@ red. I agree with you completely on both points, and your clarification was very timely.
The BALH scenario is completely different from the zan goings on in PR, and no one can fault Ram Kapoor for what he did in marrying Ayesha, thought it is difficult to see how he can forgive her for having sent Priya to jail for 14 years in the first place (after a Balaji style farce of a trial). And what Priya did, for some far out reason only would be mahaan types can justify, was unpardonable towards so many of those she loves, and not just Ram.
However, for a person to be declared legally dead - and thus, in this case, for the Ram-Priya marriage to become defunct - it takes not 5 but 7 years, as Rajat Kapur points out to her, and so she is still married to him. By the same token, the Ram-Ayesha marriage is automatically null and void legally.
The only character in BALH who has grown on me a great deal is Rajat Kapur. Sameer Kochhar is a fairly limited actor who is not helped by his rather immobile face, but he has improved a lot, and then again he has a totally internally consistent and very generous character, loyal to a fault to Priya. It is good to occasionally watch such an uncomplicatedly good person who is yet neither weak nor foolish. He is the main reason for my staying with BALH these days.
Lastly, soapcritic, I enjoyed your post. However, I do not think Balan will let go of Vishnu Lalla whatever the money Manav might offer, especially now that Trivedi has made Vishnu a bahubali, thus opening up fresh avenues for Balan's nefarious activities, with Trivedi's protection. Vishnu is now a gold mine for Balan, and there is no way Manav is going to be able to buy Vishnu from him. As for taking him in any other way, he is not a minor, and then Balan is a violent man when roused. Manav is more likely to end up with a knife in his ribs than anything else.
Shyamala
Soap critic...wanted to butt in here 😆, to me the BAHL is a bit different...Priya was assumed dead after (I am guessing )a police inquiry and the other sister was pregoo with the brother's child...some people does marry a sister or a bhabhi just to keep the child within the family and prevent badnami...so, at least I see the POV...besides, in my veiw, what Priya did was beyond pardonable (my POV)...she simply took a decision on behalf of all her family and parents...I really felt that day when Priya's dad said, 'do you know what it is to lose a child'...Priya was simply wrong to do what she did and to me Ram's anger is totally justifiable...I mean even legal court will consider a person dead after a while...in that sense Ram/Priya do not have a valid marriage anymore...