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Part 1
The episode starts on a great note, w/ Jyoti bringing the scooter to the mechanic for servicing (Good idea, since it hasn't been touched for a year). The mechanic tries starting it, and says that it's not been used for quite a while. 😉😉 He recognizes that Jyoti is now married, and has seen her in that big car, and asks her how she's now here all of a sudden? Jyoti says that she had some work, and asks him when it'll be ready? He says evening.
In the Vashisth mansion, the parents of Deepu's proposed fiancee are there w/ CM (of all places, and all people! Strange, but bears out Deepu's suspicion that they were really interested in a tie up w/ the Vashisths, rather than the Sharmas or just Deepu himself). They tell CM that since they are the girl's parents, they are looking for opinions about the groom. 😕😕 CM asks them why they are asking her these questions? The mom says that since 2 of the Sharma daughters are married in that household, they decided to find out from them about the family. They also expressed the hope of meeting Jyoti & Pankaj. CM tells them that it seems to her that fate has brought them here, and in fact, they are saved. She tells them that they have no relationship any more w/ Jyoti. The father is surprised and asks what's she saying, and she tells Mr Mehta that she too is embarrassed about this, but believes in straight talk. She tells them that Jyoti cheated Pankaj, and even after marriage, maintained an affair w/ her ex boyfriend. The parents of the girl are shocked to hear that, while CM continues that Pankaj has severed all relations w/ her, and thrown her out of the house.
Just then, Pankaj enters. The father remarks that if the daughter of the family is that fraudulent, they'd have regretted marrying their own daughter into the same family. Pankaj interrupts and tells them that his judgment is different, and asks why should Sandeep by judged by the actions of Jyoti? He confirms w/ CM that he's right, right? He continues that he has no relationship w/ the Sharmas (fully justified, since they were one in deceiving him) and so this is just a business of their daughter. Still, if they want his opinion, he'd say that Sandeep is a highly cultured, honest and responsible person. Whenever he met him, he got the impression that Sandeep is fully aware of his responsibilities. Their daughter would be very happy w/ him. The decision is theirs. 👍🏼👍🏼
In a tea shop, Deepu is w/ one of his pals, who assumes that his salary is now up w/ this promotion, and that he should have biscuits. Deepu tells him that his folks are plotting to get him married. The friend asks him when, but Deepu tells him that he ain't ready for marriage. He has plenty of things to do, and marrying ain't one of them. His friend tells him that had he been in his place, he'd be marrying. (Deepu is soooo different from Pankaj & Uday!!!) Such opportunities don't come repeatedly, and he'd be settled if he took it. Deepu tells him that there was a time he too wanted that, but now that he has that opportunity, he hesitates to take it, and remarks that after splitting w/ Panchi, he's totally changed. He wants to make something himself, not inherit it through marriage. The friend tells him that if he accepts this proposals, all his life's problems will be solved. He can take care of his sisters very well. This does make Deepu stop to think.
At the Vashisths, Meenal remarks that she doesn't think Pankaj will accept Kesav-ji's proposal, given the way he took Sandeep's side w/ the girl's family. (She's a complete airhead - why is it so inconceivable for Pankaj to accept an alternative to Jyoti, while not supporting attempts to destroy any future happiness of other members of the Sharma family?) She thinks that even today, Pankaj still loves Jyoti. CM disagrees, and points out that Pankaj took the side of Sandeep, not Jyoti. After everything Jyoti did to him, he can only hate her and do nothing else. Minal asks her that even assuming that she's right, would Pankaj, in this condition, agree to marry a gal that her FIL picked? CM remarks that Minal is right, and Pankaj is in a difficult phase, and that he'd have to be very gently convinced. She knows that Pankaj will be difficult, but not impossible to convince here.
At his office, Deepu, now in a brown suit, is being congratulated on his promotion by the person who recommended him. The boss says that he did nothing, and that Sandeep has earned it, and from this day, he's the manager. He shows him his cabin. As he is about to go in, 2 of the workers start casting aspersions on how he got this promotion, pointing out that his sister married a rich blind guy, cheated on him, got kicked out and is now back home, and that Sandeep must have done something unethical in getting this promotion. 😡😡 Sandeep is embarrassed to hear this.
Part 2
Sandeep confronts them, and they continue to insult him, and that becomes a fistfight. Other workers come in to break up the fight. The boss comes in and tells him that he's now a manager, and it's inappropriate for him to fight w/ courier boys. Since it's his first offense, no action will be taken, but he requests him not to let it happen a 2nd time. Sandeep agrees.
Back to CM, this time w/ 2 guests. The guests are discussing how cultured Jyoti seemed last Diwali. Right then, Sudha is coming in w/ tea for all, and the conversation continues. They say that Pankaj was indeed unfortunate - first, he loses his eyesight, and now he's cheated by this fraudulent wife of his. Sudha is saddened to hear this, rushes back into the kitchen and starts crying. 😭😭 Longshree goes to her and asks her what's wrong, but she dismisses her and asks her to take the tea to them. In the living room, the guests were suggesting that they keep an eye on Sudha as well, just in case... At this point, Longshree arrives w/ the tea. The guest continues that Sudha is after all her sister. The other guest remarks that she's worried about Pankaj, and that it must be difficult for him to move about now. Longshree tells them that Pankaj had locked himself in his room since then, and she couldn't bear to see him in that condition. The guest says that if he goes out, people will discuss what's gone on w/ him, and he'd be embarrassed. CM asks why would Pankaj be embarrassed - if anyone will be embarrassed, it'll be Jyoti. However, she doesn't know whether Jyoti is shamelessly roaming about, oblivious to all this.
Pankaj has been listening to all this while coming down the staircase. CM invites him to sit - they were after all discussing him. Pankaj says that he knows, and that in response to CM's question, tells them that he's headed to college, and can't join them, since he'd be late.
In her room, Sudha tells Uday that she's upset at why CM told her friends about their family problems, and that too in this manner? 😭😭 Her friends had really mean things to say about Jyoti-di, which they'd be gossiping about all over town. She's upset that everybody who hears this will think that Jyoti married Pankaj for his money and then cheated him. 😡😡 Uday agrees that his mom shouldn't have talked like that about family to strangers, and that he'd go and talk to her. Sudha restrains him, and tells him that as it is, the situation at home is tense, and if he raises this w/ CM, she'll think it'll be @ Sudha's behest that he's taking Jyoti's side. Uday points out that what CM did was wrong, and in addition to Jyoti, the entire family is now the center of gossip. Sudha begs him not to say anything now, and that she too is silent in the hope that some day, all the misunderstandings will be cleared. 👍🏼👍🏼 She was however afraid that if anybody told Jyoti about what was said and sourced it to their home, how would she feel? Uday takes her and comforts her. 🤗🤗
Sandeep returns home, and dadi notices the injury on his face as a result of the fight, and asks him about it. He tells her that it was the office door hitting him on the face. Dadi panics and calls everyone, telling them that Deepu is injured. He tries to assure her that he's fine, and will rest in his room. Padma follows him there and tells him that that's not the sign of a door injury, and not to lie. Just then, Jyoti too arrives. Deepu finally confesses to Padma that it was a fistfight at work. Padma is shocked that he got into one on the day of his promotion. Deepu tells him that people were insulting Jyoti in the office, and so he fought them. Padma asks him how long would he fight? He needs to learn how to tolerate it. Jyoti is at the door, overhears all this and is saddened.
Part 3
Padma continues that when a wife returns to her home, several questions start popping up - both about her, and her culture. 😡😡 Deepu is furious, and points out that this is untrue. He asks them why don't people go to the Vashisths and ask them questions (about Minal?) Padma points out that the Vashisths have high walls and can be oblivious to that.
Jyoti comes in apologizing, saying that today, due to her, he had to suffer all this at work. Deepu tells her she's not, but Jyoti holds herself responsible for all the attacks on the family. That's why she didn't originally want to return. Deepu tries to follow her, but Padma stops him and tells him that she's responsible for this fate of hers. 😡😡 Deepu tries to tell her that he'd explain to her, but Padma tells him that Jyoti is guilty, and her biggest sin was marrying into the Vashisth family (sure, had she just stayed home, dear Padma, who faked her astrology chart and made her a mangalik, would have ensured that she got a better groom.😡) She continues that what started as a dream has turned into a nightmare. Deepu begs her not to say this today. He doesn't know what he can do for Jyoti, but right now, his sisters need him.
Deepu then goes to Jyoti's room, and Jyoti tells him that this is why she didn't want to return - she's the cause of embarrassment to all of them. Deepu tells her that god put them all under 1 roof so that in times like this, they can support each other. Jyoti tells him that her pain increases when she sees that due to her, everyone else in her family have to suffer as well. She points out that Deepu was guiltless, and perhaps had she never returned... Deepu angrily tells her never to say that - he's very scared of her threats to go far away. He makes her promise never to just leave the place, and she promises him just that, and hugs him. She says to herself that after marriage, the sasural is her home, but if she's removed from there and has to return to the maayka, then she becomes lonely in the midst of everyone else. The scene ends. 😭
Precap
Pankaj is in a daze, and CM is brow-beating him and trying to convince him that Jyoti is a past phase of his life, and that he now needs to come out of it. (Obviously, she's trying to sell him into marrying the Kota girl)
Comments
First, Deepu's proposal. My bets - despite what Pankaj said, they won't go ahead to the Sharmas. The fact that the Mehtas thought that the Vashisths were worth going to first reveals that Deepu's suspicion about them was justified. I do hope they don't bother going, rather than going there and asking why Jyoti is @ her maaykas.
I had been pissed @ Pankaj for taking his anger out on Sudha, but today, I admired his standing up for Sandeep even though CM continued to be a prick, and Minal an airhead. Given that the entire Sharma family ganged up to deceive him, he has every reason to do what CM did, but he gave Sandeep a good reference. CM could learn from him.
I wonder whether despite what he said yesterday, Deepu is still missing Panchi, and couldn't care less about any other proposal. Yeah, he's probably genuine about his desire not to marry until Jyoti & Sushma's fates were settled. But aside from that, is it likely that the other reason he's not interested is that he'd like Panchi back, but doesn't know how to get her dad to forgive him.
On the office brawl, I wonder whether Deepu couldn't have just gone into his cabin and then suspended the 2 courier boys for insubordination, or indiscipline. If he feels that strongly, he should abuse his power so that nobody dares gossip about him, instead of getting into brawls.
One thing that strikes me about CM - for someone who thinks of herself as such an aristocrat, she sure has some real hayseeds as company, who have nothing better to do than gossip about people. Plus she does that about her own family. Granted, she hates Jyoti, but she entertains this gossip about Pankaj and Sudha. I'd really love to see rumor mills start one day about her, and see how she handles it. Yeah, false ones, like the ones about Jyoti.
I was glad that Sudha, on hearing the gossip about Jyoti, sent Longshree to serve them, instead of doing it herself - these bitches didn't deserve to be served by Sudha. I also liked how she restrained Uday from talking to CM. The way to talk to CM is to intimidate her - something that only Kesav-ji seems capable of. If Uday is going to start a conversation that CM gets to finish, it's not worth having that conversation, and invariably, when Uday does talk to her, he's too deferential to her. I also liked Sudha's concern for the family in wanting this to be suppressed. But Sudha can help this along if she learns to be oblivious to all this, and just ignore it, and not burst into tears everytime Jyoti is slandered.
Finally, Padma returned to form, blaming Jyoti for marrying the Vashisths, and conveniently forgetting how she ensured that no rishta ever got to Jyoti by making her mangalik. What choice did Jyoti have? As it is, she and Sachin were becoming an item, and had Padma not had this move, Jyoti may either have married one of the many proposals that came her way, and in case Sachin proposed, the family would have met the Vashisths first, come across CM, and on basis of her alone, they could have made a decision that Sachin/Pankaj was not a right match for her.
Anupamaa
