Director's Cut - August 21, 2012

By the poolside, as Arnav leans in again to kiss her, Khushi sees a dark shadow and hears footsteps. She pushes him away and then takes his hand and leads him downstairs to join the rest of the people. How easily she did that! And how quietly he followed his biwi(-to-be)! They have both seen this shadow, and yet they are too distracted to even exchange notes on it. All they have eyes and ears for are each other, now. Even though they do surface every once in a while, their entire being is tuned in only to each other, they are as deep in love as can be!

The festivities have continued downstairs, and Payal drags Khushi away. Arnav goes to his sister. The whole family gathers around her as he asks HP to get her some milk! WHY is the family always looking like she will drop dead if she sits down? Is she really that delicate? Has nobody in the family had a baby before? Well - I guess its been a while considering that Akash (who would have been the last baby in the family) is all of 25+ years. Besides Arnav always tends to overreact with his Di. He tells Khushi to sit next to her while he gets her meds. Khushi is whom he trusts his Di with - now that they are almost husband and wife (again) they share the responsibility of Di's well-being equally! He gets the meds, she gets the water, while everybody else gathers around. The Queen Bee is still firmly established, but she has now allowed the drone to bring the newbie into the hive and welcomed her as well.

But what of Shyam? Has the Queen Bee reinstated him in the hive without knowledge of her brother, or is she ignorant of his comings and goings? He has now changed her meds, and when she takes them, his first diabolic step is complete. Wait for the next - when she will need a doctor.

That night a nurse shows up at the Gupta house. She has been sent by a loving son-in-law who doesn't want his mother-in-law to miss out on her daughter's wedding rituals. The thoughtfulness of the gesture is like a noose tightening around Garima's neck. She has nowhere to go, but tell Khushi the truth. Why is it important for Khushi to know the 'truth'? We will have to wait to find out.

In the meantime, Khushi is thrilled at this gesture from Arnav. He is a man of action, and he does what is required, and hang the consequences. She calls him up to thank him. Contrary to the man who was almost-kissing her by the poolside, he is now catching up on work (finally) and being most unromantic. Like a true film buff, she wants him to reply to her romantically! She tells him he should have said he was lying on the bed, looking at the stars. In his typical no-nonsense way, he says there are too many clouds in the sky to even see the stars. Is that an omen for them? The skies are covered with clouds, and their parents cannot see them. They cannot see their children, happily laughing, talking to each other, teasing each other. The cannot see their children dreaming dreams of each other tonight. They cannot see their children to protect them from the clouds that are surely gathering over their happiness.

The next day is the worship of Kul Devi. Arnav has decided to go to the temple so he can be with Khushi and her family. But before that, he finds out that Anjali's credit card has been used to buy camera equipment. Anjali tells him her card is missing. He assures her there's nothing to worry about - he'll cancel the card, and makes sure she takes the car to wherever she is going. As she steps away, she is nervously fingering her phone. We know Shyam bought that equipment, did she give him her card, which is why she now has to warn him that Arnav is canceling it - i.e. the cash flow is stopping again? Will that anger Shyam enough to smoke him out of his hidey hole - or will he continue his game regardless?

Arnav's desire to go the temple has the expected jaw-dropping effect on the family. Dadi overhears and decides she wants to go visit as well, so she might meet Khushi's missing parents. Nobody seems to recognize this almost obsessive desire that she has to meet Garima! The whole family show up at the temple (sans NK) and head up the stairs to meet the Guptas.

Buaji, Garima and Khushi are praying. Garima looks at Khushi with eyes that are desperate, lost and almost pleading. She seems to be wondering if this beautiful flower will be able to withstand the storms that are coming at her.

But Arnav is arriving. He finally walks into Devi Mayya's temple of his own free will - to be with Khushi - the one who was chosen for him and for whom he was chosen by that same Devi Mayya. And Garima has been protecting and keeping her safe for him all these years.

Dadi looks just plain disgusted. But then...

Dadi does not know the man that Arnav Singh Raizada is. She does not know that he is as beautiful inside as he is outside. She does not know that when he changed his name from Arnav Malik to Arnav Singh Raizada was when he determined to write his own destiny. And he has accepted that Khushi is his destiny! Kuan rokega mujhe?

The Jha family continues to play hide-and-seek with the Raizadas and the Maliks. The Gupta family's time is up and their hide-and-seek game is almost over. The Raizada clan is unaware of this history. Subhadra, it seems, keeps secrets from her best friend as well. The Maliks are also playing hide-and-seek with the Raizadas.

What will be revealed and what will not? Who will be caught and who will be safe?

And what will Arnav's reaction be? Will he have and hold his wife - for better and for worse?

After thought:

NK - what? sorry... the! the! - the cutest 'the' I've ever heard. 😛

Akash and Payal are now firmly bonded. They've stopped wearing pink and now have gone green. But it warms the heart to see them in normal conversations. Akash has also started taking decisions! HE is the one that wants to call Di to come to the temple - not Arnav. Both he and Payal seem to be bonding better with Arnav, and it shows in the little side conversations. Him coming over when the pandit arrives was just such a nice touch! Last time, Arnav was working at the wedding - this time he is returning the favor!😊

Payal mentioned how Khushi got 'uljhao'ed in fairy lights. If only she knew what we know.😳 The light scene is hopefully making a comeback. After all - this is a repeat telecast - puh-leejh!!

Barun's laugh - why do they always cut it out? He has a gorgeous laugh/chuckle and we've seen very little of it so far. Now that he is laughing out loud, can't they let us hear the sound of ASR laughing a bit more? 😡

ASR driving a (gulp!) fugly Toyota van?! 🤢 That is so not him! Please, please, give him a car at least - not this soccer mom vehicle! Please give him the SUV back! Please, please, pretty please!

Now Arnav and Anjali are wearing pink! Uh-oh! Glad the aviators have come back again, just like the cravat.. now if only the hair came back, and the clean-shaven look - life would be complete!!😆

Loved that they brought that Holi music back. I loved it the first time, and I love it every time I hear it. It's one of the best tracks on an outstanding music score. Although my all time favorite has to be the Bhangra ASR BG score (Arnav's akhara work out)! Sorry, Daiya-ho fans.

Saru - See what you've done? Now I'm doing the vamp thing.. Okay will stop after today. Promise. PINKY promise.. ooops! !😳