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Sakshi Goenka is one character of Ek Hasina Thi which always made me very curious. I have often written on her and observed her, often mentally replayed her scenes in my head...she really made me think - on human nature and society.
Sakshi to my eyes, is a very strong and resilient human being but with completely wrong notions about the world and survival. Her background has a lot to do in shaping her as much as the choices she made later in life.
Sakshi lost her family in a riot. And was running away like others to save herself. A riot shows the most destructive tendencies and ruthlessness in humans. It leaves a lasting impact on the ones who are affected by it.
Ones who lose their all in a riot are deeply impacted and it affects their psyche. Either they become very anxious and afraid, usually scared of the world. Or they become angry and bitter and develop violent tendencies themselves, having seen the ugliest side of the world. They often feel they have lost it all and cannot allow to lose anything again. Or think ruthlessness is the only reality of the world.
Even adults affected by riots take years to handle themselves. A 12 year old child is extremely impressionable and vulnerable. If not handled properly such kids have every chance to grow up to be twisted personalities.
We have our ideas of proper/improper behaviour, shoulds/should nots. But frankly speaking the world outside is harsh and a concrete jungle and the streets give you no time to think. I have seen people on streets fight for even a place to sit, I have seen kids rummage through garbage bins to get food...it is a very harsh world out there. I am not surprised little Sakshi stole bread from a dog.
All orphaned kids are vulnerable. But girls are more because of obvious reasons. In these circumstances, I can only imagine what kind of defense mechanisms Sakshi must have developed to keep herself safe.
It was about survival and safety at any cost. No matter what. And that seemed to have remained with her all her life, dictating her actions even when she had it all materially.
Given how unaffected, fearless and business like she is with everyone be it men, politicians and goons, it indicates she has seen every side of the world, she's been hardened from experiences in life and the kind of people she encountered. So she knows these people and how to deal with them.
Sakshi is also an example of how useless orphanages are. Kids in such places grow up seeing rich people drop gifts and charity. They get no individual attention or care. Often the material donated for them is gobbled up by orphanage authorities just as the caretaker in this show forbade Sakshi and other kids from eating the sweets that were donated for kids.
Not having someone of one's own hurts an orphan like none other. And this discrimination they encounter, makes them even more conscious of class differences. In general, from what I have noticed, the poor ones (deprived) are more in awe of the rich and famous than middle class ones.
That kind of explains Sakshi's fascination with the rich and their ways. And also her crazy obsession with her son, her blood Shaurya - the first one who she could call her own after losing her family in the riot.
I think the second turning point in shaping Sakshi's mindset was when she ran away from the orphanage and that caretaker fell off the bridge, as he failed to catch her. That accident and the fate of the caretaker as well as her NOT getting caught must have made Sakshi feel that she could "get her way" as she wanted if she tried. I am not saying she made the guy fall. But that accident must have made her feel that those who try to thwart her deserve to be made to pay for it.
It instilled escape of consequences in her.
Now, meeting Rehmat and getting married to him was actually a big deal for an orphan like her as such girls with no family, find it very hard to get married to a good family. Sakshi should have been satisfied. Or if she was not happy then she should have politely divorced Rehmat.
She seemed to be okay with his son Akram but seemed to have less bonding with Rehmat.
Being a journalist she must have routinely come across exploits, riches as well as scandals of the rich and powerful and also seen how they covered it up (threatening reporters not to publish this or that). No wonder she got fascinated with the famous ones and was eager to meet Rajnath Goenka.
His gaze and compliments to her swayed her completely. She was already fascinated and then such compliments that she was made for better things and Rehmat was not worth it etc, attention from a man as famous as Rajnath Goenka must have set her mind ticking in another direction and fuelled her lack of bonding with Rehmat.
She was wrong in having affair with Rajnath and allowing herself to be used by him. But I guess she must have felt maybe he would marry her and get her the bigger and better things he said, she deserved! Rajnath was young, famous, rich and unmarried unlike plain, widower, middle class man with a son, Rehmat Khan. Her material fascination and desire to upgrade to higher status got the better of her!
When Rajnath declared he had just used her like one of the beauties he usually plays with, Sakshi could not take it at all. As it was evident from her younger flashbacks that she could never take being overpowered, denied or weakened or stopped by anyone. That is when her desire to get back at him and teach him a lesson surfaced and she chased him, spied at him. Spying was a given because as a journo she must be knowing about rich having skeletons in cupboards and must have wanted to bring out some from Rajnath's cupboard to punish him.
Luckily for her, Sakshi did find a huge one in form of Rajnath killing Arnab. She saw it all and filmed it.
Her going to Rehmat and sharing this tape with him instead of leaking it herself or going ahead to blackmail, proves that she did not earlier have any thoughts of completely leaving Rehmat. Maybe she was thinking she could blackmail Rajnath and shave off big money with which she could live a more comfortable life with Rehmat only.
It also proves her need for a family. She did not want to be alone again so she did not go all against Rehmat at once.
BUT, Rehmat's staunch refusal to agree to blackmail Rajnath and that rebuke to her must have incensed her.
After seeing riots and their aftermath and after seeing even a rich and famous Rajnath kill his own brother, Sakshi must have deduced subconsciously that this is how the world works. You do not need to think about others, just do what fits your purpose. Especially seeing Rajnath kill Arnab, must have even made such things look aspirational and expression of power to her.😕
Such people believe that world is a jungle and power is everything. Either you overpower others or get overpowered yourself. Morality, conscience etc seems like emotional nonsense to them. This is why Sakshi often calls emotional behaviour of others as weakness and melodrama. It makes no sense according to her notions of the world.
Therefore, Sakshi went all out to teach a lesson to all and get what she wanted. Killed Rehmat and blackmailed Rajnath!
Rehmat's death had benefit for Rajnath too as even if Sakshi did not leak that tape, Rehmat was more than adamant to expose it. That would have ruined Raj's hopes of ruling.
Rajnath did get irritated at Sakshi for blackmailing her but he saw convenience in marrying her. Sakshi and Rajnath are both mutually parasitic and are together out of convenience. No wonder they remain together despite most bitter fallouts.
Sakshi found everything after marrying Rajnath. Wealth, power, attention, fame, family, family name and it must have meant a big deal to her to turn benefactor to the same orphanage where she had once come as a deprived orphan.
But since their relationship was a deal and she was hiding that tape from him, there always remained a gulf between them. They are both suspicious of each other and know the worst side of each other. They are equally curious, exploitative yet somehow doubtful and scared of each other's motives.
Shaurya (and to some extent Kangana) plus need to keep image of Great Ruling Clan of Kolkata kept them together in eyes of the world for some 30 years or so.
I believe Sakshi learnt a lot from Rajnath as well, apart from her varied experience alone on streets and as a journo with Rehmat. Raj also learnt from her. Both bring out the worst in each other. Twisting their way to the top echelons!😲
Yet their personal differences, obsession with power and constant cover ups played havoc with their parenting. 🤢
What Sakshi said, Rajnath nullified. What Rajnath said, Sakshi nullified. Both fought with each other and derided each other openly or remained distant, seeking escape in parties, drinks and flaunting of power.
Sakshi's softer side came only for Shaurya and in her love she became blind. Rajnath also let him be as his mirror image. Since they had gotten away with many things in past, they thought they could cover up anything that son did.
Sakshi gets easily taken in by smiles or cries of Shaurya. She easily gets manipulated by him and is willing to serve him. She is also overprotective and spoils him because she does not want him to suffer anything that she did, or get deprived of anything that she was deprived of in her growing years. Plus him being the first one she could call her own endears him more to her. She also wants continued power and sort of a "Raj Mata" type matriarch status so protecting the heir is even more crucial.
She feels guilty at times but lets it go as her own convenience matters most to her. Because of the whole path she has charted from a riot affected street orphan to a rich scion's wife she has that ego. Her need to win and her need to fight is even greater. Her instincts have been honed from years of experience be it on streets or rich circles.
Anyone who messes with her or ones she needs for her "family" and power has to pay, according to her. No wonder she tried to kill Raima but left Raj alone as she needed him for power and her notion of "family".
She lets Shaurya be dependent on her. That makes her feel wanted, that gives her some purpose in life and also feel important. Just because she has no one else to truly relate to and because she had to fight her battles herself so she does not want Shaurya to fight any bit of battle in his own life.
Her love for Shaurya is more selfish, more due to her own past and not entirely unconditional.
Ideally she should have given him a great upbringing and ensured she got moments to be proud of him than forever be ashamed and keep covering up. She does regret at times why he let them down but then goes back to letting Shaurya be as he is still an overgrown baby for her.
She has still not realised how much for granted her son takes her and how her husband gives not a damn to her. She has learnt to be alone and so much into win and lose that she would try to prove her "worth" to her son and husband by covering up for them than let them go.
The 3 Goenkas are used to each other. Hence together.
No court, jail or Durga can make her feel defeated. Only her son will be her undoing.
Especially now that he has left her and is doing his own thing.
Sakshi Goenka is a comment on unholy and ruthless nexus of power and a product of cruelty. She is one of those people who never got proper guidance in life, rarely themselves remained satisfied or grateful for what they got, never tried to truly lead a peaceful life. She has jungle type concept of life - which reflects in her sherni comparison for her kids. She does not think as a woman or mother in ideal terms. She only thinks of herself and whoever she supports. Her experiences always made her apathetic and she drew wrong meaning only.😲
An utter waste of qualities and opportunities in a fake existence and running after a mirage of "powerful family".
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Debate Mansion
Parineeti
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
