Originally posted by: Ashley_m
So makers were extremely careful about how they handled this pre-leap due to wanting to avoid any controversies, but there were three scenes jisme the fact that there was something, or the beginnings of something there was highlighted.
- The scene where Ani gifts Bon the mirror (Epi 212): It is a short scene, but the crux there is that Bon has dressed up for Ani (she specifically asks 'Mai achhi lag rahi hu aapko?') and he notices. There are two shots where he is looking at her when she preens in the mirror and he is lost. He comes back to reality when she childishly says that 'aap bahut bahut achhe hai'. He is reminded that she is a child and he suddenly feels conscious and runs out.
- The inkpot scene (Epi 253): This is the most obvious scene pre-leap. Both Ani and Bon were hyperaware of each other. Each eyelock, each contact was felt. I can't describe this scene, better to see it only.
- Padosi Babu (Epi 269): In this scene the awareness is purely from Bon's side. Bon is in a sadu mood because she is afraid that she will never see Ani again. But she is surprised to see Ani still there. She first pinches herself to check that she isn't dreaming and immediately extends her hands to make contact, probably hug him. However, yahan pe she doesn't do so, instead she blushes and looks away.
The progression here is that Bon was a beautiful child who would grow into an attractive woman. There were ample men who lusted after her at age 12. Ani too was attracted, but what set him apart was his moral compass, which clearly told him that any physical relationship with a child Bon was wrong. So throughout the Mano track he tried to push those feelings away by convincing himself that Bon was a zimmedari and that he loved Mano. Then after pahadi (Epi 222) Ani tried pushing Bon away and put some distance between them. He truly came to terms with it by the end of the Mano track, where he acknowledged that there are feelings but that he wasn't going to act on them till Bon was older and ready for it. So in the entire time between Mano's exit and Bon going to London, Ani kept any 'romance' strictly age-appropriate for Bon, and actually kept Bon in the driver's seat giving her all possible opportunities to choose her own path if she wanted to.
This was why I wasn't surprised that Ani realised his 'love' so fast. Because for Ani it was a foregone conclusion that man-woman waala love was definitely going to happen when Bon became a woman. It was just the last piece of the puzzle for him.
@Saffi I have tagged you for your insights.
Excellent explation....I loved it to the core.....you write so lucidity....can you please elaborate on the present intense love which Ani feels for Bondita....I am often curious by some dualogues which undermine an almost dangerous passion which Ani has for her....if possible pls do write what you feel about the present track