Watched the episode finally and a few good points first -
Shaheer & Erica (especially Shaheer, I found) are fantastic actors, that's a given. Both have done movies before and have a certain maturity but Shaheer's eyes speak. He deserves to be in Bollywood. Erica carries herself really well. It is a treat to watch this on Indian TV and thankfully the camera doesn't zoom 3 times here!
As for the script, this is a journey of the 3 main characters - Dev, Ishwari & Sonakshi. Every other character lays out life in front of them and these 3 pick what & when they want to. Then moments are created around it and the actors step into the script and emote fantastically. That's it.
So looking at these 3 -
Dev - The ideal Son that Indian society loves. He gave up his love in a jiffy for his mother. Of course, he hurt his girl in the process but as he did it for his Mother, all is justified.
Dev, the ideal lover, didn't realize what he would be giving away when he broke up. The pain started when Sonakshi said, Goodbye Mr. Dixit'. He tried to come to terms with everything but then Sonakshi started not just moving on but moving to someone else. This totally confused the lover boy. He is lost. He is in pain. He doesn't know what he is doing.
- There, all his crazy behavior fully justified.
Sona - First let's face it - her family is not pressurizing her so all the talks about doing this for family is moot. She is running away and family is just a cover.
This FL was dumped badly, lost her confidence in herself & in love. First time her family asked her for marriage, she agreed. Even they were surprised. Enter the most sorted guy - Mr. R. He understands her and tells her he will help her move on. At the restaurant, R says, Some people are weak. Dev is lost and doesn't know what he is doing but I am here for you. So let's stay and be strong unless you are really effected'
Established again - Dev is all alone and lost.
In the car, the FL hesitantly asks R why he asked Dev to marry her. Her hesitating, the lowering of her eyes... she turns into a little girl who needs to be saved...from herself.
As she walks towards her house, R looks at her amusedly and shakes his head. In my mind he is thinking Kids'!!
Little while later, Tina calls Sona and in a few seconds Sona gets up & runs to her Ex...
Ishwari - This is a Mother who has led a hard life and her kids are indebted to her (especially the elder one who got favored treatment at the cost of his siblings). Her obsession is being explained away as Mother's love & insecurity.
In the precap, she is worried of being caught - This Mother knows she's done wrong... but she's doing it out of love for her Son !! - There, justified.
Interesting how the 2 doing wrong are fully justified and the one who is wronged is seeming unjust.
After yesterday's beautiful play of emotions and fantastic expressions, here is my read -
- Dev will learn that his Mother sent the rishta
- He will ask her and Mother will explain it as trying to help the lovely girl, Sonakshi
- Dev will be upset but will admire that his mother was trying to do good (He doesn't know she knows why they broke up & She knows the reason but will never acknowledge).
- Dev will spiral into deeper depression in preparation for the Big Day - Engagement
- On engagement day, this ML will not be Devdas but Dev Dixit (as we were informed) and he will, in his own way, try to kill himself. No ML just faints looking at the FL getting engaged and after knowing this is his Mother's wish, better to end the trauma than to continue bearing the pain...or some such stupidity.
- Sona takes him to Ishwari Nivas
- Sona - Ishwari face off again
- Might be start of Ishwari 1% realization now
- After such a public drama, R will stand by Sona but marriage is a family affair and question of family honor and all. R will have a mature talk with Sona or Sona herself will announce she is still in love with her Ex.
- R will be Sona's friend.
- There cannot be any more marriage talks in the Bose house after this.
This all leads to the early promos. All 3 standing exactly where the story wants them to -
Ishwari - The Insecure Mother
Dev - The helpless Son
Sona - The supportive FL.
In between, there will be the journalist fiasco but that's not important.
On Indian TV, sitting down with parents, being rational & talking to them is a real long-shot. This could be seen as going against Mother and fighting for FL. Nope, ML can't do that. So we have the females figure it out while the men play loving & helpless.
Sona rightly said, She will handle her parents'. Yup, she will. And every other character will be managed/handled too as and when these 3 are ready to move around in the puzzle.
FL's parents are supposed to be supportive. Her support gene comes from them after all.
R will be a good mirror and he already understands human psyche. He only showed the amount of mirror that the restaurant scene required. Rest, he will keep for later when these characters are ready to move.
This is a fictional show & they have to carry it forward for many more months. Moments will lead to moments but they are not writing anything unique - This was always a Mom-Son-DIL story. Not a Man-Woman love story. The equation will always be Mom - Son. Mom - DIL. What's left is Son-DIL. In this avatar, they are never Man-Woman but always a reflection of roles they play.
I may sound cynical but Indian TV does what it does with elan. We probably were too starved for something completely unique and pitched our hopes too high.
Well, each one of us will watch till we can and then there is the TV remote.
Phew! Huge long post but unlike the script writers who play with moments, I just had to get into the background first 😃
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
