Borna, I just watch the episode in English, so I am writing the bulk of my reactions here. IA with your first paragraph. Like I mentioned in our other fave thread, I'm not inclined to call Akash and Ishita's interaction in this episode "romantic" either. I was comfortable with what I saw because it suited their personalities. I just wouldn't describe it as romantic or even hot as some viewers might, but the scene gives insight for the very reason you mentioned in the first bold part here:
- Ishita's desire was very much in our faces with its overtness and intensity, intentionally so, and that is what I love about our writers and directors. Ishita is like this, Aarti isn't. Akash is like this, Yash isn't...People are different, so they deal with situations accordingly, and the creatives very smoothly worked that into this scene without explicitly forcing the comparisons at us, which I marveled at because it is in many ways a very important scene. The very fact that this kept bringing Yash-Aarti's relationship to mind as I watched Akash-Ishita interact means that the contrasts are being drawn subtly and successfully! I have quite a bit to say about this, but I'll have to set my thoughts aside for a while.
So the 1st bold part: IA. For me, the scene is more of an "establishing" scene. We've seen hints of this kind of interaction between Akash and Ishita before while they were still in the hut outside the SM, but we get a more concentrated eye-full in this episode. The pushing, cornering, and hair pulling are physical extensions of their current verbal and emotionally detached interplay. I found it interesting that they both mutually disclosed information about themselves within the scene, but I'm unsure if either were really paying attention because they are so focused on what they want in the scene. đ For now, they're both running on desperation fuelled by their anger over recent humiliation at the hands of the Scindias and quiet envy of Yash and Aarti. I missed seeing any "heat" because their relationship doesn't have depth yet. That's my personal basic criteria for couples who are given these types of scenes. Ishita's assertive "attack" came across as superficial, revealing her superficial view of love and marriage at the moment. She's able to push Akash's buttons and get a reaction out of him (and any kind of reaction from him is probably considered as partial success in her mind), but he seemed more cruel than passionate because he has no real desire for her. So, for me, no depth, no heat. They need to have a scene like this in another couple of months when there is more connectivity between them, then I may see the heat to it. The most important takeaway of the scene for me is the personality of Akash and Ishita's togetherness -- two physical people who are intent and insecure.
2nd bold part: So true. It's amazing how clearly Ishita and Akash are working as Aarti and Yash's foils, especially within their own relationships. While both relationships are flawed and challenged from the beginning, the natures of the individuals involved create a stark contrast that highlights who Yash and Aarti are together even more. I have a few more thoughts on this as well jumbled up in my head, but I'm looking forward to reading your additional thoughts.
- Aarti and Ishita: I love the way this is being developed! While Aarti is being kind, sweet, and generous to her devrani, Ishita takes in, once again, an idealized, warped picture of Yash-Aarti's relationship. She wants the sort of relationship and love that Yash-Aarti have, she wants the same sort of respect and acceptance in the Scindia family for both her and her husband...and so she explicitly tells Akash to change, to be more like Yash, more like a Scindia. She herself has already tried wrapping herself in Aarti's sari, trying to "become Aarti" in a way, but she tries to use her own techniques to get what she wants; in showing Ishita's techniques and demeanor, the differences between Ishita and Aarti, and between Akash and Yash as well, are highlighted. Very interesting throwback to the time when Aarti tried to "become Arpita" - she didn't want to become Arpita, but was practically pushed into doing so...We all know how that worked out. Being herself was what attracted Yash to her in the first place, and now they have accepted each other completely, which is what Ishita sees, much like how Aarti only saw the "eternal love" of Yash-Arpita frozen in its end form, immortalized in those pictures when she first married Yash. How much things have changed, and only because Yash and Aarti realized that they didn't need to change for each other in drastic ways!
So, so true and so wonderfully expressed! The idea of superficially assuming another's identity leaks from Ishita's interactions with both Aarti and Akash. Even from her reaction to the chocolate scene, we learn she doesn't have a very grounded, realistic sense of love and romance; instead, like you said, she has an idealized, romanticized, superficial version of Yash and Aarti. I suppose that has a lot to do with her upbringing as well as repeated rejections by men for marriage.
The way Yash loves Aarti is the quintessence of what Ishita wants instantly. I can't blame her, but she doesn't know the depth of affection and attachment they have came because they got to know each other as they are. Like you mentioned, she doesn't know Aarti was being pressured to take on Arpita's identity and the volatile repercussions of doing so. She doesn't realize that Aarti got Yash's love by being herself and by letting Yash be himself, by becoming his ally (not his instigator). She envies what Aarti has without truly understanding the complexity and responsibility of having what Aarti has. All she knows is that she just wants what she wants as soon as she can get it, and she has her own idea of who Yash and Aarti are together. Interestingly, the way she maneuvers herself with Akash makes me believe the kind of man she *thinks* she wants is very different to the kind of man she really likes. At some point, if ever, she needs to realize that every love journey is different, and she and Akash need to chart their own course, and they need to do that in their own skins.
As you pointed out in the upper part of this paragraph, the wider scope of Ishita's attempts to assume Aarti's identity goes beyond the clothes. I can easily see her wanting Akash to assume Yash's role within the heart of the family while she'll want to assume Aarti's role. To do that, she'll likely rattle Yash and Aarti's cage even more with a smile on her face. That same smile she has when she and Akash challenge each other in their room.
- Loved Yash's attempts to bring Akash into the family more actively. Poor Akash...but he is also putting up a good fight in his own way.
- Absolutely loved seeing Aarti's reluctance to give Ishita that sari! Even if Aarti overrode that hesitation because Ishita needed/wanted that sari to wear, the expression and articulation of that reluctance was there! And I loved it. This is Aarti. She has her own desires and opinions but is also sensitive about the needs and desires of her family members.
One of the things I wanted to see after the arc about the Ex was Yash and Aarti being more intuitive and hyperaware versions of themselves while remaining openhearted. But the writers have kept Yash and Aarti's hearts fully exposed on their sleeves. They aren't oblivious to the difficulty in integrating the family. They know the difficulty and they see it, so they're understandably trying to be positive in looking at the bigger picture. But they're at a disadvantage because they really don't know who Akash and Ishita really are. Both Vidhi's and SP's internal questionings about Akash's entry are being seen more clearly -- Yash and Aarti have big hearts but not everyone in the family is as ready to accept Akash and Ishita as they are, and these new family members are going to test the existing relationships more than expected. Yash and Aarti are selflessly giving up saris and champagne glasses. Like you said, Aarti is initially hesitant to give that sari away and Yash is initially thrown by the slip over the glasses, but they put aside their discomfort not only because it's in their nature to give but also because they know that Akash and his wife need a chance to become part of the family. Oh, my pretty babies with their hearts and arms wide open. They broke some hearts to get Akash and Ishita a place in the family and I suspect they'll end up brokenhearted along the way. We'll see how things go. Some interesting times ahead for them and for us as viewers.
- The kitchen scene at the end was really cute, thanks to Aarti's reactions to Vidhi's "remember what happened last time?" LOL!
Oh my word, that was adorable. That little laugh she gave when Vidhi said Yash couldn't say "I love you" made me chuckle. đ
Edited by 1HappyGrl - 13 years ago
. That way it will be better for us all if things go tai tai phiss after my observations about the blouse! đ Imagine away, though! đ Zet mentioned ice, and I went blank for a few seconds before I remembered what she had been referring to, haha. I'm thinking of Yash's hairstyle, that shirt, and Aarti's haalat if Yash does drink enough to complain about something other than curtains and towels...If only Ishita hadn't picked that sari. Oh well, Yash can just give Aarti another gift later. Preferably not a red- *pauses* Oops, sorry. Too many PV memories are coming to mind this week, thanks to my nostalgia mode in honor of PV's anniversary!
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