The harsh desert sands of Rajasthan plays host to this passionate tale of two destined soulmates, bound together and yet torn apart in the hues of love and hate.
P a r v a t i and R u d r a
Reth mein shuru hue ek prem ki dastaan; lekin iss dastaan mein kya pyaar payenge ya rakht behega?
A Childhood E n c o u n t e r
She, a beloved daughter whose parents were murdered by BSD forces and He, a once happy boy now tormented by his mother's unexplained abandonment. They meet as children at a bus stop where a caring Paro attempts to comfort an upset by parting with her treasured doll, a memento of parents who are no more. For Rudra, guarded against the taunts and tortures of the world, the comfort given by this slight girl is unexpected but deeply appreciated. They meet and then part again but what was a chance encounter between two young souls scarred by their lost childhood was simply the beginning of a destined love story.
An Officer and a B r i d e
Time marches on and those two children have now grown into adults who while living in the present are still haunted by the ghosts of the past.
The girl who once lost her world has found built another in Birpur. Raised in the loving care of her Mamisa and under the adoring watch of the village Thakurain, Paro has blossomed into a woman of beauty and grace. She dreams of a happy future whilst carrying cherished memories of the past. The only darkness present in sun-filled life is that of the danger posed by the BSD. They were the ones blamed for her parents' deaths and that of many others. All of Birpur fear the BSD; a fear that has been nurtured and harvested by the Birpur's Thakur for his own sinister purposes. Annually, he arranges for a grand wedding where a daughter of Birpur is married to a groom from across the border. But in reality it is a disguise for his gun smuggling operations; gun parts arrives with the groom's party and cash payments depart with the bridal procession. This year it is Parvati who is the bride, destined for a cruel future once across the border.
As fate would have it, Rudra has also arrived in Birpur as a ruthless and relentless major in the BSD. Returning to Birpur has brought back tortured memories of a childhood abandoned, of a child betrayed and an innocence lost. The wounds cast so many years ago are as yet unhealed and Rudra will not let them heal, forever burning himself and those around him. His father's words still echo with him; a woman of beauty belongs to no one. And so when he rescues a beautiful Paro from thugs on the eve of her wedding, he reminds himself of this truth when he lets her go.
A Border C l a s h
As the wedding draws closer, the BSD realize the truth behind these cross-border weddings and under Rudra's leadership they begin laying out a trap to catch the Thakur and his minions. But the Thakur is no less alert and rushes the wedding rituals of Paro to Varun, her future husband who has managed to win her heart with his sincerity. They are farewelled with great pomp from Birpur but are unexpectedly greeted at the border crossing by Rudra and the BSD forces. A gun battle breaks out and bloodshed ensues. To Paro's horror she witnesses Rudra kill Varun, unaware that it was done to protect her from her deceitful husband who in reality was involved with the smuggling operations. As the lone survivor of the bridal party, Paro is taken into protective custody by Rudra.
Hostilities and H o s t a g e s
Within the space of a few hours, Paro goes from bride to widow and she lays the blame for all of this on Rudra. Her fears of the BSD are realized and she refuses to cooperate with Rudra or believe his claims that it is the Thakur who is the real culprit. Desperate to protect Paro after attempts on her life and bring justice to the Thakur and his fallen comrades, Rudra resorts to taking her as his personal hostage. To do so he steps into a world that he distanced himself from over a decade ago; the Ranawat Haveli where is his extended family currently lives.
It is within the confines of the haveli's walls that these two engage in a battle of the wills; his aim to break her defiance and hers to remain steadfast against him. But there are other forces at play as well on the battlefield and it is through the machinations of Mohini, Rudra's Kakisa, that the two are cornered into undergoing wedding preparations. Neither wish to wed and they know it so instead they determine that this will be the final battle for supremacy; pushing each other to the limits to determine who will break first.
Revelations of Truths and D e s t i n i e s
The wedding day arrives and with it brings unexpected revelations for Paro and Rudra. Parvati's faith in the Thakur is shattered when he divulges the truth of her wedding to Varun and then attempts to kill her. But a feisty Paro escapes and returns to Rudra, ready to cooperate and desperate to seek forgiveness for her disbelief in him. Yet it is too late, for in her bid for freedom she has betrayed Rudra's belief in her innocence. A belief that is further shaken when Paro is accused by his family members for attempting to burn his father to death.
Despite the accusations levelled at her, Paro remains staunch in her quest for Rudra's forgiveness and the nursing of his father to full health. After many upheavals, the truth begins to unfold that Paro is truly innocent and genuine in her guilt. But a bigger truth is revealed to Paro when she discovers that Rudra is in fact the boy she met so many years ago.
An Innocent but Costly M i s t a k e
Taking this as sign of their joined destinies, she attempts to win Rudra's jaded heart. But his angst runs too deep within him to accept Paro's overtures and he repeatedly spurns her attempts. Alas his conniving cousin manages to use one such attempt to portray Rudra and his beloved BSD in a disreputable manner. This escalates even further leading to Rudra's suspension and in a state of drunken rage he attempts to take his revenge from the person he believes to be the root of all his problems; Paro.
He fulfils her wish for them to be joined in matrimony but promises her that this marriage will be one of pain and tears for her. A deserving punishment for ignoring his wishes and forcing her way into his life.
Growing C l o s e n e s s
Their vows of marriage were filled with hateful words and vengeful promises but as the days go by Paro and Rudra are drawn closer and closer. After all, how long can one fight one's destiny? But fate can be cruel as well and Kakisa's ploys are almost successful in snatching away Rudra's life. That is until, Parvati promises to her Bholenath that she will forsake the most beloved thing in her life, her Rudra, if his life is saved and he fully recovers. Her prayers are answered and her husband saved. But at what cost?
The Saga C o n t i n u e s...
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