1.) Gradual love -
No, I could see the gradual love.
Just from the Kamar baand scene when she was highly uncomfortable, to even their first engagement when she was uncomfortable, and then to Lohri when she made her promise to Ishaan, and then to her feeding Ishaan, hugging him, buying him gifts, writing him a note (and her smile when she is writing it). It is very evident how their relationship gradually evolved.
Kissing - Remember when Mishti was mad at her Mama once (when she found out Kunal is her dad, she was miffed with him, Mauli's car broke down, Kunal gave them a ride home and Mishti was livid) and so Mauli called Ishaan to manao Mishti and Ishaan asked Mishti what he can do to bring back her smile and Mishti said that everybody's parents hold hands/kiss but Mauli and Ishaan don't so Ishaan went and kissed Mauli on the cheek, and as he was leaning in to kiss her, Mauli asked "Tum kya kare hu?" cause she was uncomfortable and Ishaan said he is just fulfilling Mishti's demand. Mauli was highly unncomfortable.
Contrast that directly with the kiss he gave her on the forehead when he was on the balcony, and was trying to convince her to act as Kunal's wife. Mauli didn't mind that kiss at all.
Or the flying kiss he sent her at the picnic, she was straight up blushing!
Love - When Ishaan in the kamarband scene told Mauli he hopes she will be his wife, again, she was uncomfortable.
Contrast that with when in this whole ML track, he has hugged her and told her he misses her or loves her, she has smiled, and it was a real happy smile.
Also, adding a few more things to this:
Comfortableness - What Mauli had with Ishaan in the beginning and their jokes and his cheesy lines etc. was indeed friendship, but again beyond that she was uncomfortable. Her getting comfortable and smiling in their hugs, her feeding him, her CALLING him Ishaan Mauli Srivastav (thereby almost claiming him or saying unka naam jur gaya hai), her sleeping on his shoulder - this is conservative Mauli. She keeps things platonic, and would NEVER be that "friendly" with someone. This is her PDA. It isn't getting into bed like KuNan because again she is conservative, but she wouldn't sleep on someone's shoulder who was her "friend." The episode where she asks him what he wants for his birthday and puts her hands on his shoulders again and again. Trust me, that wasn't platonic.
2.) She has always stood up for Ishaan when he was ill-treated. When Kunal pushed Ishaan at the restaurant, Mauli called out to him and fought with Kunal when they got home.
When Kunal misbehaved with Ishaan on Valentine's again, Mauli fought with Kunal.
When Kunal got physical with Ishaan the other day (when Kunal caught them red-handed hugging), Mauli again told Kunal to get off of him and when she realized he wasn't listening, only then she asked Ishaan to be sensible and stop.
When Kunal tried to lunge at Ishaan yesterday in the hospital room, she sat up to tell Kunal to stop.
3.) Kunal catching a headache - seriously, she left him with a headache (his fake headache rather, but she never knew it was fake) to come meet with Ishaan, apologize to him (like literally wasn't that this Monday, when Kunal catches them red-handed and hugging).
She has only ran to Kunal or prioritized him if his health is actually in danger or if she has some fear he will die, to me that is humanity, even I would do that and secondly Kunal is her family. She may not be in love with him, but she loves him and cares for him. Even Ishaan cares for him. The other day when Mauli was confronting Kunal to help him regain his memory and she was pressing on him to remember Ganesh Chathurthi, Ishaan actually told Mauli to stop, cause he was even worried about Kunal. In fact, Ishaan was the one that reassured Mauli to act as Kunal's wife - so are we going to say that Ishaan prioritizes Kunal over Mauli and her feelings? No. They are both just good people, for me at least, it is not hard to understand/decipher/dissect.
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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