IKRS 17th October 2015 ep 60 My Take.
One's room if one has one, is considered as one's marked territory and space. It can up to a certain point reflect the occupants personality encapsulated beyond a specified chronological order.It can give visitors a rough idea about the fads, foibles, fetishes of the person who inhabits the designated space.The room if it's retained in it's present state, can also be seen as a historical piece.A treasure trove of memories, of the way a person was.. one's room can stand as evidence of a learning curve in one's life.. Viplav' room..
Dashrant sends Dhani off to Viplav's room with dadi to see for herself how far apart she is from Viplav.. symbolic act that a widow/or a ex widow bride, steps into the house hold.. accompanied by an elder. Kanak challenges this ill omen action, as the house has been rendered unclean by the entry of the widow Dhani. On finding that this widow is destined to go her son Viplav's room unnerves her further. Kanak like Dashrant harbours a second class citizen attitude towards this vulnerable sect of their society. As a mother , she questions Sushma on the entry of this ill-fated girl into the house let alone her sons room. Sushma has built up some clout within herself ever since she is being backed by her husband. With much ease tells Kanak that the decision is not hers but Dashrant's. Kanak is further thrown off course ,as she is baffled by why Dashrant would allow Dhani in.?
Entering Viplav's roomfor Dhani is a novel experience.. The room is rakhsas's room.. The very troublesome ,irritating, incorrigible , yet well- meaning rakhsas.. It is not a hell hole but neat and tidy. As she is asked to sit on the bed and wait by dadi. Dhani feels the firm bed, and she compares he where is having to sleep at the ashram. The walls hold examples of his interest , the shots he took at perhaps his favourite game.. The pressed suits he wore. So this is viplav's room his private territory, a mirror of his personality. But Dhani looks and realizes her rakhsas is a lot more than what his rooms restricts him to be. His humour , his sense of duty of care to the vulnerable , his desire to add colours , joy and spirit to the disaffected!.. is nowhere visible in the four walls of his den! Dadi returns and gives tokens of her love for not just Viplav but for all the widows of ashram.. Dhani can appreciate now where her rakhsas's sense of sharing joy with others comes from.. His dadi, whom he refers to as his best friend..
That rakhsas! in his new room flicks popcorn up in the air and catches it in his mouth.. life is one big relaxation he laughs and interacts with his gizmo! Pure time pass ! till he looks around and some guilt creeps into him as he sees his shoes , socks , bedding all in a mess! he recalls Dhani's weighty words we need to attend to the minutest of things.. she is on his case even in her absence! He will have to shake a leg and tidy up this place!.. before mother India, Benaras ki Dhani returns and jumps on his case with strong words and bold looks!
Dadi notices that Dhani seems to be taken aback a bit by the neatness of Viplav's room, she reveals that don't be misled as when he lives in it he turns it topsy turvy! in her innocence Dhani admits she knows the feeling as she tidies up his mess after him,that her grandson creates in the room in the Ashram... he scatters things everywhere, so she knows his nature. Dadi gives Dhani a benign smile as she discovers this girl looks out for her dearest Viplav. Viplav's disorderly side connects these two..
Viplav gets a shot of activation and frantically ,he clears and tidies up his sleeping quarters.. soon his highly charged exuberance loses steam and he stops!
Dadi smiles ,she knows everything ..she would, muses Dhani , he shares everything with her.. dadi giggles .he calls you a bag of complains, doesn't he? dadi confesses ,that ever since Viplav left for the Ashram she has naught to do, when he was here he created so much work for her..now she sits around idle all day long. they leave to meet dada ji downstairs. Before she leaves for downstairs Dhani gives rakhsas's room one last look from the outside.. why is he giving up such a comfortable life ?does he suffocate here??and prefers to experience .. how the other half live?
Kanak drags her husband Shambu and demands an explanation from Dashrant, for why this widow is allowed to enter the house? she has now defiled by setting foot in the house.. Dashrant puts Kanak in her place by reminding her ,had she used her brain in the first place things wouldn't have got to this stage! Dashrant on the other hand, greets Dhani with a huge smile as she comes out of the front door with dadi. He in particular sends his love and gift for Viplav. Dadi gives the food and wishes it to be shared amongst all. Shambu too sends his love to his son. On one hand, Dashrant seems to tolerate Dhani as a vital link between him and Viplav, thus shows her respect before his family. On the other he gives veiled taunts to Dhani about how they all show great care in preparing food for Viplav. Dhani recalls, what Viplav's reaction was when he was served boiled bland potatoes. If only she could tell his family how well he has embraced even the tastes of the humble diet of the Ashram.How well he has adapted his palate, in fact rakhsas even has stretched his skills and can cook as well! if Dashrant aims to belittle Dhani.. Dhani actually exemplifies Viplav's image in her own eyes!
Viplav efforts to impress Dhani are thwarted! Back at the Ashram the tidyup freak Viplav! folds his counterpane and Suvarna turns up; grabs the bedding from him and he turns her help down and says , that women are on the go all day, that's why women power is much talked about. He too has decided to walk in their footsteps and will exercise self- reliance and insists he is capable of clearing up himself. Suvarna says, she's come to get him for food ,he replies he's stuffed with popcorn so won't any more now! she leaves and he closes the door. Almost immediately the door flings open! and he yells haven't I told you! Dhani stands in the door way and assumes Suvarna has tied up his room and he sneers, he has a pair of hands.. besides, she had told him to do his own work ,so he did!.. Dhani pulls a face as she sees everything in place in the room.. he is confused , did I not do the right thing? she says , it's fine.. just come down for food.
Whatever next? it's Viplav the mop man! he comes dancing down the stairs with a mop and bucket and starts to mop the floor.. Dulari goes in shock! begs him he cannot be doing what he's doing! he wants to know why? she says men don't do cleaning and moping and he wants to know who said so? she replies , the elders have said so because if that happens the goddess Laxmi leaves that house. and he argues.. oohh. But it's the elders who said that! but we are of the new age with modern thinking kaki! besides you never stop Dhani from doing these chores so why stop me..he wants Dulari to point out Dhani's gender ,hence she's allowed...Dulari gives up and goes to Inderani helplessly. Viplav continues but suddenly Dhani grabs the mop handle and he glares down at her and they test their strength against each other their palms gripped on the handle..its more I want to mop this place with Viplav!! and with Dhani it's a man mopping is unacceptable! She says firmly, leave it.. and he shrugs his shoulders as if to say she frightens the living day lights out of him!! look no one says anything to me as I live here.. as for you you are only a guest you're here only for a few days.. and everyone will blame us , we make people slog in the Ashram.. in a huff he turns to the rest of the widows , is he not their well-wisher? Then he turns to Dhani and says, he knows he's a guest , she doesn't have to rub it in! that's why I want to be of some use ,he snatches the handle from her and pulls a nasty face at her, what stigma rubbish! he doesn't think like that! she says, she doesn't want to argue with him, and she gives him a gift from his dada ji ,he's overjoyed and tells her after many days she's given him back his favourite fragrance and sprays himself and the other widows !dhani . gives him ladoo and food.. made with dadi's love and it's not an offering.. Dhani says dadi wants it to be shared it will give her joy.. Viplav tells her, sounds like her thinking is undergoing a change and becoming more like how he thinks.
A knock on the door and dada ji carts off Viplav's stuff to the Ashram , and his jeep too that it is parked before the house and Viplav says happily , he is ecstatic today as his dadi ji knows about all his wants. I was disappointed as I expected him to return the things ,but Viplav kept them instead? This is left open ended.. or it is Dashrant wants the widows to see as well how different Viplav's lifestyle is from theirs? Seeing that Dhani had already been to his room and the widows hadn't.
Viplav entertains them by showing them a movie through his projector and white sari as a screen. The home film experience is a fun activity for all..this is like Viplav brings in his leisure pastime into the Ashram to spread joy. Dashrant sent Viplav's stuff over to belittle the widows but Viplav uses his stuff to give an experience to the widows which they have never had ..recently. while the rest enjoy the film.. Dhani muses.. it's clear Viplav babu you are not staying here for your fees.. you have given up all your family ,your interests and comforts and are staying here with us.. that too with out any compliants .. there is definitely something? Dhani muses ..you brought happiness in our lives ,are sharing our sufferings.. are helping us ,you're doing so much..on the other hand what have we given you except a sorrowful life ,dis comfort.. they all clap as the film ends but Dhani sits all morose.. he prattles on about their restaurant experience. Sita maa shares she saw a film some forty years ago..with her husband and Viplav promises every week he'll show them a film.. Sita mai blesses him ,may you be smile forever .. Viplav says he'll have to go now as he's off to his friends birthday party..
He goes to his room to change and Dhani follows him.. listen! and he teases ,he can get ready himself! and he sees her staring at is face intensely ,and he asks ,what is it? look after showing you such a nice film ,you can't smile then you're a gone case! Dhani continues to stare at him..he looks down and says you haven't even changed your bandage ,must be wet with all the work you do.. anyway here have a water proof band aid for you! and he gives it to her and says, water won't seep through it's waterproof band aid.. Dhani asks suddenly.. why does he want to see her happy? and after some thought he replies , because he is her best friend! and she challenges him ,this not the correct answer ,he replies ,this is the best I can come up with at the moment!! I have to change and go out.. but Dhani argues, tell me the truth.. and he says, bring the Geeta , I 'll swear on it that I will speak the truth and nothing but the truth.. will you believe then? Dhani asks him ,why are you staying here with us? he teases ,why have you arranged for the money? Dhani retorts why are you fooling us? if you one once your dada ji can give you loads of money so tell me why are you staying with us? he fobs her off good question but can't answer it right now , you know I've got to get ready and go out and he wants to gently push her out but she carries on , do you realize how much your family misses you? your dadaji his eyes get tearful the moment your name is mentioned..your dadi utters your name in ,why are you staying here ? why don't you return to your family ?why are you living with us? he looks at her face, rolls her eyes and then sits down and Dhani waits for answer .. tell me.. and Viplav replies , do you want the truth? I .. you... thing is I realized some time ago that all the problems you suffered were due to my cheap joke..you had to bear so much hurt.. even the rest of the widows so I decided that I should tke a chagne to rectify my mistake..thought may be I can bring happiness in your life..at least I can try.. so I decided to come here to stay. This was true my intent.. Dhani looks disenchanted ..and he gets up opens his arms and she looks up into his eyes sullenly and he and now I' really must get ready and sends her out of his room and gently closes the door on her face.. she stands against his closed door and muses.. you don't realize vakil babu you make me feel like such a big sinner ,by living at the Ashram..
Basically I see in this episode that dashrant's plan of sending Dhani off to Viplav's room has back fired.. no! she doesn't feel disparaged or demeaned in status when compared to Viplav.. what happens is that Dhani begins to appreciate Viplav's efforts towards the Ashram and widows,even more. Further more deeper emotional questions are raised about the real reason Viplav tarries at the Ashram? there is hope in Dhani's heart.. a hope she daren't even talk about ,let alone think about. There is nasty feeling of guilt in her ,that she may be the reason in keeping him away from his loved ones! But why her? she is not stopping him? then what is??..hamlet53 18.10.15
Have a super sunday.. mine is half way already.. the sun is shining.. love hammie
Precap: Dulari says to Dhani ,why have you got up so late? and Dhani says , we stayed up to make flower garlands so couldn't wake up.. Dulari is livid and she says , I can't say anything to him , but why do you keep following him around? you better watch it Dhani ,otherwise I'll throttle you and bury you right here in the Ashram.. Dhani says , I understand your sentiments ,but I can't make my mother unhappy , you'll have to go back to your family..
Kumkum Bhagya
Anupamaa
