I caught Fridays and Saturdays episodes back to back and both were interesting to say the least.
The episode were character studies in Anirudh's character.
1. He is a lying, manipulative man who will lie to anyone to get his way - while this might not be entirely a negative attitude, this is also not something to be proud of. This is more of a means to an end given the situation - he knows his family or Arshi will not get off his or Jhanak's back in the current situation, so he feels lying and manipulating his way out of it is the short solution. He feels that is the safest way out for Jhanak - he takes them on so that she does not have to answer, which leads to me to point number 2
2. His focus is on the end goal - now as with the lying and manipulating, this one too has a negative and positive side to it. The negative first is that he keep focus on the end goal so doesn't care who he is hurting or how he is achieving it now (insulting Jhanak, lying to his family, hurting Arshi). The positive is that despite him taking lying and manipulating and ensuring that he takes the questions on so that Jhanak does not have to answer, Jhanak keeps up with the "I did not want to go anywhere, sir ji forced me - mere marzi Nahi thi - If someone I was trying to help (albeit by lying and being a confusing prick, but still trying to help) kept throwing me under the bus like this, I would have stopped helping. But Ani looks past all this and always looks at the big picture which is protecting Jhanak, which leads to 3 below.
3. He is fiercely protective - despite his flaws, this man is fiercely protective of Jhanak - the only problem as Jhanak pointed out was when the time comes to actually protect her, he is not there ( which I feel is slightly unfair as this is not due to Ani not being there because he didn't want to, but because of circumstances - having said that, the truth is that he isn't there, so how can Jhanak believe him when he says he will protect her from everything, and when he tried she shuts him up. Donon paagal hein!
4.he is confused a* - at this point his entire focus is on keeping Jhanak out of harms way - so much that he is lying to his entire family, his fiance to keep this girl safe. People only do so much out of humanity, but Ani does not want to accept it because he doesn't want to disturb the fragile balance of his life now.
5. The way he answered Choton tells me he does not want to disturb the fragile balance he has managed to ensure his life is at the moment with Arshi and his wedding! He has not even thought about any change in his feelings, he hasn't acknowledged them because he doesn't want to change the way his life is going on now.
While with the last 2 episodes, I might have liked Ani a little bit lesser than I initially started out, I still don't dislike this man, and still feel that all his layers needs to be explored more! And Krushal can do complete justice when the time comes.
I do get Jhanak's hesitancy in placing her trust in Ani, and her disdain when he is lying through this teeth, but sometimes when you are seeing someone is trying to handle a situation and it is helping, you shut up. There was no need for Jhanak to say her usual I didn't want to, sir ji forced me dialogues today. The family was believing Ani's lies and noone questioned Jhanak. So what was the need to jump in and say that?!
Was also so irked with her dialogue in the precap. Mujhe Nahi pata sir ji Kya chahte hai, but I don't want to live with him. Like what the duck, girl, someone's engagement is breaking because of a secret you both kept hidden, and instead of saying HUM Nahi chahte, you say I don't know what this creep has on his mind, but I don't want it. ICK.ICK.ICK
The makers NEED to do better with Jhanak's dialogues.
Clothes - I completely disliked the costumes in general for this wedding announcement party. But I've seen Dimri's shows enough to know that she keeps the real deal for the actual couples wedding/engagement, so I am happy with what we got. I just wished Ani 's sherwani was much less distracting.
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