Giving Season 2 a chance: Week 1 (Ep - 2 is up!)

Finally decided to give S2 a watch because I can't seem to wrap my head around the discussions going on about the show. Surprisingly, all of the reviews I have heard about the episode are on the 2 extremes. Either people are liking it, except one or two aspects, or the complete opposite. So, let's see what I think because I am so important🤪.

Just a heads up: I have written all of this before starting the binge watch and I have no clue how this is going to go ahead. So, if you're reading this, you and I are on this journey of discovering it together.

Also, I kind of watched the first 2 episodes probably 2 weeks back but I'm going to do it again. (I don't know why that matters but meh!)

The links will be updated as soon as I am done watching the episode:

Episode - 1

Episode - 2

Episode-1: "Abir, Mishti's New Life?"

> First off, dream Abir's behaviour seems a little off. I don't see Abir ever kind of snubbing Jugnu for him asking about noodles. Also, nazar nahi hat rahi from that pointy hair at the back of his head.

> Oh my god!!! Kaveri!!! She looks so good!!

> Mishti's dream is that the family is together, is happy for her and pampers her. Well, no surprises there, considering what her characters' insecurities are about. Her nightmare is that the family leaves her and Abir alone, no shocker there as well. The shocking part is that the family left them with the house, and left themselves. Kaunsa pariwaar iss desh me yeh kar raha hai? Mujhe milna hai unse.

Moving on, we find out some haadsa happened. Mishti wants to confess and Abir doesn't think it's necessary. He literally says "Koi zaroorat nahi hai" and "Sab kuchh bhool jao".

Dude, do you not see she is scared out of her mind? Is this how this show is going to handle mental health? Through shayari and a dori??(I'll give them the rope. It can act as an anchor. Girl, it's okay. You decided to give this show a chance. *Deep breaths*)

> "Situation kaisi bhi kyun na ho jaaye, na tum serious hoge na mujhe hone doge" -- Okay, how does this apply to this situation? Cold coffee tak ki kahaani I get. Distracting someone is a legit way to reduce anxiety but this took a complete u-turn after that. What was the point here?

> Wow! This shayari recitation went on for almost 7 mins. That is a record!

> Awwww Kuhu! Don't be sad! Okay, back to it. The house seems to be falling apart with lockdown funk. Kuhu decided to bring some semblance by creating a food chart, but forgot that Parul doesn't know English that well. I assume that will be corrected by her because that is the kind of person she is. She just needs to stop with her Mishti mania and she will be perfect! (but I guess that's part of her character diamond so it will make an appearance in every scene. If you don't know what a character diamond is, it means a combination of three, four, or five traits that govern a character's personality, so whenever a writer writes a scene or whatever, those traits need to be checked.)

> I was going to write a big paragraph to explain why people won't let Ketu call Abir but thanks to Meenu, I don't need to do that. She does it so smoothly with one dialogue which explains RV's perspective to Abir's lame excuse, to the audience as well as Parul, with that zoom in shot.

"Mai bhi Abir se tumhaare rishte ki baat karna chaahti hoon. Khushi ka mauka hai sun kar wo fauran aa bhi jaayega. Par khaas mauke par toh door ke rishtedaar bhi chale aate hain. Jo apna hota hai, usey apne ghar aane ke liye kisi khaas mauke ki talaash nahi hoti hai."

> I love how Nidhi has made Benbaa adapt to the habit of letting her finish her sentences. She gets to say whatever she wants without being reprimanded. Asli winner toh yahi hai hai. She is the only one who knows how to handle Meenakshi without becoming a target: Just act like you didn't realise what you were saying and don't stop talking once you start. Simple!

> Ye log toh dumb charades khel kar hi khush ho jaate hain. So sweet!

So, lockdown is over in the show. Chalo fictional duniya me hi sahi, kahin toh corona ke flat curveki khushi experience kar lein hum sab.

> I don't balme Meenu for thinking that Mishti is the reason Abir has to stay away from the family because 1) It's true, 2) It's insensitive but it's true. Mishti is the reason he is away from the house but both Abir and Mishti should get equal blame for this. Contrary to what the dialogues have been since the beginning of the show and what patriarchy would have you believe, saari galti khaali Mishti ki nahi hai. Abir ki bhi hai.

> Like Sima from Mumbai, thinking about these two makes me so tired. Can't they communicate with each other like normal people? Idhar Abir says, they will stay a few more days and she has a questioning look but forgets about everything once she sees the decor. Then, she says "mai bhi tumhaare dil ki baat samajh leti hoon" which basically translates to we are going home and he goes with it. Both of them are making 2 different decisions for each other. Communicate properly! Pata nahi kab seekhenge ye dono.

Episode-2: Abir, Mishti Return Home!

> The episode starts with such a dramatic shot of Meenu that the happy music change surprised me.

> I love this 'Sautan bani Saheli' bond!

Kunal gets mentioned in the very first scene and the happiness on Meenu's face. Hayee! And then how Meenu corrected herself, "Mai jaanti hoon ki Kunal mujh...humse door nahi reh sakta". Parul being her Benba's bestie said, "Aapse! Aapse door nahi reh sakta". These two!

> Coming to the point that annoyed me and I am not super sure about. Kunal calls and talks to everyone except Kuhu?! That's mean!

(Aqua goes into flashback and remembers words of wisdom by Samanalyse: "Kunal is probably lonely and overworked and doesn't have the emotional capacity for Kuhu's venting. Kuhu is also lonely and overworked and doesn't have much to say to Kunal except for venting".)

> Uff!! Meenu's dialogues! So to the point! I love it when people are able to convey their points so precisely, in such less words, and with zero fancy words. (This sounded like a dig at Abir which I assure you, It is not! Abir doesn't use fancy words. Long lines? Sure! Fancy words? Very rarely.)

Parul: "Kunal aapse door nahi reh sakta...aur naa hi Abir" (Ha! What a joke!) "Iss corona ke chalte agar sarkaar ne aane jaane par rok nahi lagaayi hoti toh woh bhi kab ka waapis aa gaya hota". (Thoda toh limit pheko yaar ki saamne waala atleast lapet toh paaye)

Meenu: "Mai jaanti hoon, Parul, ye baat aap meri khushi ke liye keh rahi hain" (Cut to blurry Parul in the backgroung looking like she has been caught. Bola tha na limit me pheko!) "Par Abir toh shuru se hi aisa hai. Wo chaahta toh humaare saath yahaan pe rehta, NGO yahin khol deta, lekin usne aisa nahi chaaha..." (Kudos to whoever is writing dialogues for her character👏)

> Why are the men in this house so hellbent on giving Meenu a heart attack?! Normally bhi neeche bula sakte the na?! She would have come down. Ye sab karne ki kya zaroorat hai? And then they say she is a control freak. Ghar me namune bhare ho toh karna padega na control. Surprise dene ke aur bohot tareeke hote hain par nahi! Hum toh BP badha kar maanenge!

In all of this, the part that I loved, She calls out to Kuhu for help. It tells you how dependable Kuhu has been in these 3 months. Meenakshi ke standard par khare utarna is no easy feat!

> Nidhi is so worried for her husband while the other women have wide smiles seeing Abir and Mishti. This is already making me feel bad for Kuhu knowing how Abir is going to break her trust in the next episode by revealing about the pill incident. Here, she is happy to see her Bro and there he has begun hating her because of "Kuhu mujhe villain bahu ka tag de degi". I'm guessing Mishti used to use lines like these on a daily basis for light humour or to keep in touch with reality but it started building up Abir's paranoia, after all he is supposed to be the care-giver (FYI: Mental health term) in Mishti's case. (I've seen this happen in real life but not at the level which Abir will reach in the coming episode.)

> Some one who has seen the episodes, please tell me: Is this the last episode where we see people wearing masks??

> Thank god for that flashback! Finally, a normal conversation between these 2!

> Looking at that cake is making me crave chocolate

Had to use the biggest possible gif for this!

> Why?? Why do they have to do this? I get the character diamond thing but Kuhu would never behave like that. Atleast not come to the centre of the room to say that line about Mishti. This was very OOC. The first expression she had on her face was worry, that checks out, but the escalation was so fast! What is happening?!

> Mishti is reminding me of my own panic attacks. That ain't good. Let's concentrate on something else. Okay, how does she already have that rope? That was in the suitcase and she had nothing in her hand when she ran off. The panic attack seems weird now if she went and got the rope.

> Someone teach Abir how to talk to someone having a panic attack please. You don't say things like "Tumhe laga tha ghar aane ke baad sab theek ho jaayega par aisa nahi hua". You help the person get back to normal breathing, give them some water and sit beside them.

DKP, don't take up mental health if you can't handle it!! Oh god!

> "Ye Rope of Hope hai kyunki aas ka daaman thaamne waale baatein puraani ho gayi hain, isliye ye Rope of Hope hai. Hume aise hi ek doosre ka daaman thaam kar aage badhna hai"

Abir be like "I will say the same thing in English and rhyme it, and keep repeating the lame name I gave it". (How is it that the same dialogue writer is writing Meenu's dialogues as well as Abir's??)

And Mishti be like "Calm down warna he will keep talking".

Also, can he stop alienating both of them from the family? We get that you don't trust them. Okay! But stop reinforcing that on her when all the girl has wanted in her life is a happy family that loves her.

> Mishti is feeling guilty for having a panic attack and ruining things for Abir because she knows how much he missed them, and then Abir goes, "It's okay. Sab bhool jao. Ab hum ghar pe hain. Ab kuch galat nahi ho sakta".

1. He just contradicted himself. (Reminder: "Tumhe laga tha ghar aane ke baad sab theek ho jaayega par aisa nahi hua")

2. You've been telling her to forget the incident and it hasn' worked. Take a hint!

3. Agar ghar aane se sab theek ho sakta tha then why did you spend all of that money on the hotel these 3 months? Why Abir?

> What luck?! As soon as he says "Ab kuch galat nahi ho sakta", the police siren starts blaring. This is too funny!🤣

> Long story short, the police came to return Mishti's purse and Abir was a jerk to Kuhu without any fault of hers.

- Paidal aaye the kya ye dono? How did the purse fall on the road?

- The police's dialogues sounded so suspicious. "Hume pata karna tha aap ghar pe hain ya nahi". Kyun bhai?

> Uff!! That shot with Kuhu!😭

Poor girl has been overworked with zero emotional validation, except from Nidhi, of course. Abir is giving me all the wrong vibes, be it with Mishti or other family members. I get that being a caregiver can be difficult but you don't suddenly become a jerk. Mishti and Abir need to let everyone know the truth for their own well being warna they will burn themselves out with this game of hide and seek.

> "Sab kehte hain ki mushkil waqt ke baad khushiyaan aati hain. Sab jhoot kehte hain. Mai ye test de de ke thak gayi hoon" -- That line!! 🥺

"Kya hum dono ki ye galti hai ki hum dono ek doosre se pyaar karte hain. Normal happy zindagi jeena chaahte hain" -- Sympathy is goooone and confusion mode is oooonn!! What is she talking about? Inka pyaar beech me kahaan se aa gaya?

> Abir!!!! You don't shout around people with anxiety!! Ye sab toh internet se bhi pata chal jaata hai yaar! What are these people writing?!

> As much as I want Kuhu to find someone else to share her feelings with, I get why she goes to Jasmeet. She is the only one who doesn't gaslight her, but what she doesn't do is help Kuhu channel all that energy in a better manner.

> "Mishti, mai suggest karunga ki tum Kuhu se zyada baat mat karo"

1. He knows Kuhu will be able to find out the truth

2. Has he met Kuhu?! She will handle this situation so much better than him. She might not like Mishti that much but she is that same girl who was there for both of them when they broke up while dealing with her own divorce.

> "Tum jaisa kahoge na, mai waisa hi karungi Abir. Mere saath bas tum hi toh ho."

Congratulations Abir! You have successfully made her feel that she can't trust anyone except you, by reinforcing you feelings of mistrust about your family!

> "I know agar hum unhe sach batayenge na toh woh log humaara saath denge". So, Abir, when are you telling these people? Also, I noticed he only named those people who can't help him get out of this mess of a situation and will say, "Abir, jo tum kahoge, hum wo karenge."

> Jasmeet saying it like it is!

- "Abir hi uss ghar me tera ek lauta sahaara tha". Aww Kuhu!!!

- "Agar Abir gussa ho gaya toh Meenakshi ji bhi gussa ho jaayengi". Truth!

> Kuhu: "Chachi, mujhe bilkul kuch bhi achha nahi lagta. I wish mai Kunal ke paas jaa paati."😭

Jasmeet: "Kuhu! Taaki pichhle 3mahine se jo tune Ketki ki shaadi me jo taiyaariyaan ki hain, uski saari waah waahi woh Muhboli loot le jaaye. Dekh, Kuhu, kuchh bhi karne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Tu uss ghar me reh kar na ghar ke logon ko dikha de ki Mishti tere saamne kuchh bhi nahi hai."

Kuhu: "Aap sahi keh rahe ho, Chachi. Iss lockdown ke routine mein yahi mera ek break hoga. Mai bohot excited hoon iss function ke liye."

I like how Kuhu applies selective hearing to Jasmeet's advice. She only talks about being excited for the function. NGL, Jasmeet's advice is mostly right but always has some extra tadka which make it sound so negative. She is right that Kuhu doesn't need to do anything to prove she is better than Mishti but the thing is that Kuhu wants that validation in action because she has been at the position of saamne kuch and peechhe kuch aur multiple times. Also, why wouldn't you want that validation when all your life, people have praised Mishti for coming first and the girl rubs it in whenever she feels like she doesn't have a rebuttal.

> It's only been 2 episodes and I am tired of Kuhu's Mishti mania, Abir side eyeing and being ready to insult everyone in sight for Mishti, Mishti saying sorry for every damn thing and Parul making excuses for everyone. Also, Abir can literally solve this by taking Kuhu to the side and saying that I get you both don't get along but please stop taunting my wife or else, we will have a problem. How hard is it to handle things calmly? But as Koshlu said, "Shaanti se? Bhooli jao! Ye Rajvansh House hai. Yahaan sab filmy style me hota hai."