Posted:
Hello everyone,
I'm JZee, for those of you who haven't seen me lurking around this forum already. 😊
Disclaimer: My post is a different take on today's episode, from what I think will be perceived by the greater majority. If you disagree with me - I'd be glad to know your side and further the discussion. If you dislike the post, you have 3 people to blame - Nur, Reemz, and Piu. They have harassed me into making an analytic post on Gulaal - the show which offers more ground than any other to analyze, and it shocks them that I have resisted so far 😆
Oh yeh - just in case you like the post - I'm the only one to credit 😎 😆
----
To me, the coming up showing Revji's outburst and loud claim in support of Gulaal was a window of opportunity like none so far. I said on some thread a couple days ago (can't remember which one) that first step towards bringing GK together would have to be bringing Gulaal back home - an obvious fact.
And how would that happen?
Given how members of MotaBha's family (for good reason or bad - minus Sudha Bhabhi of course) already tried to convince her to not leave (mildly or otherwise); and given the desperate limits Kesar has resorted to, to bring her back; given Gulaal's own mother/father/Reva/even Talli's persuasion falling flat; and finally given Gulaal's record for being stubborn (read: blindly stubborn as of this situation) - it is easily evident that nothing will make Gulaal go back on her word, and return to that house.
Except one thing. A sense of responsibility that no one but she can and has to fulfill.
The days preceding Gulaal's exit from that house had shown how strains of responsibility (read: replacing Vasant i the house) was weighing her down far too much such that even Gulaal's own strings of perseverance were beginning to fail. The final straws had to be Kesar breaking off with Talli; confessing his love - to her, and to everyone else. The point that she leaves that house Gulaal is very clear (or wrongly believes so) on a few accounts - that she has finally done whatever she could have managed of Vasant's dream. She doesn't see herself successful in the venture, but she has convinced herself and apologized to Vasant abut failing him, but knowing no other way to save the last of grace. So technically, somewhere she is convinced that even her leaving of that house is for their good, for Kesar's good (as she tells Talli - about how he is obsessed, and how distance will clear his head) and of course it is partially at least her means of condoning what she appears is her blame in the crisis Talli has been put into. So even in rebelling, in leaving the house which she should traditionally leave only as a dead human, she is subconsciously convinced of greater good, of being right and righteous, and in that light is being the classic Gulaal we know in all her element.
Because what we should never put past her character is going to utter extremes if she is convinced about being right in her heart of heart, and meaning only well.
And after that long essay on building a base for my argument for today - let's come to today! For me the epic moment today - and the epic character at that - was Revji. I'm not certain at this point, if this is intentional on his part, or accidental wisdom which is going to hit bullseye - but just looking at the coming up (before seeing the whole showdown scene before the Panch, as well at MotaBha's house) my immediate reaction was - oh what a genius he is, using reverse psychology!
From the way he earlier talked to Gulaal when trying to knock sense into her and making her accept her present, Kesar, and her circumstance and move on - RevJi has obviously been the tactful father who knows his daughter well, and even more her substance of obstinacy which is impossible to defeat when targeted directly. So unlike Gulaal's mother, he hasn't blown off into long tirades of why Gulaal is wrong, how she needs to go back at any cost. Nope. He was calm when explaining to her - and today I thought he hit an ace when he went outright in Gul's favor and Kesar's opposition. Because fact is, while we see blatantly how Kesar has no one who understands his predicament; the same holds true for Gulaal - there are all those people who are standing by her wild decision and even sympathizing with her - but in the heart of hearts, everyone if they could make is happen or pray enough for it would wish for Gulaal to resume her life in the real sense as Kesar's wife - only, by her own will. So really, despite all the people siding with her, no one understands Gulaal precisely, just like they don't understand Kesar. And today - when Revji made a bold claim of clean and clear support for his daughter, he became the first person to not offer meek or helpless support, but a believing support, assuring his daughter of empathy, and backing, no matter what.
Now my take is, that the same Gulaal who we have see fighting off conviction and advisory talks all week long will be forced to think the other way. With Panchayat shutting off hukka paani for her parental home, Gulaal being Gulaal will only take so much of suffering on her folks part before snapping. Before having to make choices again - between devil and the deep sea. If her father had continued to be in the mild support gang, on her side but quietly urging her to undo her decision, it would never have hit her, the guilt, like it will now. She will watch her family brave hard times only because she's stuck up on an idea - and yeh, we all know how that goes down with her, don't we?! She can hate Kesar's guts more than ever, but for her own family, she will return, and deal with that part all by herself - because isn't she always striving to be the one man army?! Of course, once she's back into that house - we're all banking on Kesar's undying love to finally melt her, slowly but surely, lol 😆
So, I thought - smart move Daddy cool - very smart move! Because even as he looked his daughter in her eye and assured her, you could see the first tears in Gulaal's eyes which were not in pure defense, or frustration but in some kind of guards coming down! Plus, we can always rely on her mother to make a point of how she has caused all the trouble 😆
Unfortunately - even as I'd like to sit on top of this line of thought with a smug know-it-all grin, there was the second side to the matter. Revji visiting Kesar and giving him an earful (which sure packed the over wrought Kesar down the nth guilt trip this week 😒 - not that I say he's been right all along, but Kesar and Gulaal are not black and white characters - I can't give them an absolute right or wrong at any point, anyway!) So that latter part of the episode makes analysis a little more complicated.
A) If Kesar now goes and takes back his complaint from the Panchayat - well, Gul will probably not face half the share of guilt she would if she was to see her folks suffering. On the other hand, maybe she will hate Kesar's guts just a little bit less? Just maybe the CVs will actually have a sequence of Kesar finally resigning and resorting to have one last sensible talk with Gulaal - his old confidante and friend and not his lovely wife - where he will not be declaring his love every other sentence, but gravely assuming his blame and assuring her he would bother no more. But that he believes she will see him for him one day, and that let that be left at that and walk out? You know one of those conversations?! Although normally, with all the gore that's passed between them, Gulaal would have celebrated good riddance at such a chance, and I never wanted Kesar to give up - I think given this recent turn of evevnts it might just work in Kesar's favor, sooner than later. Anyway - that's speculation number 1.
B) The other one is this entire guilt trick on Kesar and Gulaal - each in their own shoes - a part of Revji's big fix-it-all plan? Just maybe... he actually has a long term plan he's trying to work on? Putting Gulaal into one dilemma so she will have to start considering the many dimensions of her stubborn decision and how far the results are? And also, at the same time, to knock Kesar's impulsive acts down, and go all easy tiger, easy on him 😆 Because its evident that Kesar's desperation is going down on the worst side of Gul, and Revji can't not see it. So he's sort of trying to pave way for an eventual sometime to happen ground for peace?! I dunno - maybe its far fetched... but its something!
So there. My long long long first post. If you've gone off to sleep - erm. 🤔 - wake up and tell me not to subject you to such torture again! 😳 If you survived - please chip in your two cents. You've got a long long restless weekend of wait ahead to think and think and think and say your part 😆
Signing off now!
xx
JZee
Sports
Jodha Akbar
Anupamaa
