Posted:
I actually found today's episode fascinating.
I was reminded of a line from the movie 'Memoirs of a Geisha' :
"My mother always said my sister Satsu was like wood; as rooted to the earth as a sakura tree. But she told me I was like water. Water can carve its way even through stone...and when trapped, water makes a new path..."
To put it in context, the mother was explaining that your sister is set in her ways and unable to adapt, but you will always find a way out of any situation.
Arzoo is like wood and Sahir is like water, and today Arzoo had to pay the price for being unbending, unadaptable and too obstinate with regards principles to see what was going on around her.
She reminds me of how the elders of families are many times represented. Stuck in old traditions and strict principles which they force down the throats of the family, unable to accept the unhappiness and damage they are causing..unable to see that the world has changed and they should learn to adapt as well.
Lets look at the issues we have:
Nausheen - she has no income, no house and bad health. She is living with her entire family under Sahir's roof with nowhere to go. She still has the responsibility for Myra's education. Time is ticking and everyday its killing her that she is unable to provide a roof over her head for her family. Arzoo keeps telling her that she will provide everything, but apart from words, Arzoo has been unable to do anything.
Zara - has spent her life living under the shadow of her 'Mother Theresa' elder sister. She wants to help her family, but Arzoo on several occasions has belittled Zara, dismissing her opinions, dismissing her offers of help. Treating her like a kid. Whenever Zara has found solutions, Arzoo's given her a Mother Theresa lecture and put her down. Not really making any effort in trying to understand Zara's perspective.
Myra - Myra probably spends the most amount of time with her mother. Everyday she sees her mother worrying about their future. The fact is, they don't have somewhere to live and there is no money for her education. How do they solve these issues?
Alvira - Since her lecture to Arzoo last week on how she has expected Arzoo to understand Sahir, to help heal and love him, we haven't had a peep out of Alvira. She feels that the girl she had so much faith in has let her down. Her respect for Arzoo has diminished. Particularly after Arzoo accepted Zaki's marriage proposal. She can't understand how Arzoo can't see the love Sahir has for her, why she hasn't questioned his behaviour. May be she wasn't the right girl. May be she didn't love him enough?
Sahir - Whatever Sahir may have said/done, the fact of the matter is that if this deal isn't completed, Sahir loses everything...including the roof currently over Arzoo's families head. This is serious stuff. Its a matter of survival at this point. But at no point has Sahir been able to reason with Arzoo, her mind is so clouded by her principles how money doesn't matter, she is unable to appreciate the seriousness of the situation. Money does matter, ask any homeless person Arzoo (try your family for starters). If she did, she would have put all differences aside and tried to help Sahir figure out a solution.
Zaki - Call it naivety or the result of taking things at face value only, Arzoo was unable to see the feelings Zaki was developing for her. Furthermore, being Arzoo, her friendship had to be unconditional and unfaltering so when he confesses his love, starts pushing her for marriage, she doesn't feel its right to push back at all, further leading Zaki up the garden path. And she doesn't question his pushiness or lack of support in overcoming her heartbreak either. It goes against her mother theresa principles.
So today's episode was all about the collateral damage created by Arzoo's unbending principles about life and relationships. Each person listed above have issues/problems and Arzoo is not actually able to help solve/see any of them. Why? Because she is like wood, so deep rooted in her belief system, she refuses to see that in life, you need to learn to bend a little, to see the grey, to feel empathy for someone else's situation, to accept the fact that not everyone lives by the rules you set for yourself and nor should they.
As Sahir tells her, open your eyes and you will see the reality in front of you. Although Sahir's examples were based on his own unfortunate experiences, it was 100 times more realistic than Arzoo's view of the world. Even her parting words to him were so childish. The guy is telling you that if the deal isn't closed, he is going to go bankrupt and lose everything and all you have to say is to hell with you and your business?
And the money to Farah? Where exactly does she think this was going to come from? If Nausheen hadn't taken the money from Sahir where would it have come from in 24hrs? Arzoo was quick to say, don't take the money, but are you providing your family with any alternative solutions Arzoo? And that is where Myra's words to Arzoo kicked in. Zara's words were the same. Everyone is trying to send Arzoo a message. Your principles are great and you indeed belong on the pedestal of self-righteousness, but what has that got us? We are still penniless, we still don't have a home and we are still insulted day in day out. And the only thing they perhaps did have, 'izzat', that is also now lost with Arzoo's acceptance and then breaking of marriage to Zaki giving Farah plenty of ammunition to destroy any sense of respect they may have had for themselves.
And after all of this, the irony is, Arzoo still doesn't get it. All her guns are now pointed at Sahir who she wholly blames for the situation she is in.
Lucky for her, she has been fortunate enough to have secured the love of Mr Sahir Azeem Chaudary, who is like water and will certainly figure out a way of getting her out of this mess. I feel Arzoo will go from one extreme to another, finally settling peacefully, somewhere in between, where she will find the happiness she has been searching for.
And Sahir too, who is also at one extreme, in trying to bring Arzoo to a middle ground, will also find himself there as well.
😊
Udne Ki Aasha
