The cool thing about TV is that if characters are well etched out, you can type them too, and understand the nuances of characters' personalities. The reason I loved IPK so much was because the characters were so well etched out, and all characters (Arnav, Khushi and all the others too) acted in ways very consistent with their personalities. And it made it so fun to watch.
With Rangrasiya, I decided to wait a little before I typed the characters. I wanted to give the actors a chance to grow into their characters, and I wanted to give myself time to get to know them. So now, I finally think I am ready to analyze. And I think I will start with Paro. Initially Paro seemed to be more vague character from the both, but now a few months in, I can say she is actually more consistent. Subtle, but consistent. She has many layers, and only time and patience unravels them.
So let us look at the MBTI letters consistently, one by one, and then we will look at Paro as a whole. And please forgive me if I compare with Khushi. It's just that I know Khushi so well, and she is typical to her personality, and it helps with comparing.
E vs I: Paro is definitely an introvert (Khushi was an extrovert). Her world is more inside than outside. She is constantly thinking, and only when she is very certain of what is in her mind, does she speak it out. Introverts typically take time to think before they verbalize decisions, while extroverts think through talking. Even before everything going crazy, we see Paro taking time to herself to think, or reflect, or just be. Khushi on the other hand, talked non-stop. You could never get her to stop! A complete extrovert.
N vs S: This is a fun one. Paro is more dominant in intuition (N) than sensing (S). Those that are N are more big-picture oriented and focus on implications rather than details. Those that are S are more detail oriented. They perceive the world through their senses. What they see, touch, hear, smell around them is what makes up their reality. Whereas those that are N are focused more on implications of perceptions, what do things mean, what can they do with that information. Khushi was a pure senser. What she saw around her was her reality. Which is why she often appeared to be naive. Because she relied on what she was experiencing rather than thinking long-term or looking for trends and implications. She reacted instantly to what she was experiencing, whereas Paro takes time to understand a situation and then react to it. Paro also seems to be more perceptive, she observes keenly but also relies on her intuition. Specific examples include her hesitancy to get into the car in the very beginning even thought Bindi pushed her, and also her hesitancy to trust Kakisa and Sumer.
F vs T. Feeling versus thinking. How does she make decisions? Does she depend on her emotions, feelings, value system, or is she logical, rational, intellectual? In this, both Khushi and Paro are Fs. They both rely completely on their feeling. If something doesn't feel right, no amount of logic can sway them. We saw this repeatedly when Rudra tries to logically explain to Paro how she is wrong in supporting Tejawat. And although she has no argument against what Rudra says, she always comes back to her feelings. She trusts Thakursa. She feels gratitude, respect, affection, and she is unable to see beyond her feelings. By the same token, she trusted Rudra. There was no logic behind that, but yet we saw that internally she turned to him, she knew he would protect her, and so she relied on those feelings more than logic. Not that she does not have logic or brains. She absolutely does. But for Paro, feelings and emotions will always trump logic. She will always put her value system before any logical or practical decision.
J vs P. Judging versus perceiving. Is she quick to make decisions, or does she like to have her options open. I think she is J. She is quick and decisive when determining what she has to do. She doesn't dilly dally and waste time when in comes to big decisions. Initially, when she believed Rudra had killed her husband, she stuck to her guns in not supporting him. And when she found out the truth, she decided right away what she had to do. Khushi on the other hand, was a P. Ps are information or option gatherers. They will delay making decisions, because they want to be sure that they make the best decision possible, whereas Js are more focused on the outcome of decisions. For example, when Khushi found out about Shyam, she left RM as soon as she could, and went to the mandir, and spent the day there, in conflict, trying to decide what to do. Eventually she decided to talk to Anjali, but upon seeing Anjali's reaction to a broken mangalsutra, she changed her mind and went back to the drawing board. Paro, on the other hand, makes decisions fast, based on her value system, and once knowing her mind, follows through with it.
So here we have it. Paro is an INFJ. Even though their presence can be described as very quiet, INFJ personalities usually have many strong opinions, especially when it comes to issues they consider really important in life. If an INFJ is fighting for something, this is because they believe in the idea itself, not because of some selfish reasons. This is so Paro. She is quiet and unassuming when we meet her. Happy with simple dreams. But then, when her integrity is questioned, when the honesty of people she loves and respect is threatened, in her own quiet way, she stands up strong, and challenges Rudra, that she will stay to fight and prove her innocence.
Moreso, INFJ personalities are drawn toward helping those in need: they may rush to the place of a major disaster, participate in rescue efforts, etc. Hmm, let's count. Helping Bapusa when his asthma hits him, running to save Maithali, going to Rudra when he is bleeding courtesy of Kakisa's slap, standing up for Maithali regarding the adoption issue etc. Also, INFJ personalities have a unique combination of idealism and decisiveness, and they channel their energies towards their specific goals. For Paro that goal is maintaining her integrity and standing up to Rudra. And she does this with Panache. She does not compromise her value system, and we see this when she refuses to support Kakisa. This is between her and Rudra and she will keep it that way.
The sensitivity of INFJs allows them to connect to others quite easily. This may not be as yet easy to see, but it is true for Paro. Sunheri and Maithali open up to her very easily, and Paro quickly is able to understand Maithali and be able to support her. She also understands Rudra and his father. She quietly observes all interactions in the house, all of Rudra's tears, his frustrations, and she does understand him, and empathize. Yet, she knows that she has to stand against this man. And now that she is no longer against him, she will understand him even better, in a way to be able to help him, because she is now opening herself to him.
A quick comparison: Khushi as an ESFP was very different to Paro. ESFPs love being the center of attention and enjoy even the simplest things. Their fun and impulsive nature is usually very attractive to other people. People with this personality type never run out of ideas.They love communicating with other people and can spend hours upon hours chatting about various topics. Now isn't that completely Khushi? A total dram queen, completely reveling in her various little plans and tricks, and non-stop chattering! ESFPs also are immersed in a never-ending performance, trying to cheer other people up. ESFPs are extremely talented at making other people feel good and excited, and they enjoy this immensely. The earthy and often unique wit of ESFPs is a perfect symbol of their playfulness. Again, this was typical Khushi, with trying to cheer everyone up with her dancing, and little dramatics and just overall playfullness. Life was a stage for Khushi, and she loves playing so many parts. Paro, on the other hand is more reserved, more intuitive and more deliberate in her actions than Khushi was.
That being said, kudos to Sanaya for being to portray to such different characters so well, and so consistently. She really got into the skin of both of them so well and did them full justice.
Sorry for the essay guys. Based on the response I get for this one, I will soon post a similar analysis for Rudra.
Anupamaa
