Think of the gulf that divides a king like me
From a girl raised by fawns, innocent in the ways of passion.
Remember too my friend, what's said in jest, shouldn't be taken in some other fashion.
- Act 2, The Recognition of Shakuntala by Kalidasa (translation W.J. Johnson)
It is a dark, velvety night in Bhopal. People settle down to sleep while Bundelkhandi thieves check out open windows and jimmy some locks. Outside, lanky flea infested street dogs set up their nocturnal panchayats. But today, these are mundane daily happenings and none of it interests SKBM phankas, many of whom brave a sleepless night wondering what exactly Prince Lamba Achamba's intentions towards his Pachmarhi Princess are.
At the Shiv temple Brija exchange jaimalas in the presence of Samsher and the driver. They sit near the havan and Puja looks dazed, however when BBP turns to look at her a bit worried, she smiles at him. The priest asks about who would give away the bride (kanyadaan); Puja thinks about her father. But our handy dandy Samsher steps in and offers to take on the role. Puja mentally apologizes to her parents and says that she loves BBP and cannot refuse him. She is sure that even if they will be displeased at her actions, they will understand and will forgive her for this huge step. (At this junction, you realize the difference in the security of the two worlds she comes from. She trusts her parents' affection but is uncertain of her chosen life partner's! Why else would she have given into his emotional blackmail?)
At the ex-love nest a frantic Arti (in the living-cum-dining room) tries to find out about Puja's whereabouts from Bhavana who is of no help. Meanwhile the senior Tiwaris are hunkering down to sleep in a bedroom. Harivansh asks Sumitra about Puja. He is worried and tells Sumitra that he does not understand why Puja has to stay out all night. Sumitra says that BBP told her the world of artists has unusual and bizarre timings (IMHO - spot on). Moreover, Puja was not alone, she had BBP with her. Harivansh tells Sumitra that she is merely placating him, he knows she too is concerned.
At Daddaji's haveli, Rangoli is poring over her wedding photographs in an album. She looks at a picture of BBP and says aloud that he has no choice but to be married to her because if once she has claimed ownership, she would gouge out the eyes of anyone who so much as glanced at him. She then wonders aloud where BBP was; what meeting was he attending so late in the night. She picks up the phone calls BBP. When she is unable to get him, she calls Samsher who steps back behind a pillar in the temple and tells her that BBP is in an important meeting and that his phone is dead. After putting down the phone, Rangoli starts gnashing and pulverizing her teeth. She says that if BBP tried any more cunning ploys on her, she would not let him get away scott free.
At the Shiv temple the Brija wedding continues. Brija take pheras. Puja looks distressed and zombified. BBP ties the mangalsutra and applies sindoor to her. The priest declares that they are married. 😕
Brija are at a cheesy hotel room on a couch. There are lots of candles in the room (what is up with this candle stuff). There is an ice bucket with champagne (I think) on a low table in front of them. Puja protests saying she has never had alcohol. And in a low voice BBP assures her that from now she is his responsibility and pops the cork on the bottle of bubbly. On cue, an ugly plaster model of two people embracing falls to the floor and shatters. BBP pours out a very modest (yes I am a self-confessed lush) amount of the bubbly into a long stemmed glass, toasts and persuades Puja to drink. She grimaces at the taste and downs it nevertheless. She dislikes the taste and says as much and BBP chides her saying they should down the entire bottle together. Puja looks a bit lost but does as he says (okay this girl has the survival instinct of endemic island fauna). BBP pulls Puja to her feet. When she is woozy on her feet (uff, you should have listened to your mother and at least had dinner), he does some heavy lifting, pulling her into his arms. When an obviously drunk Puja asks him what he is doing, BBP in a gruff voice responds "nothing at all". He then pops our inebriated Puja onto the bed in the room and starts kissing her (this is indeed beginning to look like a date rape, not the seduction that she deserves). The camera pans across a spotty carpet to the broken plaster lovers on the floor 🤢.
Puja returns to the ex-lovenest. A worried Arti opens the front door and asks Puja where she was. When Puja responds supposedly innocently, Arti smells alcohol on Puja's breath and slaps her accusingly. Puja's purse falls to the floor and opens to spill out the managalsutra. Arti spots it and picks it up and asks Puja about it. Puja tells her she just got married and that she should keep it a secret ' BBP has asked her to keep it under wraps. As Puja rambles, Arti lifts her hair to see remnants of the sindoor under her hairline. She at first begs Puja to say it is all a big joke; that what she was saying was all a big mistake. But Puja continues to tell Arti that her sibling's worst nightmares have indeed come true. Cluelessly she babbles, after all she was in love, this was bound to happen some day. How could Arti think that this was a mistake. It is then that Arti shatters Puja's rosy bubble; she says BBP had not married Puja, but duped her. This was a fake marriage because BBP was already married. When Puja protests saying that surely Arti was misinformed, the older sister tells her that everyone in the town knew he was married. And not only that, he was married to Ragoli, daddaji's daughter. Rangoli Pandey was the one who had kidnapped Arti. Puja looks shell shocked .
Precap: Snip from Episode 1. Puja is shot by Mr. crazy hair and Mr. curly hair.
Comment: Was this a gandharva vivaah or a pisaccha vivaah (i.e., secret wedding or one to a girl not in her senses)?
LOL!!! (and I give a head shake)...
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