Posted:
Ok, it has taken me fifteen whole minutes since today's episode ended, to come out of my daze - where I was silently mulling over what happened in the course of those amazing 60 minutes.
I have never written my take on an episode before - whether RR or IPK, so when I felt like doing so today, I thought I should take this sudden urge seriously and share my humble views with all you wonderful people out here.
What we knew about today's episode beforehand, thanks to the countless SBS/SBB segments:
- She was going to ask him to marry her in front of all those people - at his Veerta Puraskar Samaaran
- She was going to reveal the doll-wala connection to him
- He was going to fling the sindoor away
What we did not know about today's episode:
That it was going to be a maha-episode.
As I watched the clock slowly edging towards fifty minutes past nine, I wondered what happened to the second commercial break.
And then I was so lost in the proceedings, I looked at the clock again at 10 PM, wondering if the channel-walas were as engrossed as me and forgot to take the break?
And suddenly it was past ten, but the show continued - and I checked the schedule hurriedly, to see that the next program was thirty minutes away!
Awesome!
Surprise Maha-epi (at least for me, don't know if any of you guys already knew) - and what a wonderful one at that!
Coming to what happened in today's episode...
Rudra spends a few minutes self-introspecting in his cabin - and doesn't like what he sees - in true Hindi-film ishtyle - he bangs his hands on the table and flings the chairs around - in a futile attempt to banish any such undesirable thoughts from his head...
Rudra's speech as he accepted the award was beautiful - the way he thanked Aman and expresses sorrow for his soldiers who died in the battle - heartfelt! The lack of mention of Paro and her role was conspicuous - and perhaps deliberate, as he was trying very hard to not think of her. Even then, it was definitely unfair to Paro.
I couldn't wait for Paro to get to the auditorium and start off with the most-anticipated proposal of the year on TV..
It was a long journey for her, running past walls and rang-birange dupattas...I wished she would hurry up...but I guess the slow-motion running was required to give the necessary build-up for the next scenes..
She reaches just as he finishes his speech and people get up to give him a standing ovation..She calls out Major Saab and he walks down from the dais towards her, as if in a daze..
He doesn't utter a word for the next ten minutes as she speaks wearing her heart on her sleeve. As she tells him that nothing was accidental - that it was fate - that it was what the Lord himself has planned for them, cosmic forces joined hands to unite them, that there was no escaping it.
She reveals that she is the owner of the doll, giving sufficient information for Rudra to believe her.
She proffers herself to him, that he should make her his, with the sindoor..
And finally, Rudra is jolted out of his statue-like state to fling away the sindoor. But of course, these are no two ordinary individuals - they are the namesakes of the divine Lord and his consort - meant for each other, made for each other.
So the sindoor lands right in her maang - even though neither of them realise it at that time.
He drags her back to the BSD interrogation room - only now it seems clean and bright, unlike the dank, eerie place it used to be.
All hell breaks loose as he turns on her - asking her to see sense, to think about what she was saying..to be interrupted by a summon from Gen. Singh.
We also learned the reason for Paro's proposal to be made in to a public display.
It made Gen. Singh order Rudra to calmly handle the situation.
The BSD cannot let the press thinks that he has played with a girl's emotions to enlist her support against the Thakur.
Also, the gaanv vaalas, who have witnessed their jhaanki, mehendi and sangeet - and who have just started believing in the BSD...should not think the BSD makes false promises and traps young women.
Back home, Paro and Rudra confront each other again - as he reveals (unwittingly) to the rest of the Ranawat clan about what transpired at his award ceremony.
iHe threatens to throw her out and she calmly says that he couldn't, no matter how much he may want to... as he cannot defy the laws of nature.
Rudra and Paro are meant to be together, they cannot be separated.
Rudra's vehement denials, his desperate attempts to convince himself and Paro that no such thing existed - he was doing his duty, he would have done the same for any other woman, she could not possibly want to marry him - finally gave us a glimpse of what he really feels..
He fears what she makes him feel - but what he fears more is that he is not good enough for her - that he is broken and being bound to him will only destroy her.
Of course, meri itni majaal nahi, to assume that I have decoded the might Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat..only an observation.
Marvelous performance by Ashish Sharma - the self-doubt, the intensity with which he wanted her to stop convincing him of their fates being written this way, the way he despaired that she see logic, see reason...it was perfect!!
The stand out point of today's episode was Paro's unshakable, resolute faith and belief that this was her destiny.
It may seem silly to some, but I found it endearing.
When she believes it with such conviction, it is hard to disagree.
It reminded me of a time, when I was young and carefree and firmly believed that someone somewhere was made for me, just like Dil toh Pagal Hai..
It seems whimsical and child-like to indulge in such thoughts, but with Sanaya's brilliant execution of the scenes today, the innocence with which she held on to her notions of divine intervention - I was happy to go along and believe in it with her.
After all, why let go of an opportunity to fondly remember a childhood memory, which brings a smile to my face.
:)
Cricket
Current Affairs
Anupamaa
