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Episode 146
Ek aur kaam ...
Chup ! The final boundary erased ... Just like that ... Unknowingly, unintentionally, but with comfort, with Haq ... A bond strengthened ... She had tried to silence Lavanya, trying to pull the hanger out of her grasp ...
Equality, at the end of their time together. Both smile, caught in an unguarded moment ... Like battling sisters, like bickering friends, like equals, they had played tug of war with Lavanya's clothes. Khushi can not believe that Lavanyaji would just up and leave just like this ... How can it be over ... She will not let her leave ...
How far they have come ...
Chamkili and Lavanyaji ... A unlikely association ... Like oil and water ... Like Hindi and English ... Like Desi and Foreign ... Thrown together, both forced to be together, both agree under duress. They had stared out, worlds apart.
One, the dimpled, leggy, cosmopolitan girlfriend, the 'it' gal from London, who couldn't have been bothered with sparing two minutes of her precious time on someone as awkward and low society as Chamkili ... And the other, a wide eyed, fascinated, fearless, guileless, shud Hindi speaking beauty from Gomti Sadan.
Both confident and comfortable in their own skin. La, a self obsessed, wealthy, young, college educated, career woman, right on track with her life and goals. A top position in AR, a fabulous designer prescribed lifestyle ... Parties ... Clothes ... Shoes ... Handbags ... Spas ... A handsome boss boyfriend ... She has absolutely no desire to settle down ... Whatever for ?
And our girl ? The boundaries of her small world, diligently, lovingly circled by her indulgent Babuji, her watchful Amma and her doting Jiji ... and guarded by her faithfully abiding Devi Maiya. A world that had been brimming with happiness, filled with Chashni and Jalebeian ... A world with a textbook like scripted predictability ... Family, marriage, home, love, happiness ... In that order ... Simple aspirations of a simple girl ...
These two girls are flung together ... One who will do anything to sabotage the forced association and the other whose circumstances dictate that she be equally committed to the task ...
La's derisive, contemptuous, malicious, back stabbing campaign had quickly withered away, easily won over by Chamkili's steadfast, selfless, unfailing support. Khushi's goals had been clear and she had stayed focused. She had been hired to train Lavanya ... Humay iss liya laya gaya hai ki Naniji aap say khush ho sakay aur aap aur Aranvji jeh ghar chod kar na jayan, aur is kay liya humay Jo karna paday, hum karangay.
And now, they quarrel like old friends ... Friends that have found love and respect for each other, friends who had strengthen their bond though each spectacularly failed, harebrained scheme, friends who look out for each other ... Who have the others best interests at heart, no matter how much it hurts them inside. Friends in their own right ... independent of him.
Both with their broken hearts set aside, unreservedly, ungrudgingly, pledge him to the other. A deeply genuine solace of sorts ... If this happiness is not hers ... at least it is for a loved one ...
Lavanya had seen it coming, but had willfully ignored the tell tale signs ... Over the months, she has seen him slowly transform ... The raging, ferocious, unapproachable man of a few weeks ago, seems to have receded ... In his place has emerged a gentler, calmer but uncharacteristically melancholy, altogether distracted, unfocused man ...
And now, both their broken rishtas revealed, as Khushi tries to cheer her up, the images of the last few days swim in front of her somber eyes. Chamkili ka Rajkumar ... Her shaadi ... She looks down, pensively, her lips pursing ... Mein nahin aa poongi, she states honestly. Her wound yet too raw, too open.
A man who did not want to marry, will marry. Just not her. The clear as day, inevitable truth shines in her downcast eyes. She knows, he will find his way to her ... Eventually ...
She steps over to face Khushi, reaching to hold both her hands. Her eyes moist, she thanks her friend for all that she has taught her ... Invaluable life long lessons of family, values, selflessness ... But there is still one more thing ... Chamkili, she looks directly at her, Tumhay mayray liya ek aur kaam karna hoga ... ASR ... She widens her eyes ... Tumhay ASR ka khayal rakhna hoga ... Her hands still holding Khushi's, her eyes willing Khushi to accept, she places her mantle in Khushi's able hands ...
Khushi, immediately, guiltily, withdraws. She does not want this charge ... Not at the cost of her friend's happiness ... because it was never hers ... No matter how much she has tormented over her loss, no matter how many tears she has shed, she has never hoped for this.
Unfaltering, Lavanya continues, Sirf tum hi ho, jo ussay voh saab kah paati ho jo voh nahin sunna chatay ... I mean ASR ko kya chahiyay yeh oonhay khud hi nahin pata, par tum, she pauses, tum toh samajhdar ho na Khushi ...
ASR ko kya chahiya ... More than his perturbed Nani, more than his confused Di, more than his concerned family downstairs, nobody knows better than her, the mercurial temperament of the man. His relentless confusing signals ... His blatant contradictions ... His volatile indecision ...
His words shout, dismissively, severing all ties, but his eyes continue to bind her, tighter, reeling her further in, unwilling to release her ... His words silent, his eyes softly whisper the truth, refusing to let go ... pleading ...
Lavanya, now that she sees all clearly, softly anticipates, Aaj nahin toh kal tum samajah jaogi, chahay ASR samjhay ya na samjhay ...
Ji ? Khushi is taken aback ... Does her friend know more ... Hugging in a teary goodbye, they leave it unsaid ...
Both will not tell her what actually happened. She had, not an hour ago, aggressively faced him in the middle of the living room, demanding answers. Confused and distressed, she had contradictorily, not been willing to listen to his responses. Dragging her by her wrist, he had hauled her to the pool side and had told not to comment on something she has no clue about ... Tumhay pata nahin hai kya hua hai.
Not at all impressed by his cryptic answer, she had accused further. Batayiay Mr. Raizada, iss rishtay ko todnay mein aap ka kya faiyada hua ... He had stared at her, his face passive. His faiyada ... An ugly but true word ...
Frustrated, unthinkingly, she had not intended to reveal her broken engagement as such a hostile, indelicate manner ... Throwing it in his face as a challenge ... Repeatedly, thoughtlessly, provoking him. His shocked reaction leaves no room to dwell on the fiayada of this new development ... However beneficial ... However relieving it may be ... Her freedom ... His freedom ... Instead his concern for her is immediately and all encompassing.
Months earlier too, when Lavanya had left, his family had circled their wagons, holding him hostage, hoping he would change his mind and bring Lavanya back home. He had been unmoved. Tonight too, they surround him.
He is cornered from all angles ... Their dependable, unchanging Chottay, their reasonable, utterly logical Bhai ... They are all despairingly astounded at his inconsistencies ... His contradictions ... His volatility ... They cannot believe he would do this so ... Bahut badi vajeh hogi ... They demand, they argue, they reason, they council, pinning it to all to his back. Hoping to appease ... to resolve ... to understand ...
But this time too, consistent with the last, he is determined. No one ... But no one knows of the immeasurable extent of the one immovable, rocksoild, steadfast, constancy that drives this seemingly thoughtless flippancy ... Maybe not even her ...
Baat dayta, he had gritted his teeth ... I can't, he pleads frustratedly, Mujeh force mat karo, please !
What more can be asked of a man who pleads so truthfully, so desperately ... He reveals what he can. How can he commit to something he is not sure of. An honest, constant, unchanging answer, right from day one ... Just no one was listening ... Not even he himself ...
Ipoona, wanted to ask you always. are u a professional writer? your rich language, your words just FLOW.. as in FLOW.. I read many writers.. but you are ONE of a kind..
yours sincerely...
fangirl!!
Now, that above about the friendship of the two girls.. you hit the nail in the head and deep.. but forgive the shallow me.. some how my eyes stalled at that red underlined at the top!! I always saw him/ refered to him as a man in love.. altho aware never really looked at him as a bf, so a new identity/ way of looking at him for me if u know what I mean. I am glad I am on the end pages making these brainlessly smitten fangirl comments...
But on a serious note, the last line... bingo...he finally listened to his heart .. at least in one regard..becos as much as it is imp that one realizes what one wants, it is equally imp to know what one doesn't want.. and he took that first step very assuredly this time.. loved him for that!
I know we talked about it a lot, but I cant seem to get over esp when I watched it on TV just now taaza taaza. That khushi interjecting him middle of the living room when he was going towards his GF in tears may be to console her.. WHO IS KHUSHI to interfere between an adult absolutely educated couple to question? She tried stopping him from talking to Payal the other day, what happened? Unfortunate she doesn't recall/ learn. Sorry for my annoying insistence on this.. just venting out to get over.
I actually highlighted quite a few I liked seem to have lost them.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
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