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Tonight, the CVs slowly but surely leached away our honeymoon high with a lovers' fight that collided with a murderous plan with what could have been disastrous consequences. Could have been, except for Rudra's Return. But first a little bit about Rudra's departure that led to his return.
The make-up: Rose-coloured bangles, a cart-load of them, strewn like petals across the floor at Paro's feet.
That was Rudra's plan to make-up to his brand-new wife for the prank he'd played on her in Jaipur. She was pleased. He could see it in the gleam of her eyes and the flash of her smile as she gathered them up. So he crouched down picked up a handful and, holding them out to her, demanded forgiveness. Tables turned: But Rudra wasn't getting off so lightly.
Why did he want her forgiveness, Paro wanted to know first. Exactly like he'd asked her not so far back when she'd clamoured for it. Today it was his turn. And just like Paro, the words tumbled out of his mouth too. "Because I can't bear that I've given you pain." He bit it off abruptly the moment he realised what he'd given away. Could see from the smile in her eyes that she knew too. Raising the stakes: And promptly, Paro took a mile. Held out the pink circles of light to him and asked him to put them on her hand.
He jibbed at the bit. The deal was only restricted to him giving her bangles in exchange for her forgiveness. Nothing had been said about rolling them on to her wrist. The blackmail: But Paro was reminiscing about
the morning after. Dangerous reminiscences about the morning after their drunken, disinhibited night. That morning when he'd woken up so entangled with her that he was unsure where she left off and he began. Calling up such potent memories that he didn't need to close his eyes to feel again the drowsy warmth of her skin, the live silk of her hair, or her scent that whispered, 'Paro', and brought him alive as he'd never been. No he couldn't let her call up that old magic. So he gave in. Grabbed her hand and inched the bangles on. Anything to shut her up. The spark: Rudra was reassuring Singh Saab that all was well between him and Paro, when his CO unknowingly lit the spark.
Singh Saab revealed, much to Rudra's growing fury, that Paro had begged him to give Rudra back his job. She would be the reason for his clean chit from the Social Workers. This girl whom he'd considered just his duty until yesterday, would today be the reason for Rudra to get his job back. So Rudra had better be gentle with Paro. The blaze: But Rudra had sustained too hard a blow to his self-respect, to his ego, to simmer down. And he stormed out of the haveli,
refusing flat-out to sit in the Pooja. And when Paro, egged-on by Kakisa, tried to stop him, he let her feel his fury. With what right had she begged his CO for his job? What relation was she to him? And paying no heed to how deep his words might wound, he fired on. Their wedding was a lie, a farce, and she'd better not build her dreams on their drunken revelry or the bangles. The words:
Paro tried to rebut his claims.The bangles were just as true as her sindoor or her mangalsutra and their relationship. And her relationship had given her the right to ask for her husband that which gave him greatest happiness - his job. And Rudra, unwilling to back down, in the heat of the moment, now uttered those words that he'd never be able to unspeak. Words whose result he could never have guessed at. Words that he would regret for the rest of his life. That job, he said, "which would never have been on the line if I had never met you or brought you into this house." Words that set in motion a chain of events as a hurt and upset Paro tried to convince Rudra to come back in and sit for the Pooja. "If you want me to go away from your life, come inside and take part in the Pooja," Paro begged him.
"Pray to the Lord who brought me into your life that I go away forever. But just sit in the Pooja." Running away: But Rudra needed to be on his own to lick his wounds before he could do anything else.
And roughly asking Paro to move aside, he rode off. The realisation:
It took a hot cup of tea away from the haveli for Rudra to cool off. To hear and mull over the words playing in his mind. Words spoken by Singh Saab, Paro and Mythili. That he had Paro to thank for the clean chit from the social workers. That he owed his uniform to that girl whom until yesterday he'd considered his duty. Who considered herself his wife and would exercise the rights that went with that relationship. Whose pain he felt as though it were his own. Had he really ever considered Paro his duty? Because he could see in his mind's eye him holding Paro tight as they rolled over and over on the hard desert floor to escape the bullet. That hadn't been duty.
He hadn't been in charge of her then. Was a stranger to her. But he'd saved her life. Just like that time he'd taken a slap for her from Kakisa. He hadn't needed to protect her. But he hadn't been able to help himself. Because he felt her pain. Like when she'd deliberately burnt her hands on the Tava to escape mehendi. He'd saved her from herself then, whether she wanted to be saved or not. Because he cared for her. Like when he'd rushed out into the rain to catch her as she fell and carry her in to safety. The return: The first Paro knew he'd come back was when she felt his helping hand on the aarti thali. There was no stopping her smile then. Not even his patently fake excuse that he'd returned because he'd wanted to ask Him for a wish. For that which she'd said - release from her. And if he asked with all his heart, perhaps he'd get it too. But Paro's happiness would not be quelled. It was enough that he felt something for her.
The plan unravels: It was with quite a different emotion that Kakisa saw Rudra's return. The camel could be a spanner in the works. So she redoubled her efforts. It was always the girl who ate the prasad first. And it was good that Rudra had returned, because he could feed his wife the laddoo - it would deepen their love. Perhaps she was too insistent, too persuasive.
Because Rudra's instincts kicked in. And even as Paro was opening her mouth for a bite, he was rolling it back. Back to his own mouth, with a muttered excuse about wanting to be rid of Paro and the laddoo being the divine blessing. Trying, without heat, to make Paro stop smiling at his put-on hatred, stop knowing him, stop understanding him so well.
So tonight the CVs laid the fuse for tomorrow's dhamaaka - Rudra's life in danger and Paro's rescue. It was Rudra's return that put a spoke in Kakisa's plan to kill Paro and dishonour him. Had he not returned when he did, and had his instincts to protect Paro not kicked in, Kakisa would most likely have succeeded. But as it was, by eating the laddoo meant for Paro, he saved Paro's life. And being bigger and fitter than Paro, although in mortal danger, he will survive, give Paro the chance to save his life, and forge a deeper bond.
The advance warning from the spoilers made tonight uneasy viewing as the little niggle in the back of the mind soon became an insistent throb of dread. Still there were many moments to love today. The bangles; the changed PaRud equation - Paro's new confidence in herself - she had him wrapped around her finger today. Enough confidence to know that he'd be back for the Pooja. And to disregard his words - for the moment. But those very same words, uttered in the heat of the moment, as Damayanti ji had warned against, will of course have unprecedented consequences on a shaken Paro tomorrow.
Kudos to the CVs for a powerful episode tonight. Despite its surface lightness it had a distinctly dark undertow. Ashish and Sanaya effortlessly convinced us of the changed PaRud equation. 👏👏👏 to them. Ananya was a little heavy-handed with the undiluted evil weighing down her words. But overall a convincing performance.
Looking forward to tomorrow's drama!!
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