Rishbala - Through the prism of ep 13th Feb 2013

Wednesday, 13th Feb. 2013 (ep.#194) was third of the 12 episodes in the MEIEJ CVs reassurance of 'two weeks' after the commencing of the 'twist' track.😕😊

DD was fabulous. Absolutely flawlessly perfect. Every moment, every nuance, every reaction, every emotional range - outstanding.👏⭐️

One could not notice anything else besides her - neither the other actors in the frame nor their interactions - except as background.⭐️

Was glad to see that the CVs are balancing things out in ep-content of the leads.😊

In yesterday's ep, VD had all the dialogues, and DD was a powerful presence throughout but with not a word to say, and I was worried that they would let that situation remain for a couple more eps.

But in this ep, it was the other way around.😊

The physical presence, the dialogues, the emotional command in this ep was DD's entirely, and she gave a fabulous performance through every moment of the ep.⭐️

VD's actual presence in the ep was at the start of the ep and in the precap at the end, but the flashbacks and the huge billboard poster of RK's movie marked his place throughout this ep as much as DD's physical presence had marked hers in yesterday's ep even despite Madhu's silence and Padmini's dialogues.⭐️

Had not wanted the mangalsutra and green glass bangles removed or broken because they would specify future track aspect in focus on RK.

But with the damn suspense🤢 (courtesy the MEIEJ CVs) not even remotely easing its stranglehold, I'm just relieved that we now know - unless the CVs are truly bent on outraging TRP audiences reassuringly programmed expectations - that RK is in peril of his life.

Also glad - on account of serials symbolism - that the bangles were removed unbroken, and that Madhu managed to break off the mangalsutra at the clasp-point without scattering the beads, and then stored it away.

Previous several such serial instances indicate that there are two possible outcomes.

Madhu will put it on again when she finds out what the real situation is, or RK will adorn her with it with full respect and adoration later.

This ep was not studded with the usual gem-level of dialogues, but the dialogues held a different level - neither better nor less - with poignancy and a delicate interweaving of past, present and foreshadowing threads, without even a hint of overt clumsiness. Superb.⭐️

And Trishna's reaction today to her curse's effect (Does this mean the CVs are done with her curse's utility in the storyline? MEIEJ does tend to compress points and tracks with stunningly powerful effect. Apparently the current suspense is their exception that proves the rule.) may be a very mild prelude compared to Padmini's reaction the day *she* thinks her own illwishing had effect.😭

Perhaps the most powerful scene today - and I'm having a hard time picking just one because DD held attention riveted magnificently through every damn heartbreaking instance of this ep - was when Madhu comes out of catatonia and hysterically pleads with her mother and sister, her every line contradicting the one before, the emotion seeming to permeate the very screen.😭👏 Awesome.⭐️

Dialoguewise too, the scene was heartwrenchingly well-etched, and the best of the ep.👏

Regarding the precap, nothing was likely to come out of Radha's effort except hopefully in RK's reaction that at least the viewers may get to see.

Whatever the reason that he was willing to devastate Madhu for, his mother holds not a fraction as much hold over his heart.

With Madhu's life in peril at Balraj's hands, RK's focus and terror for Madhu had precluded his mother and all others.

So if his purpose this time held him unyielding to *Madhu*, then his mother is not perhaps the person he would break silence and lay all his effort or purpose bare in front of.

So if Radha tries to get through to him, she may succeed (probably unknowingly) in anguishing him, but she is unlikely (though not absolutely so) to be at all effective in shaking his performance if he has determined that he cannot afford to fail his act.

RK may adore his deceased father, but he was willing to make him part of his claims of pretence in order to convince Madhu of the depth of the 'love-deception'.

So there is nothing Radha or anyone can say or use against him that he has not already prepared to bear or lose.

He cannot rely on his mother to do anything too horrendously unpleasant for necessity, especially not if it will make Radha look bad.

Which makes it almost certain that Bittuji is the one he would place reliance on to accomplish whatever end. Wonder if Bittuji will be seen at least tomorrow.😕

I have previously described this as - for me and many others - the most wretched week of MEIEJ-viewing.

Today, have to give credit where it's most definitely due, and admit that every one of these eps (none of which I may perhaps rewatch until the end of this emotionally jarring track) are - in acting, dialogue and every cast's and crew's efforts - superb.👏⭐️