Resurgence | Arshi FF | Thread 2 | thread 3 link posted on page 150 - Page 90

11A

A big celebration for FoodDash and Khushi was no where to be seen. Why not this one? There was lots of alcohol going around but there were also people like Ragini. Khushi would have been happy with her company.

Arnav was high on success but the thrill was already wearing off. Now he needs the next thrill. He needs that constant high. Its like he is addicted to it. How long can he keep that up? He is heading to a burnout very soon. What was he running from? Money is not the driving factor. What drives him so hard? He said he was prone to addiction. What was he talking about?

Wow, Swati! You packed a lot in your “rave”. I agree about the mistakes Arnav made in going to Lavenya’s, drinking to excess which led to what happened. I think he was taken advantage of but unless it is spelled out to me that he was raped or the reason his underwear were still on is that nothing happened and it was all planned ahead of time he seemed to have some awareness of what he was doing. At least he thinks so.

I don’t think he deliberately tried to hurt Khushi or will go to Lavenya. I agree his behavior is dubious in going behind Khushi’s back in dealing with Lavenya. But, my God what a mess. Run, Khushi, run!

My 2 cents.

I am not going to blame Arnav for having supposedly ONS that day as he was clearly taken advantage of in his intoxicated state. I am still pretty sure that deed was not completed as I mentioned, explicitly in my previous comment earlier.

I am happy that his character is maintained, and he is honest and righteous man . Thanks dear @Arpita🙏🙏

However, his actions have unintentionally hurt Kushi significantly. It makes me extremely sad. Even though Khushi had some insecurity issues but her biggest weakness is her unconditional devotion to Arnav which is not realistic in this world. My heart breaks for her more than for Arnav. She has inherent strength of character and very graceful. I just want her yo be happy at the end of story whichever decision she takes.

I also I am not happy with Arnav’reaction when Aman told truth about Lavanya and fake pregnancy, I feel thatArnav’s action was too benign, considering that pregnancy thing caused so much grief and anguish not only to himself, but has a potential to break khushi completely irrevocably. Heartbreaking thing for Khushi.

Instead of getting angry, he has guts to ask Aman why did you look into medical records. I don’t get it, and I am very disappointed and shocked with that statement. I understand he is righteous person but he finds out all cunningness of those bitches and thats what he says — really, not done😣. I expected to see blazing red hot anger against those two bitches.

And its only my opinion that even though he told about his divorce to those bitches in reply to Manali— was there really a dire need to divulge that information. He was kind of trying to relieve their anxiety/ fears but he never thought that he is telling his ONS and potential pregnant female about his plan of divorce and poor khushi who is living under his roof— he is ignoring her( understand it was his guilt) and has no clue of his plan. Again his righteousness is very selfish and almost make me question if he really loves khushi?. Yes he has guilt and he needs her but this behavior is hurtful.

I tried to remain unbiased and fair to both characters. My heart is definitely Team Khushi.

I don’t know what happened, but is it possible that Anjali died during childbirth and that could be his biggest issue not to have children?

Thank you Arpita for writing Such a wonderful story where so much discussion going on at various points. 🙏🙏

11A

That late night drive on the motorcycle. The first glimpse of their new house. Those were the good days.

Everything derailed the moment the first baby discussion happened. He said he didn't want the responsibility. Is it just that? The way he reacted to her question speaks otherwise. This goes way too deep.

Akash asking him about being a legal guardian for Leher. I had actually imagined this as a what if scenario. What I had not expected was the reaction and the knowledge that Arnav never bonded with Leher. It looked like he was perfectly comfortable with Leher, but that was not the case. He always made a point to stay away. So its not just a case of not wanting his own children. He can not be around children. Any children. Something happened after Anjali's daughter's birth to shift that equation.

Even though he knew Khushi stopped talking about babies, we can easily see how he would have arrived at his assumptions that if she did not have a child, she was sacrificing happiness. Khushi had no clue what was going on in his mind and she did not see the danger signs.

It would have taken a huge effort on his part to agree for her sake. But he was not ready. Both knew it. His demeanor screamed it.

She was unhappy and he saw that. He had all reasons to believe that kids were the reason. And they were to some level. He never heard otherwise until the letter. He connected all the wrong dots and concluded he did not love her any more.

11A

It was heartbreaking to see how she kept reaching out to him and he kept distancing himself, pushing her away, and saying away from their room. He made her feel like an unloved, unwanted person. The relationship was on the rocks for more than an year. The cracks kept getting deeper and deeper.

He knew he was not doing right by her and that is what was suffocating him so much. His defense mechanism was kicking in and emotional distancing was the only way he could deal.

What he failed to realize was that Khushi was unhappy more due to his treatment of her than the want of a child.

To his credit, he did intend to talk to her, but Lavanya derailed it all.

A lousy partner can be a wonderful parent.

A lousy child can be a great friend.

A lousy communicator can be a compassionate listener.

A successful leader can be a total failure in personal life.

An excellent mentor can be a lousy partner.

Arnav is one of them. He is a successful business man providing livelihood to 1000s of families but, totally failed in personal life.

He started his career with lot of debts. That made him to count every penny in the beginning of his life. When he lost his job in 2006 he got panicked/scared. He never wanted to be in that helpless position ever again. So, he started working so hard that it became an addiction after a while.

That is how some people operate. There is nothing right or wrong about it. Their partners and kids (if they have any) suffer. How to strike a balance depends on the whole family. Some partners and kids may feel happy as long as they get to enjoy the luxurious life. Some partners and kids may not care about the money and just do whatever they like to do without bothering the person. Even if they are feeling miserable and lonely, some partners decide to give the person space and leave them alone. Some partners tactically pull them out of their addiction and re-introduce them to the normal life. Some partners just divorce them and live their life as they want. We can't blame any single individual and there is no single solution for this type of addiction. Everyone deals with it differently.

What happened after that we all know.

Arnav has to face the consequences of his wrong assumptions, bad judgements and overall mistakes.

Though he said no and tried to get away at the beginning and failed to resist enough at the end, he wasn't at fault for the rendezvous with Lavanya. Though he knows what happens at rave parties, he assumed nothing will happen to him. He has proven wrong and something happened. He lost peace for few months. He deserves it.

Arnav once thought he has to shield Khushi from the harshness of the world and unwittingly he himself exposed her to harshness.

Coming to Khushi, she was conditioned to take care of home, husband and in-laws. Self indulgence and thinking about herself were not in her dictionary. She spent more time in Bhagwanpur, Lucknow and Kakori to an extent that someone assumed Arnav was single. That is ok. That was in her DNA to take care of family.

She said "Today, I realized, Arnav, that my life and I are worth nothing if you are not standing by my side."

Good she realised. That is her cue to make her life worth something.

First of all, she should stop walking through hell for her loved ones and pull them out of hell if need be. She should start thinking about herself. That doesn't mean she can't have loved ones around her or she can't lean on them for support or can't support when someone leans on her.

They have already applied for divorce. Arnav had unnecessarily taken too many decisions for Khushi.

If Khushi gives him a chance to tell his side of the story or not is up to her.

If she wants to tell her side of the story is up to her as well.

This is not about blaming someone or the other for wrongness happening in their life. It is about learning to live better. Reflecting on mistakes and learning from them.

Every writer takes a different route to explore "how to make things right/better from a worse situation". They can take some creative liberties while presenting their story.

If we are presented with the same problem, I am sure we all come up with different solutions based on our mind set, what we have seen and what we have experienced. It doesn't mean other solutions are not possible or feasible. If we haven't seen/experienced them doesn't mean they don't exist.

So Arpita, take a bow. Wonderful exploration of emotions.

Take care!

Cheers..

Originally posted by: lechuarshi

The possibility of a genetical disorder or mental disorder? I am not sure Arpita will dive into that angle.

His phobia for having children

1) He got molested in childhood?

2)something happens to his neice/nephew at his watch and he couldn't save them?

3) point 2 and anji's connection?

His Ptsd kind symptoms regarding the news of having baby. Either between the period of 2006 to 2009 or his struggling childhood to adult stage before Khushi

some readers mentioned in earlier comments the time period between 2006 to 2009 wr crucial. To produce pictures in bollywood and with all satellite right, promotion, and audio and theatre prints with a budget of 25 cr then his assumed net worth should be 50 to100 cr. In the span of 3 years he became rich how? from Any old money or old property or plot?

Hi lechuarshi, I did not mean that Arnav has a genetic disorder. it was an just used as an example to elucidate the point. The analogy is not perfect, but I was trying to say that mental health issues are not given as much importance as physical health issues, that is all!

Originally posted by: SwatStar_Arshi

Hey Swati. How have you been. I did think why would you be absent from the chat when the thread was becoming so interesting? 😂

However, in the spirit of discussion 😉, I don’t think I agree to the majority of what you said. I will lay down my arguments below.

I AM ALREADY EXTREMELY SORRY. I think my language will come off as strong because I feel very passionately about what you wrote here. I look forward to your comments and I’ve read several of them repeatedly. This is just my rebuttal with my own take.

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Regarding his stay at a rave

I think you and Arnav think on the same line. That he cheated. I disagree however.

His mistake is that he went there in the first place. But he had admitted he needed unwinding that day, needing his vacation more than the next breath. He was delusional to the point of being suicidal. It’s not usual. He was obviously not normal.

You used Akash’s words so I would use the same. He said it’s so unlike you Arnav. And Akash was not around, but his ARF staff was. He knew people there. He also gave the only explanation. That he was leaving by 11. He was leaving early. He drank alone, saw everyone getting wasted and got up to leave.

And Akash also doesn’t know the whole thing. Arnav is making it sound like he drank to oblivion but he could hold his drink couldn’t he? He talked to Lavanya perfectly coherently up until the point he actually got up to leave. HE WAS IN HIS SENSES WHEN HE GOT UP AND LEFT. HE DIDNT DRINK TO THE POINT OF OBLIVION.

Something had happened there. I am sure of a foul play. Had la not been there, he was still in his limits and he would have been back to his hotel/ resort.

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The moment he realized it was not Khushi

He was going in and out of consciousness. I think this exact moment is the reason he didn’t even suspect foul play. In his mind he must have had some control over himself while in reality he was about to fall off a damned balcony!!!

Also, this is a classic trait in people who have been violated. Self blaming. I should have done that. I should not have done that. Maybe I deserved what happened. If you read the passage again, he is not stating this fact. He is helpless. He is asking Aakash whether he should have said no more forcefully.

In reality, he had done that repeatedly. Said no. Asked for his driver. Said he wanted to go home. All I have to do is replace Arnav with a girl and the scene clears up for me.

If a girl is at a rave, tells the host she is not a fan of drug fests, is still in her senses by the time she RESPONSIBLY gets up and leave and then gets tricked into it, then ITS RAPE. plain and simple. Someone wrote it in the previous comment.

Men’s biology is different. Bodily consent here was obtained by force and fraud. Also, if Lavanya wanted to go all the way, the drugs are often laced with things that can make sexual appetite and prowess go up.

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Finding out about pregnancy lie

He did put two and two together immediately. He asked if the photos trace back to Lavanya. Aman with all his resources said a resounding NO. I think Appy di wrote it too or agreed to it. Lavanya is a celebrity. It’s not hard to believe some photographer just randomly trailed her.

You’re right here. Aman asks when are they going to bring Khushi bhabhi back. He still thinks he cheated because he had that ‘one moment of knowing it wasn’t Khushi’. Please also note he was wasted enough to not know who it was, just not Khushi.

Appy di confirmed. He still asked Aman to trail Manali. He has no reason to believe that this was not just a drunken escapade and Lavanya is now trying to milk the incident. He is rich after all. He says maybe she wants money. He is not even fathoming that somebody would go all out an orchestrate something like this. Especially when he thinks Lavanya was drunk too. His last coherent thought was a drunk Lavanya falling on his shoulders.

He is crying in the car later thinking he is UNSAFE. that there are people who went to great lengths to harm him this way. And this is when he doesn’t even know the full truth. Just the pregnancy lie. Author said so. He is used to deal with business vultures. But such an attack on personal life and reputation will leave anyone doubtful and vulnerable.

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Why did he not think Panchgani was orchestrated?

Why would he? Lavanya has been a professional with him for 6+ years. Why would he think that she suddenly developed an obsession when a more probable explanation is that both of them were drunk, had an ONS and maybe Lavanya tried to milk the incident by lying that she was pregnant. When Aman asks why do you think she lied, his first response in money and then attraction.

We, as readers know of her obsession. Arnav has no idea. He would have been a narcissistic, self centered b*stard you called him if his fursat thought would have been I’m so irresistible maybe she just wants me.

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Would he have reacted the same way if Khushi was getting impacted by la and Manali?

I think we all know the answer to it. He didn’t even know Khushi was even in the plan of la and Manali. His divorce was fixed in his head and he didn’t or didn’t even need to think on those lines.

He tells Manali not to bring in Khushi in between these dirty games. He did not retaliate for his violation but all Manali did was threaten Khushi and he lost his shit.

Even then, he tells Manali to back off and he will back off too. Manali was even trying to hold back. But she is a bigger idiot.

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Emotional cheating with Lavanya while Khushi was under the same roof

Here we have some mighty expectations from him don’t we? I think we just engaged in a discussion where bollybabe thought he was not an honourable man because he refused to extend emotional connect to a child he was about to father. While your POV scrutinised him for offering financial and mental support.

He did what a decent human being would, took up the responsibility. He has met Lavanya what, twice? Once to discuss what she decided and once to see because Manali b*tch said Lavanya couldn’t even move.

He had drawn the line since that very day. He doesn’t entertain her on the phone when she even tries to talk about babies or life in general. He is a busy man. I don’t think he was on a call with her for hours while his wife was under the same roof. He was guilty beyond shame when all Lavanya did was message and Khushi was sitting right there. I don’t think he even had it in himself. And he was too precise. Too consistent in putting Lavanya back in her place anytime she tried to do something like that.

So yeah, he is sharp enough that Lavanya’s plan failed. Even if Aman wasn’t investigating on his own and the baby was real, he had been clear on his stance and Lavanya would never get him.

There is no way on earth this is cheating. Not even emotional. Two pages back he was being berated for how Khushi will feel that he refused to emotionally be there for a child when she runs an NGO and now the same thing is being tagged as cheating. It’s like he can’t win at all.

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Not having morals for telling Khushi?

How is this him having ZERO morals in life? He was waiting for her to come back so he could tell her immediately because he was dying in guilt. He thought to the point of letting Khushi have her and his family in place before telling her so that IT BECOMES EASIER FOR HER. He admits being selfish only on one instance. That is to have his family sit once under the roof he had built with his blood sweat and tears because he is sure all of them will LEAVE him after that. That is such a sorry state to be in. Knowing you’re about to lose your whole family.

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Khushi’s reputation and marriage with Shyam

This directly counters your earlier arguments that Arnav did not need to save Khushi and she and her family were capable of doing that.

He was the one who stopped the reporters from even reaching there. Was constantly on the lookout the moment the news got leaked. Was ready to go back to Lucknow to get her back and would have gone if not from that phone call from Khushi where she says she is going to meet a guy with a child. That’s the day he cries in the car isn’t it? And all this after he knew that their hometown was not a place that’s safe for Khushi to go. She was the one who did, why was he wrong in assuming she would contribute to lead a better life in Mumbai than go back to that archaic place!

In fact, Khushi moving there had disturbed him so much that he acknowledged he needs professional help. That he can’t sleep at all. I don’t think it’s right to them call him as someone who only cared about his reputation.

He was on the other hand thinking that a legal mess was waiting and photos could leak. So Khushi should get away from this shit strorm as soon as possible.

I am sorry. I get that he had made mistakes and not communicating his demons and fears are the biggest of them all bit the analysis and words used for him here are too harsh.

Especially the ones saying he is narcissistic and has zero morals. In my opinion, he may be flawed in a million different ways, but he has our Khushi before himself and obviously has a very strong moral backbone. He wouldn’t berate himself so much otherwise.

Originally posted by: BollyBabe75

Wow, Swati! You packed a lot in your “rave”. I agree about the mistakes Arnav made in going to Lavenya’s, drinking to excess which led to what happened. I think he was taken advantage of but unless it is spelled out to me that he was raped or the reason his underwear were still on is that nothing happened and it was all planned ahead of time he seemed to have some awareness of what he was doing. At least he thinks so.

I don’t think he deliberately tried to hurt Khushi or will go to Lavenya. I agree his behavior is dubious in going behind Khushi’s back in dealing with Lavenya. But, my God what a mess. Run, Khushi, run!

In such cases no one will ever know what happened. La was shrewed enough to immediately accept she came on to him and made passing comment they both were drunk and things happened. So clearly her stand was they both are equally responsible, no matter who started it and this is what is common in such parties... No medical tests to prove drugs involved, he took it or he was spiked; in fact it will go against Arnav due to the level of alcohol in his system, no one physically hurt and they just remember doing things under the influence so what is the official verdict here, it was accidental act between two mature adults under the influence where no one got hurt. Others can name it whatever for their love for Arnav, doesn't change the truth. And it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, Arnav himself is convinced he got involved and he was wrong.

We all know he was not having affair or anything with Lavanya during Nov 8th - Dec 17th time period, but still isn't it morally wrong to meet other woman with whom you had ONS, she claims to be pregnant and your wife living under the same roof has no clue what so ever? Isn't it clear cut cheating by Arnav in day light? Hasn't this been discussed?

I mean give me a break, so many were jumping Arnav has been taken advantage of, now has anyone discussed what was he doing against Khushi by meeting so called pregnant Lavanya behind Khushi's back? How he took advantage of Khushi here and robbed her of her beliefs, relationship that she loved and lived for, marrital wows and loyalty?

Why this hypocracy, bias for Arnav and he is allowed to play victim when he is clearly NOT. Khushi is the only victim here while Arnav is facing consequences of his own reckless choices in life.

As if he discussing thinking of divorce with Akash, Payal and Aman was not enough.. Aman is the only savior in Khushi's life and he should help her to get going in her life without Arnav....

Wow, you unpacked everything so brilliantly. I agree with you a 100%. I think to tag Arnav as a selfish and narcissistic person is doing him a great disservice!

Just because he stayed back at a RAVE that one time, does not mean he deserved what he got. I do not want to repeat what you have so brilliantly written, but I feel very strongly about this topic. I think I had mentioned that in my comment in the last chapter that I read the Panchgani section with random female name in place of Arnav's name and random male name in place of Lavanya's and it was very very clear to me that it was non consensual.

Another thing: Just because he *thinks* he cheated, does not necessarily mean he cheated. To him, it may not be clear, his memories of him saying no repeatedly are hazy at best. (Arpita has clarified this). He even pleads with Akash, "shouldn't he have said no more forcefully?" Yes he should have, but could he? Was he in a state to? This is Arnav victim-blaming himself for what he went through.

As for him going to meet Lavanya, this is a guy who is castigated when he offers the mother of his supposed baby emotional and financial support and is a guy who gets castigated when he doesn't. There is just no place where he wins, is there? I actually feel sorry for him.

The last few months of his life (in the last chapter) was like a bunch of dominos falling down. The one and only selfish thing he did was to wait to tell Khushi until their parents arrived and that too was laced with a thought for Khushi. That she would have someone to help her, when he invariably breaks her spirit! He did not know that his parents would cancel at the last minute and that Khushi would come to know before he even planned to have a talk with her.

I understand Khushi got massively hurt in this entire scenario, but there is no way that Arnav knowingly did that. There is not a single one of his thought that knowingly and maliciously decided to hurt Khushi and that is my take!