Posted:
I think everybody's said all I wanted to say. So I will just say a little of my mind.
First of all, I love reading your posts, Mais! You put everything I love and think in words and I end up smiling ear-to-ear as I read it. :D
I don't think the admittance justifies his actions or makes him a true hero. Manik is a grey character, and we had only seen black side of him until recent developments. I had always thought Dhruv being on the terrace while Shahid was committing suicide was a bit too co-incidental. But those were the days when I watched this show for mere time-pass and avoided deep analyzing. I should have known! I should have known that youth shows are less likely to have "co-incidences" than saas-bahu serials. I don't think Manik or the gang knew that Shahid will try to commit suicide.
Manik must have been alarmed, but his image, his reputation of evil, menacing and monster seemed more important to him. Manik Malhotra is scared to show any signs of vulnerability. He doesn't want world's pity, nor does he want to be crushed under them. He built a wall around him to protect himself. Do we know what has happened to his father yet? I don't remember. But there must be something besides his mother's unaffectionate and ignorance too, that made him so cynical.
So as soon as Manik heard the news of Shahid committing suicide, he must have sent Dhruv to make sure that doesn't happen. And maybe Dhruv didn't interfere because he saw the two girls already doing his task. I don't think Manik had an idea about how much Shahid will be tortured by their ragging.
Nandini is a completely different case. She threatened his wall. She probably broke a brick or two, scaring the shit out of him. He didn't know when this storm walked in his life. He was able to keep looking like a monster with the tiniest light of goodness inside until she was already there. They hadn't tortured Nandini first, it was Navya. But Nandini interrupted him, and that strike him like a lightening. He didn't know what to do, and did the only thing he had learnt to do. Try to rebuilt the wall and keep himself safe by hurting her. The way he tortured her, it hurt her emotionally, but he was too blind to see that until she started to make him question himself. He saw her vulnerable, like he felt when Dhruv went through his attack. He knew the feeling. He had felt it. To him, it was first glance into her emotions. He saw a little of his fears inside her and thought maybe, just maybe she isn't the same...cruel...as the world he knows. She questioned his wall, she asked him if he was sure the barrier he hides himself behind is protecting him or trapping him. It was a splash of water in his face, and he started to come to his senses. Slowly, gradually, and unintentionally he started to break the barrier, a brick at a time. He still said he was happy being a bad boy. He still says he wants to be a bad boy but that is all for a show because he always had it covered. Nandini takes a brick at a time, and he doesn't object. He lets her in. He lets her walk into his life now, and lets her fix him.
Holy shit! What am I doing? I have to write an essay and this was SO not my topic! Hasta la vista!
PS: You know what's the best thing about youth shows? The watchers are very insightful, and are open to new ideas, new topic and new everything! Our fan-base is so flexible, we don't charge at ragging scenes or petition to censor board because we KNOW this is reality. This HAPPENS! And we know that justifying this behavior takes more than a mere I-am-a-bad-boy crap. We want to peel off the reasons layer by layer and I LOVE how all of you do that. The GOOD youth shows always end up having a strong story line and a load of reality/hot-topics/trends and everything today slammed in. I just love this fandom! 🤗
