Oh my god!! This post is just everything!!👏
On the SaiRat part, I agree with everything you said. Sai is definitely growing on Virat. Her not being around him made him restless. And it's significance seems to be amplified, especially after his "Sabse pyaari cheez" dialogue. Sai is quite stubborn, and she won't accept his apologies without giving him a piece of her mind. But even after she actually accepts, it might be very difficult for Virat to completely gain her trust again.
Yes, she is fiercely loyal. Despite the fact that she may fight with you, argue with you, drive you crazy with her impulsiveness, you know for sure that when you're with her, you're in the right place. She's not the kind of person who'll whisper sweet nothings in your ear. She's someone who'll tell you the truth to your face, no matter how harsh it. She'll put it front of you and she'll make you face it. And that's the kind of person Virat needs in his life. The kind of person who'll seize you up and make you come to terms with what you're feeling. And I bet on the fact that it's this very trait of Sai's, the straightforwardness that he calls immaturity, that will win Virat over and over again.
If there's one thing we know about Sai, is that she's never a quitter. She won't rest until she finds a solution for a problem. She's not the one who gives up in despair, unlike Virat. And Pakhi was definitely not being helpful to him in that situation either.
As for Pakhi, I really don't know what to make out of her character. There are some moments where I can understand where she's coming from, but most of the times, especially after the suhagraat episodes, she's getting on my nerves. I do agree with the fact that Pakhi definitely needs to see a therapist. Her best friend should take her soon.
She tries to project her shortcomings on others, like how you stated, she wants EMA with Virat, so she suggests that Sai is also onto something similar. And she has MAJOR trust issues!
Also, Pakhi is a quitter. She's the kind of person that takes all the sh*t that life throws her way, and blames it on her kismat. Whereas, Sai is a fighter. Sai doesn't give up easily... hell, she doesn't give up at all. She fights for what she thinks is right, and emerges victorious, all the time. And somewhere, Pakhi knows that Virat admires Sai for this. No matter how much he lectures Sai on maturity and asks her to learn from Pakhi, she knows that Sai is 10 times the person she can ever dream of being.
I still hope that the makers don't do Pakhi any more dirty... and give her a good redemption arc too (hopefully with Samrat).