**Neil Bhatt/Kesar Appreciation Thread** - Page 15

Neil's expressive best. Kesar confronts Gulaal : 23/5/11

Kesar was totally oblivious to the Sudha-Talli talk. His eyes were seeking Gulaal, his eyes fixed at the doorway with restlessness and impatience when he can't get a glimpse of her. It was as though he was suddenly transported back to this real world when Sudha spoke to him. He did utilize the chance to pass a snide remark about being able to get her back only if she leaves home and also about her revising as if she was preparing for a "Morcha".

Gulaal came and ignored him. There was this unusual and awkward unease from her end. Kesar seems to have forgotten that he yelled at her previous day. He loves her deeply; he wants to hate her too. Be it love or hate, Kesar wants that love and hate directed at Gulaal only. Now what do we call this feeling as. He raises the accelerator to get her attention and that anger is reflected through his image in the mirror as he grits his teeth. Gulaal notices that and still ignores him. He just couldn't take that. He left burdened with Talli behind him on the bike.

Kesar and Talli

In spite of Talli's constant chatter, Kesar realizes that a guy is following him. He is still being nice to her. When his request to reach home to have snacks goes into deaf ears, he obliges. One must see his reaction seeing Talli's reaction to Bajiya. That is a treat to watch. When Talli insists, Kesar repeats like a trained parrot'Talli, how was your exams?. That statement was totally bereft of any emotion or feelings. He clearly conveyed his disinterest in her or her talks. She infuriates him with her comment "Tera man kisi aur ke sath jud gaya kya?" As expected, he walks off. She drives him further crazy with her thank you. Kesar made me laugh when he asked her if she was thanking him for the Bajiya. She is one capable girl. Mention of the chunar, Kesar gets more annoyed and gave her an expression as if "That's news to me, when did I get you one?, but realises soon enough and even mentions to her that it's a misunderstanding. Talli is not the one to give up. Asking him to get something similar which she thinks is hers when actually it was always meant to be Gulaal's was a sad state of affairs, be it the Chunar or her relationship with him. Sad for Talli.

Drunken Kesar

Finally Kesar feels he needs the support of liquor to get the courage to meet up with Gulaal. Kesar did come home drunk once before too. But in this scene, he appeared a regular as he drunk from the bottle directly. Sorry to make it sound scientific or technical, but the concentrated alcohol undiluted would have caused some burning sensation and an inexperienced Kesar would have reacted to that burning sensation.

I loved Gulaal's comment to Talli that for a while she thought she knew Kesar well but she doesn't anymore.

Kesar-Gulaal

Was he just waiting at her door to be found by her that he can confront her? Eyes showing intoxication, face showing the exhaustion, Kesar was absolutely pitiable but he was steady by words. Without a slurring of his speech, he asked her the question that was bothering him. There was a little innocence in that question as he asked her why she ignored him in the morning. That behavior of hers is enough for him to ruin his day. She ignored him and it hurt him. He is not thinking that probably she behaved that way because he yelled at her previous day.

Kesar admitted with guilt, shame and pain when he nodded in approval that he was indeed drunk. Gulaal posed the wrong questions to him at the wrong time and realized it pretty well soon. But did she really think he would give her an answer that she was expecting or feared she would hear from him. She was scared totally obviously she did realize that there was a guy standing in front of her, who has given hints of his growing attraction to her and that too he has turned up in an intoxicated state and she felt it would be ideal to send him away to his room.

I did not feel that he was violent with her at all. He grabbed her since he did not want to lose that chance of talking to her, the courage he had mustered with difficulty by drowning himself in a bottle of alcohol. And when she was closing the doors to him, he had to do it. He admitted that she was his problem. The second time repeat of the sentence with a "Haan" was laying emphasis to that truth that she is the root cause for all the pain and agony he is going through. That brught tears to her eyes as well.

The panting of breath showed Kesar's nervousness, but it was as though he couldn't suffer any longer and he wanted to get over with the tension once and for ever.

Precap

Though Gulaal was scared, she has not pulled away from him or pushed him away from her. Probably she did find some truthfulness in his gaze that has made her not to react in the way she would have otherwise done. Probably he is feeling guilty or ashamed in bringing himself to pose those questions at her that Kesar has closed his eyes while telling her about it for the first time (that he has some queries in his mind). He finally tells her his eyes have always asked her those questions for which only she had an answer. Her life used to be centered on him before and it's not the same anymore. Her priorities have changed and she is not the same Gulaal who used to run around and pacify him, give in to the child's tantrums and spend all her time with him especially after Vasant's untimely demise. There is huge gap in their relationship now that needs to be bridged. Kesar and Gulaal are both so tearful. She seems to feel sorry when he said that to her.

I loved the entire episode just for Neil's performance, it was super fantastic.

"Meri pareshani tu hai Gulaal"... This one dialogue by Kesar and the innumerable questions that Kesar wanted to ask her did put Gulaal into staring at him and realising what exactly was her relationship with him. Though he asked her what he wanted to, it didn't put him at ease as Gulaal avoided answering him... Kesar's disturbed state of mind with lot of confusion, his restlessness, his sorrowful and tearful eyes ( that proved his loneliness and how much he was hurt )and the way he tried to control and present himself before Gulaal (cos he was drunk )just to get a reply from her was superb.

I loved the terrace scene. It was very impressive with respect to Neil's performance. Kesar was in his own world with his deep sorrowful thoughts while he played the music. His sudden realisation about the noise when he saw Motaba coming, his fearful look when Motaba came closer to him, his unsteadiness when he tried to stand, his drowsy eyes filled with tears that reflected his agony, the attitude and the body language while he tried to hide the reality from Motaba was perfect and a brilliant enactment by Neil. Infact it was very naturally performed by Neil.

Kesar's behaviour with Talli made me frown and feel.. ohhh... poor gal Talli.. Kesar doesn't like her at all. He was so irritated with her that he had to shout at her with his open throat in order to put her in place that did make her cry... I hope by now she understands, feel very sorry for her but no worries... I want Gulaal for Kesar. I liked Kesar's aggressive behaviour with Talli.. Neil is always good in such scenes and in emotional ones too... Kudos !!!!

Neil's expressive best: Kesar/Gulaal/Motabha: 24/5/11

Kesar stopped Gulaal from asking him anything further as he wanted to ask her before she influences his thoughts. He was totally vulnerable when he said "wohi sawaal joh mujhe chain se jeene nahi deta". Kesar turns the plate over her saying she forced him to come this far for her accusation that "baat yehan tak pahunch gayi hai toh".

Again he is so tongue-tied but when she insists, he opens up to her. He craves for her attention and he revealed to her in not so many words that he craves for the same love and affection that he was used to. Painfully he questions her that if it was not meant to be (here he says about their worlds or priorities being different), why is he not able to take her off his mind?? An unfortunate situation where he asks her that if he was not bound to receive her love and affection and their life have to be different in their own way, why is it that he is still bound to her. It moved her soul; I should say that she too cries with him. He was not realizing how firm his grip was on her that she had to remind him that he is hurting her. The minute he realizes, he let go off her and also takes her advice to go away from her room being so late at night.

That was a realization moment for Gulaal. She also seems helpless but this is what she had been advised by almost all of them. Then when it came to handling things practically, why is she so overwhelmed. She knew about everyone's worry that Kesar would grow up to find his own meanings about their relationship. She should have been prepared for it. Or probably she was so confident about the child she once knew and admits that she does not know his individuality now.

KESAR AND MOTABHA

The picturisation is just superb and fantastic. It has a scenic beauty the way it has been shot. The vast terrace, the moonlight, the far-reaching lights from the streets, the night atmosphere, the sound of the insects, everything was perfect. It was a heart-rending father-son moment. A lonely Kesar was lost in his own world of music playing the mouth organ, trying to find some solace to his bruised heart. A lonely father unable to head the worldly pressures anymore looks for support from his son.

Though the scene was beautiful, I do not appreciate Motabha who failed to recognize his own son's agony, not for a while thinking why a youngster seems to be sitting alone in the terrace so late at night, playing the mouth organ.

Kesar is lost in his worries though he is playing the tune. His past and the present situation haunts and hounds him. The aggravating tension within him is reflected in the speed with which he handled the string.

Neil's performance of a drunken Kesar trying his best not to reveal his drunken state to his father was a marvelous rendition. The sudden noise startles Kesar. There was a relief on his face as his father stood away from him looking into the streets. The intoxication was getting the better of him. He alerts himself to his dad's first call scared all of a sudden. Perfect scene to give us a feel that he is consciously trying to remain conscious as his name was called out. To avoid talking he manages a "Hmm" for an answer which was the best way out. Guilty that he was, he kept assuring himself every now and then that his dad stood far away. The fear in getting caught was reflected so well in his eyes. He gave in to his dad's demand and played the tune for him. He was helpless, he had to. But soon enough he discontinued playing it.

When his dad knelt down to be seated next to him, Kesar cupped his mouth with his hand as he did not want to be noticed in an inebriated state. The intoxication and exhaustion made his eyes close and droop down but he was suddenly startled when his dad caressed his head. With hand cupping his mouth, eyes red and tearful, the look away to a different direction showing fear of getting caught, Neil's rendition was totally flawless.

Kesar was totally helpless when he could neither refuse his dad for playing his favorite childhood tune nor did he have the energy and strength to continue playing it. He stopped by to listen to his dad's words. On one side his dad was getting philosophical about life and journey and here Kesar was struggling to come to terms with the realities of life.

The irony of the situation is that a father came to seek moral support from his son but failed to give his son some emotional support that he right now needed badly in life.

Kesar shying away from revealing his drunken state was more out of the realization how hurt his dad would feel rather than anything else. Kesar struggled to keep himself alert and awake against the spell of alcohol. Still tears flowed down his eyes as he heard his dad mention "Toot chukka hoon". The slow movement of his eyes to both directions, the drooping eyelids, the partly uncoordinated gait with a periodic shift from nodding off to consciously trying to be alert, maintaining a safe distance from his dad; Kesar tried his best to avoid hurting his dad. This is one of the best examples of emoting without exaggeration. Yesterday, I was a little disappointed in the scene where I did not get to see Neil showing Kesar's reaction to the burning sensation of raw undiluted alcohol. This scene today has literally made me forget that part yesterday.

Kesar was quick to agree to his dad's suggestion that they should sleep now. Motabha sought physical support from his son. He tried to help but his gait and exhaustion exceeded and surpassed all his efforts to keep the fact undisclosed. He stood up and stood leaning against a wall trying to appear strong and steady in front of him. Kesar realized it was futile to even defend himself from the mistake for which he was feeling guilty in front of his dad. But that realization gives him the courage to advise his dad to go and sleep. When his dad took his face towards him and said he was feeling ashamed, there was hurtful resignation after which he surrendered totally to the intoxication and fell to the ground.

KESAR AND JAMNAKAKI

Kesar was partly frightened and scared to be waking up to Jamna Kaaki's wicked looks concealed in a smile. His slight hope that Gulaal would be the one to give him the blanket was totally squashed by JK. That disappointment along with JK's continued talking led to irritation, a little confusion and finally set him thinking. Kesar gets so influenced by everyone's talks, Raman, JK, his dad, even Talli when it is about Gulaal.

KESAR AND TALLI

Started with annoyance at Talli, but we could see Kesar's slight softening seeing the flowers, a little tolerance seeing her realization, a slight apology when she reminded about being left midway. But Talli's over-indulgence in his affairs blew his temper especially when she told about "farz"/duty. If even after this, she continues to hound him, no more sympathies for her.

Higly irritated Kesar's tone did have that sarcasm when he shouted at that lady and then regaining his gentleness with his softened voice while apologising was good... liked the voice modulation here.

Kesar's joy and excitement on seeing Ramanba and the enthusiastic welcome given to him was justified and thats a sign of good brotherly relationship. Soon Kesar's excitement and joy vanishes on hearing Dushyant's voice... well... I can guess how much anger he has on him... why shouldn't he be ???... he considers him to be one of the reasons for his brother's murder and another obvious fact is Gulaal... (For each and every reason she brings in Dushyant's name)... ufff.

My goodness... Now this Talli wants to see some "pyaar ki nishaniyaan"... Omg...someone needs to help her out... poor gal... what a pity that she hasn't realised yet and wants to again try her hand at pleasing Kesar...More of bitterness, sorrow, pain and disappointment is on her way...

Gulaal ka kya karun mein ??? ... Iam totally frustrated at her behaviour. She wants to go to Maayaka... somehow she wants to stay away from Kesar so that Talli may win him over... Will this happen at any cost ???... Nooo wayyy... I don't want to happen such things.

I loved the last scene.. Neil was best here. Kesar's eagerness to know where Gulaal was going, his sudden shock to the fact that he wasn't aware about her leaving for Maayaka, his concern towards her when he says he would take her, his astounded look at her sudden denial of his request, his look of hatred when he heard Dushyant's name and the way he tightened his fist in anger, rendered me speechless.. wow !!!