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Part 1
Jyoti tells Padma that she doesn't have any misgivings against them for trying to arrange her marriage, but she tells them that just b'cos Sushma is happy as a result of a marriage doesn't mean that she will be as well. She knows that Padma thinks that w/ a marriage, she'll be supported and all her grief will be behind her, but she points out that she had been married before. Therefore, she's decided to work again, since it's only work that can make her happy. Plus it's work that can give her and her baby security. Padma asks her whether she's forgotten what the doctor ordered, and tells her that if anything happened to her baby, she'd never be able to forgive herself. Jyoti asks her what's the guarantee that if she marries, her in-laws would accept her baby? Deepu is overhearing all this. KK tries to stop Jyoti, but she tells him that she's taken this decision after a lot of thinking, and begs him not to.
Jyoti enters the living room, and Poonam, Dadi & Deepu give her dirty looks. Deepu pleads w/ her not to work, and asks her whether she doesn't think he is dependable? Poonam backs him up and tells her that if she works, people will say that Sandeep can't take responsibility for his sister. Jyoti tells him that it's not that and that she was very happy w/ his decision, and respects it to this day, but this decision has nothing to do w/ that. However, when one doesn't work, one wittingly or unwittingly is forced to accept the decision of those who do (Jyoti is wittingly or unwittingly mirroring what both Padma & Poonam were saying when Deepu was not working) b'cos they are dependent, and somehow, she's unable to lead such a life. She just wants some space, and hopes he'll understand.
Pankaj is w/ his lawyer, and asks him how long will the divorce take? The lawyer tells him that since his wife refuses to sign, it's going to take a while. Pankaj grumbles that he doesn't have time - he has a lot to do, and it's already late (why don't you have time? Dude, remember, you're not supposed to want that baby, and you've also conceded that you don't have any rights to Jyoti) However, the lawyer adds that if he could demonstrate that Neelam was unfaithful, then the divorce could be speedy.
As if on cue, Neelam is @ a roadside w/ a suitcase, waiting for Gautam. He doesn't turn up and she is pissed. She tries calling him, but no luck. She is mad that he's cheated her again, forcing her to return to Pankaj (Neelam-ji, there is a saying 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!' Find a new bf other than Gautam, but that'll be tough while you're still married.)
At the Sharmas, Dadi is laying out some papads, when KK joins her. She seems pissed, & KK asks her what's wrong? Dadi says that Jyoti should not have been allowed to go out in this condition. KK explains that they all tried to, but she knows how stubborn Jyoti is. Dadi says that it's the duty of the mother to stop her. All these years, when Jyoti ran the house, it ran on her whims, and now Deepu's. She tells KK that she's noticed long enough that all the good things in the house first went to Deepu & Sushi, and then to Jyoti & Sudhi. She asks KK whether Padma would have allowed Sushi, as opposed to Jyoti, to go in this state? That's why a step mom is always a step away đđ
Padma overhears all this, and goes to her room and walks up to the Ganesh statue, and delivers a bhashan (somehow, the Sharmas have a weird concept of prayer). She tells him that she knows that she's done wrong by Jyoti by aborting her marriage proposals (had one of them clicked, Padma, Jyoti'd not be carrying Pankaj's baby today) but she was forced to since Jyoti was the sole earner (what an excuse, even after Jyoti had explained when she found out that she'd have supported her from her sasural, as she did during her marriage to Pankaj, w/ his consent). She however protests that she does want Jyoti back in her marriage. There are no selfish motives this time (so what was that the other day about Jyoti having to marry so that Deepu didn't have to support her & her kid?) She prays that Ganesh give her the strength to bring back happiness into Jyoti's life.
Part 2
Pankaj's phone rings, & it's Padma. She tells him that she knows that he's concerned about Jyoti & his baby. She tells him that although the doc has advised Jyoti rest, she's gone out to look for work. She asks Pankaj if he can convince her not to work, since it's unhealthy for both her & his kid (I don't know whether to pat Padma on the back for making Pankaj tense about now his kid, or kick her in the shin for opening the door for Pankaj to get back into Jyoti's life) Pankaj asks his baby, and Padma asks him whether he still doesn't accept? Pankaj says he does, but he learnt too late, and Padma tells him it's not too late. She tells him that this is why she called, and hangs up. Pankaj is worried and thinks he has to do something.
Neelam is about to enter the room, but seeing Pankaj, leaves her suitcase outside so that his ehsas doesn't figure it out. For the second time, she's nice to him, but Pankaj tells her that there is nothing left to discuss b/w them, and that the sooner she signs the divorce, the better. She can take whatever alimony she wants. He can then be free of her, and she can start a new life w/ her bf. Neelam is concerned, and tells him that she wants to stay w/ him - it was her mistake, and she promises him that she won't give him reasons to be unhappy. Pankaj tells her that there is a big difference b/w a mistake, and downright cheating. Neelam tells him that he too meets Jyoti & talks to her, and Neelam doesn't object (except that time you snatched the phone when he was talking to Sandeep) She begs him to forget all this and start a new beginning, where they can both be happy. Pankaj tells her that nobody forgets their past - not him, not her. Saying this, he leaves. Neelam resolves to convince him, since Gautam has escaped, leaving her stuck w/ him.
Elsewhere, Kabir tells Jyoti that her dad had phoned, and was worried about her (now, that's a more sensible call than the one by Padma). He tells her that her father is right - that she's not doing the right thing by working in this condition. He tells her that she has nothing to prove about being capable or independent. Jyoti tells him that she's not doing this to prove anything - she wants to work. Kabir tells her that everybody wants her to marry a 2nd time. He explains to her that in life, when one has the support of a partner, one has the confidence that if one is disabled for any reason, one can get the support of the other. Jyoti tells him that she never wanted to marry for support reasons, and had that been the case, the foundation of the marriage would be expedience, rather than love. Kabir is thoughtful on hearing this. Jyoti adds that he too wouldn't want his friend to be a dependent. Kabir tells her that he'll be waiting for her 'yes'. He asks her to come to the academy, but Jyoti tells him that she can't dance in this state, and needs to do work where there is less physical stress involved. Like office work.
Poonam is w/ her chachi, and telling her that Jyoti is very stubborn, and they won't be able to get her married that easily. She complains that she followed all of chachi's instructions, but... and chachi tells her not to worry - everybody has the impression that whatever she's doing is for Jyoti's good, particularly Deepu, and he's the person who she needs on her side. Poonam asks what good will that do, and chachi tells her that since her hubby is on her side, she can do anything (why, what is Deepu, a magician?) She tells Poonam that a fire has been started, and to just gently fan the flames.
Part 3
Jyoti & Kabir are going over newspaper ads. Over the next few days, Jyoti appears for several job interviews, but is turned down. The reason, she tells Kabir, is apparently the same - her qualifications are fine, but since she's so pregnant, a few months later, she'll go on leave, thereby handicapping them. Jyoti tells Kabir that even though she offered to forgo the paid leave part and make it unpaid, she was still declined (isn't that against the law?) Kabir tells her not to worry, and that he won't let her give up so easily.
They both drive off on the jeep, and at a place, they stop. Kabir reverses the jeep and pulls up to the school gate. There they see a want ad for a Nursery school teacher. Kabir calls a guard and tells him that he needs to meet the principal, but the guard tells him it's all closed and to come tomorrow for admissions. Jyoti says that it's about the job, but the answer is the same - come tomorrow. They decide to return tomorrow.
In the city streets, a rare Deepu-Poonam moment where they walk up and see Jyoti in a jeep w/ Kabir. Poonam asks Deepu whether it's Jyoti there? He agrees it is. Very conveniently, near them are 2 gossipy women, who start making crass remarks about how Jyoti, after being kicked out of her sasural for carrying someone else's baby, is travelling around w/ the guy who organized Sushma's marriage & godh bharai - the women are speculating that Jyoti has been forced to date Kabir in exchange for those favors. 𤢠Deepu is livid on hearing this, but Poonam restrains him, and smiles to herself an evil smile in the belief that her plan, whatever it is, is working.
Precap
Pankaj is @ a playground, ball in hand. A kid comes up to him and tells him 'Uncle, please give me the ball, uncle, please give me the ball'. Pankaj, after hesitating, gives the kid the ball and the kid runs off, and calls his dad 'Papa, papa'. Pankaj then thinks that this is what his kid is going to call him in a few years time (Now, that, Pankaj-ji, is what they call ehsas!!! Although given what you signed on, you're more likely to be called 'uncle' rather than 'papa'!)
Promo
Comments
A new promo shows Kabir telling Jyoti that he's willing to accept her baby w/ her, and give it his name. The scene then shifts to Jyoti & Pankaj and Pankaj telling her that she owes it to forgive him for the sake of the 'pyaar ka nishani', if not for him (Pankaj, remember the court commitment you made, and also note that Jyoti could have had an abortion the day you questioned its parentage, so you have no right to it now. Only problem - if Brij can get back his baby after similar taunts, why not Pankaj đ¤˘đ¤˘)
Comments
Largely a dull episode.
I was hoping for something dramatic as Jyoti deciding to leave the house. Instead, she wants a new job. Incidentally, how much pregnant is she? I was a bit surprised that employers bluntly turned her down due to her pregnancy - guess anti-discrimination laws don't exist in India. At any rate, if the last time it was her reputation, now it's her condition. Poor thing can never get a normal office job, which even Sudha managed before she married Uday.
Whether it was warranted or not, I just loved Dadi playing the sautera card today w/ Padma. After all, it's not like Padma only misbehaved once w/ Jyoti & that was it. Just look @ her relations w/ Kabir - she cold-shouldered him as long as he was just there for Jyoti, but once he started turning Sushma's life around, he became the apple of her eye. Previously, when unmarried, Sudha was just a servant in the house, and once married, she's the golden goose (since Jyoti would never treat Pankaj's cash as hers the way Sudha has accepted w/ Uday): either Sudha has to lend Sushma her khandan kangans, or she has to lend her car, or she has to pay for Sushma's treatment... And as for Jyoti, when has either Jyoti's happiness or well being been on her mind? Even today, despite Jyoti having supported the family from her sasural, @ the cost of attracting derisive views from not just Bhairavi but mildly Gayatri as well, Padma still cannot concede that in retrospect, she was wrong! Completely agree w/ Dadi: while she's a great saas, Padma makes Manthara look like a paragon of love.
So Padma sulks, and to prove Dadi wrong (what's it w/ Padma, & earlier in the serial, Sushma, threatening Ganesh-ji: who do they think they are - Mahadev? đđ¤˘) Padma decides to do something for Jyoti, and what does she do? Call Pankaj!? Just dunno whether to laugh or cry! I mean, bringing Pankaj back would just illustrate what a loser Jyoti is; OTOH, if Kabir can bring Brij into Sushi's life, what's wrong w/ Padma bringing Pankaj back into Jyoti's life? đ𤢠The funny part - Padma likes asking impossible things from people - previously, from Jyoti, it was to fund Poonam's geyser, honeymoon and get Deepu a job, while now, she's burdened Pankaj w/ talking Jyoti out of working, when his clout w/ her is reduced to nil.
Neelam's part was finally disappointing - Gautam again stands her up, and she's unable to elope (incidentally, what exactly is Gautam's game here?) So she goes back to Pankaj and tries making nice w/ him, and he simply wants his divorce. Incidentally, what's Pankaj's rush? In Jyoti's case, he wanted to marry Neelam, but now, he doesn't know that Jyoti will come back to him, Padma's call (which came after his lawyer meeting notwithstanding) So why the hurry? At any rate, the only silver lining about Gautam standing Neelam up again is that she is less willing to let go of Pankaj, who is desperate to get back Jyoti. Also, since it's only on Brij's word that Pankaj is believing in Jyoti, he's nowhere near deserving her. Someone should throw in his face his commitment to not want that baby - that that was based on the assumption that he found out that it was his. Also, Pankaj should absorb a bit of what CM told him - that marriage ain't about his satisfaction only, and he has to think about his wife as well. Today, Neelam was apologetic, and Pankaj needs to stop thinking about divorcing her, and instead laying down a framework for their marriage. Hey, if you care about your kid so much, tell Neelam that he'll stay married to her, but she has to accept Jyoti's kid as theirs, since he's found out that Jyoti was actually innocent. Of course, there's again that condition issue.
Finally, they show Poonam outdoors w/ Deepu, and needless to say, they had to have some crass gossips in the streets (one of them was Premalata from Jamuniya, who fixes the rishtas) about Kabir & Jyoti. Looks like Deepu hasn't learnt anything from the past and was ready to go @ them, and the ever so patient Poonam holds him back. That's right, Poonam, instead of sticking up for your family (incidentally, do you really consider this family yours?), just try to reconfigure them so that outsiders will like them!
Episode rating: đđź
Highs: Dadi accusing Padma of step-motherly treatment, Jyoti's explanation that she doesn't look @ a spouse as a support
Lows: Neelam's apologetic approach to Pankaj, the roadside gossip about Jyoti fueling Poonam's plans, Padma's attempt to rope in Pankaj
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