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Dwelling on the Details: A Step Forward...
{Episode 78}
June 6th, 2012: "Kasauti...Zindagi Ki..."
After quite an eventful day, I came back to finally watch the episode - I wasn't originally going to write a DotD post but now that I've rewatched some of the scenes, I feel like I can't leave until I make a post about all the moments I liked/loved.
Yash and Aarti: "What troubles you so...?"
- What a way to start off the episode! I skipped mentioning Yash's phone call to the Dubeys' house in my post yesterday but I absolutely loved how Yash's call was yet another subtle way of conveying his support for Aarti even though she didn't ask for it explicitly. The many reassuring gestures he made while he was at the Dubeys' house earlier today (and by "today" I mean the day that hasn't concluded yet in PV-time) continued into this episode as well. Yash has been shown to be observant - extremely observant when it comes to a certain enigma named Aarti - and it was nice to see his reactions to Aarti when she takes leave of her parents.
- Yash had already taken note of the contrast between Aarti's behavior during their car trip on the way to the Dubeys' and her demeanor after she stepped into the house. Her silence and unease caught his attention then...and it catches his eye again. "Chalein?" he asks, turning to her, with an expectant look in his eyes as she looks at him. She doesn't speak but turns away from him, and he is puzzled. I think Yash may have attributed Aarti's silent pain to the ordeal of having to go through a more intimate bidaai from her parents' house; maybe he sensed something more as well. I liked that he doesn't get into the car until Aarti does - and I also liked that Shobha and Aarti move towards the car together, symbolic of the impact that this encounter has had on Aarti's decision to move forward in her new life with Yash.
- The car ride was a favorite scene for many reasons: Above all, the juxtaposition of Prashant's and Yash's characters is very nicely done - for people who may have glossed over or forgotten the details of previous events/moments, this scene emphasizes many key differences between the two men and I love seeing how these little details are all coming together to form a clearer picture. So much irony, too - I love how the writers build up scenarios and knock them to pieces later on.
1) "...tumhe toh bhook thi..." - Several thoughts came to mind yesterday...One, Prashant is the one who cheated on Aarti and left her as well as his unborn son for another woman. Aarti was horrified at the prospect of marrying a "neech banda" (sorry, just had to use that phrase here!) and still shrinks from physical contact with strangers who are men. Her comfort with Yash stems from their mutual intentions regarding why they decided to remarry in the first place; "bhook" was not one of them. Two, Aarti remembers Yash's immediate action of moving to shield Aarti from the guy in the police van - that implications of that action are not lost on her.
2) Yash casually glances over at Aarti to see how she is doing and can't stop himself from letting his gaze linger for a moment. A nuance that I really liked is the way he focuses on her and catches her taking a deep breath, while her entire focus is elsewhere. He looks away and then she turns to finally look at him, with a much more deliberate glance, as she remembers how Yash treated his in-laws with warm respect.
3) The most painful of Aarti's memories as she processes Prashant's words again transports her back to the night of the kidnapping. Like that time when Aarti was jolted out of her stupor that night she tended to Yash because of the memory of that gunshot, here again Aarti is shaken by the same memory in the same fashion. This time, though, Yash chances another casual glance at his wife, realizes that something is seriously wrong, and rushes to safely stop the car and tend to her. Loved Gurmeet and Kratika in this part! Aarti's disturbed state of mind comes across in Kratika's body language again, just like Yash's concern for Aarti's well-being is evident in Gurmeet's eyes and tone of voice...I don't think I remember Yash ever being this openly concerned about Aarti before. An obvious throwback for me is the time when Aarti fainted at the mandir after Prashant shunned her and Yash's voice took on a similar panicked tone as he tried to rouse her. This is the first time, perhaps, that we are seeing Yash expressing such worry to Aarti verbally. They used to support each other through silences; this time, Yash can't stop the rush of words from spilling from his lips. I loved how Aarti is jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of Yash's worried voice; loved how she is trembling as she tries to nod that she's fine; loved that she has a wide-eyed, frightened expression on her face and that he stutters and fumbles with the bottle out of nervousness and that her face relaxes slightly when she actually turns to look at him before taking the bottle...Oh, and absolutely loved the way Yash watches Aarti drink from the bottle with complete attention and how his face relaxes just a tiny bit after that..and he seems to relax a bit more when Aarti cuts him off and begins speaking again until she lapses into worried silence again (but I guess Yash felt more at peace by then simply because of the fact that Aarti had spoken to him).
The Little Family Returns Home
- What a lovely surprise, seeing Yash actually run after the children and have a little fun! Quite sweet how he starts off trying to get their attention but ends up chasing after them, in the process probably forgetting the reason why he wanted their attention in the first place! đ Oh, and there's a certain degree of broken ice between the 3 children, too, so hooray!
Aarti's Oath
- This portion reminded me so much of JKR again...The way Aarti/Kratika stands facing the camera (Aarti is actually facing Yash, speaking to herself and God as she watches her husband and children) and speaks to us, the audience, is reminiscent of many scenes in JKR where Kratika did the same sort of thing as Rani Laxmi Bai. I felt that strength gradually begins coursing through Aarti's being as she speaks about how much she wants to give to this family...At one point, she stands in silence, watching Yash, as the camera tilts from bottom to top - that was such a powerful image to me. Aarti's resilience and unwavering devotion to this marriage shone through in that moment.
- One last throwback: the tulsi puja that Aarti had missed when she first came to the Scindia House...Aarti completes it now, on her own, as she willingly steps forward to fulfill her duties and become a member of the household in every sense. That last shot of Aarti closing the door, with the diya burning in front of it...Symbolic gesture of Aarti closing her heart's door to the past and kindling the flame of a new life in the present and future?
Thanks for reading! Would love to hear your thoughts! đ
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