan does...Rajni knows that now. If she is doing all this so that Shaan can be happy...Is that not a wish, a desire? Is that not a manifestation of love?
I'd been wanting to write about these particular scenes for a while now. In many ways, they are about Shaan's state of mind, his feelings, his way of dealing with emotions. But they also shed light on Rajni and the motives underlying her behavior and actions. From a storytelling standpoint, I find that to be a masterstroke. There's constant development in the relationship between these two characters. They grow and develop together...because of each other. Shaan and Rajni are changing each other in ways that reflect in the nuances of their body language, their tone, their way of speaking to each other. Those little things are so, so well portrayed by Karan and Ridhima that I'm left in awe of both the writing and the acting in this show. The team of Bahu Humari Rajni_Kant truly has struck gold with Karan and Ridhima! And to think that this is only the beginning...Can't wait to see what the future holds!
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
