Neil's best: Duties and Promises - Page 2

Originally posted by: MeySimi

07/07/11

Kesar is making every attempt to fulfill the promise to make Gulaal happy and discharging the duties of a responsible son of the family.

True - somehow (or thanks to talli), Kesar has taken a leaf out of Gulaal's book and is doing altruistic things but definitely with a whole lot more of pizazz. This week, I have enjoyed the slip on the steps (cliched, but nicely done, much needed to give her more deja vu - hinting at the dramatic Vasanth rescue much earlier in the serial)... And the bogeyman buys jhumkas scene (hmm...am sure Gulaal stopped breathing for a couple of minutes there). Again, imitating Gulaal, Kesar too has started to use Talli - there was the mischevous look on his face when he palms off the tea making on to her in the kitchen...or his subtle headshake on the stairs dissuading Talli from joining KG.

KESAR OVERHEARS

Hearing the conversation between Gulaal and Motaba, Kesar is ever so emotional. His feelings are diverse. He is sad seeing Motaba's concern. He is anxious knowing the reality that Gulaal would not stay in the relationship and after three months, he won't have Gulaal with him anymore and neither can she be forced to stay because the society (starts with Jamna Kaaki) is definitely not going to give her a breather and he has seen her taunting Gulaal even in his childhood. Somewhere Kesar knows that she can't stay with them if the marriage is called off. He is helpless since his love for her alone is not enough to hold her back and persuade her into a relationship willingly. All these emotions flashes in a second on his face, hearing them speak and more so when Gulaal mentions about "Dil Ka Rishta"

Yes, in this scene Motaba gently reminds Gulaal yet again about the social contract that marriage is - not just the union of two individuals - but often the legitamization of multiple bonds and relationships between families . It reminded me of the time when Vasanth had refused to elope with her, wanting the blessings of both families for the marriage. Yet Gulaal dismisses Motaba's concerns in her patent zombie style...she is now "living in the moment" aka "in denial" about the future. Motaba and Paanba are the only members of the family who can explain the delicacy of a deeyarvattu to both K and G...however one is AWOL and the other has turned into depressed bat in the rural mansion's belfry...

KESAR AND MOTABA

Kesar notices that Motaba is at a loss of words even to react to Gulaal's casual query. Having heard Motaba earlier, Kesar uses the opportunity to ease his worry requesting him not to think of the future but instead to support him in making the few days she is going to remain in the house to be worthwhile and memorable for her.

It sounded to me like gulaal had some terminal illness (her mahanta?). I appreciate that Gulaal has to come out of her shell and learn to live again, but only if she would give herself half a chance!!! This character is potrayed as cryptic and sphinx like in the last 2-3 months and this makes it hard to guess what is going on inside Gulaal's head. There are few flashbacks or thinking aloud or recall moments. The upside is that in the last 3 - 4 episodes, she has stopped confiding in the Vasanth portrait..

The scene where Kesar sits holding Motaba's knees as he assures his father made this father-son relationship very special. The closeness between the father-son duo was brought out so well. Motaba is overwhelmed seeing Kesar speak so wisely and maturely. His sentence "Kabhi kabhi tere baton se aisa lagta hai ki tu kitna bada ho gaya hai, kabhi kabhi'.." and he leaves the sentence unfinished. He finds Kesar decision to revoke the Deeyarvatu as impulsive, but when he sees this side of him, he finds him mature. Kesar himself is lost for a second in that statement because he too understands that there has been some childishness in him not so long ago.

Motaba occassionally comes out of his Gulaal mania to actually mentor his son...but isnt it a little too late? Instead of constantly berating his son, it would have been helpful if he had actually spent time chatting with the boy. Instead Kesar has had to find his confused path to adulthood on his own!!

Where is Pannba? Why is Jamna Kaaki serving food to Motaba. Nobody seems to be talking about Pannba also. That DaiBa is missing since long time. I really don't understand why Motaba speaks as though his life will be out of his body in the next minute and he is giving his farewell speech to family everytime. Even yesterday, when he calls out "Laal ji baaa''", I felt that would be his last word breathed out. Anyways'''

Paanba and Daima need to have their pictures on milk cartons with a tips for the polic hotline...I guess Talsagra is not a safe place for middleaged women (and their families too seem too blase about this)...I am wondering if these two are dancing and drumming with Durgesh, simply to get a respite from the all encompassing Gulaalmania...

KESAR GULAAL SCENE

Like I mentioned before, not that I am interested to know who sleeps where, but the information could tell us about the level of comfort both have attained in the friendship zone even while sharing a room. It was a very simple scene to show that both their hands meet accidentally. However much Gulaal pretends to appear comfortable with Kesar as a friend; the awkwardness in her to his touch is evident. I can sense her unease especially after the Mandir scene. What I like in Kesar is that he is not pretending to make it outright platonic and shows his emotions openly. The way he looks at her in that scene shows how a guy treats his girlfriend or wife and NOT A FRIEND. Both get conscious for a moment. When she asks if he wanted something and he hesitates saying he needed a handkerchief, the way she just picked it and gave it to him, both looked like a couple in a conventional set up.

I loved the simple domesticity of the scene. After all that sniping and slapping between KG, it was good to have a non-Talli scene full of peace. It signalled the level of comfort the two had with each other in sharing that space. Marriage is often the unconscious slip into mutual habits and it looks like a couple of days sans Talli was all it took for KG...remember the "I have become accustomed to her face" from My Fair Lady? Gulaal trusts Kesar physically even though she is taken aback by her own reaction to his touch/actions (i.e., slip on stairs, the earrings, finger brush on cupboard ...).

Kesar get all worried when Reva mentions Gulaal doesn't eat well on time and feels sorry when she says there is no one to take care of her. But then Kesar is willing to be her support, it is Gulaal who is refusing him in her life. But I need to say, Reva is a very sweet Sis-in-law to Gulaal and an adorable sweet sister to Kesar. I read a lot of potential in Reva's statement saying "Babhi, yeh ghar aapka hi hai, aap aise hi apne haathon se chhezon ko jaane dengi, to ek din aapke haath kuch nahi bachega, aapko apne bare mei sochna hoga Babhi". Whatever Kesar told Gulaal the other day was put forth differently by Reva. Gulaal is detaching herself from this house and she is letting go of whatever is in her hands (Her Life With Kesar) and one day there wouldn't be anything left with her (Gulaal's comfort zone of this house through as well as Kesar).

Oh Ho Gulaal'Itne nakhre'.. to have that small amount of Poha Reva got for her. And fussing so much that Kesar had to take lead and force her. She wants that exclusive treatment from Kesar, but can't admit. He was so determined and obviously she had to eat, and anyways after hearing from Reva that no one cared for HIS GALOOL, he wasn't allowing her to go hungry. His determination spelt loud" You better eat this, I don't want any more useless excuses"

It reminded me of the glass of milk scene when she was sick...I also think that Gulaal was a bit happy that somebody showered some care on her...

KESAR AND POONAMBA

Poonamba and Kesar make a perfect MIL-SIL. She is in so much awe of Kesar that he loves her daughter so much and grateful for it too. He could sense her worry over Gulaal and he gave her an assurance of her happiness wherever she would be in future. Poonamba was feeling bad that Gulaal could not understand and fathom the depth of his love. So Kesar tries to make her feel better saying he did not feel bad that Gulaal can never see him in a different light and he is happy that she has found happiness by finding a friend in him. So cutely Poonaba was pillion-riding with Kesar. Such a cute scene.

It was the typical "saasu maa lovingly showering her damaad with food " scene. The photograph grabs his attention. Though he is excited to see a young Gulaal and said he can't figure out, he did not make a mistake in finding the correct one of the three who were looking almost similar. Kesar is surprised to see this young Gulaal. His surprise that he does not know about HIS GULAAL"S best friends shows the depth of his feelings for her, that he does not know enough about Gulaal. Kesar is mega-excited to learn this side of Gulaal who used to be lively and naughty too. Kesar is thrilled to know about Gulaal's fantasies in childhood, her interests to make "chotis' for her friends, that she used to always have a doll(CHAMPA) with her all the while. Kesar's reaction is adorable as though wondering "Gulaal was once this child who used to love dolls?" Having only known about Gulaal who is so mature and a caretaker to everyone, this aspect of Gulaal's life is something new to Kesar and it shows in his happiness beaming on his face and the body language.

When Poonamba feels depressed saying she could see this daughter of hers who was once so lively wither out in all these years, there is such sadness on his face. He too understands that Vasant's death was a fatal blow that put her world topsy-turvy and she has still not recovered from the actual grief. She has carried out responsibilities as per her limits of understanding, but there has been none or rather nobody had the time to actually point out that she is human too, that she is bound to make mistakes and life does not stand still, when your loved one dies. They say Cry with someone; it is more healing than to cry alone. Gulaal did not have that someone to share her grief. But it is also said "Make peace with your past so that it does not mess up your present. Now it is up to Kesar to help her out of this mess she has landed herself in along with him.

I loved this scene. Kesar has become his MIL's best friend.

Precap

Talli wants to marry any Tom, Dick or Harry

I am worried about Talli, not Gulaal. I am worried because nobody actually cares for her, not even Mahaan Gulaal. When the girl is willing to move on, Gulaal tries to bring her back to the fantasy world. Thankfully she said she hopes for better times after these dark clouds in her life and that she does not want to live on false hopes and dreams. She was sad reliving the Kesar Gulaal moments but that is normal, but move on she must. I really hope Kesar is able to make her understand that marriage is not the end all solution and there are better ways to stand up for oneself in life. I want Kesar to take that credit that he helped Talli to move on; partly it would suffice for the hurt he caused her in publicly cancelling the wedding just to get even with/appease Gulaal. That was his one and only mistake he did when it concerns Talli.

I whole heartedly agree with your sentiment here. I have disliked Talli's character, a bit because she is the hypotenuse in this very protracted and acute triangle - but mostly because like Kesar she represents the potential for a new avenue of thought, instead she is a wasted opportunity despite her open tresses!. Every time she has attempted to do something to establish her independence (dance tuition, live on her own, etc.), she has been drawn back into the quicksand of infatuation with Kesar by Sudha and Gulaal. Given Sudha's marital state of affairs, I expected her to make Talli fearless and a symbol of freedom for women in Talsagra. Instead of running with wolves, Talli opts to get married to a TDH. Even for the new generation of girls in Talsagra, is that the only choice? I worry that Gulaal (who is blessed with being always 'Vijayi' no matter how misdirected she is) will blackmail Kesar into marrying Talli again because she still has not given up on that pet sapna...I wish she would stick to braiding Talli-the real-life-doll's hair..but I will wait to see what unravels before I pass anymore judgement on the hypotenuse being squared away for life...😊