I am back! 😃
And oh wow! I have always known that this dance was a classic and have watched it innumerable times, but watching the whole episode is an entirely different ball game! The whole build up with Maan, Sasha, Rahul and Geet is just perfectly timed and made a dance like this, which could have been completely OTT for a couple that barely knows each other as of now, make complete sense in the context.
Of course before I launch into praising the dance itself, there are a few points that I want to discuss about the preceding drama.
The logic vs. magic debate that has always surrounded the Maaneet love story rears its head again. 😆 I think everybody is forgetting the fact that Geet has an alibi for not ordering the Indian food, at least. They could easily check the time on the email and see that Geet wasn't even in the office at that point so how on earth could she have sent that email to change the order? She even had Adi and a bunch of workers as her witnesses so really she is proved innocent at least on that front. To be honest, I was always a bit annoyed that Sasha never got her just desserts. Then again, she was hardly important when Maan and Geet disappieared into their private universe, which she usually instigated them to do.
Ah Rahul, Rahul. You know, I had a theory that he was Geet's stalker when that first stalker promo came out because the picture of Geet was from this night. Of course that was before the reality of the fact that the CVs didn't remember the original story hit. Anyway, of course Rahul is your average sleaze bag but what I loved about his scene meeting Geet was Maan's reactions. I love how when he first stretches out his hand to shake Geet's Maan is all worried and then Geet hesitates and Maan looks a way with the slightest combination of a nod and smirk...and then BAM she puts her hand in Rahul's and MSK is forced to whip his head back. And now comes the best part of the scene, where MSK deals with the double shock and anger of Geet actually shaking the man's hand and the fact that Rahul won't let her hand go.
Another moment that I absolutely loved was when Geet was trying to explain to Maan that she hadn't ordered the Indian food (WHAT is wrong with Indian food?!) and Sasha intervened and whisked him away. I love how Rahul was using all his best lines and moves on Geet and she was so oblivious because all she could think was that Maan was angry with her for no fault of her own. It reminded me so much of Yash and the way she treats him in the hospital. We can already see that feeling of the two of them having their own world and especially when it is upset, they drop and ignore everything else to try and fix it.
The battle raging inside Maan is so yummy. On the one hand he is pretty much uncontrollably attracted to Geet and on the other he is furious with her for ruining the party. So what better sawlooshun than to yank her onto the dance floor, hold her close, and tell her she is a nitwit who ruined his important party? And then emerges our sherni Geet, who inspired by Maan's own words once again is not going to stay quiet in the face of injustice. I love how this has been a continuing theme in the show that all the odds and all the evidence can be against Geet, but her truth somehow shines through. It happened with the Dai who came for the abortion and it has happened several times with Maan as well. And whenever Geet takes charge of a situation and shows her brave, righteous and even angry side, Maan is left totally beside himself and speechless.
But who needs speech when you can express yourself in other ways? ☺️☺️☺️
This dance was the most flawless thing I have ever seen on television. Obviously we know how hard they worked to shoot and present this but you would never know to watch it as it all looks so effortless. Maan is a mixture of possessive, commanding. submissive and adoring and Geet? Well, Geet just seems to drown in the moment in spite of herself. It just goes to show that once Maan begins to show his love for her rather than holding it back within himself, Geet doesn't stand a chance before she falls under his spell. This is what I was talking about when I said they have their own private universe where nobody else matters and the outside world ceases to exist. In Maaneet world there are no questions, no doubts, no inhibitions and complete clarity that they are meant to be together and will always belong to each other.
I also found the juxtaposition with DevTara really interesting. The editing was really good there to enhance the contrast between these two couples. I love how they showed Maaneet's separating and DevTara's hands joining, which I think showed that the latter could only be together if the former was separated. And it rings true with the line "tum shuru huwe jahan, mein khatam hua". To me this referred to the two couples because Maaneet begins where DevTara ends and both couples cannot co-exist. So though it may seem that Maaneet will separate and Devtara will reunite, we see that the damage has been done and NT is always pulling away from Dev. But when Geet tries to pull away from Maan he pulls her towards him, haq se, showing that he is not going to let Geet's doubts get the better of their closeness, when he is in full clarity of mind.
And Dev surrenders himself to her by falling on his knees. But this is not the solution to their marital issues as NT wants Dev to be an equal in their relationship and put in equal effort and thought into their future. This surrender will only serve to drive them further apart.
On the other hand. with Maaneet we see them as equals where both of them surrender to the way they feel for each other rather than one person surrendering to the other. My FAVOURITE part of the dance is when Maan rises up (with his neck and chest glistening with perspiration ☺️) and Geet dances around him as though in a trance and finally, guided by Maan also surrenders to their mutual feeling, that thing much bigger than them that draws them together. Also, while we see Dev bowing to NT, we see Maan LIFTING Geet. So here both men are making the woman higher than them but in two completely different ways with two different connotations. Dev by surrendering is burdening NT with his responsibility which he is unwilling to take but Maan is taking the responsibility to lift Geet out of her troubles and hold her high above all the suffering she has had to face.
Oh and when it ends, the look on Maan's face of peace and contentment until reality hits and he is forced to come back to the real world where he isn't an adoring lover but a strict and soulless man Geet's pleading touch as she removes his hand from her waist and the look on Sasha's face! 😃
I guess this could be the symbolism of why he disappeared as soon as the dance was over. While Geet is always the same Geet, Maan revealed a side of himself during the dance that was completely hidden until then. And once again, that Maan, the one with the passionate gaze and the possessiveness and adoration disappears into the shadows and Geet is left alone on the dance floor.
I love how she answered that Rahul back though when she snapped that she did not want to dance with him. And I guess Sasha was going one further in her effort to "reveal Geet's true colours" to Maan but the good thing is that the more Maan saw of Geet the more he loved her.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
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