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In today's stunning episode the CVs gave us the stone, aka Rudra, romancing Paro in a few different situations on their first evening in Jaipur - without pre-meditation, but with all his heart and soul, memorably.
The first opportunity for romance occurred the moment Rudra emerged onto the landing, having raced up the stairs to reach Paro before she came to any harm. He was too late for that. Paro, eyes brimming with tears, clutching the neck of her bathrobe tight, was out in the corridor in full view of passers-by, growing more distressed by the second.
He saw the moment that she registered his presence. Saw her pause to make certain. Saw her body gathering itself to run to him, and lengthened his strides to meet her half-way. To catch her when she threw herself into his arms. Gathered her trembling body into him. Absorbed her dry sobs. Soothed her fear. Whispered reassurances. Gentled her enough so that he could walk her back into the room, still hugged to him tight.
It never occurred to him to bluff his way out of the situation, but having shame-facedly explained his role in the black-out, he waited for Paro to get dressed so that he could take her downstairs to meet his CO's wife. There was no way he'd leave her alone after her sudden shock. Even if every now and then, despite his best intentions, his eyes were drawn irresistibly to the slender length of her legs left bare by the bathrobe.
The second opportunity for romance presented itself when the tea service was brought in. Rudra caught Paro's gaze lingering on the varied contents of the tea tray, and correctly interpreted it. She would not know how to make tea this way, he realised. So he saved her blushes. Poured out hot water from the teapot into a cup, dipped a tea-bag into it, added a teaspoon of sugar, no milk - he'd never forget that it made her retch - and handed her her cup. And if Gitanjali Maam found it sweet, then so be it - sweet was better than anybody scorning Paro.
It was precisely for that reason that he spun out a long elaborate explanation to get Paro to stay put in the room for the night. There was no way he'd let her attend the ball and be the object of ridicule for her lack of sophistication. But he didn't want her thinking that he was embarrassed to be seen with her.
So he took his time: it was a new place, she wouldn't know anybody, there'd be drinks downstairs and many more questions. Her face fell. But there was no help for it. He just made doubly-sure that she'd be alright in his absence - explained to her how to order her dinner, to leave the lamp on when she went to bed so she wouldn't be scared, and in any case he was downstairs.
Downstairs in the party, he'd just turned to answer Aman's question about Paro's whereabouts, when he felt her. Felt it in his hair. And turned to find her. And there she was a lick of flame flickering down the stairs in a red saree. He felt the burn right across the room. When his feet carried him to her he never knew. But before the breath left his chest he was standing in front of her, captivated. Waiting for her to raise her eyes to his; to read an answering fire in hers.
But when she looked up it was with pleated brows. She was sorry she'd disobeyed him. His CO would have been angry if she hadn't come down. She babbled on. But he wasn't really listening. All he knew was that he wanted to warm himself in her heat. Feel it surround him. Over. Under. Inside him. Burn him to the ground. But she was looking away at his CO. He followed her gaze and realised Singh Saab was speaking.
Singh Saab was saying something about going down on his knees to his wife's demands, and how good it felt. And Rudra found his eyes seeking out Paro's. But she wouldn't look at him. And he felt his eyes narrow. But before he could say anything, Gitanjali Maam was requesting all husbands and wives to take to the dance floor.
And now it was he who found it difficult to meet Paro's eyes. So he didn't know why Paro's announcement that she was returning to their room felt so unwelcome. Unlike Gitanjali Maam's announcement that he and Paro would have to dance today.
Paro's forehead was pleated with her distress, her hands clenching with nerves - she couldn't do this. She shouldn't have come down at all, he told her, but now that she had..., he gazed at her for a long, heated moment as the anticipation built and the possibilities played out in his mind's eye.
She protested: she didn't know this dance. But he was sure. "Watch me and follow. For a little while give yourself to me." Still she hesitated. Now it was her slippers. So he brushed aside her doubts. "Trust me. I won't let you fall." And before she could think up another excuse he reached for her hand, the hard edge of his palm giving her soft, defensive curl, no chance at all. His fingers following up firmly to hold hers in place for his thumb to slide next to hers in all-male clasp.
She looked at him, wide-eyed. He couldn't keep the satisfaction from drawing up the corners of his mouth or from burnishing his eyes. And could see the effect on her. In the way she couldn't look away. "That's it," he pitched his voice low so that only she could hear it, "keep looking into my eyes." And holding her gaze he led her on to the dance floor.
But there, her nervousness returned in full force. And the moment he let go of her, she clenched her hands and, brows furrowed, looked all around, everywhere but at him. Unlike him who couldn't take his eyes off her. Who wanted her eyes back on him. He made the first move. He took her left hand and placed it on his shoulder. Grasped her right hand in his. And settled his left on her bare back, his thumb nestled against her spine. And even as she raised her eyes to him, he jerked her body tight into his. Then, before she could catch her breath, he kicked her feet apart. And waited a beat after she raised dilated, jumpy eyes to his to spin her into the dance.
She was a good dancer. He'd known she would be. Matched without a fault all the intricate, vigorous moves he initiated. The spins, dips, twirls, lifts of a dance that followed no rules but his own. That stretched her innocence, but never beyond her comfort. Even if it were almost beyond his. Like when he lifted her high and brought her body ever so slowly down the length of his to stand on his shoes. So close that he could feel her flush against his front. Feel the tremors running through her; hear her breath coming fast; see the hectic colour bloom on her face; and her pupils, dark and enlarged stare at his eyes and lick their way down to his mouth.
And suddenly it was all too much. Much more than he could take. The fire had taken hold. He was burning up. A quiver away from combusting. Even his gritted teeth and drawn brows couldn't dampen the blaze. He was in agony. Wanted to move away, but perversely didn't dare to. And so he swallowed hard, bit back the inferno and bent her upper body away from him in a series of dips until he could let her step back off his shoes onto the floor. And there with a final flourish that parted her lips and brought her eyes wide upto his and her face tormentingly close to his, he concluded their dance.
So tonight the CVs decided to step up the heat and how!! On-screen dances, I am certain, will never measure up to PaRud's tonight for the sheer blaze it generated, which hasn't subsided these many hours after the episode and after a concerted attempt to write coherently.
Tonight's was a fantastic episode, with PaRud's dance the absolutely stunning highlight. Rudra's defences against Paro are surely being burnt to dust, if tonight was any sample. His care and concern for Paro shone like a beacon throughout the episode. But sweet turned to hot in a flash the moment he saw her descend those stairs in a the red saree. After that we saw the bonfire of his self-control - almost - in a dance that was a thinly-veiled euphemism for love-making.
Acting was breath-taking - literally! Ashish was mind-blowing in his caring, hot alpha-male routine and Sanaya was superlative in her portrayal of an unsophisticated, sheltered village belle. Screenplay and dance-direction were fabulous. 👏👏👏👏 to Ashish, Sanaya, the rest of the cast and the crew for a memorable episode that's still thrumming through my veins. 😆
Tomorrow night the CVs plan to undermine PaRud's self-control further by getting them drunk. If I had a drink in my hand, I'd toast the CVs for their sensitivity to our pleasure. But as it is, I say more power to their creativity!!
Arjun
Anupamaa
