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You know, sometimes, you see two people - imperfect and yet in perfection with each-other , in a perfect beautiful setting , soulful , happy and making you believe in the concept of soulmates. They look so beautiful that you make a wish that nothing should upset this perfection. This has happened with all of us - once in a while we have seen a man and woman joined in such perfect harmony that even if you don't know them, you do an instant 'touchwood'. I do.
In this story, Asad and Zoe are those soulmates. Today, they said the worst things and the best things to each-other - Honest Confessions. Layered in intoxication , child like laughter , dimple and six-pack tease. Not hot. No hormonal charges ( Asad got them for sure though ). Just beautiful and very soulful. Infact, they were so adorable that you wished that Ayaan actually locks them in that bungalow forever . The intoxication and the night never ends. That they don't have to snap out of this dream and go back to the reality of Bhopal and their personal torture chambers. They were happy, they were emotional and above all they were honest.
Aap kitne cold blooded hain. Aap kitni besharam kism ki ladki hain. Haww! Aapko sharam nahiin aati ki aap kitne mean hain? Aapko toh apni Ammi ki feelings ki bhi kadar nahiin hai! Aap ke toh Ammi-Abbu hi nahiin hain. Aap ke paas dil nahiin badaa waala patthar hai. Mera dimple hi kisi ki jaan lene ke liye bahot hai...Aap aise kaise hain Mr.Khan. Aap kitni weird hain Miss.Faarooqui?
All those words that have been told in anger and hatred were nothing but their naive rigid inability to accept each-other as they are. They make you realize that if Asad lets go of his personality fundamentalism and Zoe takes off the 'he-is-my-six-pack-savior' goggles and faces the reality, they both would actually drop everything and run into each-other's arms.
The emotional part comes later, what was different about this intoxicated and stranded in the woods situation was that AsYa were all about innocence, vulnerability , and heart-felt talk. Not the usual hormones-in-upswing scenes where hero-heroine can only think of seduction and surrender. Asad getting up to touch Zoe's dimples, smiling and laughing at her Bol Halke Halke jig, wrapping her in that sari and touching her face as though she was fragile and precious at the same time. The start of love is usually innocent and delicate... and that is how AsYa's dance was. On another given day of the week, you would check Asad's temperature if you saw him fingering Zoe's face like that. I suggest, we feed Mr.Khan bhaang ke pakode all the time - he is so amazingly adorable when he drops the aggressor garb. Zoe could sit and watch him like that 24x7.
In their last scene today, more than Zoe, its Asad who exposes his heart openly to Zoe and to himself. Its difficult for him to admit it , his eyes do get foggy as the intoxication forces the words out of him with the help of laughter - "Aap ek baat bataaiye mujhe, Miss.Farooqui. Agar aap itni badtameez hain, toh aap mujhe itni acchi kyun lagti hain? Aisi kaun si kashish hai aap mein?"
Zoe looked lost for a second or two and then her dimaag ki bati went Blup-Blup-Blup! Eureka , Mr.Khan! Main aapko itni acchi isliye lagti hoon kyunki aap mujhe pasand karte hain! Aur ek baat bataaoon main aapko? Main bhi aapko bahot pasand karti hoon.
Its then, that Asad , torn in emotions and the intoxication makes an honest confession - It is not important how much i like you, or how strongly i feel for you. I cannot give into my emotions because you are not the right woman for me . You are too free and spirited to be my perfect wife.
Zoe laughs at this in mock-shock and falls asleep on him saying just how mean he can be. Asad takes a fleeting stock of his emotions , his face falling and his eyes foggy as he realizes what he has just said . And then, he peacefully goes to sleep on her head... like he was always meant to be.
Its here that you understand the conflict that Asad is going through and why he is behaving as though Mangalpur never happened. A 30 year old mind says " Dude, i know what is best for you. Marry a daal-chaawal waali salwaar-kameez who is poised, devout and conforms to your idea of what an ideal woman and life partner should be." The newly born hopping heart says , " Are you crazy to look for a soulmate in salwaar kameez? Look at Zoe! She is beautiful and you love her. She is what you have missed all you life. Kick your mind , embrace me and run to Zoe!"
Asad's heart is in love but a bag-baggage packed self-conditioned Asad is not ready for love. Not mentally or emotionally prepared to love a woman his heart wants. Too complicated and warped on the mental and emotional level to give Zoe the love she deserves. Yes.Asad's heart wants to plunge into Zoe's dimples but Asad doesn't.
Zoe? She is FALLING IN LOVE with Asad. That is why she refers to his missing heart and cold shouldering of feelings. Had Asad said those words to her in her senses - "Love you but cannot fall in love with you" , the girl would have burst into tears and turned into a pool of water there and then. Look at her face in the precap. The very feel of Asad being around, the sight of him fills her so much that the bucket water overruns. She has raised her arms towards him unconsciously because that is the response of her soul to Asad. Whether she knows it or not. whether she realizes it after or during Tanveer's episode , the fact is that she is falling in love with Asad. And that is why the injury and the hurt is so much that she cannot handle it.
I love how QH has highlighted the COMPLICATION of falling in love. Not everyone has it easy. Some people have to fight a lot of demons - on the inside and the outside to reach the love they need and deserve. Here, the only people standing between Asad and Zoe are Asad and Zoe.
For the rest, Good cat and mouse between Badi Bi and Razia but i am still betting on Razia doing a masterstroke. Badi Bi used Razia's habit of always standing behind Maamu's chair and talking to him when he is angry , to her advantage. Lets see where the ball rolls now.
Ayaan has done a mock-exercise today of what he will have to do one day for real - Bind AsYa together.
As for Tanveer, Salwaar-Kameez has come at an apt time when Asad's mind and heart are in a tussle over Zoe. To answer him that what he thinks he wants and what he actually craves for are two different things. Tameez, tehzeeb, lihaaz agar libaas se saabit hone lage toh bas ho chuka. His Zoe is completely flawless and he will know it. Sometimes, the universe pierces through your rigid walls and slaps you hard to make you realize that when the heart starts talking , its indecent for the mind to interfere.
And don't cry like that Zoe, Salwaar kameez aaye ya uski poori ki poori dukaan aa jaaye, Asad is meant to run into your arms and he will. Abb mohabbat mein, suffering nahiin ki toh kya khaakh mohabbat ki?
Dialogues that stay with you in the long run.
Asad - Aap mujhe chaahe jitni bhi acchi lagein, Miss.Farooqui, main jazbaaton mein nahiin beh sakta.
Zoe - Oho, Mr.Khan. Aap mujhe pasand karte hain aur main ek baat bataaoon? Main bhi aapko bahot pasand karti hoon. Hahahahaa.
If only Asad and Zoe knew the pain and suffering behind this decision (Asad) and this confession (Zoe). Well... as its said... Jag kya jaane dil to tere ishqaa kiska? Here, even Asad and Zoe do not know it...
P.S- I have been reading endless posts about how could Asad go and hug salwaar-kameez... umm... mera matlab hai Tanveer. He can. Whenever someone close to him goes in and comes out of danger , he goes berserk with emotions. He has done it with Ayaan, Tamaatar and Zoe at Mangalpur. His spurred emotions are always extreme. Till date , you didn't know about Tanveer because his friends were never discussed and since you don't know what his relationship is with her, let the episodes unfold and bahaao aansoo with Zoe. But that said, i swear, the precap makes you feel like plonking Salwaar-Kameez back to where she has come from. Poor Zoe! It was such a return of the puppyface. 😆
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