Take a bow. Take several, in fact, deep curtsies from a bygone age.
This is as neat a dissertation on what makes AK tick as anything that I could have imagined. The ring as the equivalent of a conference name tag is just perfect. When one remembers how much it used to get under your skin, the acuity of this perception is even more significant.
It is interesting that you have come to this understanding so late, that is all, unless you mean the whole as an essay in satire. I hope not, for then the post would be merely clever, not significant.
One always knew what you have set out, in a general sense; for example that he has no notion of izzat or the proprieties, for they have never touched his life or affected it, but you have gone thru this in welcome detail.
The same is true, as I have mentioned in my response to you in the Triptych thread, of his reaction to what happened to Purvi at the birthday party. It exasperated me, his casual dismissal of the party disaster as something that was wrong, but worked out for the best in the end. It is obvious that Arjun Kirloskar has no idea what it is like to be slapped and humiliated in public, and subjected to the basest accusations. I did not expect him to be able to feel it under his skin, but I did feel that he should have at least tried to grasp the enormity of it for Purvi. Now, going by your analysis, it was only to be expected.
And as for his not realising that it is Purvi who will be paying the price for his mistakes, I have lamented that at length earlier and I will not repeat myself. But perhaps his take on this is that you should not let other people hurt you at will, and living ONLY for and through others is bound to end up as a fool's bargain. He is not wrong - just take one look at Archana's mahaanta complex, and the collateral damage it has inflicted, and is inflicting, on Manav, Teju, Ovi and Purvi. Does she think she is doing anything wrong? Not on your life!
One has to take individuals as they are, and not as one would want them to be. In order to do this successfully, one has to understand them. I do not know if this was what you wanted, or whether you have written this with tongue firmly in cheek, but regardless, your post will contribute a lot to the understanding of Arjun across the forum, and that too in a non-judgemental fashion. It is a welcome departure from the perfectly synchronised chorus of Arjun-bashing that was endemic for the last few weeks.
Finally, Janhvi, I would any day prefer Arjun Kirloskar - complete with his sense of entitlement and his easy assumption that his priorities should be universally shared - to a real wimp like Manav. Moreover, for one born to wealth, power and privilege, and handsome to boot, he is remarkably free of any playboy tendencies, and is, to the core, an honourable young man. That is why I always knew that he would come through in the end, and I am glad that it has not been too long in the coming.
Shyamala
Originally posted by: soapwatcher1
There has been a flurry of posts today as the ARVI world is excited that there maybe an end in sight to this torturous separation between Arjun and Purvi. The re-kindling of ARVI has been ambitiously likened to the legendary phoenix but Arjun is a fallen hero, doing his best to rise and we are eager to yank him up with a helping hand so that he may reclaim his lost title of 'romantic hero beyond compare'. We have pondered how the relentless Arjun who pursued Purvi turned tail and said yes to Ovi, how he puts up with Ovi's PDA and seems unconcerned when the world looks on. Tarnished he is, but Arjun has been true to his character all along. Arjun just marches to the beat of a different drummer.
When Arjun camped out in front of Purvi's home without a care about the chawlwallahs, we rejoiced in his love for Purvi and the romantic lover boy that he was; we decried him when he paid no heed to Purvi's feelings and decided to go ahead with his engagement to Ovi. We thought he put Ovi's reputation before Purvi's. We lamented that he flaunted that ugly piece of metal on his finger and allowed Ovi to carry on with him and pursued Purvi on the sly. How could he be two-faced, we asked. But to give Arjun his just dues, Mr. Kirloskar is not two faced nor did he place more weight on Ovi's saving of face than Purvi's. He simply dances to the tune of a different piper.
Arjun cared not a hoot for the chawlwallahs when he laid siege to Purvi's affections, he cared not a hoot for the people at the engagement party. He cared for Ovi's feelings, he did not want her to feel humiliated, he did not keep mum that day because he was afraid that people would gossip. Mr. K cannot comprehend that. He is impervious to what the masses may think of his actions. He is above the fray, he was born with a silver spoon, rich, pampered, the darling of his dad. He has known no failures, to see is to conquer, and (he admits this to Purvi in the temple scene).
Arjun has cared not for matters of the heart, his only maksadh has been to prove himself in the business world. Ovi happens because she pushes herself on to him and she is his friend whom he does not want to hurt. He comes to India and a chit of a girl takes him by storm, feisty, stubborn, she lays a stronghold on his heart and he is a goner. Veni, vidi, vici, he lays claim to her heart in turn, caring not that the world might be watching. He has great intentions, he is truly, surely in love. The engagement night happens and he is loth to hurt his friend. He does not mean to hurt Purvi in the bargain, he knows he is hers and she his, to him it is only a matter of time before he explains away his love to Ovi. He wears Ovi's ring like one would wear a name tag at a conference or meeting, it is trivial, unimportant. He knows he will discard it once he heads home to his Purvi.
He cannot understand Purvi's anguish or her incessant insistence on izzat. What Arjun wants Arjun gets, he made that clear today, he seemed incredulous that Purvi could think of giving him up for the sake of being good and told her not to concern herself with wagging tongues. He just does not realize that when Purvi pays the price for his mistakes, he will be paying for them too, only indirectly.
PS: Arch, I am including a disclaimer - this post is neither meant to crucify nor glorify your ladla!