I am glad to see that for once they portrayed an ex as a genial, affectionate person who will be a lovely memory always- otherwise, in Indian Television, an ex-girlfriend is synonymous with a vamp.
And Malika seems to be the only one who can be this frank with Shivaay and call him out on his shit- If this doesn't justify the cameo, I don't see what does.
As an outsider who was just exposed to the ShivIka dynamic, she could see what only OmRu could...that there is something undefined and beautiful that is sprouting between Shivaay and Anika. Her letter to Anika which encouraged her to hope for love was just beautiful, and so was her advice to Shivaay to find someone who would make him happy...rather than looking at external trappings of wealth and power.
In any case, I do think the cameo was stretched and the plot revolving around Malika problematic and far from being perfect, but Gul did make some meaningful points about female empowerment in the interim, and also made Malika a device to make Shivaay introspect about his attitude towards Anika. If anything I applaud Gul for daring to show these things in a largely regressive TV space. Good job, Gul!
Coming to the precap...I also anticipated why Shivaay should want a housewife as his life partner- because if you look closely at the Oberoi family, all the women are cast into traditional roles; even Prinku does not get the privileges that her brothers get. It has always been implied that the Oberois are traditionalists.
And the very fact that Shivaay let go of someone like Malika and chose a flowerpot like Tia shows you that what kind of a partner he wants- someone who can be a social equal accompanying him to gatherings and bearing his children and furthering his bloodline- as sad as it sounds. As he says, all relationships, including marriage, is a deal for him🥱
If you are wondering about why Shivaay despite being a Cambridge-return should have an attitude like this- well, education does not automatically equate to enlightenment, does it? I guess he supports women empowerment as an abstract idea, but for himself prefers a partner who will merely be a wife and a mother. His takkar ka pyaar Anika will give him an education in this matter that he will never forget:)
Om, on the contrary is a sensitive man who has been privy to the sufferings of his mom. No wonder that he feels deeply about why women should have identities of their own. His mom does not have the freedom to make decisions because she is confined to being an Oberoi bahu...who is stuck in a dysfunctional marriage and has to deal with her husband's adultery.
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Anupamaa
CID
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
