Posted:
And so I couldn't help it. Warning in advance, this is going to be LONG and possibly tedious. But like I said, I couldn't help it. đł
Watching tonight's episode, as an experience, was for me like looking from the shore at two boats struggling to stay afloat. The water, incredibly, is calm. Why are the boats struggling, then? Because one of them has no oars to steer it, and the other is tied to the first for dear life. At the risk of stretching the metaphor too far, they're simultaneously taking each other and themselves down. And what's making it worse is that they can see they're doing it, reflected clearly in the calmness of the water.
Sharon, for the first time, looks herself in the eye. First when she sees in Swayam's hiding behind expensive objects, an indication of her own hollow Diva persona. She knows she isn't hollow, has always known it, but it's all been overshadowed by the self she's been trying to show the rest of the world. The Diva image, that shatters in seconds when subjected to Swayam's penetrating insight. But she'd rather die than admit it. He knows what she's about, he knows she's lonely, he's seen what she is and what she can be. But before she sees him, she chooses to see through her Secret Admirer what the world sees in her. Sharon the Dazzler, all about money. And that's not her. Anger against herself boils over and she deflects it at the most vulnerable object around: Swayam. He gifted her a mirror once upon a time, but today is the first time she sees in broken fragments what she's become. She hates him, because he shows it to her. Just by being who he is. He is himself, and in that, he is what she hasn't let herself be for the longest time. She hates him, because he sees her. And from where she's looking, it's an awful view.
And Swayam finally sees in the clear water that he's invested all of himself in a love that hasn't found itself yet. Sharon's still looking for her own reality, and only when she finds it can she ever really perceive what he's giving her. It's more than expensive gifts, always has been. And he hoped she'd see that. But now he knows that she can't see yet. She won't see. Because first, she has to see, really see herself, and sort all her knots out. But by now, he's given her so much of himself that he's watching himself shatter with her. He sees that he needs to step back, needs to let her go. And it's the hardest, most painful thing he's ever had to do. Which is why today, for the first time, he can't keep the pain caged inside his heart. It explodes out of him and leaves a mark on her consciousness that is not easy to erase, no matter how hard she tries to spurn him. The look in her eyes, watching him as he chants, "you hate me, Sharon" as if in excruciating disbelief...something gives way, but she tries to contain it immediately. Everything frightens her right now, because she's at her most vulnerable, just like he is.
Shantanu Maheshwari and Sneha Kapoor...at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I don't think words adequate enough to do justice to what you did for us tonight, exist in the English language as I know it. The way Sneha portrayed Sharon's response to, and struggle with, her own self, had me spellbound. And Shantanu...HOLY mother of...I don't think I'm even going to attempt to describe it. That whole section where Swayam 'closes' the book only Sharon can now open, knowing that she won't open it...trying to reassure himself, desperately holding back his tears, and at the same time losing himself to utter despair...you two gave me goosebumps today, and I'm not even exaggerating. WOW. Touchwood.
And Swayam finally sees in the clear water that he's invested all of himself in a love that hasn't found itself yet. Sharon's still looking for her own reality, and only when she finds it can she ever really perceive what he's giving her. It's more than expensive gifts, always has been. And he hoped she'd see that. But now he knows that she can't see yet. She won't see. Because first, she has to see, really see herself, and sort all her knots out. But by now, he's given her so much of himself that he's watching himself shatter with her. He sees that he needs to step back, needs to let her go. And it's the hardest, most painful thing he's ever had to do. Which is why today, for the first time, he can't keep the pain caged inside his heart. It explodes out of him and leaves a mark on her consciousness that is not easy to erase, no matter how hard she tries to spurn him. The look in her eyes, watching him as he chants, "you hate me, Sharon" as if in excruciating disbelief...something gives way, but she tries to contain it immediately. Everything frightens her right now, because she's at her most vulnerable, just like he is.
Shantanu Maheshwari and Sneha Kapoor...at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I don't think words adequate enough to do justice to what you did for us tonight, exist in the English language as I know it. The way Sneha portrayed Sharon's response to, and struggle with, her own self, had me spellbound. And Shantanu...HOLY mother of...I don't think I'm even going to attempt to describe it. That whole section where Swayam 'closes' the book only Sharon can now open, knowing that she won't open it...trying to reassure himself, desperately holding back his tears, and at the same time losing himself to utter despair...you two gave me goosebumps today, and I'm not even exaggerating. WOW. Touchwood.
And finally, I cannot but send out a HUGE Thank You to the writers of D3 for writing what is possibly one of the BEST sequences I've EVER had the chance to watch on Indian television. The mood was INTENSE. The dialogues were simple, crisp and most importantly, thoroughly non-melodramatic and identifiable. They were real to me, as a viewer.
Shantanu and Sneha breathed life into an extremely well-conceptualised and well-written scene. And I can NEVER be thankful enough for what is for me the most heart-breaking and yet the most BRILLIANT SwaRon sequence on D3 yet.
Shantanu and Sneha breathed life into an extremely well-conceptualised and well-written scene. And I can NEVER be thankful enough for what is for me the most heart-breaking and yet the most BRILLIANT SwaRon sequence on D3 yet.
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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