The 'I' in the CHOICE

Deepika once received a lot of flake for the 'My Choice' video on the internet. The comment section of that YT video is basically a reflection of what our society thinks about what the choices should be for a woman. Choices should be binary, this or that. If you dare think of a third, God save you.

This show is a conundrum of choices that the characters make by themselves for themselves or others without realizing how it effects the others. I will not get into the choices made by the OGs : Aditya, Imlie and Manini. That rant will go for ages.

But stopping the wedding on 6th phera and giving a way out to the bride. Was that really a choice.. does that really undo the wrong that Aryan did to Imlie by forcing his way to the wedding? Partially, maybe but not entirely. What he basically did was give her a way out but not really. And knowing the dynamic and effect of family in Imlie's life, he should have been more vocal when she came back with Meethi. Really, giving a way out before the last phera in long run is as impactful as him deleting the Aditya's msg during Adini wedding in the long run. I think things would have still gone as it had. There is always the argument that Aryan had with his alter ego, Imlie should choose herself. She always had the choice to choose herself and fight to free Aditya by going toe to toe with Aryan. She chose the easy way out to free him by agreeing to Aryan's fake wedding, because she couldn't abide a single day of hardship for the precious T family.

Just like she was pissed off by Aryan for buying the house in her name for all of 2hot min and the next scene was happily redecorating the same house that Aryan bought for her with the T family. Because again that was the easy way out. and God forbid the T's cried for a single day.

Imlie cannot abide being a tool in Aryan's revenge plan then, why not challenge him in her workplace, rather than being a tool and resenting it and playing victim. Why Imlie and the makers cannot think of a choice outside the binary of marriage to 'him' or that marriage to the other 'him' ? (The fact the other guy was not even divorced a second time yet and still was proposing with a whole cult egging him on was nauseating)

Why would it be so catastrophic for a Female lead in a show to choose 'I' when given a choice? Why alter ego Aru had to go a soapy sappy and defend Imlie's mahanta in choosing others while destroying herself? What was attractive about Aryan was that he dropped truth bombs in his lessons to Imlie about doing what was right while also having a self esteem and self worth. That inner monologue was great and it served the purpose but I hated the makers trying to justify what at this point is enabling of a cult of people refusing to stand up for themselves by Imlie.

I know that they get several scripts taking the story in different directions and then fixate on one and then change the narrative to fit that story line. I wonder what kind of story line they were given by that one guy in writing team who said.."What if, Imlie chooses herself and just walks out on the wedding at the 7th phera, truly taking her chance" Or maybe the storyline where " Imlie refuses to marry Rathore and challenges him in his own game". How was that guy/gal shut down by the PH.. "Heroine chooses herself ..Huhhhhh..but we never gave that choice na.. its either A) Sasural T or B) Sasural R....Kuch bhi, Choice diya to kuch bhi choose karegi kya. She needs to choose a husband. She is a woman after all. Let the 'I' only stay in spellings..Either for the Show's leads name or the spelling of CHOICE itself."

What I mean is was there ever a Choice for her? Me thinks NOT.

SHE HAD A CHOICE... SHE HAD A VERY CLEAR CHOICE.

Okay let me explain. Choices are in most cases binary, to do or not to do, ta accept or to not accept, to call or to not call, to eat or to not eat. Every second of our lives we are making choices. Like now I am making a very bad and self detrimental choice of drafting this post and not working (like I should be) instead.

Every action in life is a choice. In most cases they are so trivial and we make them everyday so we do not think twice. These choices are in most cases binary (sometimes they are not but I will get into that later)

Her Imlie's choice was restricted by and interaction with a third party (Aryan). If he wouldn't be in the picture she would have alternatives that would have made the decision making non- binary but him being there limited her choices. How?

He wanted revenge, the only way he would stop was if she married him. If he did not want revenge she wouldn't have had to make the choice. But do you see that this arguement can be made for anything? Oh if there was no law I could drink alcohol at 14 - every interaction/institution in some way creates or restricts choices. When you are surrounded wit people it is a given to have restricted choices. You can't blame anyone for that.

Aryan said a dialogue and I swear it is so accurate because my god does she not self victimise. Aryan said "bekaar mein victim ban na band karo" and if that does not describe Imlie right now I don't know what does. Because the woman blames everyone but herself and this entire situation is mostly her fault. Her predicament was her choice.

Forget the last phera the woman had a choice from day 1. SHE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE. But she just refuses to take it and then blames everyone else for it.

Originally posted by: Wanderbug

But stopping the wedding on 6th phera and giving a way out to the bride. Was that really a choice.. does that really undo the wrong that Aryan did to Imlie by forcing his way to the wedding?

Aryan did not put a gun on her head and forced her to marry him. he offered her a choice that too when SHE went to him with folded hands and with the demeanour of a defeated person. Aryan made an offer to a desperate Imlie who had come to him. Imlie being dumb and thick headed interpreted that as his revenge despite hime telling her not once not twice but THRICE that he would never use her. She chooses to disregard all his previous actions and assume this to be revenge so that is on HER and HER STUPIDITY!

Imlie and her idiotic tactics just infuriate me to no end.

Originally posted by: lovereading14

SHE HAD A CHOICE... SHE HAD A VERY CLEAR CHOICE.

Okay let me explain. Choices are in most cases binary, to do or not to do, ta accept or to not accept, to call or to not call, to eat or to not eat. Every second of our lives we are making choices. Like now I am making a very bad and self detrimental choice of drafting this post and not working (like I should be) instead.

Every action in life is a choice. In most cases they are so trivial and we make them everyday so we do not think twice. These choices are in most cases binary (sometimes they are not but I will get into that later)

Her Imlie's choice was restricted by and interaction with a third party (Aryan). If he wouldn't be in the picture she would have alternatives that would have made the decision making non- binary but him being there limited her choices. How?

He wanted revenge, the only way he would stop was if she married him. If he did not want revenge she wouldn't have had to make the choice. But do you see that this arguement can be made for anything? Oh if there was no law I could drink alcohol at 14 - every interaction/institution in some way creates or restricts choices. When you are surrounded wit people it is a given to have restricted choices. You can't blame anyone for that.

Aryan said a dialogue and I swear it is so accurate because my god does she not self victimise. Aryan said "bekaar mein victim ban na band karo" and if that does not describe Imlie right now I don't know what does. Because the woman blames everyone but herself and this entire situation is mostly her fault. Her predicament was her choice.

Forget the last phera the woman had a choice from day 1. SHE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE. But she just refuses to take it and then blames everyone else for it.

Aryan did not put a gun on her head and forced her to marry him. he offered her a choice that too when SHE went to him with folded hands and with the demeanour of a defeated person. Aryan made an offer to a desperate Imlie who had come to him. Imlie being dumb and thick headed interpreted that as his revenge despite hime telling her not once not twice but THRICE that he would never use her. She chooses to disregard all his previous actions and assume this to be revenge so that is on HER and HER STUPIDITY!

Imlie and her idiotic tactics just infuriate me to no end.

💯 Agreed to each and every word of this 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I think what we are forgetting is that every choice has a cost. You can say there is no choice bec you don't want to pay the cost.

She always had the choice to tell him to go take a hike. She has no duty to her ex.. And oh! I'm doing this for my family of tripathi was a weak reason always

And let's not forget that even after the sixth phera, she did choose. She LEFT.

Despite the consequences, without any explanation or fear of consequences on others she left (as she should have).. She had a choice and she used it. So there was a choice and she chose to stop the marriage.

She could have told mitthi No. Mitthi was not dragging her to the alter kicking and screaming. If she was going to break the relationship with her mother toh pehle todh leti, baat maanke todhne ka kya phayda?

She is in complete self righteous and victim mode. I did the right thing. I did it to protect my family. I did it to utaaro maa ka karz. I'm right everyone betrays me. Oh woe is me. And she is now taking it out on aryan.

Sorry I'm of the opinion she had the choice always, the fact that she chooses others is her biggest asset and biggest liability.

In war and business knowing the weakness of your enemy/opponent and using it to your advantage is considered strategy. That's what Aryan did, and he taught her that as well.

So while making the deal he was a businessman, but his alter ego reminded him that no, with imlie he's a lover. And a lover wouldn't take advantage of his woman no matter the cost. Hence he freed her albeit at the last moment.

How effective it was, is debatable yes. But I've never found him in the wrong for the most part.

And about imlie, the lesser said the better.

Imlie had a choice, from the day 1 of deal. But it was her who used her choice at 7th Phera. Makers never told about two choices, either be Bahu of T clan or R clan. It was Aryan who assumed that if She is not tied up to someone, one day she will be dragged back by AKT. So he chose to be that someone to whom he wants her to be tied up on. Imlie never told that she will go back to AKT. Aryan and through his thoughts we the audience decided that she will eventually go back to AKT

Imlie chose the easy way to accept the deal, and chose herself at 7th Phera, when again her mother played her card, she gave in and started playing victim card.

Originally posted by: lovereading14

SHE HAD A CHOICE... SHE HAD A VERY CLEAR CHOICE.

Okay let me explain. Choices are in most cases binary, to do or not to do, ta accept or to not accept, to call or to not call, to eat or to not eat. Every second of our lives we are making choices. Like now I am making a very bad and self detrimental choice of drafting this post and not working (like I should be) instead.

Every action in life is a choice. In most cases they are so trivial and we make them everyday so we do not think twice. These choices are in most cases binary (sometimes they are not but I will get into that later)

Her Imlie's choice was restricted by and interaction with a third party (Aryan). If he wouldn't be in the picture she would have alternatives that would have made the decision making non- binary but him being there limited her choices. How?

He wanted revenge, the only way he would stop was if she married him. If he did not want revenge she wouldn't have had to make the choice. But do you see that this arguement can be made for anything? Oh if there was no law I could drink alcohol at 14 - every interaction/institution in some way creates or restricts choices. When you are surrounded wit people it is a given to have restricted choices. You can't blame anyone for that.

Aryan said a dialogue and I swear it is so accurate because my god does she not self victimise. Aryan said "bekaar mein victim ban na band karo" and if that does not describe Imlie right now I don't know what does. Because the woman blames everyone but herself and this entire situation is mostly her fault. Her predicament was her choice.

Forget the last phera the woman had a choice from day 1. SHE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE. But she just refuses to take it and then blames everyone else for it.

Aryan did not put a gun on her head and forced her to marry him. he offered her a choice that too when SHE went to him with folded hands and with the demeanour of a defeated person. Aryan made an offer to a desperate Imlie who had come to him. Imlie being dumb and thick headed interpreted that as his revenge despite hime telling her not once not twice but THRICE that he would never use her. She chooses to disregard all his previous actions and assume this to be revenge so that is on HER and HER STUPIDITY!

Imlie and her idiotic tactics just infuriate me to no end.

Excellent post. My Point seems to be lost in translation. I was more questioning the writer's choice to finally let the wedding happen as it did. Why couldn't they have chosen a way without Imlie being a mahan atma to save the Tripathi's. I was pissed that she left on the 7th phera only when Aryan promised to take back his shart. This make the woman a bahu ASAP is the only way for them to move anything forward. Why don't we ever see a track where in a mandap after all teh rituals there is no wedding between the leads?

Originally posted by: lovereading14

SHE HAD A CHOICE... SHE HAD A VERY CLEAR CHOICE.

Okay let me explain. Choices are in most cases binary, to do or not to do, ta accept or to not accept, to call or to not call, to eat or to not eat. Every second of our lives we are making choices. Like now I am making a very bad and self detrimental choice of drafting this post and not working (like I should be) instead.

Every action in life is a choice. In most cases they are so trivial and we make them everyday so we do not think twice. These choices are in most cases binary (sometimes they are not but I will get into that later)

Her Imlie's choice was restricted by and interaction with a third party (Aryan). If he wouldn't be in the picture she would have alternatives that would have made the decision making non- binary but him being there limited her choices. How?

He wanted revenge, the only way he would stop was if she married him. If he did not want revenge she wouldn't have had to make the choice. But do you see that this arguement can be made for anything? Oh if there was no law I could drink alcohol at 14 - every interaction/institution in some way creates or restricts choices. When you are surrounded wit people it is a given to have restricted choices. You can't blame anyone for that.

Aryan said a dialogue and I swear it is so accurate because my god does she not self victimise. Aryan said "bekaar mein victim ban na band karo" and if that does not describe Imlie right now I don't know what does. Because the woman blames everyone but herself and this entire situation is mostly her fault. Her predicament was her choice.

Forget the last phera the woman had a choice from day 1. SHE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE. But she just refuses to take it and then blames everyone else for it.

Aryan did not put a gun on her head and forced her to marry him. he offered her a choice that too when SHE went to him with folded hands and with the demeanour of a defeated person. Aryan made an offer to a desperate Imlie who had come to him. Imlie being dumb and thick headed interpreted that as his revenge despite hime telling her not once not twice but THRICE that he would never use her. She chooses to disregard all his previous actions and assume this to be revenge so that is on HER and HER STUPIDITY!

Imlie and her idiotic tactics just infuriate me to no end.

I totally agree to every single word you said. 👏

If I'm not blinded by rage because of today's episode and few things happening at my house, i too would've given a similar answer. You're the voice of sanity my friend. You said the harsh truth. But alas, this is ITV we'll never get out of this victim syndrome of FL and her introspecting her actions. It's too much to ask for. Because TRP audience are mostly aunties who also each and everyday think of themselves and only themselves as victims and never own up to their mistakes. I'm telling this from personal experience. I'm not married yet but I too used to have this victim syndrome and thinking I'm always right like imlie but I'm a kind of person who introspect her actions a lot and learn from experiences and i can proudly say that I've grown a lot. That's why I'm too attached to this show because somewhere i relate my old self to imlie and my present self to Aryan. So i badly want imlie to progress and Aryan's character to not be butchered. But again this is ITV, Aryan will be butchered like akt after few episodes for sure because ITV shows survive only when male leads are super flawed like akt and female lead being the mahaan Devi always forgiving and taking back the abusive husband. Though I pray that Aryan's character won't be made like typical ML later on but i definitely see it coming after few 100-150 episodes.

Originally posted by: SundariP

Sorry I'm of the opinion she had the choice always, the fact that she chooses others is her biggest asset and biggest liability.

In war and business knowing the weakness of your enemy and using it to your advantage is considered strategy. That's what Aryan did, and he taught her that as well.

So while making the deal he was a businessman, but his alter ego reminded him that no, with imlie he's a lover. And a lover wouldn't take advantage of his woman no matter the cost. Hence he freed her albeit at the last moment.

How effective it was, is debatable yes. But I've never found him in the wrong for the most part.

And about imlie, the lesser said the better.

Last line denotes frustration of all of us with Imlie's character arc at this point of time 🤣

Originally posted by: Wanderbug

Excellent post. My Point seems to be lost in translation. I was more questioning the writer's choice to finally let the wedding happen as it did. Why couldn't they have chosen a way without Imlie being a mahan atma to save the Tripathi's. I was pissed that she left on the 7th phera only when Aryan promised to take back his shart. This make the woman a bahu ASAP is the only way for them to move anything forward. Why don't we ever see a track where in a mandap after all teh rituals there is no wedding between the leads?

I think @delphi1 answers your actual question... TRP my friend. It is all for TRP's

The TRP audience probably cannot handle a different characterisation of Imlie and hence this mahaanta sh*t.