What can be said about Rishabh Bajaj that hasn't been said before?
After his return and leap, so much has been said about him.
Prerna's protector,her mentor,her rock.
The one who made sure Prerna was safe and secure,the one who vowed to be always there for her whenever she is in need.
A lot about how Rishabh's influence changed her. How his constant love and support made her focused, self-sufficient, business woman of year.
A Prerna the world has to take notice of.
But exactly how much has she changed him is something we got to witness today.
Today's episode gave me such intense Rishabh Bajaj vibes but something was drastically different. His aura has completely changed and its so strikingly visible not only with the way he interacts with Prerna but also in his demeanor when he was looking at her from a distance.
The biggest part of Rishabh's character in phase 1 for me was the challenge he personified. It came out in oodles in everything he did: the challenge in the way he talked, walked, the challenge that 'you can't touch me' and walk away without bruises.
But 8 years later, the challenge has taken a backseat. There is no chaotic fire in his eyes. All I saw was immeasurable blissful assured confidence in a way that only comes from the way of knowledge. The indisputable knowledge that whatever happens, be it today, tomorrow and in the future, HE IS THE ONE, that singular person in the whole wide world that Prerna trusts the most. Not one of the people. THE ONLY ONE. He's the one who Prerna trusted the most for 8 years. And nothing's gonna change that.
Rishabh 1.0's feelings were haywire,all over the place for Prerna. While seemingly nonchalant to what others did,she got under his skin so easily and it disturbed the very core of him. Here was the man who spoke in deals and taunts, who stomped over people if they weren't of any use to him.Then Prerna happened and she changed him.
So much so that he took the decision of making her his priority through trust and loyalty. Made it his mission in life to be there for her. Just because.
Any reciprocation of those feelings would only be a boon, that proverbial cherry on the cake. But it is absolute fact that he loves, loved and will always love Prerna without expectations.
While Prerna is certainly unable to reciprocate on those lines yet, she has given him everything else she is capable of. Her trust, her damaged self for him to take care and mend as much as he could,her vulnerability as a mother who just lost her child. She trusted him enough to let him see her at her most vulnerable.
But closure is important for moving on and unless that happens, she won't be able to choose him in the way she wants to. He's already okay with the knowledge that she might never love him back the way he loves her and that's fine. As long as she trusts him, he will move mountains for her.
Which brings me to that 'Thank You' today.
Prerna saying 'Thank you for always supporting me' is expected but Rishabh's counter 'Thank you' is so heartbreaking to me. He lost her trust once and that broke him. And all he's tried in these 8 years is to make sure she trusts him again. Her trust, ever fragile, broken by people who she once held close, is not an easy thing to have. So he knows the worth of it and understands how much she's counting on it and is thankful to finally get to be HER PERSON in this journey of life.
Today, Rishabh 2.0. is not only the anchor but also the anchored man, steady and assured in his own presence in Prerna's life. Devoid of any sort of jealousy,devoid of insecurity,devoid of that challenge to lay claim. There is not a bone in his body that thinks he can lose the connection he has with Prerna now. Something he has forged for almost a decade.
When Prerna was interacting with the one who destroyed her life and he was looking at them from a distance, there was no burning challenge or questions in his eyes. He knew what she was doing. He was looking out for her instead knowing how much shit these Basus have put her through. When she said she gets sukoon looking at the misery of the man who wronged her and separated her baby from her, Bajaj looks so proud of her.
Even as he comes and says 'his wife' there is no staking claim. He's just stating the facts. The truth. 'A Husband needs his wife', a husband just needed to talk to his wife. That's that.
And the best part? When Prerna was dancing with the same person,he was amused looking at Komolika instead.. Not the people dancing, no longing looks of 'I want that love for myself',' I wish that was me..' looks like last time. He's way past that. Rishabh and Prerna are way past that. And it's beautiful to see how far they have come.
He's not fighting for her love anymore. He's decided to give her his all anyway,no matter what happens.
He had feared she would fall weak infront of those people but he's no longer worried about Prerna leaving. Cause even if she does someday,nobody takes away an almost decade they spent together. No matter what,Prerna will always have him by her side. 'Humesha'! And that's the man I saw today.
Rishabh Bajaj knows no self preservation when it comes to Prerna and as much I hate how it will may eventually leave him heartbroken (before fates meddle and he gets the love he truly deserves), I just know thats the core of who he is and what makes him the man he is. And I wouldn't dream of changing that about him.
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