Sorry to inflict this on you guys, but these are my thoughts on three epis (Thursday, Friday, and Monday). Finally managed to catch all of them. I must say that the benefit of watching a chunk of episodes together is that all judgment is suspended till the entire action plays out. Helps sometimes.
Coming to the current track in HD, I wish it was so easy to separate the rights from the wrongs and find someone to hang for the wrongs. This notion is something that I have personally been struggling within the context of the show ever since this parenting track began. Who is right/wrong? And who is qualified enough to decide what is right? Or, more importantly, what is wrong? No easy answers.
This current diversion into the child trafficking track can be seen as a convergence of several tracks. There is a smattering of 'parenting' in it. A social cause is thrown in and there is also a helping of 'trust issues'.
My thoughts are based on what was shown in the episodes and not what could have been (which basically is Inshi united instead of divided). There are aspects of both characters that have have been unlikeable in this entire sequence, but in the course of this track, they were merely parents who were trying to save their only kid. Sure, they were behaving as individuals too, but both of them had only one agenda: the rescue of Indu.
When Rishi brings Indu's blood stained clothes to the police station, Indira's instant reaction is that of pain and fear. She breaks down. What I found odd in this scene is that Rishi was not shown to be as broken as Indira. He was the bearer of bad tidings (until the letter was thrown at them), but he was shown as offering her physical support. This felt odd in terms of story and characterization coming from a man, who in the HD timeframe, had only a few minutes ago said that he does not know what he will do if something happens to Indu. To me, he seemed oddly calm. Then a letter is thrown at them and they get to know that Indu is safe. They are also ordered to return the chip (the ONLY proof against Rajrani) by a certain time in the day. They start off when the other ladies (who should technically approach the police) surround Indira again.
By the time Inshi arrive at Rajrani's stronghold, Indu along with the remaining girls, is already in a car after having possibly been sold off to someone who is dressed like a Sheikh. Indira sees and realizes something, which Rishi obviously has not noticed. Rajrani says that one of them will come and surrender the chip and Rishi puts out his hand and asks Indira for the chip. Now, the one thing that stood out throughout the entire two or three episodes during which this track has played out is that at no point in time does Indira part with the chip. I don't know how this was perceived by you guys, but I perceived a trust issue there. And a serious lack of communication. If Indira had something in mind, some way of saving the situation, she should have communicated. And communication does not have to be verbal. She managed very clear non-verbal communication with Indu. Had she told Rishi, she would have had his support instead of surprising him and leaving him there in the midst of goons who could potentially harm him. The other thing that struck me was that Rishi is supposed to be a lawyer, but he puts his thinking cap aside and is shown as just a father who cannot evaluate the situation in front of him.
Anyway, she kept her wits about her and pulled off the rescue, which is very commendable, but her attempt to do it all on her own would have brought about an undesirable result anyway. Even if she had managed a clean rescue of all the girls, Indu included, it would not have been the end of her worries. She would have had to worry about Rishi next. That's the thing in teamwork. Transparency, communication, and timing. Knowing when to delegate, when to push a little, and when to pull back. This was starkly missing between the two of them throughout this sequence.
What this surprise escape did to Rishi (now on the back foot and VERY angry) was that it created deeper misunderstanding and mistrust. Not only in him, in Indu too. Indu has now ample proof that her mother does not love her. Children are self-centred. Not in the sense of selfish, but in the sense of "centred around self". For them, everything that occurs around them is linked to and centered around themselves. Thats the work of their childish ego. Indu sees and hears her mother ready to sacrifice her and her child mind takes everything at face value. Done to create the groundwork for the upcoming mother-daughter tension in the show, but not unreal at all. Especially after the series of unfortunate events prior to this in which Indira tried to discipline Indu in Hitler style.
When Indira realizes that Indu is still with Rajrani, she is naturally shattered. Her driving away nonstop may have been perceived by some as being rash. But what else was she supposed to do? She has managed the getaway and to stop would be suicidal. At that time, in that situation, there was no stopping. Anyway, the media glare is now on them and at a time when they need to do this together, the HD trademark, The Slap, is used. By Rishi. He is by now at the end of his tether. He does not know what is going on. He does not know what his wife is thinking. His daughter's life is hanging from a very thin thread. He says things to her which he knows are not true. In calmer moments, he will regret saying them. But his reaction, The Slap, occurred when Indira asked "Indu kaisi hai? Kahan hai?" The slap was almost as if to ask "How do you think she will be? What were you thinking when you drove off like that?"
But here, although I do understand his predicament and his frustration, but slapping your wife is not cool at all. Especially in public. Its fine to ask her questions, its fine to express your displeasure, but its not okay to slap. He asks for the chip once more and again, this time too, she does not part with it. Because Rajrani calls her and provokes her. Challenges her. All this time, Rishi keeps asking her for the chip and she does not give it. Instead, in a very public manner, she challenges Rajrani right back. Rishi is naturally upset and openly asks her whether he will sacrifice Indu in the attempt to get Rajrani arrested and Indira says yes after considerable struggle. Indu sees this and her hate is further cemented.
Now this is the part where the already shaky plot just crumbles. The remaining girls have already been rescued. That part of the mission has been achieved. Now, even if she has to bring Rajrani to her knees and uproot her, there is this stubborn insistence on publicly playing the video in the presence of the press.
The lack of trust and communication between Inshi was reiterated during the press conference scene when she asks Rishi for his unconditional support but does not share her plan of action with him. Surely she can sense his tension and irritation at having to risk their daughter's life. Surely she could have uttered a few words to make him feel better. She does reassure him. Tells him that "Indu ka baal bhi baanka nahin hoga". When she said this, I found myself asking "How? How're you going to do it? I want to know not because I do not trust you but because I want to know how I can help you." But she expects silent, unflinching support with no questions asked. Had this been a project deadline or property matter, she would have had that kind of support -- no questions asked. But this was their only child's life at stake. Too big a situation to walk into with eyes closed. This was a display of lack of trust from Rishi's side.
The result of this lapse in communication is that she does not have Rishi's cooperation. Instead, he not only uses hurtful words on her, he resorts to trickery to get the chip from her. He has to resort to trickery because he does not know what she is thinking, they aren't communicating, and he is fundamentally in disagreement with her method. Rajrani makes an appearance at the venue and Indu is still captive. So, Rishi does what they ought to have done right in the beginning. Negotiate. He shows Rajrani the chip and begins a negotiation. You want the chip, I want my daughter. Meet me later.
Indira is feeling let down at being tricked and reacts angrily. By slapping Ishaan. And saying things like "Aap sab ne mujhe dhoka diya...use jisne aap sabko barson se paala hai". This, I think, is my primary problem with Indira and I would like to quote her own words "Izzat maangi nahin jaati...kamayi jaati hai". Whenever she reminds her family about the million things she has done for them at the expense of her own happiness, my connect with her instantly snaps. Just my problem.
Today's episode picked up where the last had ended. Today, Indira, in the course of gathering all the instruments that she is not going to use in the battle, continues her tirade against her family. She declares herself as a responsible mother and for good measure, tells them that she does not need to learn from them how to be a good mother. Now, at this late stage, she shares what she had planned for Indu's rescue. In the meantime, Rishi becomes victim to Rajrani's manipulation and is the damsel in distress. All of Indira's fears are realized and he and Indu are both captive. But all is not lost. The Police Commissioner, Vanraj, and the entire Sharma parivaar are on Indira's side.
Indira and her parivaar reach Rajrani's den to get a confession out of her. The entire family acts as though the only thing they want is to get rid of Indira. And Rajrani buys it. Suddenly, they turn her from the kingpin of a flesh trade racket into some naive sort of caricature who falls for some nautanki by a random family. Rishi, hand bound, was relegated to a chair and uttered only one line: "Rajrani, chod de meri biwi ko!"
Anyway, revenge was exacted for the chappals that Indira Rishi Kumar showered on Rajrani. She slaps her with her mojri. And begins her confession. This confession, as per Indira's original plan, is relayed directly to the press through a camera fixed into the rubberband in her plait and is telecast live on TV. Rajrani was standing less than three inches away from Indira, but did not notice the camera. She did not sense that anything was amiss either.
The hallmark of today's episode was some awful writing. All the buildup in the earlier two episodes was wasted on an end like this. Rishi and Rajrani were caricatured. Upcoming track is Indu's hatred of her mother. At that time, I am sure, the writers will make Rishi do nothing to bridge the gap between mother and daughter. More atyachar coming up!
A huge thank you to whoever read this post till the end. My apologies for inflicting myself on you in this manner, but I figured that if you are going to get a week's reprieve from me, then I might be able to get away with this 😉
