Yes, that was a very notable shift. She's been reacting harshly each time she's heard "Maa" from Imlie, but now it seems to be sinking in for her. The love that Imlie has been pouring in her "Maa" has finally started seeping through all the harsh walls that Aparna had built around herself.
I do like how they did this "Maa" arc.....Imlie started doing it per her own impulse without needing a grand mahurat or someone instructing her to call Aparna Maa.....she decided on her own that it was high time she fully owned this label towards Aparna with her due rights. Aparna bristled a bit initially but now she's starting to come around to getting used to it too cuz the love, the emotion associated with this bond between them has always been there beneath all the layers of hurt/anger. It wasn't something new Imlie had to build from scratch.....they had the bond of a mother-daughter before anything else.
Me too I am loving the evolution of this and the acceptance coming gradually aise ek dum achanak hi nahi directly palti maar li aparna ne she have had her phases and moments in this too baaki she knows too ke imlie kuch kehti hai toh karti hai woh bas faltu bakwaas nahi karti and dusra yes apaena is desperate to have her son back toh jo bhi usse itni bhi umeed dega she will listen but all this is establishing for her directly ke imlie asal main kya hai and she is able to see it bina wih naukrani wala patti she had tied to her eyes for so long and digest