I have refrained from writing about this episode due to my mixed feelings about the storyline and Babita’s reaction but I decided to finally give it a shot.
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Minnie discovered the case files in the chest and was shocked beyond belief, but as usual choose not to say anything to her mother. This hide and seek tendency is not healthy. Was she just too shocked to say anything or was she also trying to protect her Babes? Ashnoor did a fantastic job in this scene as she collapsed on the floor on finding out the truth. I must applaud her for keeping it so natural where such scenes are often overly dramatic on ITV. I also loved the background music in this scene, would love to see it as part of the jukebox at some point.
Has the chest always been there, I wonder?
Imarti and Maan
Elsewhere, her father was sitting in the police station with a haunting look in his eyes as her remembered his Imarti. We were finally introduced to her with the lens that HS remembered her through: Imarti’s laughter resonating in the haveli, the tinkling of her anklets tracing a path through the entire place, leaving her mark everywhere. He was chasing her, trying to catch her, much as he has been chasing her essence all these years, trying to grab on to the memories one last time before they slipped through his fingers and the passage of time. As with everything related to Imarti, nothing was straightforward or direct, as she zigzagged through the haveli, their abode, their pyaar ka aashiyana. He had to literally jump over hurdles as he ran after her, constantly teased by her comments about being like a kite that would break the connection with the person on the ground and fly away. She had eventually done so, leaving him on the ground still holding the broken string, searching the skies for signs of her as her soul had departed.
I believe it initially took him some effort to woo her back then, and he enjoyed her playfulness as well as the adrenaline rush when in pursuit. I think she always intrigued him, and that’s what added the much needed spice in their relationship. The song selection was spot on here, depicting her playfulness and the range of attributes she must have exhibited in her personality: from being bitter as neem to being sweet as honey, hard at times and soft at others. She was full of life and the diversity of her traits made her extremely alluring. In all this she teased him, kept him wanting more of her, made him strive for one glimpse of that face that was his entire world.
Like her free spirit, she ran around their haveli not needing her eyes, as her feet, familiar with every inch of the place, guided her. I noted especially the way she ran up the stairs - quick, light-footed, full of mirth, quite a contrast to the measured, slower steps that Babita would normally take when climbing the stairs.
To be very honest, while watching that scene I had not for a second thought about Babita in those moments or compared them both. To me, this was a mark of brilliance on the part of the CVs, that they could enable us to compartmentalize both women and their relationship to HS.
Maan, she called him, as he asked her to “maan ja” and stop, and then finally grabbed her braid. To me, it symbolized the string of the kite that was loose and that he wanted to grasp firmly in his hand, being a little playful, a little assertive as he tugged on it.
Teri dor to mere haath mein hai bawli.
Na aaj chhodunga, na zindagi bhar chodunga. Aise hi pakad ke rakhunga.
And he had.
He was not going to wait any more, and as he let go fo her braid, he whirled her around and pulled her closer to him, to feast his eyes on her radiant face. His grip was strong but his expression gentle and oh-so-loving as he took in her beauty, her joie-de-vivre.
A lot has been written about their chemistry and I cannot stop praising both actors for bringing it out so beautifully. Their gazes and body language told us far more about their bond than words could. This was a couple madly in love, creating memories while they rejoiced in sharing their lives with each other, literally as one soul, as one breath.
Just when you thought they couldn’t be closer, he reached out for her braid from behind and coiled it around his hand while she continued to wriggle. Yes, he had his arm around her but was not going to let the string remain loose and free. He wanted to leave no chance for her to fly away. That long shot of them standing by the balcony doors, wind blowing through, her hands on his shoulders, his around her waist and hair, with the spices spread out beside them… Just in that one instant, in that very domestic setting, we could see that this was a couple who were enjoying marital bliss, where life seemed perfect and uncomplicated, with just the two of them in their own world.
The push-pull dynamic in their relationship was evident from the physicality too. They wanted and needed each other equally. There was give and take and equality there. Of course, they addressed each other as “tu” showing their level of comfort and status with each other. They were friends, lovers, sparring partners, and soulmates. Ah… young love!
She knew she ruled his heart, knew the hold she had over him, as did he. As she tried to break free he pulled her braid closer, both of them enjoying this playful romance until she ran to the wall, where he finally managed to trap her. The look in his eyes changed as he stilled them both for an instant, switched gears from play to passion. Bringing out the color from his pocket, he swept his fingers across her right cheek, never taking his eyes off her as he saw the passion reflected in her eyes too. He gently kissed her forehead before adding color to it as well.
Happy Holi, Mrs. Hanuman.
Boiragi mann tera hai saaheb ji,
Mere seene mein hai quaid wo ab ji.
Exactly. She had his heart, all of it.
His job done, he turned to leave after igniting the passion in her but did not get far as she pulled him back, holding him from behind.
Jaan lega meri ab?
He turned around to put her hand on his shoulder - there it was again - to face her as he said:
Is baat ki to guarantee hai teri jaan to main hi lunga.
He said as he rested his forehead on hers - their destinies linked to each other forever.
Oh the import of those words today as he reminisced their time together, not knowing what the future held for them. I felt a pang in my heart to think that they were indeed star-crossed, completing one another, making each other whole, but their journey left incomplete as they were unable to fight against the biggest player of all: time.
I fell in love with this youthful, carefree HS, or Maan. He was exactly as I had imagined him to be as was his relationship with Imarti, with whom I fell in love at first sight, frankly. I have said this already and I will say it here again, it is no mean feat to give a face to the great Imarti who we’ve been hearing about since the beginning via HS’ narratives. We had all created a picture of her in our minds based on his words, and I am extremely pleased that the Imarti we finally saw matched up to that. Not a single move, word or expression out of place. Props to Roshni for coming in to the show this far on and still inserting herself seamlessly. Also, props to the team for directing that scene so beautifully, so full of meaning and conveying the essence of their bond in those few minutes.
There were obvious parallels in that scene, of course. The color he chose was red, vibrant and bold, the color of love and passion, and the application of it direct, intimate, standing face-to-face, while he exerted his rights on his Imarti and set her cheek on fire as the inside of his left fingers moved downwards to her mouth.
It was the same cheek of Babita’s that he had left his imprint on. The color was of earth, cool and soothing, one that blended yet was part of everything around them. The stroke had been upward this time, gently with the back of his left fingers as he sat to her side, as if to dip in and steal a moment in time that he did not have a right to.
Back to the present, as with the time when he risked losing his job because of mother-daughter, this time too he asked Lala to type a letter to the Commissioner, requesting to be relieved of his duties until the court case was over, until the final verdict was delivered. The final verdict, the one that would determine his future, one that would bring with it the end of all the uncertainties in his life, so that he could finally move on.
The case had been thrown out of the lower court but was now going to be tried in the High Court. He knew that it wouldn’t do to have it thrown out of court again. This time he had to fight it and end it once and for all, for himself, and most importantly for his Imarti. HS' eyes teared up further as he saw his friend, his brother, the ever-loyal Lala become emotional while typing the letter.
Touched, but also trying to make light of the situation as was typical of him, HS assured Lala not to worry, that nothing would happen to him. He had utmost faith in the law that he had sworn to uphold. The same legal system he was being tried under would be the one to serve him justice.
Minnie was lost in thoughts of what she had learned, her mind restless and anxious as she began to worry for her Hanuman Uncle. We have seen parents unable to eat out of worry for their children, but not often do we see children do the same for their parents. Minnie’s battle with herself continued as she also tried to pretend as if everything was alright so as not to alarm her mother. I think she should have told Babita what she’d found out instead of hiding it, but this was an age-old problem of mother-daughter that wasn’t going away anytime soon.
Babita was not only unable to sense the turmoil in Minnie but was also just going about her daily activities as if nothing major had happened. She asked Minnie to check with Lala. The way HS had left and the look on his face as he read the notice from the court should have alerted her that something was very wrong indeed. I wished she had enquired after him herself.
Across the street, Beeji was hopeful as she talked to Naeem Bi about Babita and Hanuman’s future, but was stopped by NB saying that she had lied about the cause of Imarti’s death. I am glad she said so there and then before it came out in the wrong way.
Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya
HS arrived home late, storming in and going about his daily after-work routine, rolling up his sleeves, untying his shoelaces. As Babita enquired about his tardiness and why he had left suddenly, Minnie stood at the top of the steps, wondering what he was going to tell Babita. I think she might have been waiting for HS to tell Babita himself about the case.
As HS remained quiet, Babita asked about him eating and started to show her concern. He realized then that he had to put a stop to it. Asking the Lord for forgiveness for what he was about to do, he went on a rampage of his own.
Mere peeche kyon padi ho aap?
She asked him why he tended to suddenly start behaving that way with her, telling him she had been worried about him, had not even eaten. The more she spoke, the more ammunition she gave him. He knew her very well and was going to find a way to hurt her where it hurt most: her insecurities about him, and her ambiguous status in his life.
And then came the words that to me sounded like the audience’s voice:😆
Meri baat suniye. Manne lag raha hai ke aap mhaare peeche kuch zyaada hi padh rahi ho, zyaada interest le rahi ho aap aaj kal mujh mein.
Kaam dhanda bhi sab kuch chhod ke baithi hui ho aap.
Why was her Hanuman Uncle doing this? Why was he being so hurtful to her mother? Minnie did not get it.
Poore ek duniya ke andar akela main hi na hoon. Aap ki chhori bhi hai, uss pe phi dhyaan do. Usko kaise bisraye baithi ho aap.
Arrey maana ke baap nahin hai chhori ka, is ka matlab thodi hai ke dar dar ke thokrein khati phiregi, maari maari phiregi. Maa to hai, anaat to na kehlayegi kam se kam.
Minnie finally understood where this was coming from and what he was trying to achieve. He was protecting his Veer Balika, trying to secure her future by pushing mother-daughter away and ensuring that she was provided for because he could no longer guarantee that he could do that as a father in light of what had happened. The fact that he said “baap nahin hai” should have alerted Babita, considering he had just declared himself as her father a few hours ago, that too in such a holy setting.
Mhaari soch rahi ho, idhar udhar ke. Maharaani haath jode aap ke.
Apne baare mein socho, apni chhori ke baare mein socho. Mhaare chakkar ke andar na pado aap.
Yeh kha liya kya, yeh pee liya kya, mhaari jo marzi ho mein khaaon, mhaari marzi ho jo peeyon. Aap kyon aadhi ho jaa rahi ho iss chakkar mein?
Babita didn’t budge so he dealt the final blow.
Dekho, paraya mard mein zyaada mann na lago apna. Maryada mein rehna apni. Ab bacchi to ho nahi chhoti jo aap ko samjhaon.
Babita, hands clenched, toes curled as she had done after Ashok humiliated her in court, looked at if she had been slapped. Acknowledging that she had forgotten her limits, tears welled in her yes. HS could not look at her at this point. As she made her way up the stairs, Minnie ran to bed to pretend as if she were asleep. HS defiantly put the bottle of alcohol on the table, the sound making Babita turn mid-step. He looked at her with defiant eyes, the hurt of their previous arguments around alcohol rising back up in Babita’s mind as she returned to her room. HS crouched lower in his chair, seemingly defeated.
I am glad Minnie overheard all this because it gave her enough information to know how to deal with both her parents going forward.
I am not sure about the suitability of the song Kabira in this case. The song itself is one of my favorites but I felt they could have chosen something that was at little more subtle, the lyrics were not as much a match to the situation as other songs have been in the past.
What I did love was the way they showed all three of them under the same roof, shedding tears for different reasons, but feeling incomplete and broken, unable to reach out to one another for comfort because they were hiding their innermost feelings. HS longingly looked at the closed bedroom door, knowing that he had been the one to shut it but taking solace in the fact that he had managed to accomplish what he had intended: to push them away and out of his life. He knew that Babita would react exactly this way and I was once again impressed by just how well he understood her.
I know I won’t be popular for saying this, but I think HS meant to hurt her on grounds of her emotions for him and was not referring to lust. I have watched the scene over and over and yes it was meant to hurt her, but it was to say that her affections and interference in his life were not welcome, that he was calling them strangers to each other. He also attacked her very strongly on not fulfilling her duties as a mother, as his daughter’s mother, a role that he knew she had been proud of. Of course, he could not articulate that but the intent was that he didn’t want her to lose focus on Minnie, since he would be incapable of providing for his daughter financially and emotionally for the foreseeable future.
It was interesting to see, however, that Babita’s flashbacks were about their physical contact and proximity and not about their other moments together. It was about the intimacy she had experienced, the desire he had awakened in her. She (mis)interpreted HS’ earlier words about her interest in him along those lines, and felt a sense of shame. Which is why she felt even more humiliated.
As she looked at herself in the mirror and remembered his words, she tried to wipe his imprint off her cheek and her hands. Her clip reminded her of how he had wipe the dust on his kurta before handing it back to her, again a moment where there had been some of that type of tension between them.
I think this points to one of the main things that has been bothering Babita, that she is on some level ashamed that instead of just feeling “pure love” for him, she has been experiencing those feelings of desire. As in most patriarchal societies, women’s sexuality and physical needs are never discussed or explored. They are often considered a source of shame, which is a pity. Babita had also been raised with this mindset, so rather than holding her head high and not shying away from her heart’s desires, she hung her head in shame.
Meanwhile, as HS continued to drink into the night to cope with his pain, he imagined Imarti snatching the bottle from him, her eyes flooded with the same tears he was shedding, her heat aching as his. She could not bear to see him like this and he knew it, but was powerless to stop. As she urged him not to drink by snatching the bottle, he assured her that things would be ok, asking her to return the bottle which she was hugging. She would rather hold the dangerous liquid close to her where it was out of reach, than let him anywhere near it.
HS reached out for Imarti's hand, the hand that had been torn away from his years ago, and kissed it gently. The bottle was forgotten momentarily as the essence that he was using it to replace came just a little closer to him, to wrap herself around him, caressing his cheek softly lulling him into a beautiful dream as he slipped back into a world of his own, their world. But it was only a dream, one that shattered as his bottle did, and in true Imarti style, her memories had had the power to make him stop, even if temporarily. As his dreams came crashing along with the bottle, he returned to reality, looking at his empty hand which had moments ago been holding hers, finding himself once again in the lonely room, devoid of her touch and the warmth of her embrace.
The Rise of Hanuman Jr.
The next morning, as he rummaged through the chest, Minnie held up the file. Before he could say anything she declared that she did not believe a single word in the files or that he could do such a thing. I am really glad they started off with her speaking about it it first. He did not have to justify or defend himself. She was already on his side without being asked to be and did not need evidence or otherwise in order to be convinced.
His worst fears were confirmed, that she was on his side through and through and he knew she wasn’t going to let it go. So he tried to scold her and discipline her, but she was having none of it. She wanted to know why someone would accuse him when it wasn’t true, refusing to return the file until he spoke up. She screamed that it was a lie, that it was nonsense. The more she screamed the more desperate he became because he wanted her to stop wondering, to stop hurting.
I was actually taken aback to see the thali dropping scene because it seemed so out of character for this show, but I let it go since I understood that they wanted Imarti’s diya to conveniently roll down the steps and land on his feet. He had given it to Babita as a show of his faith, and it had since symbolized the trust between them, one that seemed to be shaken for now. I hope he only returns it to her when she has regained his trust.
This was not how he would have wanted Babita to find out, but it was all in the open now. Minnie looked at her mother, afraid of how she would react because I think she knew what was coming. Babita was in shock and retreated to sit on the the steps (again a bit too dramatic for PB!). As the papers slipped from her hand and hit the floor, when she sat down with a thud his chin jerked at the same time (nice touch there), visibly shocked that she would believe that about him. It was written in her eyes, the accusation, the disbelief, hurting him beyond belief.
He decided to strike while the iron was hot.
As Minnie looked at her mother in surprise and disbelief, when she asked HS if this was the truth, he responded:
Maine maar diya mhaari Imarti ko, main hi kaaran hoon uski maut ka.
Culpable homicide, ghair iraadatan hatya.
Hatya to hatya hoti hai.
If anything this last line should have told them both that he was innocent but not willing to absolve himself of his guilt. As he spoke those words and hurt himself, and by extension, her as well, the anger and frustration kept rising in Minnie. She connected the dots from last night and knew she could not let him do this to himself or to her.
Jhoot! She accused him.
Sach! he said, but could not look into her eyes as he lied.
Jhoot! She yelled gain, pushing him. One would never do that with one's father but these two were friends too and it is with that right that she attacked him verbally and physically.
Kyon jhoot bol rahe ho? Kyon jhoot bol rahe ho Hanuman Uncle? She screamed, as she grabbed his collar. She could not see him do this to himself.
Kyon mujhe jaan boojh ke hurt karna chahte ho aap. Aapne nahin maara hai main jaanti hoon. Kyon khud ko dosh de rahe ho aap? Kyon? Kyon?
This man, her wonderful father, who could not bear to see her in pain was doing something she had never imagined he would. Why was he hurting her by maligning himself, by putting a blot on his own character, by trampling over his own dignity and self-respect in confessing to a crime he had not committed?
As we’ve said already, Minnie was really impressive here, standing her ground, refusing to let him continue to do this to them both. She knew exactly what was going through his mind, recognized the great sacrifice he was making at the cost to himself and his sanity. The more she saw him sink the stronger the fight in her rose, as she tried to pull him out as well before it was too late.
Even at such a tender age she could only imagine that the path he had chosen for the three of them, without her or Babita’s consent was going split them up as a family, but most importantly rip his heart apart after he lost his daughter. There was no way she was going to watch from the sidelines while he self-destructed. He did not get to call himself her father yesterday and then push her away today to protect her, even when the going got tough. Especially when the going got tough. It was a two-way street. She knew what he was doing was right in a way but that was a fate worse than death for both of them at this point. After all the struggles these two had gone through, after finally finding her father, she was not going to let them be lost to each other, no matter what.
HS had previously said that when daughters become like mothers, then fathers can be come like children sometimes. That was a lighthearted moment but this was something grave where the father-daughter dynamics were turned on their heads. This time it was not about her mother’s feelings, it was about her father and her equation with him. Her sense of protectiveness towards him came to the surface. It was a new emotion for her as he had never been in this sort of trouble in the time she had known him. We normally see parents being protective for their children but in this instance Minnie felt fiercely protective about him and about their connection that had been hard-fought and won. Now she would fight him if she had to. Her father was not going to have his way this time.
HS tried to remain strong but could not look at Minnie because he knew the tears in her eyes would weaken his resolve. As she leaned on to his chest, her head over his heart where he was hurting, he felt a sense of despair he hadn’t experienced in a long time. His mind and heart continued their civil war as he saw and felt his daughter’s tears, but he reckoned with the accusing look on Babita’s face. His arm instinctively reached around to hug Minnie back and offer her comfort but he stopped, literally pushing his kaleje ka tukda away from him.
Moving to pick up the pieces of paper which had left his life in pieces, there were fresh tears in his eyes as he looked into Babita’s and saw the lack of trust in them. Her demeanor said it all. He knew he had to hold on a bit longer as he was close to the finish line. He just needed to give her the final push. Wiping his tear he went to pick up the muddied photo frame and hung it up on the wall next to his grandfather's and Gandhiji’s photo.
I loved the background music in this bit as he wiped the mud off the glass to reveal Imarti’s and his smiling faces from their wedding. The whole scene had an operatic feel to it!
As tears continued to fall from his eyes, Babita's face reflected on the glass in place of Imarti’s. There could be two ways to look at it. On one hand, Babita was the shining light that would stand by him as his emotional support now that Imarti was no longer there. She would help to bring him out of his darkness. On the other hand, to Babita, seeing that picture on the wall was the final gesture of his rejection of her, as if he were showing her that Imarti was above all. To her, it was as if by bringing Imarti’s and his wedding picture out and hanging it next to the other two people he looked up to, he had once again reminded Babita that it was a place she could never have, a greatness she could never achieve. She was insignificant and overshadowed by Imarti in life and in death.
I have my Imarti with me forever, I don’t need anyone, was the message he was driving home, but a part of him also wanted to bring Imarti out so that he did not have to hide her in his heart anymore, so that his longing for her could come out in the open.
Then came the words that he had wanted to hear but dreaded all the same. Babita and Minnie would not live there anymore.
Ab yeh sab jaanne ke baad, hum yahan reh nahin sakte.
Ji jaanta hoon, he replied. How well he knew Babita!
My respect for HS went up as I saw his iron self-control while he was dying a thousand deaths. He closed his eyes in pain but could not stop the tears escaping as Babita announced she was going to take Minnie. He had won this battle but was losing everything, especially the person he now loved the most: his daughter.
He remained silent as he knew Babita would force Minnie to go. His breathing became heavier, as even with his back turned, he waited in anticipation to hear Minnie’s voice for the last time on this matter. He could not bear to look as he waited for Babita to be the mother that he counted on her to be and drag Minnie out if she had to.
To his surprise, what had initially seemed as her stubborn refusal was not so. She left her mother’s side, moving to stand behind him physically and emotionally as she held on to his sleeve. It made me think of situations where children to go to one parent if they don’t want to be disciplined by the other.
Mein apne Hanuman Uncle ko chhod ke kahin nahin jaa rahi hoon. The way his expression changed at these words, when he realized how serious his daughter was, that she was not going to let him push her away… took my heart away.
Kuch nahin kiya unhon ne. Ok? Kucch nahin kiya hai. Yeh aise kar hi nahin sakte hain, she yelled, showing her fierce loyalty towards him.
And I trust him, she continued, stunning him in the process. Was she..? Did she just take his side, over her mother’s? Did she really love him and trust him that much even without knowing the full story?
I think we all went away with heavy hearts and emotions, feeling touched by Minnie’s resolute stance. She was daddy’s girl as she held on to his sleeve and in fact Babita seemed like the outsider there. Considering all that happened between them when she found out about HS’ feelings for Babita, I was very proud of her progress and even more in awe at how close father and daughter have become. In Minnie, I saw a glimpse of a junior Hanuman Singh: the same attitude towards right and wrong, the same fearlessness when speaking the truth, and the same honesty in expression. Their bond has indeed been sealed forever, and their hearts beat to the same rhythm.
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