IKRS Wednesday 14th January 2016 ep 137 My Take
Today's episode made me think along the lines of a widow being predominantly a woman.It's these two words ,widow and woman that I begin with.. let's take a look at the social backdrop of Ishq ka rang safed..This story deals with the social context of how the concept of widowhood is perceived and treated across a given society. We are introduced to a mixed age range of young, middle aged to older widows who are forced to live in a widows shelter where they can practice their way of life. We know they are widows by firstly, their attire the white sari that typifies clearly their status in the prevalent norms of the society they inhabit. Gradually we accept them as widows who go about the daily chores of life.. but know nothing of how they became widows? As viewers we do not see the process of the changeover from being a married woman to widowhood.. In today's episode. It is through the noble woman, the rich and haughty Kanak as viewers we get to see the once married Kanak's metamorphism into the role of a widow which she vociferously rejects!
But then Kanak the widow is also a woman who..As I speak, across some cultures across world societies asthe matriarch remains the child bearing ,child rearing and supportive figure. One who keeps the family unit together and provides the care element. The patriarch is there beside her to fend for her, feed her and to take all the key decisions. Rarely is the matriarch given the opportunity to think for herself or to make up her own mind regards matters of mutual interest. The need never arises, for her responsibility traditionally falls upon a male figure . Right from the start as a daughter, in the main it's her father's prerogative to be responsible for her .Next in line in the case of her father's death it would be her brother if she has one, who would protect her. Eventually, if she marries, her responsibility falls upon her husband ,her new lord and master.Finally in the absence of the husband the onus for her protection , then falls upon the son ,if she has one.. and thus begins the episode Kanak audibly before all creates a banter and refuses to wear the cursed white stigmatized sari.. the widows from the Ashram stand and watch in sympathy ,pity.. alas they all went through this pain but they accepted the change as a move of destiny. Kanak does not! and she resists it as long as she can ,as loudly as she has too! she will not give up her good life of colour and fineries and embrace a life of condemnation!
The woman in Kanak , the mother in Kanak , runs to the male figure she gave birth to for protection! she will not wear the cursed white sari! speak up my son! say something to support your mother.. Viplav who has always seen the woman in every widow first! now replies to this one his mother, be still.. be calm.. as a woman she begs him to protect her as a man! say something ! but what can he say? with tears in his eyes , he has to speak reason , shape this woman, his mother into realizing the facts.. he's gone, father has left us..but why won't she understand ..she weakens me too Viplav goes silent , the pain is unbearable .. but he is now in place of his father, he has to shield her from losing her mind.. Viplav cries internally.. the son gives up and then another maternal figure comes and gathers her son's weeping wife..takes Kanak's arms bedecked with red glass bangles a sign of a married woman. Kanak resists nooo noo.. but dadi tearfully , presses the bangles with her thumbs , they split , they crash on the floor as a rude awakening for Kanak to the fact that she is now a widow.. Kanak wails in pain ,and Viplav cannot bear to see his mother stripped of her married woman status, her wails make him turn his face.. and then .. the older woman contains the younger one in her arms.. both weep tears of grief , dadi for her son Shambu , and Kanak for her lost glory..
As it was not already a traumatic experience of reliving their past truamas when they became widows.. for the widows of the Ashram.. blame from some sympathisers already start to pour upon Dhani's head.. that her inauspicious shadow fell upon Kanak and she lost her husband! Viplav gathers himself, wipes his tears and honours his father's memory as his son and amid cries of his sister , he offers his shoulder as a pall bearer and bears his father's burden to the crematorium.. Tripurari too ventures forward but Dashrant declines his gesture.. draws a clear distinction.. Shambu his maimed son was born out of wedlock and thus legitimate .. and Tripurari being the product of his dark deed remains for illegitimate..
The final cremation rites are conducted as Viplav the son goes around the pyre with water... suddenly he hears his babba's words, he's coming to the airport with him to drop him .and Viplav had declined ,no he'd better rest , he'd go on his own..and his father replied, why? doesn't he like his company? Ohhh babaa I had you there and now I let you go.. you live in me.. I will look after shalu and maa, babaa , you can bank on your son Viplav... muses viplav pensively as he goes around the pyre.. Kanak and all watch from far.. once the ritual ends .. Viplav weeps . but stoically, begins the final rite of lighting the fire that a son does to his father's pyre..kanak is gripped with hysteria and as the tongues of fire rise higher so stirs the demon of rage and blame in her. viciously she pulls Dhani towards the pyre and screams , hurls Dhani on the ground near the flaming pyre, Kanak screams it's all because of her this accident happened. Viplav flies to Dhani's resue and stands her up protectively.. Kanak beats her head ,because of her my husband died! Dhani recedes to one side and cries, since this sinner came into our life! everything inauspicious is happening , Kanak screams at her son who holds Dhani close to him his arm around her shoulder.. Kanak flings her arms like one possessed and shouts first she took her husband's life ,now she's finished off my husband! now she will you kill Viplav next! and she pushes Viplav's shoulder. But Viplav just holds a weeping Dhani to his chest , his jaw rests against her head.. finally Kanak pushes Viplav and he snarls at her, what is she doing? and she screams ,doesn't he get it! when will he understand ?when she kills him as well ? bellows Kanak and viplav continues to protect and console Dhani and Kanak filled with rage time and again pushes Viplav ! why won't he say anything? she screams.. Viplav boldly despite the grief he suffers, he continues to show all how he protects Dhani from his mother's onslaughts
Dashrant at last commands Kanak to be quiet and she becomes more furious and literally flies at Viplav wants to throttle Dhani but he fights his demented mother off by spreading his arms like the wing span of the golden eagle that guards its young one from a predator! Kanak beats her chest crest fallen by her defeat of keeping Viplav and Dhani apart and screams, as she runs to the husbands burning fire, with the words, she too will burn herself alive as there is no purpose in living now! but it is an act to separate Viplav from Dhani and like a good son he restrains her and begs her to stop her hysteria.. too much for Dhani she runs past Viplav and his screaming mother and runs back to the refuge of her Ashram..
Kanak's cruel accusations, taunts even at such a sensitive time .. breaks Dhani emotionally and she goes into floods of tears and starts blaming herself for shambu's death..that she is inauspicious and mistress is right, but Inderani adds ignore what she says as she never favoured her in the first place.. but Dhani then reveals to all in the Ashram that her horoscope showed she has widow yog! and if she get's married in that household all will perish one by one! sobs Dhani uncontrollably
Kanak the lady in white in the privacy of her room.. stands before her mirror.. reflection or reality , in colour or in white her goal to divide Viplav and Dhani remains unchanged! She tries her best to sort things out , but they get muddled up and those two Viplav and Dhani veer closer to each other! and all because of that waste of space tripurai..
Tripurari in a a bit of a tizzy as some evidence that can implicate him ,his gagging blanket and a blood stained garment lies exposed before survarna.. slyly he gets hold of them and discreetly hides them in a tin trunk.. boxes the evidence! but for how long?
At the Ashram Raj laxmi reminds Dhani Viplav doesn't believe in stuff like kundali yog.. so she shouldn't take her blame upon. Distressed Dhani cries that her widows yog will take Viplav's life and she loves him a lot! don't want anything to happen to him! she weeps bitterly and then Inderani the voice of reason reminds her what the scriptures say.. that a person's fate is predetermined. No other person can influence what is already determined for another person.. be it good or bad. have faith in god and carry on being virtous ,and leave the rest to god ,he'll do what is his will! so from today she should stop blaming herself! and Dhani weeps and hugs Indrani ..
Viplav continues to now support a grieving, aging father, as Dashrant weeps for his son Shambu.. He weeps , that here he is the defender of the faith of many , solves problems of the masses with his wisdom ,yet he was powerless in having his prayer answered for his son's life.. Viplav wants to know where his mother is? and he gets the answer as his mother rushes out with her fine coloured sari's and hurls them on the ground , douches them with kerosene and sets them alight screaming , no use for them! Viplav grabs her and begs her to stop her madness! but her truth comes out as she accuses him . He can't his stop his madness for Dhani! Viplav argues ,why she drags Dhani in everything ! and Dashrant advises her whatever has happened ,consider it as god's will.. no one can reverse destiny .. but she needs to stop blaming Dhani.. and in anger that now Dashrant too supports Dhani. Kanak forcefully pushes Viplav and yells move out her way! and let her do what she wants too! as he shows his madness for Dhani ! now let her show him her madness! take a look.. Viplav see how it burns and so burn I ! ,she slaps his hands , heartbroken...and shattered with her grief too ,helplessly Viplav takes his responsibility, his broken ,devastated mother in his arms and gives her a brief respite of being her son... but he knows he cannot give her what she wants.. to stop loving Dhani..
The two of a kind, lowlife , conspirators meet. Kanak rightly gives him a piece of her mind for his shoddy act that has clothed her in white a colour she despises. She blames him for making her a widow. Tripurari mocks her relationship with Shambu and she warns him , he'd better watch his mouth as if she got him out of prison she can also put him back in there! but Tripurari gives her a listen into the taped conversation where she plotted the murder of dashrant! so he warns her, lay off him ! for if he goes in! she goes in with him!.. and no one can stop Viplav and Dhani's wedding from happening.. understood?or should he make her understand! and for sure the plotting and planning against Dhani will continue..between these two..
Overall an episode that confirms Shambu's final exit and Kanak's entry into widowhood .. my sympathy by the end of the episode has dwindled off considerably.. that act of burning her self as in Sati.. was meant to pull away Viplav from Dhani.. no two waves she inherently despises the girl.. gosh it was good to hear Dashrant support Dhani ..is it for real? Or is this to torture Kanak. Today Eisha shone as a deeply disturbed Dhani..amazing and moving acting. Kanak as the traumatized grieving widow .. and the vengeance stung banshee from hell was captivating .. Hamlet53 15.1.16
Anupamaa
Debate Mansion
