Hey! So I am completely aware that if things went down in the show like this, the drama would get over in a matter of a few episodes, and they wouldn't have anything to write about and the show would probably end sooner than later. But I just felt like writing this because I really wanted to see Raavi speak up today, plus the episode was a complete disaster, and I thought I'd share on here for anyone who wants to indulge in my thought process.
Note: This is written completely in English because I know many forum members are not native Hindi speakers. Plus, writing in English is my stronger suit as it is my first language.
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Raavi watched, horrified, as Dhara beat Krish and Shiva mercilessly, while they both cried in pain. She looked at Gautam and Dev, to see if they would intervene, but both of them stood motionless in horror. Before she knew it, she could feel her feet carrying her across the room quickly, and she grabbed the stick in the nick of time before Dhara could bring it down on Krish again.
"Enough Di!!! Enough!!!" Raavi cried out, holding onto the stick firmly.
Dhara looked at her, shocked and angry. Krish whimpered and curled up on the ground.
"How long will you keep hitting them? Until they bleed? Until their bones break?" Raavi asked, her eyes shining with tears.
"Move, Raavi! This doesn't concern you. Today I must teach them a lesson," Dhara shouted, attempting to pull the stick from Raavi's grasp.
"How long will you beat them into submission as if they are children, Di?! How can you possibly expect them to learn a lesson if you abuse them like this? Respect cannot be taught, Di!" Raavi begged Dhara, attempting to wrestle the stick from her.
Dhara loosened her grip slightly, and Raavi dislodged the stick from her hands and tossed it aside. Dhara, eyes red with anger, said, "With what right did you come in between me and my children?"
Raavi trembled, but then straightened. "I am doing what I must to stop you from committing yet another grave mistake out of blind anger. Beating them will solve nothing, and if anything, it is a sin on your part. You always say that my place in this house is the same as yours. Give me a chance to help you set things right," she said calmly, with a hint of fear lacing her voice.
Dhara stood there, trembling with rage. "Say what you must," she finally snapped, after what seemed like a long, uncomfortable silence.
Raavi turned to Krish and Shiva, and helped Krish get up.
"Why?" she simply asked the two of them, with an edge to her voice. When neither of them responded, she asked again sharply, "why did you do this?"
"We... we just wanted to teach Rishita a lesson. She was insulting Dhara Bhabhi and Gaumbi left and right, and we wanted to bring her in line. She just doesn't want to fit in with us," Krish stuttered out, his voice growing more indignant with each word.
Raavi looked at Rishita, who was still shivering and sobbing. She turned back to Krish and Shiva.
"So this was your idea of a lesson," she deadpanned. "Scaring her senseless. What exactly did you think you were going to achieve?"
"Hey gadhedi! Don't try teaching us. She needed to be stopped after insulting Dhara Bhabhi and Gaumbi so much. Who gave her the right to speak out so much?" Shiva inserted himself angrily into the conversation. Raavi saw Dhara make an angry movement in her peripheral vision, and she quickly grabbed her arm before she could do anything. She looked at Dhara and shook her head ever so slightly.
"Insult? When was this insult?" Raavi asked calmly.
"Were you not there? Did you not see how rudely she speaks to everyone? How much of disrespect she has?!" Krish shouted angrily. "Don't talk about matters you don't know of, Raavi!"
Raavi scoffed, and crossed her arms. "I did, in fact, see it. I was also there. But I also thought that the two of you were supposed to be grown up now. What I didn't know is that you two are not only childish, but perhaps some of the greatest hypocrites I have ever seen in my life."
Shiva made an angry noise, and Krish looked up furiously, opening his mouth to argue, but Raavi put her hand up. "I'm not done yet," she said with a steely look in her eyes.
"You say that Rishita must respect Dhara di and Gaumbi without any questions asked after knowing them for just a week, but then turn around and behave as if she has done nothing to earn your respect, and therefore does not deserve it. You say that Rishita insults them, but then turn around and play a dirty prank like this that resulted in her almost falling unconscious. You say that she has no right to question and speak out against Dhara di and Gaumbi, but last I checked, the two of you aren't exactly the shining epitome of being soft spoken and polite," Raavi listed out in a cool voice, unwavering.
The silence was deafening, as Krish and Shiva gaped at her, not knowing what to say.
"I am not saying that Rishita is right. But she is allowed to make mistakes, just as we all have. She is allowed to question things, to speak out, to be herself. It is her right. Not every girl can be like your Dhara bhabhi. She is her own person, and always will be," Raavi plowed ahead, refusing to let anyone interject.
"You two have had years and years to grow to love and respect Dhara di and Gaumbi as you do now. She has had a week. When she is rude, she is rude not because she wants to insult anyone, but because much like you, she has had these relationships forced on her all of a sudden, and she is finding it difficult to adjust. But instead of trying to understand her, you two have villainized her so much that you cannot see anything past your version of her. Why can't you understand that just because someone disagrees with Dhara di or Gaumbi does not mean that they wish to insult them?" Raavi asked brazenly.
"Shut up, chipkali. You have no idea what you're talking about. How can you say that we should just stand by while she is openly disrespectful towards the two people who have raised us with so much care and love? Don't waste your lecture on us" Shiva said brashly, his temper flaring. How dare she lecture them?
"When did I say stand by? You could have talked to her! You could have said that you didn't like what she says. You could have done anything, but you chose the most ridiculous, immature non-solution instead," Raavi snapped back at him. "It is not your job to discipline her. Nor is it your right. I get that you don't like me or Rishita, and you wish that we never became a part of this family. But this is our reality now."
"Raavi, move. These two will not understand unless they have sense beaten into them," Dhara raged, picking up the stick again.
"No, Di. Enough," Raavi said, taking the stick from her and tossing it aside. She turned and faced everyone in the room. "I dreamed of becoming a part of the Pandya family that cares for one another. That forgives one another. That loves one another limitlessly and unconditionally. That has boundless compassion for one another, even when they disagree with one another" Raavi said thickly, a tear escaping from her eye. "Where is that family? Where is my family?"
Gautam looked up, tears streaming down his face, while Dev looked on, anguished.
"Ever since I married into this house, people have simply been talking to one another on a surface level. No one wants to actually talk about what happened! What kind of family is this, that cannot even speak to one another, that cannot even begin to attempt at least the slightest bit of compassion for each other?" Raavi bit out, tear tracks glittering on her cheeks.
"You are one to talk. You've grown up with a woman like maami, no? So obviously you can't appreciate the value of family," Shiva spat.
Raavi whirled around. "Who says I don't understand, Shiva? I spent every single day of the past ten years dreaming of becoming a part of this family because I could understand the value of family!" she cried, lashing out at him.
"Family is loving each other for who they are. Family is not trying to change the other person, even if you can't agree with them all the time. Family is that strength that holds you upright when everything seems just... wrong," Raavi said, walking over to Rishita and taking her hands in hers. "We just have to give each other a chance. We just have to try understanding each other. If we won't do it, then who will?"
Rishita looked up at Raavi, understanding slowly dawning on her face.
"Raavi is absolutely right. We are better than this. We must be better than this," Gautam spoke up, glancing over at Shiva and Krish, who had now started to calm down.
Apologies proceeded to be hastily exchanged, and everyone left for their rooms. It was the beginning of a long battle, but Raavi knew that somehow, things could only go up from here. Dev and Rishita were about to leave last, but Raavi held Rishita's hand. "Could I have a minute with you?" Raavi asked softly.
Rishita hesitantly stayed back while Dev left.
"Rishita, I know we haven't started off on the greatest note with each other, but I really would like to get along. Could we leave our past behind and start anew? Is it possible that just maybe, we could be friends?" Raavi asked, hesitant but hopeful.
Rishita took Raavi's hands in hers. "I'm sorry, Raavi. I've been such a menace to you, to no fault of your own. I really am trying, but..." she trailed off, not knowing how to explain.
Raavi gripped Rishita's hands. "You don't have to explain. I know it can be tough, when you're so far from home, and when you haven't known all of the people in this family for as long as I have. But you will adjust, and so will the others."
Rishita smiled. "I really am grateful for you, you know. For the first time since I left home, I feel like I've found someone to call my own. Thank you."
Raavi slung an arm around Rishita's shoulder. "If us new bahu raaniyas can't have each other's backs, then who will?" Giggling, they both walked off together, chattering away, excited at the prospect of finding a new saheli in each other for life.
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