Posted:
The Ending
Before I begin this post, dear reader I would ask you to read my post of yesterday Romantic Love versus Committed Love (https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/tumhari-paakhi/4231039/romantic-love-vs-committed-love).
Anyone who says they like surprise endings in a TV serial is a big liar. Maybe they don't like serials that have irrational, out-of-the-blue endings, I don't like those either. But serials that pleasantly give you something to think about because they don't end the way you thought they might - well I'll take one of those any day.
Tumahari Pakhi is the type of serial that gives one something to think about. It has not ended the way the Anshuman-Pakhi fans wanted, nor has it ended in the several different ways Veer-Pakhi fans would have preferred.
Deservedly Shashi and Sumeet Mittal invigorate the tired social-issue formula of the child bride waiting for her fantasized grown up hero to return and sweep her off her feet through twists and sharp insight into human nature. Even when the main male lead, to the despair of its viewers, dies in an accident the CVs did not give up. A new male lead was brought in and the story of the recently widowed (now grown up) child-bride continued, peppered with plots of character foibles.
It is trite but true to say that I did not want the story to end. And, I seriously believe that if the CVs were given another 2-3 months of extension, they too would have loved to continue Pakhi's life saga - until she emerged out of this phase in her life as a stronger person.
Pakhi groomed with the mantra of remaining faithful to the person (Anshuman) she married as child, waited for him to come and claim her for 18 long years. Those 18 years she romanticized and fantasized an ideal love between them and endowed him with the highest and best attributes. Later, after he claimed her and behaved with her in the most horrible ways - she forgave him and put up with his ridiculous behavior with a smile. For, by claiming her he had given an element of reality to her fantasies. His mother and sister were no nicer than him with her - perhaps in some ways ever more harsh but she put up with them and loved them, for they were his and had to be cherished like him. His accidental death brought another man - Veer, into her life.
Veer was the polar opposite of Anshuman in character. Pakhi ends up marrying Veer within a month of Anshuan's death. Despite ups-and-downs the two develop a bond that is deeper than what Pakhi and Anshuman shared. However, Pakhi raised in the traditional manner of a child bride and with romantic fantasy ingrained in her cannot forget Anshuman. And so, what we see in the end is Veer divorcing Pakhi and leaving with a heavy heart.
Now here comes the tricky part - did the end really depict that Pakhi wanted to live forever in the memory of Anshuman?
The die hard Anshuman-Pakhi fans would say - 'yes'.
But the thinkers would say 'nah'. Pakhi can never move on without going through the grief cycle. Pakhi never had time to grieve for Anshuman because of the various hurdles thrown at her. What Pakhi is going through now is the first stages of grief - denial. Her coping mechanism is to fall back to the behavior she exhibited those 18 years of waiting. And so she lives and speaks of her great fantasy for Anshuman and glorifies their love to gigantic proportions.
Veer too knows Pakhi has not grieved. He knows that the grief cycle is long - he grieved 11 long years after Kirti's death. Veer knows that without grieving Pakhi cannot move on. At the end of it she can choose how she wants to move ahead - he has freed her. In a way, he has also freed himself - he too is free to find another. Of course, both have the choice of living life fully without a partner too!
However, the deep friendship bond that Veer and Pakhi share will be a strong pull between them. The two are aware of the silent, unlit spark of commitment and trust between them. The two are also aware that Pakhi has to mentally sort herself and rid her psyche of all the Anshuman brain-wash.
Veer has been freed of Kirti and Pakhi - how will he choose to live his life? Certainly, not tear-filled and grieving of what could have and did not take place between him and Pakhi. He is too mature and self-fulfilled as an individual to wallow in self-pity. He finds his fulfillment in doing good to others and being of service to others. He will soon pick himself up - continue to hold a soft spot for Pakhi and may or may not choose to remain single.
These are my thoughts - other thinkers in the forum may have other thoughts. Irrespective, SHASHI AND SUMEET MITTAL have certainly ended Tumhari Pakhi in a unique way - by giving us something to think about because they did not end it the way we thought they may!!
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
