I see this as a Phase 2 rather than a return to square one. In Phase 1, Aish played her cards well and believed the game was over for Mannat, assuming she would never meet Vik again. However, fate had other plans. After years of Aish working to change her identity as Arzoo and come back to take revenge and her property, Manvik paths crossed again at the same time. Though they still have the same MU about each other, but meeting the one person you have silently longed for over the years changes something deep within you. Vik is angry after seeing Mannat and DK together, yet he will not be able to stop himself from thinking about her. Dua’s participation in the competition is obligation for him, and for whatever reasons, Mannat will allow Dua to take part. Dua will keep reminding Vik of Mannat. She becomes the thread that binds them and through her Vik will eventually learn the truth, which will trigger change in him. Coming back to the larger plot, this is not really a reset of the story but a character continuity rather than regression. The Indore characters have evolved because they were forced to process trauma, rebuild, and adapt, largely due to Dua’s presence. Vikrant on the other hand, never did that inner work. His circumstances changed but his mindset remained stuck at the point where he was manipulated, isolated, and emotionally wounded. I too never expected Vik to trust Mannat immediately and from his perspective, Mannat and DK only reinforces what he already believes, so his lack of trust is understandable. However, where the writing exposes his core flaw is in the complete absence of introspection. As you rightly said, a good person may not trust instantly, but they would at least pause, reflect, or feel discomfort before repeating the same pattern of accusations. Vikrant’s arc has consistently shown that he does not arrive at the truth through introspection. He relies on external validation at every step. Unless Mannat exposes the truth herself or Dua proves something in front of him, he will not change. For him, growth has to be delivered rather than discovered. So this is not about the plot going in circles. It is about highlighting contrast. Everyone else has evolved through suffering, while Vikrant remains emotionally stagnant. Until he learns to question his own perceptions instead of relying on others to give him clarity, his reactions will continue to feel repetitive, no matter how much the world around him changes.
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