The whole scenario from when Mandar asked her to burn Raghav's photo till Raghav himself comes and calms the raging storm in her heart, the whole sequence was a roller coaster, brilliant performance by Shivangi Khedkar...!! I want to take my time in detail on the Agnipariksha, trial by fire!!
This is to analyze Pallavi and appreciate Shivangi on the scenes, please read further only if you understand Pallavi!
So the Devil listens to Sulochana verbalizing his fears about Pallavi, and his own doubts get better of him. Sunny's words keep coming back to him, which means he does get influenced. He asks her to submit to a test. Here he reminds me of the black magician, or maantrikudu as we call in telugu who always captures the heroine and the hero has to go get her back. The black magician puts her in a position where she has to submit for the test. If she says no, she might lose his trust even before her and Raghav have a chance to begin their game against him. So she submits. But when he mentions the test- burn the photo of the person she loves the most on this earth, her sanity, her one soulmate, the one person whole took away her loneliness in life, her eyes fill up. The beautiful Roja background, remnicent of the kidnapped Arvind Swami in enemy clutches, not allowing the flag to burn. That was such a lovely background to play...because here she is kidnapped and holed up in near Mandar for the sake of Aai...this is not her fort this is her enemy fort. She was desparately waiting outside the door today for her strongest Ally, her husband to come join forces with her, so that together they can take down the enemy. And when told to burn Raghav's picture her mind does through the myriad memories of Raghav's love and care toward her, their lovely time together, the beautiful growth their relationship had. The tears in her eyes...she was already missing him so much even though she met him that morning. Cornered and faced with no option but to now play the game in reverse. So from the tearful Pallavi rises the determined, shrewd Pallavi who knows that she is in deep water and has to swim to the shore no matter what. She flinches at the touch of the black magician..realizes he is close to losing it if she doesnt't comply and agrees, with a determined smile, but eyes tearful. She will . She will. And the monster backs off temporarily, stops crowding her space. There , she got some air. And her quick mind does the math. She needs to send him off , so she can swap the picture. No way in hell she is going to burn her soulmate's picture, before the heat gets to Raghav she would rather deal and die with it. Not from her hands. So she pretends to be unable to do the simple job of lighting a matchstick. And sends of the black magician for a candle, pretending urgency to burn the picture.
That ego satisfaction and pacification is what the monster needs, going off immediately to find a candle. And she swaps Raghav's picture with Mandar's , with the magician's picture himself. That room is Mandar's , she had come there to talk to him, and she finds his picture with ease. Her ability to think quickly and look for options while keeping the monster pacified is going to her biggest asset. When he comes in with the candle, she burns picture, emphasizing that she is burning the man that spoiled her life. Which is Mandar. The flame in her eyes was much more powerful and beastly than the flame consuming the picture. Mandar looks through the mirror and feels that its a different picture , wants to check, but she gets into a tussle with him. He is not worried about her safety even for a second during that tussle. When her Pallu catches fire, which she did not expect, she asks him for help. The monster stands like a statue. She runs out into the open, into the courtyard, devdas style with her saree on fire asking for help. The whole family assembles and tries meagre but heartful attempts to help her, not able to stop the fire. Still, the monster is just watching. Did he realize? that Pallu would rather burn herself than burning Raghav? That if it be their destiny she would burn with him? That is this is a trial by fire , she will go through it but protect her precious relationship. Did he realize it was his picture that she was burning? Is that why she didn't give him away in front of the family?
And in those moments when she felt her burning was inevitable, Raghav comes in , albeit in different shape and form. This fire is not just physical. Its the fire in her heart, its the tornado, its the poison she is getting from the monster that she is trying to control and absorb, but she cannot anymore. In that moment, Pallavi knows she can no longer hold this fort by herself, she cannot battle alone anymore,the situation has escalated quickly . And just like that Raghav runs in, his heart somehow knows that his partner has exhausted herself , she needs him then and there, he rushes in, tears the fire burnt pallu and there emerges the new Pallu. The burning was not of the saree but of PALLU. Her old form has ended here, and new form starts here..almost like Sati-Parvati. Raghav, the conman here but at play like avtaars of Vishnu or Shiva. Even the mighty Bheem had taken up the role of a cook during Pandava Agyatavasam, helping Draupadi to escape Keechaka and eventually killing him. So there is no loss of prestige for Raghav Rao here, this is his Agyatavasam. His prestige is in helping his wife in her dharma, protecting her while slaying the monster. And thats what he is here to do, blessed by his mother and brother.
Pallavi faints in the commotion,again only Raghav in his Swapnil form to protect her, hold her. The concern clear in his face, eye and body. But once she gains conciousness, the peace in both of their eyes and faces was remarkable. Not sure if she recognized him or not, but she knew he is a good person, an angel sent to her side. The inferino and fire in her heart subsides. The scenario is in control for now. The monster waits and looks at her, and she knows, this is the darkest phase she has to deal with. But she knows the monster does not love her as he claimed. Thats a new information she got and hope she uses it. Well played Pallavi..!!!!
Shivangi killed it with the expressions ranging from innocence during Roja song, to her fears, to her sense of protection and loyalty to Raghav, to her sense of justice and ethics burning Mandar's picture to say karma was coming for him, to her realizing the fire is out of her control, and wild sprint to safety, her family trying to help her, and ultimately her bliss after Raghav saves her. Kudos Shivangi!đź‘Ź It was literally goosebumps to see her running with fire on her pallu...
Sai Ketan rocked in the Swapnil avtaar....hope to see more Raghvi action in coming episodes. I know the fire was computerized but all actors performed so well.
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