We needed this, you know. Like a slap across the face, when you are hysterical, or bitter karela for dinner, after biryani. WE needed to remind ourselves as we floated around on the "pheels" of the past episodes, that there is an outside world, and our hero-- well, he lives in it.
Do we blame SSO? No. Damn you, Gul, because for once, you have given me a hero I cant actually hate for what he feels, wants, says. Because he is real. Not ASR, with the blind hate, not Maan, with the ..hell, I don't even know. Not Sahir, with the pathological cruelty. Shivaay Singh Oberoi is not cruel. He does not blindly hate. He is a loving family man, a pretty decent boyfriend, and, (barring some random acts of extreme violence and deep mania) -- even a considerate husband to his unwanted wife.
But he is also-- Shivaay Singh Oberoi. The Oberoi family' s scion. the one who's child must be a blue blood, the one who needs a princess, not a peasant. He is a part of something bigger, something more. That is after all, the truth. He reminded us that, today, with not one word spoken. We audience, we put blinders on, a little like how Shivaay did. We let ourselves dream, a little like how Anika did. That her love, support, her loyalty and her spirit would be enough. But its not, yeah? Nor is his attraction, his fascination, his tenderness enough.
Its not. The Oberoi Mansion and his bedroom, the poolside and his family--- that is the range of his rishta with Anika. But that is not a marriage. He has a reason to declare Tia his spouse. Because (barring the fact she's nuts) that is the spouse he truly needs, and should even expect to have.
Outside the mansion, beyond their bedroom, no matter what Shivaay says to Anika, no matter what she means to him -- every word Tej said, about the dreams and ideals, expectations and family background someone like Shivaay Singh Oberoi has for his life partner-- the Shivaay of today, 200 episodes in--agrees Anika does not have those things. And--no matter what else she is offering---its those things she doesn't have, that matter.
And Shivaay-he still wants those things. Know that. Accept that. Those things that Tej says he should have--he wants them. A girl with naam, khoon, khandan status, class. A girl with the lineage and the ability to set up his business, take him to heights. Anika is not what he wants. Those things--- not one of them--- can be fulfilled by Anika. The entire family knows it to be true, not just Shivaay.
And, for the first time, Anika felt that truth, for herself today.
I know all we saw today was an eye lock, but to carry the story forward (if they do it right, praise God), that eye lock should tell us everything. And bring us (and Anika) back down with a thud. Nothing has changed, because the essential Shivaay has not changed. And her desperation from tomorrow, begging him to tell her he won't leave her --- I think that's a product of how disposable and small Tej showed her to be today. And Shivaay did it too, right? He cannot say to his Bade Papa, a man he has modeled himself on- Stop. NO. Don't mention her. Haq hai, uska, on this house, on me. That's my wife. Mera patni. Don't bring her up as an example of something small. She is not, she is my partner. My equal. I trust her, I believe in her. She is not an example of a SACRIFICE I made for my Oberoi name. She is my pride, my heart. I didn't give something up, when I got her. I got everything, when I got her.
He doesn't say this, because-- for her all that is true, right now. For him-- none of it is true, right now. The gap between where they are emotionally, how they see each other, got demonstrated for me today. She is clear, honest, and forthright. Don't leave me, you are my world. The only thing I have right now. Family. The one person I have a right on, who has given me what I crave. A home. I have lost that before, many times, in my life. I cannot bear to lose it again now, and lose you. My pati, my pride, my center. Don't leave me.
And today, I realized-- he will.
For him, she is someone a family member can casually insult, and he won't say a word -- because he agrees. I'm not angry. I'm not upset. But what I am is hopeful. Hopeful, because after all he's done, they didn't give us a real redemption of SSO yet. Today I got the sense, it is because he's not on his true path yet. Because, ladies-- he hasn't committed a big enough crime yet. But after tomorrow, when he goes back on both his promises, as we know he must---"Na mei kahi jaungi, na tumhe jaane dungi" when he does both of those things--- going away from her, letting her go away from him-- that is when his crime will deserve the payment of her loss.
When he breaks the most elemental promise she asks of him, and does so regretfully, with his eyes open, and not because of some misunderstanding or blackmailing ex, that is when she will leave. This was not our Shivika romance track. Not yet. She has far to go, and more to suffer, more losses to live through. And he..AH. He has to actually get what he thinks he wants, and see if he likes it. He will lose her, and he won't get her back, not without going through a trial by fire, to emerge as a different man than the proud Oberoi we saw today.
I hope, then, Shivaay will remember Tej's words today. And will recall his own silence, as he heard them spoken. And then, when he has finally done the unforgivable, he will see-- what seems so much more important than Anika, when he has her now, is ashes and dust when he everything else--naam , khoon, khandan, all of it in the future-- but doesn't have Anika by his side.
Shiv Shakti
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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