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Hello People,
It feels great to be back properly after a rather tiring week. At the outset let me say, I had not meant to review today's episode. I was actually waiting for Mandy to do it. With all the negativity of the recent controversial OLV's and news bytes, I didn't know what to think, but then today's episode really lifted my spirits.
And as Neil said, "Na mai beete hue kal ke baare me sochna chahta hun, na mai aane wale kal ke baare me sochna chahta hun, mai aaj aur abhi jeena chahta hun." So let's take a page out of Neil's outlook on life and live in the present.
And so I thought, why not? So here I am and let me finish the other aspects of the serial first before I even start on our rockstars - Avni and Neil.
So beginning with Amol/Aman: AMol Mehta not only killed his Dadi but he also killed the selfish, spoiled brat that his Dadi had made him to be. I cannot even describe my happiness when he rechristens himself as Aman Ayesha - Aisha Haider's son and Avni's brother. Yes, he did go against the law but then it was necessary. The guy knew Neil wouldn't let Avni kill Dayavanti but then letting Dayavanti live would be a dangerous mistake - one he wasn't keen on repeating. And so he did the first right thing in his life. I don't know if his actions were justified - after all if everyone start avenging themselves it would just defeat the purpose of law being there for the safety of the people but I guess in this case, it was imperative that someone should kill Dayavanti. And Aman did just that. Even Neil, though he is not in favour of killing criminals wasn't too sad by this outcome. Perhaps he too believed that Dayavanti deserved her fate. The emotional reunion of the family was too well portrayed though I felt Aman should have asked forgiveness from Neil as well. But well, as he asked his sister not to help him in this, I finally felt that yes - Aman had redeemed himself. he had finally grown up. I loved this redemption track of Aman Aisha.
Ali - the true friend that he is told Neela and Nanno about the depth of AvNeil's feelings for each other. This guy has set a new standard for friendship and I cannot be more proud of Ali. You are a tribute to True Friendship Ali.
The Shweta-Bebe-Prakash conversation was also well done. Though I am not in favour of Juhi being at Khanna house, but I guess I can be a bit understanding and accept her there.
And now coming to the highlight of the day - AvNeil scene.
I had wondered during the Rang Mahal episode if Neil would take Avni to task for willing to die there in Rang Mahal or just let it slide, but this man just left me speechless. The way he deliberately hurts her and then lashes out at her for thinking about everyone but him was so well done. The pain and the suffering in his eyes literally broke my heart. Zain performance really rocked the episode today. The way Neil looked at Avni, and then looked away, the frustration, the anger was so well portrayed.
"Tumhe dard bhi hota hai? Mujhe to laga tumhe dard ward hota hi nahi hai." He left me speechless as he began. That sarcastic lilt in his voice as he scrunched his forehead left me amused. And then began the tirade.
"Kyunki andar tum bahut badi badi baaten kar rahi thi." That subtle shift of expressions was so well done.
"Ki mujhe to jeene ka koi haq hi nahi hai, mai jeena nahi chahti, mai marna chahti hun aur pata nahi aur kya kya. Jitna dard tumhe hota hai na usse sau guna, hazaar guna dard mujhe tab hua tha jab tum marne ki baat kar rahi thi." Master of understatements. He was literally dying every second in that rang Mahal.
"Jab tum andar marna chahti thi tab, mai wahin khada tha, sab dekh raha tha. Tum maut ki taraf aage badh rahi thi aur mai har pal marta ja raha tha." Could his eyes have been any more red?
And then the hurt creeps in his voice. "Tumne Amol ke baare me socha, apne baare me socha aur mere baare me?Mere baare me kaun sochta hai? Ab tumhari zindagi me meri to koi value hi nahi hai, Right?" The way he turned away from her, his face giving away the excruciating, mind numbing pain that he must have felt at that moment as he exposed his inner most thoughts and feelings.
(I feel Avni should have hugged him from behind. That would have surely stopped him. 😉)
Avni just kept talking in circles but the only time she tries to voice an important question in their relationship, he stops her mid sentence. And he got irritated at the mere mention of Juhi. I so loved it. "Listen Avni, Enough of it. Bahut ho gaya yaar. Bahut soch liya past ke bare me." This clearly indicates that he is done with Juhi. It was his duty to rescue her and he did that but he certainly doesn't want her in his life. It's Avni who matters to him and he is trying his level best to make her understand what she means to him.
"Ab tak tum apne past ka bojh uthati aayi ho aur iske baad future me kya hoga wo soch ke pareshan ho. Dekho Avni, Listen to me very carefully. Na mai beete hue kal ke baare me sochna chahta hun, na mai aane wale kal ke baare me sochna chahta hun, mai aaj aur abhi jeena chahta hun, abhi iss waqt. Present me, na ki ateet me. Forget the past and just live the present yaar. You are my present." Isse jyada ek banda kya kahe yaar? I don't know what more he could have said to make her understand what she means to him. The look in his eyes was so intense that I felt he could have burned her there. And then the care and concern for her shone through. Zain slayed it today.
And his dialogue after he pulled out the shrapnel from her back, "Avni, humara aaj, humara present itna perfect hai, itna khoobsurat hai na ki mai kal ke baare me nahi sochna chahta. Bilkul bhi nahi. Aur ye jo zakhm hai na wo bahut jald bhar jayenge. Trust me" And here, he just didn't mean the physical wounds but also the wounds on her soul which never got a chance to heal. He was assuring her that every pain, every wound in her life would be healed. His love would heal every broken part of her soul.
"Avni, hume na ek dusre se baat karni chahiye. Wo baaten jo hume ab tak ek dusre se keh deni chahiye thi, kyun, hume wo baaten karni chahiye - right? Haan? My dear WIFEY?" And then he cups her face and pats her. Can a guy be any more loving than this? Can a husband be any more caring than this? Just a few days back I was dying to hear WIFEY from his lips and here you go - I couldn't have been happier. ❤️
Even in the car, they were not sitting apart. He had an arm around her and was holding her close giving her strength, comfort and hope that he was there with her but also making sure that she was there by his side, drawing strength from her presence, taking comfort in her nearness.
This is a relationship which is beyond words, beyond every metaphor which can describe their relationship. This is a couple who defy every conventional norm and still stand together. I couldn't have been more proud of being an AvNeil fan.
Thank you Zain Imam and Aditi Rathore for giving us Neil and Avni. Thank you Naamkaran creatives for never disappointing the fan in me.
PS: Heavens! I didn't even notice how long this post has become. Do forgive me for boring you all with my thoughts but I felt I should share this.
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