PART-1 MEERAB-MURTASIM-WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT MATTER
Finale was not a question-and-answer session like a court trial. Meerab didn’t need to know what Murtasim’s plans for Haya were, and he didn’t ask her why she left, where she was or who she stayed with. Meerab and Murtasim trusted that whatever decisions they each made had a purpose, and we had faith in the integrity of their characters. They did not repeat the mistakes of the past where they interrogated each other and jumped to the wrong conclusions. They will take their time to discuss what happened, it is just unfortunate we ran out of time with them.
Was Murtasim planning on marry Haya, no he was not. His poignant remarks and ambiguous behaviours in the finale can be interpreted as him having a plan for Haya. Murtasim’s soliloquys on loving forever and waiting endlessly for his Meerab were not pointless speeches they meant something. Would it be easier to us if it was shown, but where is the fun in that and when did this dynamic duo ever make it easy for us. Meerab was Murtasim’s trial in love, their contentious actions were the audience’s trial to test our loyalty for TB, but if they didn’t fail each other how can we fail them. The final verdict is they might not have rewarded us, but they did not betray Meerab and Murtasim, so we pardon them.
Episode starts with the second ‘Qubool Hai’ ask from Maulvi to Haya, she had already said her first ‘Qubool Hai’. Murtasim leans in mouth parted ready to interrupt the ceremony when Meerab walks in, world stops spinning. If there was ever any doubt if Murtasim was going to marry Haya, then Haya herself clears this up with her diatribe. She is a lying delusional character whatever she says the opposite must be true. The fact that she firmly believes that if Meerab had not come Murtasim would have married her proves that he was never going to marry her regardless of whether Meerab showed up or not. The answer is not told instead shown to us as Haya is not dressed like Murtasim’s bride. Her fantasy the veil will cover her face when she married him is not realized because she is not his bride. She has no mehndi, she is not given the dignity of a full bridal regalia nor is she wearing maang tikka a critical piece of bridal jewelry, visually she is shown that she is no one’s bride let alone Murtasim’s.
Before Murtasim’s mock wedding to Haya, he said Meerab’s jewelry was her amanat which indicated that he intended for her to return one day to reclaim it back. Meerab’s most valuable amanat is Murtasim himself, do we really expect him to give himself up when he can’t even part with a piece of jewelry.
Once it was confirmed that Rohail did not instigate Meerab to leave him, he must know he gets the largest share of the blame in her staying away. His marriage to Haya is an act of treachery that will compound his sin and forever block her return to him. If he was saying and doing everything in his power to keep all avenues of her return open, why would he commit an evil deed at a time when he finally got hope from Saba that Meerab will return one day. In any other show we would have said hero will get cold feet at the last-minute and run after the heroine, but Murtasim was never your typical male lead. He had a purpose in announcing his wedding to Haya, he was determined at the engagement, and at the nuptials he looked every second of this nonsense was making him physically ill. Why put himself through this nightmare if he was never going to marry her?
Why is Murtasim hung up on Haya’s involvement in Meerab’s disappearance? He knows better than anyone that Meerab will do what she wants to do, Haya has no influence over either of them. Meerab herself said only she has the authority to detach Murtasim from her, no one has the power to separate them but themselves. He is not asking if Haya instigated Meerab to leave, only if she knew Meerab left because if she had informed the family earlier then he would have found Meerab sooner. If he truly believed Haya’s innocence, why is he asking Meerab for clarification, unless he always knew Haya was lying. This was a giant ruse from him to rid Haya from his house. What is consistent with Murtasim’s character is that he doesn’t get involved in house politics, he wanted his mother to throw Haya out. He was putting on a show like he knew nothing to force his mother’s hand and get rid of this nuisance. If Meerab hadn’t shown up when she did, he still would have called off the wedding and thrown her out. He resorted to staging the wedding because Haya was refusing to marry any man but him and he needed to give her shock treatment to put an end to her ails. He removes the ring from Haya’s fingers making sure to not even touch her while doing so. The Khan family rule states ‘Akhri faisla Murtasim ka hai’, but he doesn’t throw his weight around, he respects the dominion of his mother over the house, and he keeps his rule to the village.
Murtasim’s conversation with Farukh highlights how much wiser he has gotten. The earlier him would have lost it if he was lied to and his anger would have been provoked if Meerab and Meesam were addressed as another man’s wife and daughter. Farukh said it was Meerab’s decision to stay away, and for Murtasim ‘Meerab ki Marzi’ is gospel it overrides all other edicts. Him thanking and respecting Farukh means he is honoring his wife’s choice. Farukh returns Meerab’s chain back to him and calls it a symbol of their love. His problem with Rohail was never that he was a man, but he was a villain disguising as a friend. Thankfully they have gained a true lifelong friend in Farukh, they bid each other goodbyes for now and will be a part of each other lives.
PART-2 MEERAB-MURTASIM-MEESAM
Audiences had few questions that needed answers in the finale, but you will get what you are looking for if you asked the right questions. Tere Bin (TB) had always been about double speak dialogues, showing us their intentions more through their actions rather than telling us. That made this show and this couple both fascinating and frustrating to watch. Meerab and Murtasim are a secret, crack their code you will get more than your heart’s fill.
Murtasim’s is shocked at seeing Meerab, subconsciously walks towards her and flashbacks to the ishq conversation, his love trial is finally over. Anwar greets his daughter with a tearful hug, this was a father’s moment with his estranged daughter, and he said everything that the husband’s painful gaze was asking. Meerab is attacked by rubbish accusations, and Murtasim could not move quick enough to shield her. The wife is answerable to only her husband, her eyes fixed on him she says Meesam is Murtasim’s daughter. Visibly shaken he walks towards his child in amazement as tears drip down his face. He finally breaks his silence when Haya dares to touch what is precious to him. Murtasim’s famous ‘meri biwi hai’ dialogue is back, how much we missed hearing that, but that added ‘meri beti hai’ has a different command to it. Touch a man’s wife he will hunt you down but touch his daughter he will burn the world down. His final words ‘no one will question my wife and all he wanted was her to come back home’ proves two things, he never suspected of her having run off with Rohail and he was waiting for her to return. His vigil terminates if he took a second wife because he of all people should know Meerab will never return to a man to be his seconds, unless he was never planning on marrying Haya. The king has passed his judgement, snuff it Ma Begum and Haya, step aside Anwar your script is over.
Murtasim walks towards his family to reunite with them. His eyes shift from Meesam to Meerab, there is no blame or accusation there just disbelief. He knew his wife will make a spectacular entrance back into his life, shocking him with her actions is her specialty but he couldn’t have predicted this outcome. He is the luckiest unlucky father, he got rewarded for his patience with 2 in 1 bonus waiting in hell for his love to come back to him. Those that accept destiny’s gift with grace and humility will live to enjoy its fruits, but that fruit will rot if you dwell on the losses. It is sad he missed out on his baby’s first crawl, but he will be there to see her run, he missed out on her first tears, but he will make sure she never cries again, he might have missed out on her first word, but he is the only one she will call father. Murtasim puts his arms around his Meerab, cradles his child, they have eyes only for each other. She holds his finger as they walk away back to their world.
Meerab is back in their bedroom sitting on her side of the bed putting her daughter back to sleep. Murtasim and Meerab smile at each other at the mention of Meesam’s name. He is still processing he has become a father; he confirms with his wife on where to sit, how to touch and kiss his own daughter. He sits on Meerab’s side of the bed for the first time. He displays shyness as a new father, even though Meesam is his child he is new in his daughter’s life. He will not demand his rights he has to earn it, learn it, and own it. He is the hero of consent whether it is his rights as a husband or as a father he never acts entitled. He has taken the Japanese bullet train straight to his daughter’s heart, he will get there faster than Usain Bolt finishing the 100 m dash. Amongst all this tension we have comedy, who dare knock on the door and disturb his baby’s sleep. How many times have they been bothered before because of those untimely knocks, we finally see his aggravation as he stares down Saba scandalized. Farukh who he doesn’t care his attention is all on his sleeping angel. Wife must remind him that they must thank Farukh and he reluctantly parts from Meesam with another soft kiss.
Meerab has her ring, chain, and nose ring back. She has reclaimed her rightful place as Khan Murtasim Khan’s begum. She is lying on his side of the bed for the first time. Murtasim walks into the room quite as a mouse so as not to disturb Meesam’s nap. Meerab sees her husband take to the couch in a depressed state. He asks her to sit beside him on the sofa with a nervous please, she doesn’t know how to respond seeing his anxious state. He tells her this house, their room, everything is the same waiting for her to return. He was never going to marry and give rights to a new wife to change the very things he was painstakingly preserving for his beloved. He did not allow the room to be decorated to welcome a new bride because there was never going to be a wedding. He talks about conquering his biggest weakness his anger, but this change does not impress her it breaks her heart. He tells her he doesn’t exist without her, so him marrying Haya is him being suicidal, unless he never intended to.
A king kneels before his queen like he did once before to apologize and pleads with her to not leave him again. Murtasim’s affirmation of love for Meerab comes under duress for a third time. Loving Meerab is his greatest joy and his inevitable torment. He ran towards this pain willingly and would not abandon it even if it killed him. A man does not to need to become a devil for him to apologize. Men for generations are depicted so wickedly on TV that we instinctively jump to the worst conclusions. A husband who has no reservations in saying his pleases and thank-yous will apologize even if he did nothing wrong. What could he be apologizing for; as her shield failing in his duty to protect her from herself, walking out on her when she needed him the most, for not finding her sooner, for not deploying pest control on Haya, lacking in understanding of the Maryam debacle, being quick to anger, should have been more patient regarding Rohail.
Murtasim never demanded Meerab change for him, he will become whoever he wants her to be to live up to her expectations. Meerab doesn’t want this and is grieved at his vanquished state. Happiness of getting Meerab back in his life has dulled his senses. She teases him with ‘I won’t leave you on 1 condition’ but ends up making 4 conditions and he doesn’t recognize her prank till the 3rd condition. He suffers from contract PTSD, hearing the word ‘condition’ took him back to their wedding contract. She cheekily says her 3rd condition is no matter what happens ‘I am always right’. He realizes that she is not talking about what she expects from him, but about what she did to him and will continue to do like pestering him and making demands. He happily accepts all her conditions and Meerab gets what she really wants her husband’s smile back. They say their final vow together ‘Murtasim will always do what Meerab wants’. They get married again in front of their daughter and Meesam merrily waves back at them good job parents proud of you. The old contract is over, they have drafted a new contract and daughter is witness. They did not talk about what they lost but look forward to all they will gain.
Meerab has eyes on her husband and Murtasim has eyes on their daughter, they declare Meesam is pyari like the other at the same time. This is as close to a ‘I love you’ you will get from Meerab to Murtasim. He asks her to wipe away his tears but when she happily complies, he is not used to it pulls her hands away and cradles her head, he likes being her protector. He will learn to lean on her more as she gets stronger, they will become each other’s shield. Curtains fall on Meerab and Murtasim’s world, we are not privy to rest of their conversation as we bid them goodbye.
This was never a story where the man was waiting for the woman to say I love you. Murtasim always knew Meerab loved him; his only panic was that she would leave him, and she promises she will never do that again assuaging his fears forever. He confirmed her feelings post the fish allergy incident when he teased her about having fallen in love with him. She of course vehemently denies it and his look was happier than when Sherlock Holmes cracked a case. He got what he wanted in episode 14 and we heard what we were begging for when she confessed her feelings in episode 57. Meerab is a puzzle for us, and her declaration of love was for the world as he predicted. He perhaps got the decibel of her admission wrong oh well he can’t get it all right. He knew who she was and what he needed to wait for.
Meerab has become a lawyer after a time skip. With or without a degree she was, is and will always be Murtasim’s pride, but now she can be proud of herself too. A wife’s victory is a husband’s victory, he is buoyed seeing her glowing face. Her identity is full restored, she is the influence behind her husband’s reign, she has her own responsibilities as Khaani, she is a mother, she is a wife, and she has a career of her own. It was she that reaches out to hold Ma Begum’s hands a sign that the past is behind them, and they are truly family now. She has her mother in law’s support and her husband’s unwavering devotion, it took her a detour to get to the life she wanted but she finally did. The real power between the trinity is her, to the victor goes the spoils she walks away confident to see her daughter.
Murtasim once promised Meerab he would show her around the fields and now he is. He is leading her in his protective role like he has done so many times before, but never again will he turn his back on her. They will head to their destination together with smiles on their face. She has her dupatta out, she is an uncaged bird flying, he joins her and lets her fly to her heart’s content during the day. She is not in her signature closed arms stance, her arms open to the skies, she is ready to give and receive love without any fear or reservations. When dusk sets in he gently grabs the dupatta to wrap her up to protect her from the cold and darkness, he caresses her gently as he takes her back under his shelter.
CAPTION- The struggle in any love story is getting to the I love you stage, but what if falling in love is the easy part. Tere Bin is a story not about a couple falling in love with each other but inspiring each other to reach their highest potential whilst learning to share a life together.
Edited by Gundamwing - 2 years ago
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