Gulaal's mother says angrily to her husband that Gulaal did a very wrong thing, she took Dushyant's name as Head and went against Kesar, which is why people are talking about her. The father expresses surprise that people said such things about Gulaal. She responds that he is thinking about people but her worry is about Kesar, Gulaal is his wife, what must he be going through, and somewhere Kesar too must be believing these things, and if Kesar believes these rumors then it will be very bad. Her husband says that nothing like that will happen.
Kesar is in his room bouncing a ball against the wall. He flashbacks to all the times he did something good for Gulaal, and then to his recent behavior with Gulaal, and finally to her slap for Dushyant, and then to the rumors. He starts with anger and then ends up feeling a lot of pain. Gulaal opens the door to his room, sees him sleeping, and sheds some tears at her action.
Gulaal apologizes to a crying Talli and tells her that she did not do it on purpose, it just happened. She never expected to ever behave like this with Kesar, she could not tolerate his talking to everyone in this manner and did not realize when her hand slapped him. She asks Talli to forgive her since she caused her a lot of pain, and hugs her. Talli tells her she need not apologize, she knows Gulaal must have felt very hurt hitting Kesar, and she should not apologize to anyone. Gulaal tells Talli that she is probably right, she now realizes that Talli is all grown up now that she understands all of Gulaal's sorrows. Talli tells her that she understands every emotion of Gulaal's. Gulaal has come to console Talli when she herself is upset. Gulaal tells her that she never thought that Talli will grow up to be her best friend. Talli asks her if she saw or spoke to Kesar after that. Gulaal tells her that he went to sleep, Talli is surprised that he slept so soon.
Paan Baa comes there and asks Gulaal to wake up early the next morning because she has to keep vrat-savitri fast. Gulaal is conscious of Talli's presence and asks Paan Baa how she can keep this fast. Paan Baa asks her if she is not married. Gulaal tries to oppose, Paan Baa tells her that she understands that Gulaal does not give importance to the deeyarvattu, but a ritual is a ritual and on that basis she is Kesar's wife. Talli's face loses color hearing this. Paan Baa tries to explain to Gulaal that this is the call of the situation, the best way to stop the rumors, there is no compulsion, it is up to Gulaal to decide what to do. Paan Baa continues that Kesar's well-being is associated with this ritual, of late things are not going well for him, so many things have happened in the family, she is worried about Kesar, after all she is his mother and will always want his security. Gulaal is confused, Talli doesn't like it.
Talli wakes up late, opens the closet and finds the clothing that Kesar gifted Gulaal. Gulaal sees it in Talli's hands and is scared. Gulaal puts on a fake smile and tells Talli that she must be wondering what this is doing in her closet, Kesar gave it to her for safekeeping. Talli doesn't believe her at first. Gulaal continues that Kesar knows how childish Talli is and knew she would find it in his closet, so he gave it to her. Talli believes her and says that Kesar likes troubling her, and unnecessarily she misunderstood and had all kinds of thoughts in her mind. (I cannot believe how much Gulaal is lying to Talli and leading her on. Does she not realize that she is ruining Talli's life? She cannot see beyond her stupid fantasy world. Gulaal is pissing me off more and more by the day. She is the one who keeps talking about truth, what happened now, where is the truth?). Talli continues that she should not have asked Kesar about the clothing, and asks her why Kesar always troubles her all the time, why is he taking so much time to give it to her. Talli takes the clothing with her, Gulaal tries to stop her and asks her to leave it, what if Kesar sees it, Talli refuses and says that she will take care of Kesar and takes it with her. (Talli will take care of Kesar? She shivers seeing his anger, what will she take care of. This is all Gulaal's doing - she is leading her on).
Dushyant goes to Kesar's room and sees that he is not there. His eyes fall on a photo with the entire family including Vasant and a young Kesar, and flashbacks to Kesar's words that Dushyant is not his older brother. He sees a note on the table and reads it.
Gulaal is getting ready and flashbacks to Jamna's bitter words and Paan Baa's words the previous night about fasting for Kesar's well-being. Paan Baa comes there all ready and is happy seeing Gulaal dressed for the fast, she tells her that she knew Gulaal would not dishearten her. Gulaal looks at her as if she is being forced to do this. Paan Baa gives her a box of jewelry. Gulaal wears the jewelry hesitatingly.
Talli comes there and asks her how she is looking. Gulaal is shocked to see her wearing the clothing that Kesar gifted Gulaal, she is scared about what will happen if Kesar finds out, but clearly something else is also going on in Gulaal's mind. Its not just about fear of Kesar, it is also as if Talli is wearing something precious of Gulaal's, I sense a bit of possessiveness. Gulaal asks Talli if she too is fasting. Talli says that she is fasting, Sudha told her that unmarried girls can fast for their heart's desire to get fulfilled, and she is fasting for Kesar. Gulaal seems a tad frigid in her stature when she is having this conversation with Talli. She doesn't like Talli's wearing the clothing and yet doesn't know what to say. Talli continues flaunting it and says that what can be better than fasting for Kesar and wearing his gift, and adjusts it in the mirror. Gulaal flashbacks to Kesar's giving her the gift and his saying "I brought something for you". (I think Talli is not innocent in all this. I think she wore this on purpose, she is insecure because Gulaal is fasting for Kesar and everyone keeps calling her his wife, to mark her territory subconsciously Talli wants to fast and wear the clothing that very day and make herself feel that Kesar is hers). Talli goes on that she doesn't know what is in Kesar's mind, he will feel very happy to see her wearing his gift, but he will not show his happiness. Vasant's photo is between the two of them during this conversation. Gulaal doesn't like hearing Talli's words and flaunting the dress and her right on Kesar. Talli asks her what she is thinking because Gulaal's face has lost color, Gulaal evades the topic. Talli tells her that she knows what Gulaal is thinking, that both Gulaal and Talli are fasting for Kesar. Gulaal makes an excuse that she is doing it because Paan Baa told her to, Talli tells her that she knows that Gulaal is doing this under compulsion and doesn't really want to do it. Gulaal looks at her as if deep down Gulaal wants to do this. Talli tells her that Gulaal prays for Kesar everyday, so she should just think of this as praying for Kesar and not worry too much, but if Gulaal is worried about staying hungry then Talli can't help her because she herself is hungry. Gulaal fake smiles and goes and sits in front of the mirror. Talli hugs her from behind and says that Kesar is so lucky, two women are fasting for him, one to obtain him and the other for his well-being. All this while Gulaal fake smiles but is lost and confused about her feelings (of possessiveness I think). Talli tells her that next year onwards only Talli will be fasting for him. Then she exclaims that she forgot to wear Kesar's gifted bangle, she asks Gulaal to remain ready when she returns after wearing it. Gulaal does not like any of this at all.
I know Talli is innocent and her heart is in the right place for Gulaal, but I can't help but feel that she is marking her territory by flaunting it so much in front of Gulaal. This is all Gulaal's doing who has dragged her along for so long, but subconsciously Talli is also wanting to be more secure and make the fact clear to Gulaal that she will be the only one for Kesar going forward.
Precap: Kesar and Dushyant are in a bus, Kesar asks Dushyant to return his key and let him go, he cannot change his mind. Dushyant grabs Kesar's collar and tells him that if he wants he could give Kesar two slaps and drag him back home, Kesar will leave but what about the other family members, Kesar did not think even once what they will go through once they find out Kesar left, what hope will they live on. Dushyant's words have an impact on Kesar. (I completely understand why Kesar wants to run away. Nobody understands him in the house, everyone accuses him of being bad when he is trying hard to do the right thing but his anger is eating him up inside. And now Gulaal, whom he considers to be his wife, slapped him, her husband, in front of everyone. How can he even look at her now? I feel the worst for Kesar, even worse than Talli. He has been carrying the truth about Vasant for so many years, so much so that he even refused to see Gulaal for 10 years. He has nobody to turn to.)