Episode 15
The Day that Keeps on Giving
I have to say something before I start, and Ruby goes all 'Oh no you didn't' on my behind. (Please to include the 'Z' hand gesture and the finger snap as well.)
When I called Mami Narcissistic, I was talking about first impressions. And in my defense, the comment was taken out of context. If you read my note - it says she appears narcissistic - a big difference from actually being one.
Now that that's out of the way, I feel like I ought to say a few words about Mamiji. But I'll leave that for maybe another day on another DCR thread.
This week it was all about - What NOT to do on your first day at work. (Co-incidentally, I started a new project this week - and my first day on the job was on Monday, and I had nowhere near an exciting week like Khushi did. Funnily enough the coffee in-house is actually cheaper than the coffee from the same chain out on the road - đ )
So Khushi is brought to Arnav's doorstep by Dev Maiyya once again. Yet time and again, they miss each other. Why? Because the time wasn't right!
In one of my posts on DC I observed that the love story of Arnav and Khushi - in fact, their whole journey to the mandap the first time was away from everybody's eyes. It was always a PRIVATE affair. Never observed by any of their family. Every single experience or interaction they had as a couple was always in solitude or in the absence of anyone who knew them.
Think about the Parking Lot
Think about the Girti Imarat
Think about Teej
Think Diwali - Rangoli, Fairy lights, Diyas, Jadoo Hai Nasha Hai
Think Bandagement
Think Nainital (before and after)
Even the hospital hug.
Not a single person who mattered saw them. Ever.
It is only during Payash's wedding that people sit up and take notice - that too when NK arrives and starts flirting with Khushi. Not a person noticed the familiarity that they had around each other. Now, when I say familiarity - it's the familiarity of people who are comfortable with each other through knowing them, be it in a good or a bad way.
Observe the first meeting. Arnav holds her in his arms, while she wraps hers around his neck and then curls her fingers into his collar, close to his skin. His hands are on her body. They touch each other. Intimately. She tries to get down, he jerks her closer instead. Before he tears her dori. Another intimate gesture.
Then the mannat ki chabi. Something for her to hold on to. Until she could return it to him. In person.
Then when he gives her the money for her scooter - he holds her hand before placing the money in it. He doesn't just hold out the money for her to take. It is a level of comfort he feels with her - despite professing to hate the very sight of her. He is comfortable touching her. There is an ease of intimacy between them - almost one that says, I can say anything I want to you, I can do anything I want to you. And Arnav says it many times - without perhaps realizing the importance of the words - Main kuch bhi kar sakta hoon. A sense perhaps, of ownership?
What was very interesting about this episode are the flashbacks - when they are finally face-to-face. Notice the one flashback where Khushi walks by and her dupatta wraps on his face. Now why on earth would either of them remember that? It is Arnav who remembers feeling her dupatta on his face. He knew even then, that it was her. How did he know? Perhaps Ruby will explain or provide context for that particular clip, as neither had seemed aware of the other at that particular moment. But she was in his thoughts as is evinced by this fb.
Throughout the growth of their relationship - they learn about each other - in isolation. So when she finally meets him at his office, it is in the seclusion of his cabin. Their past is concealed from all the office people below. All they will see later - is one of the most brilliant scenes in the show. Arnav dropping Khushi from his office.
We'll talk about that scene later, as I am sure Ruby is waiting to get her teeth into it, and hopefully she'll give us one of her brilliant pause-release analysis on that scene. (Hint! Hint!! đ )
Contrast that with Khushi's interactions with Shyam. She is indifferent to him. He's an acquaintance and nothing more, nothing less and she makes it abundantly clear. When he calls her the first time, she is perturbed that he has her number.
And on that note - let's move on to Shyam. The seige of Khushi Kumari Gupta has begun in earnest. Shyam has Khushi's details from her resume. Now all he has to do is to weasel his way into Buaji's affections. And Khushi is his - at least - so he thinks.
He smoothly slides into Buaji's good books, maneuvers her into giving him a place to stay under the same roof as Khushi (one of my most What The moments in the story) What the HELL was Buaji thinking - allowing a young "unmarried" man to stay under the same roof as two young unmarried girls. And to top it all, he accepts. Buaji's alarm antenna was tuned into the wrong channel, of course. It will be long while before those blinkers come off.
After thought:
For those of you watching the show in English - the Angrez ASR absolutely NAILED the 'What the-' under the desk. (Eeeps! I didn't know how weird that sounded until I read it again!).