Epi 40-41 : In Defense of KaYa - You Breathe Life into Me..

Episodes 40-41: You Breathe Life Into Me..

Hola.. In case there's anyone who missed me yesterday, kaan pakding! Been suuper-dooper busy at work..

Onto tonight's episode.. I'm going to keep it brief, coz I have some other plans.. 😈

Okay..

KaYa.. Are two adorable, cute munchkins.. That scene in his office when he gifts her spectacles.. Sheesh!

Their cute, knowing smiles.. Bliss!!

(Ananya's mother's looks are kinda scaring the KaYa shipper in me.. She doesn't seem very pleased with her daughter's fondness for a divorcee and womaniser Kabir..)

I officially despise Malvika and Manav now.. He's undoubtedly an opportunistic leech, but she's also acting like a jilted, possessive lover, fretting over Kabir and Ananya's newfound friendship.

Though I'm pretty sure Kabir knows how to tame her, but she might create problems for Ananya.. And I really hope Kabir doesn't end up coiling back into the shell, withdrawing himself from Ms. Kashyap..

Ananya saving the boy's life..

Bwahaha.. "Tu hatt jaa.. Mujhe koodna hai.." 🤣

Nothing OTT there.. That was perfect comic timing.. And Kritika has always excelled at it..

But tonight was Ananya's first.. And she nailed it to the cross! 🤣

Mr. Sharma looked mighty impressed with her stupidity.. 😉 (And I'm pretty sure the saas aka Khalid Miya will be pleased too.. Coz that coverage will surely fetch them high TRPs..

Tch tch.. Manav Bhai, you blew up the only chance you had.. 😆

Now she's no more a puppet between Team Manav and Kabir.. Instead, the girl has a segment of her own.. The perks of impressing Editor-in-Chief Sahab.. 😎

If only you hadn't faked appendicitis.. 😆)

Ronnie - Kabir's convo :

Grrr.. I'm going to conveniently skip those bits.. And I don't even want to start guessing what Kabir's expression meant in the end..

Does it mean Kabir will back-off coz Ronnie mentioned his haalat would've been worse than the boy had Ananya died? 🥱

Brilliant! The writers just proved why Ronnie-Ananya would never last! A girl almost always deserves a man who will fight for her even against her will at times, is prepared to kill and die for her..

But a devdas who's willing to kill himself if she wouldn't exist - how many of us would actually want to be with someone like that?

Looks like we're in for some major drama next week with her father's suicide news leaking out, and Ronnie offering her a shoulder to cry upon..

And rumours of Kabir's jealousy kicking in.. 🥳

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Now to the main topic of the Post..

Before we begin - There are some things I gotta clarify..

@ Malika : Woman, you're scaring the life out of me with those deadly theories.. *Fingers crossed* How I wish you weren't our official Tarot reader now!! Only now.. 😲

I am shipping KaYa hard..

They're my new OTP, and no, I do not have a single OTP unlike a lot of fans.. But yeah, I do think there are plenty reasons why KaYa can be the end-game..

And no, Rajeev and Kritika's poignant, absolutely magnificent chemistry as KaYa is not the only reason, either..

But right now, I'm FriendShipping' them.. This sweet friendship blooming between the duo is so endearing - cute, mischievous, and blissful..

Ananya

Sheeesssh! The SMS Conversation - Baby steps..

For Ananya, those messages were a way to connect with Kabir; now that she has seen the other side of him, it's obvious that she feels inquisitive about him.. His life, his mannerisms, his moods..

But above all, it's hard for her to digest that a man she looks up to, hero-worships, and has a crush on, has actually extended a hand of friendship towards her.. And so, she makes conscious, but very careful attempts; she seeks confirmations from him..

It was obvious when yesterday she invites him for dinner, and then cracks a joke when he turns sarcastic.. There's a long way to go before she unravels Kabir Sharma completely, but she's slowly making an attempt to understand him. And to me, there appears nothing overtly romantic about it, for now..

But in Ananya's case, the fact that a recluse and patthar-dil man like Kabir considers her worthy enough to be her friend, means a lot to her..

She's his friend now, and also is infatuated with him.. A natural, slow progression..

She's grown from being a blind fan-girl, to a girl who is slowly realising what it feels like to be appreciated and cared for by THE Kabir Sharma, while on the other hand she's also amazed by the several shades to him..

It's not an overnight transition.. They've faced death together, and for whatever reasons, and despite his manipulations, he was her rock in those situations! And she's grateful to him for it..

What I love the most about Ananya, inspite her immaturity is that she is real.. She's one of us.. She says stuff that we would say, acts just like how we would..

Tonight's scene on the terrace was hilarious! 🤣

And God bless her, has fallen for the man's charm, just like we have.. 😉

Kabir..

We'd never be able to describe Kabir Sharma in one word.. He's mysterious, manipulative, shrewd, fragile, and undeniably hawt!

But right now he seems Lonely..

This man surely has a dark past- he was once an alcoholic (reasons yet to be known), was abandoned by his family - by his brother with whom he shares such a warm relationship. He ceases to be THE Kabir Sharma in those moments.. And though the task is an uphill one, I'm just happy to see that there is atleast one person who can still bring the old Kabir to the fore..

He was once a failure, has had to battle his way to the top. Who knows how many sacrifices he's had to make to be where he is today.. And by sacrifices I mean - he sacrifices his soul..

With each passing day, he ceases to be the warm person he was before.. Maybe he was really at fault in Sudhir Kashyap/ Tarini/ Anurag/ Shreya's case.. We do not know yet, and that's not the purpose of this post either..

He may have emerged victorious on the professional front, but his battles haven't left him.. Neither have his scars that are deeply ingrained into his heart..

He's been through a difficult divorce - as was hinted by the friends' and Mrs. Kashyap's conversation yesterday. Then there is the link-up with Tarini, and Anurag's responsibility that further add to his guilt..

So basically, he has been tortured.. Not physically, but mentally..

Those rough ordeals have taken a toll on him. Every single person he loved, or cared for have alienated him, or have landed in trouble because of him..

He's had to forge himself into a weapon, strip himself of his weaknesses in order to survive..

Right when the CV's hinted at a possible romantic relationship between Kabir and Ananya, I knew I would land myself in Switzerland.

What makes it a great storyline, is that both sides are convincing. We now understand why Kabir and Ananya are two halves of a whole.. We sympathise with Ananya, and we sympathise with Kabir too.. They're diametrically opposed in their views on life, and I personally, agree with both of them..

That is some great writing, #Reporters writers.. 👏

Why - In defense of KaYa?

Not that there is much to say..

We have divisions among our fandom.. Some of us ship KaYa, while others don't.. And that's fairly normal, given everyone's personal preferences..

And I feel like adding my two cents worth opinion to it..

(And I'm also trying to tempt my IF Soul-Sisters and eklauti Sautann to join in.. Ladies, come on - give in! I miss you'll here..) 🤗

Kabir Sharma is a ticking bomb.. Yes, he may come across as a suave, composed man which he is, when in the role of the Editor-in-Chief or a Senior Reporter.

But the REAL Kabir is a broken man, coming apart at the seams, still struggling to find a balance between his past, present and murky future..

He's as fragile as a child. And anyone who influences him the most will be able to harness and control him, but above all save him..

That is where, Ms. Kashyap comes into the picture.. And no, we're not talking about romance, yet!

This story is not about Kabir Sharma being a superhero or the nation's favourite and most successful journalist..

It's about Kabir reclaiming his former self.. It's about him pushing past the baggage on his conscience, and everything that his past - failures, guilt and divorce took from him.. It's about him finding a way back, to the good and warmth within him.

If #Reporters is a story of Ananya maturing into a wise and strong woman, it is also about Kabir learning to feel again..

Some say opposites attract, and two people with contrasting personalities - light and dark cannot have their happily ever after..

I say, that's not true! Because that's exactly what happens in real life..

Colleagues, couples and best friends make continuous attempts to strike a balance..

We don't give up, do we? We don't back out from challenges either..

Yes, Kabir is very manipulative but his intentions are never bad.. He is only protecting himself from further damage, by pushing away everyone..

And he will do that to Ananya too, but that doesn't mean he is incapable of safeguarding her happiness, or treating her the way she deserves to be handled with..

Right now, he is relishing every little moment that he spends with her. And no, I do not think he is playing her, or it's the guilt talking..

He is genuinely proud of her as her Boss.. He knows she is a brave, strong headed, intelligent reporter, capable of great deeds and he's only nurturing her talent.

Why now? It hasn't happen overnight, right? He's been pushing her to the best of her limits right since the Sports Selector-string operation case, when he hardly even knew her.

Now that he's worked with her, understands her weaknesses and strengths, he finds himself attracted to the spark within her.. To her innocence, and mirth..

He loves teasing her, cracking jokes at her expense, and seeks pleasure from moments when she gets all flustered..

He may flirt with her, but he's never crossed a line.. And none of that was fake or remotely similar to how he acts around Malvika/or the other women..

He knows that under the mask of an immature, emotional, babbling reporter, lives a girl who is so similar to how he was once, that he feels the need to be the REAL Kabir with her..

But it's not going to be easy.. Especially now that he is somehow related to her father's defamation-disappearance-suicide..

It was so unfamiliar of him to trust someone; but he did.. He took a baby step, and a huge risk of exposing himself to her, when he agreed to be her friend.

Yesterday, in the first bits we saw how he really wanted to accept her invitation to the house party, but his past pulled him back, and he settled for a lonely dinner with himself, and his baggage.

The messages that were exchanged between them - Ananya's excitement and happiness was such a natural thing, but Kabir's response to their casual banter had me grinning from ear to ear.

He is such an adorable munchkin, when he's not killing us with his suave formals and killer knowing looks and smiles.. ❤️

His eagerness when he reaches for his phone as soon as a message from her pops in, or his disappointment when she texts back saying she won't disturb him, they're all positive signs..

Needing is a weakness, and Kabir Sharma will never accept it.. But this is exactly what he needs in his life..

Today when she gets him lunch, he doesn't over-react, and it does seem as though he's trying to keep her at an arm's length.

But what does he actually end up doing? He surprises her with a gift - her glasses that he broke, and a compliment - a heartfelt, real one.. And it instantly lifts her spirits..

This is what KaYa and their journey is all about..

He will be forced to part ways with her, or she might shun him once she realises that he was in some way responsible for her father's death (if that's the case).

But never will he give up on her, and even if he does back off, it will only be because the intensity of his emotions will terrify him.

Once he realises that her friendship matters to him, a lot more than he is willing to accept, he will be afraid of tainting her happiness, her innocence.

When he sees how transparent and gentle Ronnie's feelings are for her, he will feel the difference and his steps will falter.. He will realise that even as a friend, there's only so much he can give her..

He will be afraid of two things - of losing himself, and of losing her..

Kabir Sharma is a survivor.. But he might realise that if Ananya were to be taken away from him, by either his deeds or by her choice, or a third person's manipulations, he will not make it to the end, this time..

And this is why, inspite of lying to her previously, he will now tell her the truth behind her father's disappearance.. He knows it will break her, but he also knows that she needs to endure this heartbreak now. It's better than what would happen to her, if she seeks out the truth on her own.

He doesn't want her to make the same mistakes he did, or perhaps he's afraid of losing her (if he is guilty in any manner).

But right now, he's in a space where he allows himself to believe that he too is worthy of happiness and pure friendship.

He does have friends and well-wishers.. On one had he has people like Malvika who're obsessed with him, and Khalid who maintains a distance from him considering his hierarchical superiority, they're his well-wishers for sure, but not friends.

On the other, he has Lakshman and Tarini-Anurag, who're a lot more than his stringers/informers. They're his friends, his family; they're people he trusts blindly and cares for with all his heart. And yet, he instantly detaches from them, the moment his past his brought up.

And then, there is Ananya..

Who is a bit of both, and yet means something else to him.

It's a different kind of friendship, one that he perhaps hasn't experienced before.. It's based on honesty, trust, respect, compassion, mischief, unconditional support, loyalty and understanding.. When she looks at him, she doesn't see him as broken or damaged goods. (Of course, she doesn't know the truth yet..)

She doesn't withdraw from him, instead she has started taking baby steps to further strengthen their friendship, and though he may not voice it aloud, he needs this..

He doesn't want to hide from her. She makes him feel proud as a mentor, she makes him laugh, she amuses him with her silliness, amazes him with her talent, and he is getting pulled towards her.

He has started protecting her.. We saw that today, when he very subtly and smartly ripped her out of Team Manav, but he did not ask her to be a part of Team Kabir.. Instead, he offers her a segment of her own; so that she doesn't have to report to either of them.

He assigns her a human-interest story segment, because he knows if there is anyone who is capable of harnessing people's emotions without taking advantage of them, it's her..

And that's exactly why he has started trusting her, with himself..

The confused look on his face, one of sheer amusement when she calls him up and asks him for an opinion was priceless!

RK makes me fall in love with Kabir more and more with each passing day.. (Needless to say, we're all suffering from Rajeev-itis and Kabir-itis these days..)

He looked baffled when she threw that question at him.. And then when he realised that she wasn't asking her Boss, but her newly-made Friend for a suggestion, he almost mentally prepares himself for an answer, but the woman stumps him with her reply..

She points out not-so-subtly how he confuses her out of her wits.. And then hangs up, taunting him..

And what does he do? Instead of taking offence to it, he smiles.. Almost laughs..

He doesn't hide the pride he feels when he watches her covering a human-interest story, as silly as a boy proclaiming his love for a girl on national television.

He knows the REAL Ananya Kashyap now.. He knows that she is a saviour.. She fights till the end. She saves people.. She ensures that their light doesn't die out..

He didn't need Ronnie to tell him that Ananya had written all those filmy-cheesy dialogues for the boy..

He knows how silly, dramatic, stubborn and mischievous she can get.. And he likes all of her.. The complete Package!

And he needs his madness in his life, to pull him out of his guilt, and pain!

It is this ability of Ananya to make him feel every emotion he has abandoned willingly, will keep them tied together, even when the circumstances, fate, and people are against them..

This bond that is building between them will be like a soothing balm later on when times get difficult. (And it's the only reason why they're rushing things w.r.t KaYa..)

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Ananya, on the other hand doesn't necessarily have to lose her innocence and her warmth to understand and fit into Kabir's life.

She has her own battles to fight. News of her father's suicide will bring her world crashing down, and she will start realising that there's a lot more in store for her in the future.

With her hopes dashed, she will obviously turn to the one man she trusts, and looks upto - One who is a rock in his own way. She will realise that there's a lot more than words of wisdom, successful lead stories, and appreciation that she desires from him..

He is already her idol, her hero.. But slowly, she will start seeing him as a pillar of strength - one she can lean upon, and trust him to guide her along the right path.

She is naturally very inquisitive, but when it comes to Kabir, she knows her limits. Yesterday, we saw a glimpse of it when she stays mum, looks disturbed when her friends and mother bring up his divorce and his alleged affair with Tarini.

But she doesn't judge him.. The questionnaire fiasco has taught her well.. She now knows when not to take Kabir Sharma at face value.

So what happens if God forbid, Kabir is in some-way responsible for what happened to her father, will their friendship crack, or will those cracks further strengthen their relationship?

I think the latter seems more plausible in case of KaYa..

Kabir already has too many failed relationships and disappointments on his conscience. I doubt the writers will add one more to the list..

By the looks of it, she is in for some major disappointment, and heartbreak.. Because this man is very complex, and comes with guilts, baggages, insecurities, weaknesses in all shapes and sizes..

Once he realises that she has started to break down his walls, he will switch on his defence mode, despite his heart's protests.. Or perhaps, he will allow her to break through his fortress..

She might even turn to Ronnie, who is a true friend, loves her, cares for her, will never hurt her.. But is that what she needs?

Of course, that's everything a woman ever expects from her man.. But is Ronnie the only one who can give her all of that?

Certainly not..

Though not as many as Kabir, but Ananya too has unhealed scars..

She's a newbie in the world of journalism, and needs someone to harness her talent for her to flourish into a successful journalist. She needs someone who will allow her, her free space without stepping in, allowing her a free run to express her emotions, and her talent..

One day, she will seek a sanctuary, a place where she can stop being the backbone of her family; away from her best friends' banters, away from everything that can hurt her, pull her down, ruin her..

Kabir will be her sanctuary..

He is the one who can provide her with all of that.. In spite of his weaknesses, he is strong enough to guide her along, and to endure her troubles for her sake.

Yes, he might be the reason for Ananya losing her innocence/ ruining her life because of his complexities' as we seem to like calling it, but in the end, he is the only one who can help her stand back on her feet.

He will push her away, but he'll be the one always around to hold her when she falls..

It's a slow, painful, agonizing process, given the threads that entwine them.

So for every step that Ananya takes forward, Kabir will take two backward.. Again.. And Again.. Until he falls back into the pit of darkness he is trying hard to come out of..

And it is then that he will realise that his stupid, budbudati reporter who seems to be attracted to him like a moth to the flame, will have pulled him out of his self-deprecation and darkness..

Ananya is everything that is pure, and warm, and good, and safe.. And Kabir is filled with torment, guilt, unwarranted sacrifices, and loneliness.. It's not too far of a leap for one to believe that it's he, who might destroy all of her, in Kabir's case..

And so, he will keep trying to remove himself from her life.

But she might not stop with her efforts either..

She'll still be standing before him, coaxing him to transform into the REAL Kabir Sharma, until he has no option but to take the plunge, and cross over to the other side..

There's only one consolation for us KaYa shippers here..

Kabir will never stop trying. He'll do more than dip his toe in the cool, soothing waters. He will give it, or will be forced to give it everything he has, no matter how scarred he is.

Because that's how much she now means to him..

Love or not, She surely is his Home for now..

Like he said yesterday in his Jaane se Pehle moments - Her friendship Breathes Life into Him.. ❤️

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Please feel free to agree, disagree and discuss.. I'll try and reply as and when time permits..

P.S. I'm being humble here, but I think I've fallen in love with KaYa head over heels after writing all of that..

Oh! And here's a small treat.. (Posting it in the Gallery as well..) 😉

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XV2BHEkU5c[/YOUTUBE]

Direct Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XV2BHEkU5c

Avantika.. 🤗