The Week That Was ... 27th Feb ... 2nd Mar
An elopement doesn't just affect the two individuals concerned, it affects the whole family ... or families. And the effects are humungous. The entire week was spent in a lot of very Ekta-ish drama to show the family reactions in detail, and Khushi bearing the brunt of not only the families' reactions, but also her not-very-loving husband's.
What is the fuss and bother when the two individuals are unattached, consenting adults, you might ask? But it matters ... it does matter ... a wedding is something parents of both bride and groom look forward to all their lives, and to be presented with a situation like this is bound make emotions run high and make all the parties concerned feel let down, betrayed and ashamed. Added to which, in India, weddings are huge family affairs ... a havey-cavey wedding always arouses suspicions as to the need for all the secrecy and urgency, again adding to the shame of the families. And usually, the guys get away with it, but the girls suffer much more, in terms of reputation and name-calling ... it's always the woman who is blamed. Sad, but true ... unfortunately.
Also during the week, Arnav's dimaag continued its vacation ... moving on from the French Riviera, it has been variously spotted frozen over in the glaciers in Alaska, burying itself in the sand in the Great Australian Desert and deep sea diving in the Pacific Ocean. However, a sign of hope emerged by Friday, Arnav's dimaag might be holidaying, but Khushi's dimaag is slowly flickering to life, egged on its way by green signal from her Devi maiyya.
Progress this week -
from Monday's decent episode of I Hate You ... I Hate You Too ...
to Friday's double century whammy ... You Hurt Me ... You Hurt Me Too ... Because You Can ...
27th Feb ... I Hate You because I Love You
Emotional showdown ... Arnav's fretting and fuming about Khushi's treatment from his family members starts, although it doesn't fire up his dimaag in any useful way ... quite the reverse - he manages to fire up our tigress too ... and since she's fed up of playing the quiet dutiful silently suffering G bahu, a job she didn't want, thank you very much ... she fires right back at him ...
So the ArHi confrontation ... another one, many more to come ... Arnav pacing up and down, furious with himself, he's supposed to hate Khushi, but other feelings refuse to go away ... anger, pain, anguished betrayal, love ...
And when Khushi makes her way outside and knocks over his jug, he snaps ... why are you following me everywhere?
She isn't ... it's her thoughts, her memories, try as he might, he can't get rid of her for a moment ... Go away from me!!!
And Khushi has had enough ... her temper flares to match his ... If I bother you so much, why bring me here? Why marry me, destroy my life, alienate me from everyone I love ... my mother, my sister, your sister, Naniji ...All the people she loves, who are important to her ... but he doesn't even notice the names on her list include his sister, his grandmother ... all the people whom she would never want to hurt ...
But she's not done yet ... you did this to me, so I will do what I want with you ... I will yell, cry, shout at you ...
The only other person Khushi feels this sense of belonging with is Devi Maiyya ... with her too, she shouts, complains, scolds ...
And you're happy, aren't you ... you're happy seeing me suffer, after breaking each and every relationship that meant the world to me, seeing me orphaned again ... are you happy now?
Yes, I'm happy, happy you're in pain, you're suffering, because you know what? I hate you!!!
And she stares at him in disbelief, stunned, her world collapsing around her ... he hates her? And here she was hoping ...
Even as he says the words, he stops ... what did he just say... why did he say that ... it's not true, it's not true at all ... he didn't mean to say that ...
But it's too late ... the walls are up again between them ... but this time she doesn't hide behind false smiles ...
I hate you too ... you don't deserve to be loved ... I hate you even more than you hate me ... because that's what you deserve ...
And his turn for the world to come crashing down around him ... she hates him?! He thought she loved him ... but no, she loves Shyam and he hates her for that too ... so why do her words hurt so much ... And why does it hurt so much when she turns and leaves without a backward glance? And why can't he stop loving her?! His final burst of anger, taken out on the furniture, because there's no one else ... she's gone ... he finally drove her away ...
Cut off from Arnav, Khushi cuts herself off from Devi Maiyya too ... you did wrong with me, he forced me into marriage, and you did nothing to stop it ... how could you let it happen? I don't want to talk to you ... I won't expect anything more from you ... but neither will I accept defeat ...
Now that is what Devi Maiyya likes, not the crying weeping defeated Khushi, but the fighter ... as the conch shells indicate ... Khushi will be the one to find out the truth ...
28th Feb ... Fake emotions and Foolish Neighbours
Manodarama Bond on her latest mission ... the mystery of the poolside bedside. I always thought Manorama was the sharpest of the Riazada family.
Didn't like the fake romance at all, didn't care for the inconsistency in characterization, did Arnav just realize that he is not exactly being the model 'I'm happily married and crazy about my wife' Arnav? And why was Khushi so tremblingly scared ... after having blasted him off fearlessly the night before, a torn shirt should have been the least of her worries. She should have used the opportunity to yell a little more and ask him for some clothes! And the romance was badly done ... no emotions at all, it didn't seem as though Arnav was the slightest bit shaken at seeing his gorgeous wife in his torn shirt ... where did he hormones go? On holiday with his brain? And the way he pushed her off as soon as Manorama stopped watching, left a bad taste in the mouth ... good for him that he explained to Khushi why he did what he did, or he would have had another few thousand miles added onto that RTR.
Also didn't care for the complete lack of emotion in Arnav as he puts his mother's kangans on Khushi's wrists ... agreed he was play acting for Manorama Bond, but there was no sign that giving her his last precious memory of his mother bothered him in any way at all.
The munh dikhayi ... for a sophisticated, high society family, the Raizadas have very crass, uncouth neighbours, who pass such loud remarks on the sudden wedding. And when Nani said she would handle things, why did she not have some cover story, some smooth words to tide over the situation? Instead of standing there dumbly, as though admitting to every word the neighbours said? They might be justified in thinking what they did, but you should have been prepared for this, shouldn't you?
Arnav's words of defence were too little, too late, and far too rude ... and seemed completely meaningless after the fake romance and his bullying of Khushi upstairs. And ineffective ... as Mami the next day continued right on with taunting Khushi ... honestly, when will this woman stop?
29th Feb ... RTR ... The Miles are Adding on every day
More emotional atyachaar for Khushi, although the girl refuses to be cowed down ... thank heavens for the return of her spirit, beaten and subdued though it still is. And Arnav continues to stew in his 'she is guilty, so I have to hate her,' while his brain just refuses to connect the dots ... if a girl can be so upset at breaking off ties with her family for eloping with a bachelor, would she ever contemplate breaking a marriage and running off with a married man? If a girl's family can be so strict as to cut her off for running off with a rich eligible bachelor, would they ever condone her breaking up a marriage?
Just feeling bad is not enough ... start thinking about the inconsistency in what you see daily all the time, and what you overheard in incomplete snatches of a single conversation. And ignore what Creepwa said ... he's not exactly been proven to be the model of truthfulness now, has he? Everything he said for the last three years was a lie, he admitted that himself ... but this part you choose to believe was the sacred unalterable truth?
Arnav's road to redemption becoming longer and longer ... I'm keeping track of the miles.
Wept for Khushi as she sobbed quietly by the poolside, shattered and broken ... just a young girl who wanted to go meet her parents after a nightmare wedding, to reassure herself that there were still people in the world who loved her ... and here she was, abandoned, alone ... so shattered that she didn't have it in her to accuse or even fight with anyone anymore ... Khushi's heartbreak was poignant and heart touching ...
What I liked - no fake romance, I prefer genuine hurt and hate to fake unconvincing romance.
Buaji's reactions were unfortunately very true to life.
Anjali being tough on sending Arnav to drop Khushi for the pag phera ... and Arnav not even wanting to argue ... feeling the guilt of orphaning Khushi again more and more ... although still not ready to question what he saw and heard.
Arnav's flashbacks of the bangles ... the first time he remembered the good times and not the bad.
More miles added to the Road to Redemption ... the unnecessarily rude 'Get Out' at the roadside.
1st Mar ... For Whom the Bells Toll
Better than I expected ... the Guptas have classier and kinder neighbours than the sophisticated Raizadas. Gupta melodrama was expected, the only good thing was it didn't take up the entire episode. I much preferred Khushi scolding her Devi maiyya and Arnav's Delhi Darshan.
Babuji is still very much Khushi's champion, only wish he could talk and shut up his obnoxious sister. And Buaji doesn't seem to learn from her mistakes ... she browbeat Khushi into an unwanted engagement by blackmailing her about her orphan status, she was proved to be so wrong, and now she does emotional atyachaar again when Khushi has found herself a perfectly eligible husband ... with no help from Buaji at all.
I liked Khushi still keeping Arnav's 'maan' in his sasural, by pretending to call him and leaving, without having a clue as to where she was going to go ... thrown out of her maayka, not sure about her place in her sasural, she was essentially homeless when she closed that front door of the GH.
Payal did one good deed and redeemed herself some miles on her RTR ... she called Arnav and told him what had happened at GH.
Arnav also redeemed himself some miles ... he was already worried about Khushi even before Payal called, he was up and on the move the moment he clicked shut the phone, he didn't even need Di's order this time ...
Anjali needs to get herself a life and stop shadowing her brother!
And Khushi scolds her Devi Maiyya ... don't think I've come here for you, I've come because I'm missing home ... I'm missing my parents ... stop smiling, I'm going ...
Stopped by the bell...
And the bell rings in another quarter ... Arnav's brain ... starting its return journey ... as he finally reasons where she will be ... and for the second time, he enters a temple of his own volition ... searching for Khushi ...
2nd Mar ... I Hate You ... Because You Have The Power to Hurt Me
(Length alert ... the above four were short ... this one isn't. One of the best and most powerful episodes of IPKKND)
She entered the temple to find a refuge because she thought she had nowhere else to go ... she didn't want to attend the aarti, didn't want to pray, because she felt her friend had left her side, she was sulking, she had no intention of re-approaching her ...
He of course, never entered with the intent of going anywhere near DM ... he entered the temple only to find his Khushi.
And in their game of hide and seek, both went closer and closer to the Mother ... till they were standing at her feet ... and DM had the last laugh ... you said you would not come to me, and yet here you are, both of you ... š
- never again, Arnav, make the claim that you write your destiny, because DM just showed you very comprehensively that you don't ...
- and never again, Khushi, tell your Mother that you won't talk to her because she left your side, because she didn't, and she's just about to prove it to you ...
So Arnav calls out furiously to Khushi, what are you trying to do, come home with me right now ... she tries to ignore him, and he loses it and shouts ... creating pin-drop silence all round ... oops, did he just do that? Shout out to his wife in the middle of a temple ... all eyes on him ... on them ... Well, he can never stand it if she ignores him ...
What the hell do you think you're doing?!
One brave bystander interjects, Arnav tells him that it's their personal matter, butt out!
And that's enough to raise her temper ...
Don't talk to me like that in front of everyone! And what are you even doing here?
He's hopping mad, he just went nuts looking for her all over town, and as usual she's hale and hearty, and fighting fit ... how many times does this make it that she disappeared on him and didn't answer his calls, worried him to pieces and then reappeared without a scratch?
Stop this drama and go sit in the car!
No, I won't! I'm not going anywhere with you ... I'm mad and upset, and you'd better know it ... wifespeak again ... š¤£
Hubby loses his temper ... oh, wait, he never found it since it went missing ... Khushi, listen to me or else ...
Or else what?! What will you do? Pick me up and carry me out?!
That was a direct challenge, and ODB never turns down a direct challenge, especially not from ODG.
Khushi, I can do that too ... and you know it ...
Oh yes, she does, maybe subconsciously that's why she issued it ... and hang on, did he just acknowledge that she knows him well enough ...
You can't ...
Khushi, I'm warning you ... don't push my buttons ... now when did she ever not do that? So he grabs her hand as the first step, and she fights him off ... but of course ...
Leave me ...
Innocent bystander decides to risk his neck again ... don't manhandle the girl, that's not nice, young man ...
Pat comes the answer, without even thinking about it ... You stop interfering, this is my wife and I'm taking her home with me ... you have a problem with that? Anybody want to try stopping me?
Khushi stops struggling and stares ... DM gives a big satisfied chuckle ... Mission accomplished. š
Barely two nights ago (in IPK time) he married her in the middle of the night, DM their only witness, and told her he would never acknowledge her status or her rights as his wife ... today, in front of a multitude of witnesses he did both ... she belongs to me, and I'm taking her home.
She came to DM's mandir feeling completely lost ... homeless and alone ... she leaves with her husband, going to their home, acknowledged in the eyes of the world as his lawful wedded wife ...
And just in case she thought he forgot her challenge, he picks her up in his arms and walks down the temple steps with her ... her bidaai from her mother's house, and her grihapravesh into her husband's ... the car is almost their home, seeing the number of very private ArHi moments it has seen ...
And Khushi stares at him as he walks ... her eyes filling, all fight gone, wondering, still searching ... but she is his wife, she belongs to him ... she finally belongs, she has a place of her own ...
But under what circumstances ... where they were and where they are now, so much has happened, and she doesn't even understand the reasons why ...
Loved the look he gave her as he picked her up ... I can do this, you are mine ... I have the right ...
And hers as he walked ... yes, you have, I never denied that ... but why this way ... does it have to be this way?
And the pause at the end of the steps ... she wipes her tears, still questioning him with her eyes, then looking down and holding him again ... I wanted this always, but why this way ...?
You are mine, that's all that matters ...
We wanted him to carry her over the threshold - at latest count, he's carried her over the threshold of his house, his room, from her divine maayka into his car ...
Khushi recovers her fight in the car, Arnav has had enough ... stop the drama, you know I don't like it.
Again - you know ... again acknowledging that he knows she knows him ... knows a lot about him ... she's his wife, after all ...
And he should know her well enough to know that shutting her up isn't so easy ... š
Yeah? What about the drama you did in carrying me out in front of everyone ...?
He finally shuts her up ... don't say another word till we reach home now ... Mulishly, sulking, she complies ...
And wear your seatbelt ... hubby talk again ... wifey now on silent treatment ... slowly, slowly crawling back to their old equation of fighting, squabbling, sulking ... the familiarity, the sense of belonging ... Only Khushi can make the simple act of fastening a seatbelt look like a mini rebellion š
In between was Payash - Akash assures Babuji that R's will accept Khushi, he knows Babuji is most concerned about her ... the shaadi ka DVD appears ... and Garima gives a shagun for Khushi after all.
Back home at RM, Arnav waits impatiently for a still sulking Khushi at the front door ...
What?! You want to carry me over the threshold again now?!
His eyes said he wouldn't mind ... but he just reached for her hand instead ... but Khushi still sulking, withdraws it silently ... nope, you don't hold my hand just like that, buster ...
Of course he's not going to like that, so he grabs it anyway ... of course she fights him off ... till he explains ...hold my hand, I want Di to think everything went off well at your house, otherwise she'll get worried ...
She stops struggling, but still fires back ... so you want me to lie?
He shoots a salvo back which confuses her again, enough to keep her quiet as he rings the bell and stands hand in hand ... shouldn't be difficult for you, it's a habit ...
And as she stands baffled, he gets breathing space ...
Mami's two oneliners ... Arnav bitwa and exstra bahurani ...
guttrar goon ... love birds ... š¤£
Anjali starts to cross question Khushi about her visit home ... Arnav tense, not happy at Mami's taunts, ready to step in at Anjali's questions ... but Khushi does the needful ... it went off fine, Anjaliji ...
Not convinced, Anjali is ready to ask more ... Arnav steps in to save her from further grilling.
Khushi, come upstairs, I need to talk to you ...
(hayeee ... Sadda HAQ ... Methinks Arnav bitwa is very soon going to appreciate this marriage business if it means he can speak to Khushi in private at any time, whenever he wants, without sundry family members wondering or questioning ... and always assuming tigress wifey permits him to get away with such behaviour, of course )
Anjali still doleful ... well, at least the rasam got done, ... even if I still don't know what's going on ...
Khushi has gotten into the wife act very fast - enter room, shut door firmly ... this is MY room, OUR room ... now talk, Mr. Raizada ... I'm listening ... can't promise that for too long ...
And the Arhi confrontation ...
His first gripe, and major one - answer the phone when I call you ... and don't disappear on me again ... I won't come crazily looking for you every time ...
Admitting that he just did ... the last few times ...
Told you she wouldn't listen quietly for too long ... some do's and don'ts from her side fired right back ...
And you don't hold my hand like that, and don't shout at me in front of everyone like that ... and oh yes, I didn't take your call because I didn't want to ... savvy? I didn't want to talk to you, I didn't want to come back here with you ...
In the meantime, Payash return home, and tell Anjali and Nani what really happened at GH with Khushi ... Payal won a few more Brownie points by showing her relief that Khushi was back home safely ...
Back to ArHi ... Arnav gets his turn to talk ... 'What you want doesn't matter ... I want that our family doesn't get to know the truth, so we will play this drama out ...'
'Why?! Why should we?! Why should things happen always the way you want? Me, me, me ... always about you and what you want ... have you ever thought about what I want? What I feel? How much what you say, what you do hurts me ...'
And she's hit the aching nerve. What she wants? What she feels? That's precisely what's been eating him up all along ... that's what's been tormenting him for so many days ...
And what about the hurt you gave me?!!!
And it's out ... finally ... out in the open between them ... he was hurt ... deeply, painfully, piercingly hurt ... by her ...
And Khushi stops in her tracks ... shocked ... stunned speechless ... as he stares at her, gripping her tightly but neither of them even notice that ... as they stare at each other, at the truth flaming between them ...
You have the power to hurt me like nobody else can ... you hurt me ... and I'm still screaming with the pain.
A soft, breathy 'kya ...' barely audible through her shock ... I? hurt you?! what did I do?!!!
And the sound recalls him to his senses, what he just almost admitted ... again he was unmasked, vulnerable and exposed in front of her ... he leaves her and moves away as quickly as he can, not meeting her eyes ...
Was it the first time he admitted it to himself as well? That everything he did with Khushi was not because she could have hurt his Di ... it was because she hurt him ...
Khushi struggling, desperately trying to make sense of this shattering new disclosure ... what did I do that hurt you so much?!
She who never wants to hurt anyone, she hurt him? He, who means so much to her?
What is he to answer? You broke my heart? You loved another man? No, he's not ready to confess his love yet ... not by a long way ... silence again his only defence.
But she's not letting up ... when did I hurt you? What was it I did that ... Tell me!!!
He can't ... he has to leave right away ... but she stops him, arms outstretched ... no, you don't! Not till you tell me ... you don't leave this way ... not till you tell me what you're accusing me of ...
Saved by the bell ... or the knock ... Anjali, the ever-loving, ever-interfering ever-present Di ... and Arnav gets his reprieve ...
Why did Anjali have to come right now? After Arnav said very clearly he wanted to talk to his wife alone? But he's saved from his wife's questions for the moment ... and he makes his escape quickly.
Anjali tells Khushi mournfully that she knows what happened at GH, of course Khushi is upset ... Khushi admits that yes, everyone is angry with her, everyone hates her ... her parents, Payal, even Anjali ... Anjali corrects her, no, we don't hate you, but we're hurt at what you and Chotey did ... why you did it this way ...
What is Khushi to reply ... when she doesn't have the answers herself? And for once, she runs away as well ...
Not quite sure what Anjali accomplished except to be KMH and upset Khushi further ... Anjali's holier-than-thou attitude, her need to know everything and her conviction that she can fix everything better than anyone else, is starting to get to me ... as is her dependence and her fixation with her Chotey's life ...
So Jalebi Bai emerges after a long, long gap ... Khushi put up with all the taunts, the insults, the heartbreak ... but what her going was the fact that somehow, she doesn't know how, when or where ... she hurt Arnav ...
Or does she know ... ? The only secret she is hiding from him ... could it be that?
Ghanti baji ... batti jalli ... she may not arrive at the right conclusion immediately ... but she's on the right track ... and once Khushi is on the right track, and DM has given the green signal ... it's all systems go ...
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