{Episode 226 - 1} O Mere Sanam, O Mere Sanam...

Aarti returns from the hospital to find the entire family gathered in the living room. As she realizes that they were waiting for her, Shobha's words come to mind and a wave of anxiety hits her. If everyone has found out about the truth, how will she explain things to them? What should she say? How will they react...? Anxiety escalates with every passing second, and Yash hardly meets her eyes when she glances in his direction, looking for a reaction from him, a sign, anything...

When Yash finally gets up and walks over to Aarti, he does so slowly, his face inscrutable. They stand facing one another, silent. Aarti reacts to the comments of the others, but Yash's attention remains on Aarti, and on Aarti alone. He is unmoved by the joy that lights up her face when the report's news is made known to her; when Aarti catches sight of Yash's face, that happy glow fades as quickly as it had come.

"Aartiji...Bahut, bahut badhai ho..."

Yash congratulates his wife for the happiness that she has found again...His tone is calm, but there is an edge to his words that Aarti can sense. He is hurt...This was supposed to be a moment of shared happiness for both of them, but Aarti's deception has cast a dark cloud over any rays of sunshine that had begun to warm his life. "The one who brought happiness into my life is you, Yashji..." Her voice wavers and lowers to a whisper as she tries to convey her love, her thanks, her regret - this attempt at a veiled reassurance is cut short, and Yash takes the opportunity to direct a few more honey-coated barbs at Aarti. She understands the meaning behind the surface-level compliments and can't bring herself to meet his eyes again.

Just as Gurmeet finishes the line about "khoyi hui khushi," the music switches and Kratika's eyebrows lower - the full impact of Yash's words hits Aarti in that moment - and she blinks rapidly, followed by a twitch of the lip (and neck) and a furrowing of the eyebrows that results in showing how the uneasiness Aarti feels is impacting her entire body. If Kratika's Aarti tenses up instantly, Gurmeet's Yash is stoic, calmly watching her every move, his face almost mask-like with the tiniest hint of a smile that does not meet his eyes. No one can sense the emotions that are lurking beneath that calm exterior...No one except Aarti, it seems...I thought this was an amazing moment in terms of nuances. And that music at the end - I have always liked it because it really does heighten the dramatic tension of the scenes it's been used in...Kratika's body language matches it quite well!

Suraj Pratap and Gayatri join the rest of the family, and Gayatri requests Yash to put the bajuband onto Aarti's arm. At first, I wondered whether Yash would actually put it around her arm. By the end of the scene, I was stunned by the intensity of what I had seen. Fantastic acting by Gurmeet and Kratika...Yash begins to position the bajuband, and when he starts to fasten it, the camera is still focused on him. I think I saw a slight tension ripple through him at that point, after which the focus is on Aarti, whose face and arm movements betray her discomfort. As Yash tightens the armband, Aarti looks up at him and lets out a hiss of pain. His focus on her arm is broken, but he does not look at her immediately. Instead, he addresses her quietly, as she watches his face questioningly. "Aartiji...Ab samajh mein aaya..." at this point, he meets her bewildered eyes with a piercing gaze, "...ki dard ka ehsaas kya hota hai...?" Again, realization of the intent behind Yash's gesture is reflected in Aarti's eyes. He meant to cause her pain...her Yashji...because she has hurt him so deeply that the only response he has at the moment is to lash out at her reflexively. Can she feel how much it hurts within, when trust is broken and words feel like shards of glass?

At the New Year's Eve party, Yash and Aarti are the picture of happy togetherness. The party guests only see the facade of polite smiles and physical closeness - how are they to know of the turbulent emotions that are contained within the hearts of their gracious hosts? As soon as she gets a moment, Aarti asks Yash whether he would like to say something, ask something...Anything. She cannot tolerate his silence, just as he cannot bear her indifference to him. In an instant, he forces a wedge between them, retorting that questions and answers are asked and given to those who are one's own...not strangers. There is nothing left to explain, he says, and walks off. The stunned shock of Yash's words wears off quickly as Aarti gathers her strength and decides to try once more to talk to him. A determined gleam replaces the desperate, pleading look in her eyes. She will not give up, not this easily.

As the night takes on a celebratory mood, the only thing Aarti can focus on is the figure of her husband, who sits at the bar, downing one glass of alcohol after another. Each gulp he takes burns her inside. The pain Yash is inflicting on himself is because of her, because of her silence, because of her lies, and now when she wants to speak, he won't listen. She tries to stop him out of concern for his physical and mental well-being, but he will not heed her requests or commands tonight. He is far too hurt. What is physical pain in comparison to the emotional pain she has given him? She kept so many things from him, and that pain burns him more than any amount of alcohol ever could - "kaleja jalta hai, tab hi toh insaan peete hai, Aartiji..."

In front of Prateek, who has no way of knowing that all is not well between his beloved bhaiyya and bhabhi, Yash deals yet another blow to Aarti in words that take on a different meaning for the two of them alone. "Let me drink tonight...There is an occasion that warrants it..." Innocent enough for the casual observer, but full of significance for Yash and Aarti. Aarti lifts her eyes skyward in an exasperated roll of the eyes as her devar supports his elder brother innocently, and then looks at her husband when Prateek adds that his bhaiyya will do whatever she says tomorrow...If only, she thinks. If only he would listen to me...Give me one chance to explain...

Yash continues to drink, aware of Aarti's disapproval. When she looks away from him, he watches her, hardly taking his eyes off her until the dancer comes and pulls him away by the collar. Aarti is soon pulled to the center of the room as well, and they collide uncomfortably, until the lights of the room go out and they are plunged into darkness. Aarti automatically reaches out to clutch Yash's arm in response to the sudden darkness, and Yash cannot help looking at Aarti even though she does not meet his eyes. The countdown to the New Year comes and goes, barely acknowledged by either of them. Aarti is startled by the amount of noise and cheering around them, and Yash takes the opportunity to remove Aarti's hand from his arm, watching her face intently as he does so. Their eyes meet and lock again, his gaze betraying the smallest hint of a question. Why, Aartiji...? Why did you do this? Why are you making this so hard for me?

He begins to walk away from her, but he turns back. Aarti's face relaxes for a brief second as she realizes that he might be willing to hear her out - but then he turns away once more, leaving her no choice but to follow him again. Another attempt at communication is foiled when a friend interrupts, requesting a song for the special occasion; Yash takes the chance to put Aarti on the spot...Will she sing if I ask her to do so for my sake? Or will her discomfort render her unable to do so? Yash takes her wrist and begins to lead her to the center of the room...I noticed that as they walk together, Yash gradually ends up holding Aarti's hand instead of her wrist, as if his hand naturally slides into hers subconsciously...

What is seen by the guests as a romantic song and an expression of love from a wife to a husband is much more than that for Aarti...She pours her heart into her rendition, conveying pain, longing, guilt, love...Yash listens, but her words sound hollow to him...When she has lied to him once, how can he believe the words that spill from her lips now to be genuine...?

- Gurmeet and Kratika were fantastic in the multiple interrupted confrontations that Yash and Aarti had throughout this part of the episode. The desperation in Kratika's voice as well as the plea that is visible in her eyes every time Aarti looks at Yash; Gurmeet's portrayal of the simmering frustration masked by a veneer of calm words whenever Yash opens his mouth to speak, as well as the way his tone becomes slightly more caustic when Yash snaps and loses control in front of Aarti, only to regain composure for a few moments in front of the others...*shakes head in awe* Verbal and nonverbal sparring at its best.