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Last night the CVs gave us Paro's repair of the rip in the shiny, happy image of marital bliss that PaRud had been trying to project to the Social Workers. A repair so thorough that it not only restored the image of happy coupledom but went beyond to achieve much more.
But first the rend. The tear had been setting in a while. Setting in, to be precise, from the day the Social Workers had entered the haveli and PaRud had had to put on an act to convince them. An act that strained Rudra's patience and Paro's tolerance as they were made to perform rituals that forged bonds for a lifetime. Until, as they swallowed irritation, brushed off rejection, smiled away pain, sang out contrition, and shared intimacies that had absolutely no place in their relationship - intimacies that built unwelcome heat, that could not be dismissed or forgotten, that were stoked higher with every round of pretence, but with no imminent relief in sight - the fabric of their newly-woven marriage was pulled so taut that one tug would have ripped it apart.
So, when Rudra found Paro pulling off the bangles he had endured her over-bright smiles and tantalising touches to squeeze her wrists into, the last thread frayed. The violence of his reaction and the end of her tolerance tore their muslin-thin pretence to shreds.
That's when the Social Workers, artfully shepherded by Kakisa to the right spot at the right time, witnessed the unmasking of PaRud. Witnessed Rudra almost shaking Paro by the shoulders to tell her what she could do with her life and her love. Witnessed Paro's distress as his words found their mark. And drew the right conclusion - that all that they had seen and heard from Rudra and Paro these last days had been put on to get Rudra's job back. An eventuality that was not going to happen if they could help it.
It was left to Paro to repair the tear before it destroyed Rudra's job and both their lives.
So Paro wangled one last shot at explaining the situation in a new light. And then proceeded to eloquently set out the facts before Social Workers as she saw them. Facts about Rudra - the protector who had many a time saved her from death and worse without ever asking for repayment; about her love for him and her need to prove it to him in the driving rain, about his care for her all night after her soaking; about his concern for her in the morning. And about her love for him; and her desire to marry him. The truth shining out of Paro's eyes as she confessed to her inner-most feelings went beyond shame or shyness to a purity that could not be tainted by such mundane emotions. A purity which, because of its very artlessness, convinced as no long-drawn excuse would have. And touched the hearts of the hard-bitten Social Workers so that they demanded an answer from Rudra to the very same question.
Had Rudra wanted to marry Paro?
And as all eyes turned to Rudra, the man himself who until just minutes back had insisted that he hated Paro and was suffocated by the pretend marriage, paused. Remained silent as though struck by a realisation so new and breath-taking that it robbed him of his power to speak. So that he had to grapple with the just unfurling feelings to give them voice. "Yes" he said, finally, his eyes alight with the surprise and wonder as he tried to absorb the truth and its implications.
Rudra's "Yes" brought tears of relief to Paro's eyes. And gave her the impetus she needed to conclude her argument. Yes the wedding had happened suddenly and not as normal weddings do, but Paro had got what she'd wanted for ever. And so what if Rudra was sharp and quick to lose his temper? So was Lord Shiva. His temper didn't stop His devotees from loving Him because they knew he was capable of love. Just as Rudra was capable of love. Indeed, there was a lot of love in their marriage, in their relationship. Paro's conviction was undented. To Rudra, the strength of her belief was its own salve for years of hurt and doubt, an inducement so powerful that it shook him to the core and made him question what he thought of himself and how he'd viewed himself over the years. Her faith in him and them so unshakeable so irresistible that it left no room for doubt, hesitation, prevarication or lies. There was only her word. The absolute truth.
The Social Workers never stood a chance. Before Rudra could clear his vision, Damayanti ji was singing his praises and promising him a clean chit with the BSD. And just like that Rudra's ordeal was over. The Social Workers saw no reason to linger. And the rest of the family melted away into the night leaving just the two of them: Rudra and Paro.
Rudra and Paro now, conversely, swirling neck-deep in currents so strong yet so uncertain that to turn was to risk losing their footing, to lock eyes risk going under, and to talk a risk so great that it was unthinkable. Yet to leave unsaid, to not connect, to not gaze upon the other was unbearable. And so they stood frozen unable to hold on beyond a perfunctorily murmured excuse to leave, yet unable to tear themselves away. There was so much that needed to be said and so much that needed to be heard. His apology, his gratitude, his praise, his admiration, even his love. Her forgiveness, her reassurance, her acceptance, her certainty, her love. And the questions that teeteered on the tips of their tongues, and the answers that they bit back because uttering either opened up a brand new landscape that neither dared envision leave alone venture into.
And so they hesitated cravenly, until the moment passed, and their new-born hopes were stifled, set aside for another day.
Last night, the CVs gave us the "lovers' first fight" in this honeymoon series. Being Rudra and Paro their fight was darker and more intense. And so we got an "I hate you" from Rudra and "I love him" from Paro. No prizes for guessing which emotion won the day. đ Particularly after Rudra confessed that he'd wanted to marry Paro, and after Paro's statements that "Rudra knows how to love" and that "there is a lot of love in this marriage..."
And so we saw PaRud emerge from their fight wiser, more receptive to the other, and definitely a little more in love.
Rudra was willing to listen to Paro - believe in her version of the choodi rasam - and Paro was willing to give Rudra space and let him go to Jaipur on his own. Although, I can't see the CVs letting Paro miss out on such a wonderful opportunity for romance. Monday's precap gave us Rudra's realization that Kakisa's was the hand behind Paro's pain,
and hinted (I hope) that he'd make it up to Paro for his unjust accusations by taking her with him to Jaipur. Acting-wise, last night belonged to Sanaya, and she was absolutely compelling in her pain, her disappointment, her heart-break, her fight, her conviction, her hesitation, her joy, her hope and her stifling of it.
Ashish was convincing in his frustration and fear motivated fury, and his slow journey to hope and belief. A lovely cameo by Padam Bhola and we got to hear him address Paro as "bhabhi". đđđ to them and to the CVs and crew for an episode that made us think as well as feel. In all, last night's was a darker, more fraught episode, yet much more satisfying than the previous two for its depth. It leaves us with much to mull over this weekend, and much to look forward to on Monday.
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