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Today the CVs gave us the much awaited Maha Shivratri Showdown between Tejawat and Rudra. And what a confrontation it was - not the gloomy walkover for the villains that it could have been, but a mad party, a riotous assembly high on thrills, sass and rip-roaring entertainment. Where all the players spun breathless between soaring success and dismal disaster so frequently that when finally the party ended, nobody knew if they'd won or lost, or for how long it would stay that way.
The first triumph belonged to Aman and Rudra, as Aman stumbled on Tejawat's guns concealed in a prasad basket. Finally, the break they'd been waiting for. Aman wasted no time in informing his boss. And Rudra came running, abandoning Paro, to grasp the good news.
Meanwhile, Paro prayed to Bholenath to protect her from Rudra. Otherwise she would jump into the havan fire and give her life. He must protect her; show her the way. When next she opened her eyes, it was to see her prayers answered and Raja Thakur's smiling face before her eyes. Finally, after ages, a win had come Paro's way.
In a very short time, Rudra realised that all that glittered was not gold. And the guns he was holding were not only a poor substitution for the cash that was to change hands, they were fake! That meant they were a decoy, meant to distract them from the target - which was Paro! And the bottom dropped out of Rudra's world at that realisation. It was a loss that rose to the heavens on her name, as he ran back to the aarti as though the hounds of hell were after him.
Kakisa and Sumer were on a winning spree. After the success of their arson attempt, they had now accomplished their side of the deal - Paro was finally off their hands and in the Thakur's. Now all that remained was for Rudra to be dispatched safely.
The Thakur was triumphant. Finally, he had hold of Paro baisa. A Paro who was looking at him as though he was the next best thing to sliced bread. All that remained was to take her away and silence her once and for all.
But before he could move, Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat had apparated in front of him demanding to know where Paro was. Victory was in abeyance.
Rudra's sense of loss deepened on seeing Paro emerge from behind the Thakur. She must have been coerced, he decided, although she didn't look as though she'd been hurt. He extended a hand to her and tried to persuade her to come to him. Tried and failed. Nothing he said could convince her. Paro refused to go to him. Why should she? So that Rudra could destroy her life? Even Rudra's assertion through gritted teeth that Tejawat would kill her, had no impact. Rudra's loss became a bottomless pit when he realised that Paro much preferred to believe that it was Rudra who was more likely to kill her.
Paro had decided. She would go with the Thakur. The Thakur, rubbing his victory in Rudra's face was nevertheless shaken when Rudra asserted that he would kill before he let Tejawat take her. He wiggled his eyebrows at Bhima to pull the trigger.
And that suddenly luck changed for Rudra. Paro saw Bhima aiming a pistol at Rudra, and cried out a warning that saved his life. And then she asked him if he was okay. The concern in her voice meant more to him than winning a million-dollar prize. And suddenly Rudra was on top again.
The high was not to last as Bhima fired a couple of shots and stampeded the crowd, and under the cover of the chaos, the Thakur made off with his prize - Paro baisa.
But all was not lost for Rudra. Aman had captured one of Tejawat's men, and on questioning he revealed that the cash was concealed in the prasad baskets under the packets of prasad. Now he only had to find Paro.
Meanwhile, Kakisa, trying to pick her way out of the melee to the car with Sumer and Mythili, was fast realising that no victory was worth putting her life in danger. That's when she found out that Sunehri, Samrat and Danveer were all at home! Had her meticulous planning truly come to nought?
Thakursa could almost taste triumph. He had Paro in a basket concealed from all until he could find out what she'd told the BSD. That was when he felt the cold muzzle of a pistol pressed into the back of his neck and a voice that meant business when it asked him to reach for the sky, drop the gun and confess where he'd hidden Paro.
But Thakursa was not a seasoned player for nothing. Even while losing he made sure he ranted propaganda so that Paro could overhear the ills of Rudra and the BSD. And maybe do something to help his cause.
That masterstroke did the job, because Paro could not let Rudra shoot Raja Thakur. And, rising from the basket, bashed Rudra on the head with a rod so that Rudra blacked out.
In that one second, Thakursa snatched victory from the muzzle of defeat, Rudra lost and not just his consciousness, and Paro thought she'd won but couldn't shake the sensation of loss.
Today the CVs surpassed themselves with a dhamaakedar showdown that thrilled, entertained and drew involuntary whistles, laughs and claps. The confrontation unfolded at break-neck pace and with a lovely light touch that made it sheer joy to watch. For all the lightness there were many poignant moments. Paro's first sight of Raja Thakur and deliverance was one such. Rudra's realisation that it was Paro that Tejawat was after - who can forget the panicked "Paro" - was another. And then Rudra's incredulous shock that Paro should prefer to go with the Thakur and not him was also deeply moving. Paro's "Rudra" to warn him of the bullet and her "theek ho", and Rudra's reaction was my absolute favourite moment today. And Danveer and Samrat stumbling on to Dilsher's inert form was a darker touch.
Acting kept pace with the plot, and Ashish, Sanaya, Tarun and the supporting cast delivered an absolute top-notch performance. The action sequences felt fresh. And the sets were vibrant and gorgeous. All in all, an exhilarating episode and one of my favourites till date.
👏👏👏👏 to Team RR for tonight!!
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