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Tonight the CVs set the ball rolling on PaRud's wedding by stripping Rudra of his raison d' etre and reducing him to a raging drunk, blackmailed by his need for his job into giving in to Paro's wish for marriage, yet determined not to go down without a fight.
Rudra never saw it coming. He'd thought the danger had passed. And why not? His mission was a success. He'd been awarded a medal. Feted. Lauded. Held up as a shining example of all that was good about the BSD. And then this! This bolt from the blue. That turned what should have been a regular day at work into a twisted mess worse than his worst nightmares. Burned down his world to ashes. And stamped out his very reason for existence.
What he'd thought was a meeting had descended into a disciplinary hearing. And then just as he'd thought it couldn't get worse. It was over - his life as he knew it, his identity as he thought it. Over. Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat, the blot on the BSD, was suspended from duty and stripped of his badge, belt, stripes, gun and yes, his medal, until the matter was settled to their satisfaction.
The matter of Parvati, and what they believed to be Rudra's exploitation of her emotions for the success of his mission. Why else would she have proposed to him in public? Why else would she have stayed on in his home even after the completion of the mission? And why on earth would she have stood on one leg in the rain if not at his encouragement?
And nothing Rudra said, not that he was allowed to explain much, was taken on board. Rudra was turfed out into the unrelenting sunshine to face his dark future. Left to find a reason to live. Or barring that to seek comfort to make his life worth living. Except that the comfort was less than adequate. Because instead of dulling his pain until it was bearable, each swig from the bottle inflamed. Fanned the sparks into a fire that banked, built and blazed forth in a volcanic bellow. "Paro!"
Rudra's roar so startled Paro that the jewellery box slipped out of her hand and shattered the mirror she'd been smiling at.
More roars thundered close by, sending shivers scudding down Paro's spine and wiping the colour off her face. Rudra kept roaring until all the Ranawats, until Paro joined him in the courtyard. Then, he staggered over to where she hesitated on the verge of the courtyard, examined his mother's bridal saree on her with narrowed eyes, and urged her in mild tones to accompany him. "Where?" she breathed, not trusting his ugly mood. But he led her courteously enough by the elbow to the centre of the courtyard. Remarked conversationally on her lack of enthusiasm, colour and vivacity - considering that she'd won. Then thrust at her the newspaper carrying the proof of her lies and deceit that had destroyed him. Proof of her victory.
Proof that Rudra had promised marriage to a simple, illiterate, innocent girl, and played with her emotions.
And when that girl had admitted her love in front of three hundred people he'd been forced to take her home. And having taken her home was committing atrocities on her. As a result of which, his honour had been ripped to shreds,
his self-respect crushed, his medal and badges been torn off him, been told he was not fit to serve in the BSD, been disbelieved - all because they'd chosen to believe a lying girl over him. Tears in her eyes, Paro swore she hadn't given the media the photos or information.
But that only fuelled his fury. She should swear, Rudra told her, in a towering rage. That's what she'd been doing since she'd come into his life. Swearing and destroying his life. Not once, but repeatedly, at every step she'd hurt him. That day in the function with her shamelessness she'd shamed him. Then she'd forced her way into his house and taken residence. She was the one to commit the crime and he the one to pay - all the way. And so, she'd proved herself innocent and him the stone-hearted, cunning deceiver. Not that any of this would make a difference to Paro, he added. She'd just call it fate and dust her hands off all the fall-out.
Fate, fortune, destiny. It was her fortune that she sat by the bus window as it stopped in front of his. Fortune that he'd saved her honour that day from the goons. Fortune, that he'd saved her life from her traitor husband. Fortune. But her fortune was his misfortune. That the result of meeting her was that he'd lost his uniform which was his life. His reason to live. He'd never lost a battle on the border, but lost the battle on his own doorstep. His fortune had lost to her fortune. Mother Parvati had taken seven births to win Lord Shiva but she - Rudra clicked his fingers rapidly - had done it all in one go. And so without further delay, since everyone was present, Rudra told them, he should do the auspicious deed right away.
But Paro protested her innocence. Denied she'd gone to the newpapers. She'd only asked him to fill sindoor in her hair.
"Sindoor." Rudra climbed down from the chair "That's what even I'm saying. It's your wish to have sindoor in your hair. Let's fulfil your wish." And he lurched towards the temple, shoving Samrat out of the way so that Kakisa asked him what he thought he was doing. "Marriage!" was Rudra's succinct reply. An absolutely WOW episode today that managed to be both intense and emotional yet evoke frequent smiles.
An excellent script with sparkling lines (there-and-then, fortune-misfortune), beautifully set off by the screenplay, together evoking sympathy for both Rudra and Paro. There were lovely light touches - Kakisa's unfortunate chair, for instance, - that lifted the overall mood. Cinematography of the sombre mood in the HQ, the leaping sparks and the storm that burst on the Ranawats were just fab! And all of it was paced just right to allow us to appreciate the whole, wonderful episode. đđđđ to them and the cast for tonight. Acting-wise, tonight belonged to Ashish.
His low-key portrayal of a man destroyed perfectly off-set his barely-in-control drunken fury and marriage madness. All of it compelling, convincing and worth many, many cheers. And Sanaya's essaying of a scared, tearful, helpless, disbelieved Paro was what made us sympathise with her even during Rudra's ruin. The supporting cast were spot-on with their reactions that added the nuances and rounded out the episode, which will no doubt be watched many times over. Waiting for the actual ceremony tomorrow!
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