DC Reflections - 005

Reflections: Episodes 4 & 5 - The Key to Destiny

Like Ruby I played hooky yesterday. So today, I too will concentrate on both Episodes - 4 and 5 - given that they are so intrinsically bound.

In the spate of two days, Khushi bumps into two men - Arnav and Shyam. Two men who will do everything they can to destroy her. Two men who would claim to love her, but only one man would eventually have her heart. And through it all, Khushi bears it. Crying, fumbling, fuming, breaking down, ready to confront, although her fear is clearly visible in her trembling hands, and fisted fingers. Yet she will not back down from either of these men, whenever she confronts them.

Arnav Singh Raizada. His veneer of polish, his sneering arrogance clearly in place, believes he writes his own destiny - and those of others. He controls people by showing them he can buy them. Unfortunately, he has nothing to buy Khushi Kumari Gupta with - as yet. So he controls her fate - or so he believes - by releasing the damming tapes. The tapes that will set forth in motion a whole chain of events which will bring them both together. After all - he threw that challenge on hallowed ground - her court. Her Devi Mayya's court. Not in his world - the world of money and greed. And therefore Devi Maiyya makes him write his own destiny - linking it irrevocably with Khushi's. As Ruby mentions - Khushi wasn't the only chosen one. So was he. He just didn't know it, nor did he ever acknowledge it.

Shyam Manohar Jha makes his appearance now. (Okay - how many were dancing to 'Daiyya Ho'?). The first glimpse of him is like the revelation of Khushi - a truly filmy entrance. The swagger, the bracelet, the flashing heroism, the cheesy dialog.

Yet what struck me most is the first reveal of his face starts with his eyes. Flat. Snakelike.

And Khushi - given her run-in with ASR is naturally chary about being friendly with a guy who saves her and hands her back her modesty.

How well the writers have played with us - the viewers.

When viewing for the first time, it must have left viewers confused. Who is the villain and who is the hero? Is it Arnav - the man who didn't hesitate to "molest" Khushi, then release her tapes to the world, or is it Shyam - the man who didn't hesitate to step into a melee and help save her honor?

Now we know - but then we had wondered.

But IPK has never been a story told simply. And therein lies the magic of the story teller. The leitmotifs in the story are already starting to be set. Words, actions in these and the following episodes will find an echo in later ones. Loops will be opened and closed. And questions will be raised.

I loved that Akash Singh Raizada made an appearance in the fourth episode. What I loved more was how he'd scrunched up his face to look like Arnav (!) while thinking about the man who was obstructing their photo shoot!

Which brings me to the man who would write his own destiny. Yes, for 2.5 crores he can "write" his destiny. But for the life of him, he can't toss away a chit of a girl with a key in her hand.

Her dupatta is yanked off her yet again!!! What a horrific week Khushi is having... and the ordeal shows no signs of letting up...

In a space of five days we are introduced to Two men...

One saunters in...flashing his trademark blue bracelet... and a winning smile and commences to wipe the floor with the hoodlums...Consummate Hindi movie hero... complete with Ma Baap dialogues, swashbuckling moves...and a earthy soundtrack...Wins the day !!! He respectfully hands over the dupatta to Khushi's Amma... Her modesty restored... Her dignity intact ... And then...with his first glimpse of ASR's Khushi... (She is already marked!!! ) he is lost...She hides behind her Amma, hesitant to reveal her self even to the man who saved her...Finally, she does look back briefly, to express a silent thank you...

The other...A practically villainous, passionate aggressor...and eventually, the perpetrator of this distasteful incident... Yet it is to him that she clings...wide eyed... Her hands clutching at his collar...stricken by his unblinking, insolent gaze ... on her eyes ... on her lips...her breath coming in short gasps...unable to look away...

He orders his Goons to lock her up...and as she is being dragged away...her dupatta tramples under his feet and is pulled off her head...She turns back ...eyes pleading...and then...A brief, unfocused glimpse of her bare back and the pearl dori... Precursors to an unravelling of a tale... (Seems like I am not done with the first episode...)

It takes him a rebirth of sorts to restore her honor and place the dupatta back on her head...but for now, he is back in Delhi being grilled by his Di about him finding his Dhulan and eventually about "Dulhan Kay libas mein Arnav Singh Raizada ki gowd mein aa giri ... Kabhi soocah hai us kya baray mein???"

His eyes hooded, his voice distant.. mumbles... almost to himself ..." Sooch kar hi to kiya tha..."

What is he talking about!!!!!??? The T. V. footage??? I don't think so... I think he is already reminiscing about the pearl dori !!!! ... And then, out of the blue...blurts the " Nari mukti mocha" dialogue...Knows sub-conscientiously , that his actions will not sit well with any woman...Di teases him further... Only to point out a glaring gap in his knowledge... Her name...

Does this explain his repeated chanting of her full name, once he gets to know it..???? Maybe I am reading too much into things??? But ..Maybe not???

Khushi, in the mean time is embroiled in a storm of his making...Small minded society's taunts, Buaji's relentless abuse.. Amma's seething temper, Babuji's disappointment, Payal's heartbreak and her own helplessness at her predicament ... But she will fight back...

And the punishment???...The Sisters are to be banished to Dilli until the "Ho Halla" subsides...right into the path of a larger tornado...

Thanks so much ... for making us go through the beautiful moments without

seeing the episode ...