Posted:
Forgive me if I sound different today. Not depressed, just going with the flow of where my heart is taking me. In the guise of a mission, Annika subtly put forward her plight as the unwanted Bahu in the Oberoi Mansion. Harsh , Bitter truth all of it.
Sorry is the state when the tears of a wife goes uninvestigated. Does Shivaay not see the stark unhappiness on her face? Does he care at all about her as a person, or is it all about what she MUST do as his wife.
He's extremely proud of her, so much that she's his other half. He assumes that what he wants is what she wants. Like you never ask your left hand if it would like to hold the spoon for a change today instead of a fork. No, Right hand always holds the spoon, left hand supports the right one. It's normal, expected. Taken for granted.
(Yes, Annika wouldn't have said any of this if PInky was not breathing down her back. She would have happily went on being Shivaay's left hand, because she loves him like that. I myself have become my husband's left hand, It just happens, one day you realize you do so much for your husband and it is expected of you. Like the nice smelling ironed shirts just walk into his closet by themselves, lunch is served before a frown of hunger appears and clean plates magically reappear if they deign for dessert of their choice.)
Bear with me for a while. The writing is layered here, on one hand is Annika privately looking into her husband's eyes and telling him, his ignoring her really messed with her head. Leaving tiny clues everywhere if he even wanted to look at why his wife is slowly fading from his life.
He was supposed to grab hold of her and keep her close, not ignore her and let her pull away. Makes a woman feel like she was never important in his life. Like a well worn baniyan, it's okay if its worn I'll get a new one. No ! He was supposed to sit her down and make her spill out what the heck it is that's making her sad all the time. Dig it out. Make the effort. Show her you care.
Annika's been upset for days now. Her eyes are more often sorrowful and troubled, despite the festivities around them, and he doesn't insist to know what it is. Is he even present in this marriage of two people ? Or is she his new pet dog , when he snaps his fingers or whistles, for her to come running? Play and roll around affectionately with when it suits him.
Is she not a person ? Does she not have needs and rights and wants? If she is quiet , do you just let her fade into the background because she never spoke up for herself and insisted? Does one have to be loud and attention seeking to be taken care of by her husband?
He had to be told to remember his wife too, when he wanted to give a big welcome to Om's new wife. He even registered a mild shrug of indifference as to why he should acknowledge their marriage again. It's like an understood fact now. I accepted Annika, she's my wife, what's there to celebrate? I'm sure she doesn't want all this fuss too, like me. (again left hand )
Dadi insists and he realizes she does have her own wants. He forgot that he had taken her freedom from her, shackled her to his side, never once asked if it was where she wanted to be. Yet, she smiled and stayed loyally by his side, because she loves him.
Perhaps what Pinky is doing is good for Shivaay and Annika in the long run, because these two would've gone on like this indefinitely until one day they forget about Love and fight over the littlest of things. Or worse if one strays away like Tej did.
Perhaps Annika would've been like Jhanvi is now, if this separation isn't forced upon them. His mother has made her push Shivaay away, and in turn he will turn her out. But this dragged out event is not my concern, but what happens after, when he realizes how much more she means to him. SP is enjoying our tadap and wants to drag this out perhaps. Nasty ppl.
I'm digressing.
Shivaay is slowly realizing he loves her. And he's happy, he's soft and sweet and romantic. Still it's all about what he wants. He wants her to remarry him, to erase their bitter memories of the wedding. He wants to restart properly, its just beginning for him, I'm sure he would have slowly grown to give her that much importance.
He hugs her , saying sorry for playing such a juvenile prank on her, that she got hurt. Farak? Mujhe saans rukh rahi thi! "I can't breathe when you don't speak to me. Promise me I didn't say anything to upset you."
She gets a Pinky promise and a hug.The last hug, one for the road.
He surprises her with a mandap, beautifully decorated , to redo their wedding rasms. That vulnerability in his eyes as he asked her to marry him again, this time without compulsion, without force , to be his again, this time properly. Marry me Annika, phir se. Make this guilt go away, let me make you happy now please. You can cry happy tears your whole life.
Annika was struggling there. She wouldn't have gone on, seeing him like that. But for PinkyPonky's manhoos face, who renewed her threat. Shivaay did not even see the venom in his mother's face. Completely blind to it.
then she did it. She dismantled each brick they had put up for their relationship , One by One, took down all the pillars, until only a miserable rubble is left.
She went there. She invoked Tia.
Tia was his preferred choice for a wife. He had courted her for 3 years, and was preparing to marry her with all the pomp and ceremony, for all the world to see, Shivaay Singh Oberoi weds Tia Kapoor, crores exchanged in the back. Fancy locations, extravagance , luxury, 6 star hotels and lakhs spent like water. The best for the best.
Then Tia ran away. That Tia he trusted above Annika over and over, when she had tried to make him see her duplicity. That Tia who threw money as baksheesh at her for services rendered on his behalf. That Tia he proposed with such ceremony, and almost married 3 times, 2 of which were grand affairs.
That Tia who evoked pregnancy upon him, having Annika (the actual wife) bear with a smiling face the possibility of it being true. Bachche ka baap, bachche ka baap. over and over. No one, not Shivaay once asked, how it felt for her to be in that situation as a wife. She bore it with a smile, by his side, helped him through it by clearing his head. Unappreciated.
How the flirted and played with Tia, to taunt Annika who was playacting to catch out the liars. Farak padta hai? She said no. over and over. Today she did, and he doesn't even realize the magnitude of importance it shows. Tia has always been a thorn in her side, the one who will always be better than her.
When Tia ran away, did he choose Annika? Nope, some random girl called Richa. When that one ran away he angrily dragged her down, very disrespectfully, with no politeness at all, no request , nothing. She was there, she was a girl, she had to do. What a mess, he said afterwards. He told everyone Tia is his wife and snubbed her. She was never his choice.
She never scolded him even once. Because she respected Dadi, and the institution of marriage. Dadi said she must do her part as Bahu, she did her part faithfully. Asked for nothing, demanded for nothing, received nothing. Like a permanent job in that house without pay. Lucky Oberois.
When OmRu wanted to scold him with the family, she stopped them all. This is between me and him. I have issues with him, perhaps will always have issues with him. Today, all the scolding came out wholesale.
"I get 2 rupees mandap, while Tia gets the works?"
When he threw her out to go get Dushyant to prove Tia wrong? He was so harsh to her, threw her onto the floor for dramatics, she played her part. But when Tia was exposed, she is sent out with good wishes and not a scratch upon her, with such grace and forgiveness. No acknowledgement that Annika was right all along, that he was wrong not to believe her right from the start.
They are in the same place. He still doesn't believe her fully. I bet she brings Tia (because he always believes what Tia says), to tell him where Daima's video came from.
She insults his mother again, he doesn't react. He tells his mother to be quiet, and gently asks her to tell him what is upsetting her like this, to do such things. Nope, this isn't working.
She escalates the attacks. Saying the family never respected her as a person, always looking down at her lack of Naam, Khoon and Khandaan. Which was only half true, as Dadi spoke up, only to get shut down. now this upsets Shivaay more. But he doesn't explode. "Have you forgotten how to speak to elders?? I will not tolerate harsh words against my family"
A nerve was hit.
"Another word about MY family, I will forget You are my wife !!"
[So easy Shivaay? Some harsh words and you're ready to say this? She's not really your family then, right? *sobbing loudly* Okay , i know she's asking for it. But it just goes to demonstrate where she is in his life. Not part of his family.]
Unfair, he's being ambushed and I'm nit picking his words with a lice comb. Okayy...
With a signal to OmRu, she plants the last bomb.
"You had great issues with MY Naam Khoon & Khandaan right? Take a look at your own family then! Your own brother Omkara is illegitimate !! "
the shock reverberates among all of them. Pinky looks frightened since the words NKK came into the argument. She went there. OMG. Shivaay will explode.
Actually this is needed. That secret was fake, and Om's parents are both there to refute this, and Shivaay himself will say Om is his brother NO MATTER WHAT, that he didn't care about NKK when it comes to his family. I would say she is giving him a controlled infection to initiate a immune response to when his own NKK is revealed. Wow.
Now the family will rally around each other, give strength to him and Shivaay will accept all this about his brother, while the story is rubbished once and for all. Wait til Tia comes with Daima's video. I want to see Pinky's face when this happens.
Annika is a bad-*ss mother of all bombs when she wants to be. She is as scary as Shivaay when pushed into a corner. The Oberois better watch out, this Bahu is not to be bullied or trifled with, she is as equally powerful in will as Shivaay.
truly beautiful writing. I loved it all..👏
Shivaay reaches he end of his tether. She has pushed him so far back the poor guy has to react.
The whole family knows about his "so called " birth truth. Pinky thought Annika would go away silently? But she made such a huge raita, it might have scared Pinky a little. Not only did she prepare Shivaay to face it himself. but she deputized the task to his family to tell it to him, for the family to sort out themselves, without her. It wasn't her issue at all.
His birth story is Shivaay's to discover himself. Not Annika's job to tell him. When he finds out, he needs his family to reassure him and keep him close. When he has that assurance and strength again, he will find her.
And all she wanted was her Bhagad Billa. her Tadibaaz.
Can they just get over with it so I can see what happens AFTER !!!
Anupamaa
Kumkum Bhagya
