Posted:
Fantabulous episode tonight, once again. 
Well-balanced episode again; flow, power-packed dialogues and performances, progress in terms of story and relationships. Character consistency was flawless. I'm starting to worry that the writers will mess it up again.
To be honest, I can see their hard work and effort, and I'm so grateful. Every character's scene is focused on fully, given time to play out, and provided with awesome dialogue. Plus there's logic more than suspense, which I'm really, really appreciating a lot.
Moving on to...
Best Shot of the Episode
Sriti Jha was mindblowing. Just watch her. The strength in her voice, on her face, shining in her darkened eyes -- she meant business. The way that she pulled out the sword from its sheath and the way that she wielded it, she reminded me of a vengeful goddess out to strike the evil that ruined her and her loved ones.
It was a beautiful and hauntingly powerful shot. Kudos to the director. He captured Sia in this shot, her power and strength and beauty, but at the same time he also captured her anchor Raghav in the frame of her raised arm. You saw Raghav's fiery expression, even the hell-fury in his eyes was obvious from the distance -- and did you notice how he kept on shaking his head? Such a small detail that added so much to his performance.
I don't think that the man was even breathing air. It looked like he was breathing fire.
What struck me in tonight's episode was how strong the relationship b/w Raghav/Sia has grown and continues to grow. Just watch the first scene in which Sia took the lead, going Tigress Mode on V. For whom? For Raghav and their Krish. Even though Sia was in the foreground and Raghav was in the background, you could sense the power of their unity. This time, Sia took the lead because Raghav was in no state of mind to. It was Raghav's and Sia's joined power that charged the air.
>> Pros:
1) Durga and Kali within Sia and Sia's fantastic dialogues to V
First, I loved the reference to Durga and Kali. It could've sounded cliche and all, but Sriti's voice modulation and the way that she delivered the dialogue -- with utter conviction and force -- just nailed it. Power-packed performance, hands down. You see, her dialogues in themselves were simple, but she just rocked them.
She asked whether he enjoyed inflicting pain upon people. The disgust on her face was evident, as was the anger and incomprehension that anyone could stoop this low.
I was relieved that she refused to let V talk and manipulate himself out of this one too. No, she shushed him -- and then, she warned him.
2) Sia compels Raghav to walk away from V
It was such an interesting shot. For one thing, you could see the effort on Raghav's face as he tried to rein in his anger, to keep himself from attacking V.
I believe that Sia was the only thing standing between him attacking V tonight. He was so close to snapping. It's a wonder that he managed to turn around and leave.
3) Krish's nightmares and Raghav asks Komal to lock the door
The mention of Krish's nightmares again. I'm so curious. For real. I want to know what the nightmares mean to a child like Krish. How are they connected to him? Is that why Komal allows him to sleep in her bed?
Something that I appreciated in this scene was Raghav asking his bhabhi to lock the door and his expression throughout the scene. He was nowhere near calm. The mere fact that he even managed to compose himself in front of Komal seemed like a miracle. But then I have noticed how Raghav has a very tight hold on his anger. He controls it, not the other way around. I'm grateful for that, because it's refreshing.
Plus it reflects the kind of environment that he grew up in. Manners. You never forget your manners, even if you're furious. I like the contrast between his just-barely controlled anger and his BG score which sound like jungle drums. It's wild, untamed. Yet Raghav controls some emotions without a word.
4) Raghav is unable to calm down
I loved Raghav in this scene as he slammed his hand against the wall/pillar, kept hitting it until it bled. He needed an outlet and self-harmed. I felt bad for him. I can understand the kind of anger and frustration that can sometimes consume you from the inside. HC did a fantastic job portraying Raghav's emotional turmoil.
I liked how Sia was desperate to make him stop and kept talking to him, trying to make him pay attention to her words rather than his emotions.
5) Raghav is conflicted over V and Sia reminds him of Komolika's words
I saw a conflicted Raghav in this scene. You see, [and this is purely my own interpretation of the scene] Raghav is having a hard time dealing with V because, on one hand, he does know that the man is pure evil, capable of anything, without remorse/conscience -- but on the other hand, being Raghav, a part of him insist on showing a bit of mercy. He seems to be struggling with that part because he wants to rip V to pieces, yet his conscience won't allow him the peace of mind to do that.
I think that seeing V in his Judge get-up threw Raghav, and perhaps that was what ended up conflicting him -- it reminded him of what Komolika had said; that V has mental issues. Raghav's mind started to rationalize; that maybe V really is too sick to beat up. And that's where Sia, thankfully, stepped in and reminded him of what Komolika had said; that they shouldn't treat V like a mental patient because he's aware of his actions being wrong and he's a criminal.
Plus note how V always manipulated his observers. Raghav's heart might be telling him to look past the manipulation and at the true face of V, but the doubt still emerges. How can anyone torture a child? You surely must be out of your mind to do that?
No. V is perfectly aware of what he does and he gains immense pleasure from it. I'm glad that Sia brought Raghav back to his senses, calming him down, reminding him that there should be no doubt about V's nature. It's not that he pitied V, but it's that he wondered if he should show mercy because of his disorder.
Of course, I could be wrong about the entire scene.
I did feel Raghav's anger and frustration as well. He needed to do something, anything as he felt powerless, shackled. Raghav is a man of action as well as a man of word, and it's not in his nature to sit back and let people commit crimes. He's always been out there -- fighting it. How must it feel to suddenly be bound, powerless to do anything until the right moment/timing?
There was one shot that I loved the most.This one:
Because you can see his effort in trying to calm down, to control his frustration and anger and be sensible.
6) Unniyal reveals that the wedding pictures are gone
I enjoyed this scene immensely. It was hilarious. Unniyal is so dense sometimes. Oh, and did anyone notice the picture of Unniyal that flashed on V's cell phone screen? I cracked up. I wonder when V took that picture of Unniyal xD
7) V loses it again
Fantastic performance by KB. V was damn creepy, and funny in this really disturbing way. It was nice to see another melt-down though. The way that he questioned how every one of his plans could fail while Raghav/Sia triumphed and the way that he obsessed over the SR again -- disturbing scene. Plus they've started to develop V's character as well. They are showing how he's turning darker and darker, crazier and crazier, but simaltaneously sustaining his intelligence/wits.
Imagine what Raghav must've thought when he saw V diving under his blanket all of a sudden. LOL.
What's keeping him from thinking clearly is that he doesn't have any control over anyone or anything. The order inside his head is messed up. The pattern is broken. He doesn't like imperfection and disorder. These things are magnified due to his having lost control and stressing/obsessing over Raghav/Sia.
8) Sia exercises her right over Raghav without realizing it
The CCTV scene between the two was awesome. I like how Raghav emphasized that the camera thing had been her idea -- a message to the audiences that Sia is, in fact, adding her own brains in the mix here. Plus I like how they showed Raghav/Sia using V's idea to stalk him in return. Fantastic.
Something I really liked about the scene was how Raghav asked her when she'd take the kasam back. It's eating away at him that he's bound like this. But what really amazed me was how Sia told him that when there was no other way to save their families, then she'd take it back.
She said this with right, with haq. She knows how important she is to him and she values it. In return, she allows herself the right to accept that importance of hers in his life and to do it without guilt, because it was okay.
9) Raghav keeps an eye on V
Fantastic detail. I always appreciate it when the writers add logical details on this show. I like how Raghav said that he'd take turn first. They're a team, working together.
Partnership.
10) Raghav's perception of partnership
First, HC's performance here was mindblowing. The genuine smile on Raghav's face as he spoke of his parents relationship -- beautiful. In addition to that, I liked how the writers gave us an insight as to how he thinks, for instance, about marriage. It added another layer to his character, made him come even more alive because his thoughts were made tangible to the viewers.
Second, I loved his perception of marriage. Partnership. Equal partnership. Yes, you love your husband and care for him, but it's mutual. Both ways. It's a partnership. It is sharing thoughts, sharing everything. What I really liked was how Sia brought the tea, but Raghav took over, pouring it, mixing it -- equal partnership, giving on both sides.
Fantastic scene. Plus the way that Sia's lips twitched in a smile at the taste of the tea had me in splits. He's such a sweet guy, but anything to do with food/drinks and he should keep his hands to himself and let the experts deal. Heh.
11) Gayatri opens up to Komal about her bad feeling in relation to Raghav/Sia
Gosh, I love these two.
I'm relieved that the writers continued to have Gayatri suspecting Raghav/Sia and sharing her doubts with Komal -- her best friend. Their relationship is just beautiful, refreshing for saas-bahu, unique.
12) Gayatri and Komal find out about the sleeping arrangements
What I loved about this scene was how Gayatri's sharp mind figured it out and how Komal tried to brush the matter under the rug. That was too funny. I love her loyalty to Gayatri but I equally love her love for Raghav. She's protective of him.
13) The Proposal and V's plan backlashes again
First, mindblowing shot of Raghav/Sia sitting down and smirking at V. Sia's "main butter laga deti hoon" comment had me in splits.
Whatcha gonna do about it, V?
V's expression screamed murder. It was so enjoyable to watch how they made him burn.
His thoughts on Gayatri were hilarious. He was so overconfident, as per usual, that she'd call them out on their fake marriage, and instead she burst his happy bubble by proposing a real marriage to Raghav/Sia.
His plan backlashed again. And I loved it. Fantastic performances by all three leads. The tension was tangible. Just awesome.
14) Taashu is still furious with Sia
Glad they haven't forgotten to capture Taashu's expressions in all this. She's still unhappy with Sia.
>> Cons:
1) Gayatri still doesn't find it strange that V is so interested in Raghav/Sia
Hm. If a man like V showed such interest in my son and his love life, I'd be suspicious, or maybe worried. Probably worried. And disturbed.
2) The directing of the scene in which Sia tries to calm Raghav down
I don't understand why they shot the scene so awkwardly. Like, they showed Raghav and his hand slamming against the wall, but his face was cut out of the frame -- and then they showed Sia standing behind him, trying to stop him, but he was again cut out of the frame which made the shot look weird, because it looked like she, too, was falling out of the frame and talking to nothing.
Weird.
Maybe they could've just shot them both in the same frame, so that you could see Raghav slamming his hand against the wall, his expression, AND Sia standing behind him, trying to calm him down with her talk.
3) Raghav/Sia "forget" to remove the makeshift bed
Forgot to add it earlier on, but was reminded of it.
How come they've been so careful and thorough so far, yet they conveniently forget to remove the makeshift bed?
Still low on energy tonight, peeps. Excuse my weak feedbacks for a few days :-)
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