I have a lot to say on Shilpa's final episode in DMG and I have pretty much condensed all my thoughts in one topic. So here goes:
Shilpa's last episode made me realize that she was possibly the most complex and yet also the simplest character in DMG. I know that last sentence was a complete oxymoron but hear me out: she has a lot of different layers to her and while she has appeared to be this very outgoing, gregarious, and "modern" girl, at heart she is very "seedhi saadhi". In reality she is an introvert, quite vulnerable, very traditional, and quite sensitive. But all in all, she is a good person at heart, and while she has a lot of layers to her, she is also the friendliest one of the lot. Everyone in DMG has problems, but her troubles included love and familial relations, as opposed to the rest of the 3 whose troubles just included love. And yet still she appeared to be the simplest and most easy going of the 4.
This brings me to my second point: no one could ever understand her. Even till her last episode, nobody knew who she was. She had to tell them her reason for coming to Sanjeevani, and explain to a certain self involved person that she loves him. In this regard, at least Sid knew she loved Armaan, unlike the man himself. Having said that, this makes me realize all the more, that Shilpa's character was probably the best in DMG but the complete ignorance of others about her, reflects how much the character was ignored in the show. There was a lot of potential to her story, but all of that was ignored, hence none of the characters ever even tried understanding her.
She shared a unique bond with all 3: Riddhima, Sid, and Armaan, and while she helped all 3 numerous times, when did they ever help her out or try to peel off her many layers?
Riddhima: She shunned her, misunderstood her, and accused her wrongly. And in return Shilpa just loved her back, and till the last moment craved for her love. Heck even after Riddhima's wonderful treatment of her, Shilpa still gave her shelter and walked away giving Riddhima her house. And yet this "di" could never understand her reason for coming to Sanjeevani or even behave nicely with her at times.
Sid: This guy has not been as bad as the others. He was her first and maybe only friend in Sanjeevani. He could easily decipher that she loved Armaan, but he still never helped her out. All those plans of his for ArSh were for Armaan and not Shilpa. Moreover, Shilpa helped him out quite a few times with Riddhima, and yet he never once tried to understand his friend. This is one relationship that needed to grow more, and I was really expecting a great friendship and some cute jeeja saali scenes, but the CVs completely ignored this bond. Another one of the innumerable misses by the CVs.
Armaan: Oh how thou hast fallen in my eyes...
I have a lot to say on this one, or maybe I don't. Armaan+Shilpa= ArSh: the next big couple in DMG that couldn't happen because KaSh wasn't meant to be. ArSh was, but KaSh wasn't...please note the difference.
Okay this relationship had a LOT of potential, but it all went down the drain. Ever since Shilpa entered DMG, I'd been screaming that the ArSh bond would be one of mutual understanding and trust. Shilpa really did understand him (unlike his ex), and while he did seem to understand her pain at times (such as the recreation room dance), he could never peel off her layers. He was always so self involved in his own misery and pain (for which he was partly responsible) that he never tried to understand Shilpa. He called her a friend but was he ever a friend to her? Did her ever try to find out why she broke down in the rec room, why she completely changed in terms of looks and personality, and why she all of a sudden became so friendly towards him?
He said she's walking away when he most needs a friend. Really, Armaan you have never been as selfish as you were then. You never once noticed that in your so called friendship with Shilpa, it was a give and take bond wherein Shilpa gave and you just took. Not that, it has always been like this.
There were many instances wherein he seemed to understand her pain even without knowing about her past, such as the rec room scenes or the locker room drama after the Papa Jag Jayega. He was even falling for her and then the show did a complete backtrack to April '10. But that is another issue.
All in all we got to see Shilpa's different layers through her interactions with him. Because of him, we were introduced to "Dhanno", Sanjeevani's "khatra", and then finally this "seedhi saadhi" girl who is quite vulnerable inside. But still you could never truly understand her...
Nonetheless that is not to say that we didn't get any good scenes of Shilpa's. Most of the ArSh scenes before Karan left for KKK3 are quite good, especially the rec room dance one, Prabhat Pheri one, Shilpa taking care of Armaan after the fight which introduced Sajnaa, and the Panchgani fire. In terms of Sid and Shilpa, the very first interaction of the two and then the subsequent scene right after where she calls him jeejaji is my favorite. I really wanted to see more such scenes. Sorry, I truly hate Riddhima, and the way she behaved with Shilpa, hence no favorites amongst their scenes together. JP and Jiggy? Yes a few cute filler scenes of these two with Shilpa always did leave a small smile on one's face.
Now that Shilpa is gone, what will I miss? KaSh! Not ArSh but KaSh. Today's episode showed me that ArSh were over a long time ago, specifically as soon as Karan left for KKK3. It is KaSh that will be missed. It is their chemistry, their expressions, dialogue delivery, challenging looks and gestures to each other that made them one of the best, if not the best, Indian tv couples. Of KaSh, I will really miss their special background music that throughout DMG has just been used for KaSh and no one else. It doesn't matter if they were AR or ArSh, it was just for them. That background music signified their chemistry, and their "takkar walla chemistry" with each other. Add their challenging looks to one another, and you've got magic.
I realize that I have said a lot, like a whole lot. But there was a lot to say. Shilpa was never understood, and while the characters may not miss her, the audience surely will. And what will be missed more than anything else will be KaSh. They are finally over, and I don't see a return for them ever. Of course, I may be wrong as one should never say never, but still a KaSh comeback seems nearly impossible. Nonetheless, we've got some great scenes of them as AR and even as ArSh, so it's not all bad.
Adios Shilpa and KaSh. You will be missed but then all good things come to an end. I don't think I will see KaSh again, but for Shilpa there are good chances :)
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