Tug of war : Heart Vs Mind

ASR and Khushi : These two most certainly tend to think clearer and better when they are far apart from each other 😆……When together, sparks fly, tempers soar leading them to channelize their energy and minds towards outdoing the other (not that I am complaining about the 'Tom & Jerry' chase!!) 👍🏼

Distance : It not only made Khushi's heart grow fonder!!! But also, alerted her mind to the probable danger lurking over ASR…… It induced her to think beyond his 'I love you' – the 3 sweet words that were wrenched from deep within ASR…..The same 3 words that Khushi (and us crazy fans!!) wanted to hear past countless months……!! ❤️

Delicious ASR : Sobti, seriously….. Anyone can play ASR???!!!! Don't you ever, ever, ever say that again…..Impeccable as always….Each and every expression beautifully conveyed the inner turmoil of my delicious ASR….. (Sigh, how can anyone look good enough to eat even when tied to a chair with a gun pointing to his head??? W*F!!!!!) …… 😍

ASR's tactful MIND : My heart bled seeing how he handled each member of his family so thoughtfully…… You can simply not take ASR out of this man even when he is kidnapped!!! His irritation apparent when Anji keeps asking him if he was fine, his cutting short Akash when asked about the deal in Scotland and lastly, his brisk 'stop' to Khushi while she sobbed…..Throughout, ASR seemed in control of his words and his feelings…..Even when the kidnappers pointed that gun to his face, ASR did not squirm a bit….His arrogance intact, he glares straight into the kidnapper's eyes and the gun in pure disgust!!! His eyes clearly telling the kidnapper to untie him and remove the gun so that he cam show him who actually will win the battle of equals!!!!

ASR's controlled MIND slips : The first time he lost control a tiny bit was when he told Akash to take care of Di *pause*----- and Khushi….. Even taking her name seemed difficult….. He detested himself for caring about her, yet he could not stop himself from telling Akash to do exactly that ….

ASR's selfless HEART : When Khushi comes on the phone, he is unsure of what he wants to say especially after their bitter goodbye at the airport….. Her stifled sobs are his undoing even though he doesn't know whether those tears are for real or just an act in front of his family…..He tries to placate her true ASR style….Assures her that he is fine ….But nothing works….We see ASR battling with his inner turmoil ….He wants to say something to her, yet keeps holding himself back…..And just when we all thought that we would never ever hear ASR saying those three delightful words, he finally lost his assembled control and confessed his innermost feelings..….His heart for once took over his head….….He is beyond care whether Khushi loves him in return…. He does not know if he will ever see her…. He had to get his feelings out of his system once and for all …..He had to tell her one last time that she is the woman that he loves….. And he did just that – He told her he loved her because he wanted to…….!!!!!

That's the power of ASR's selfless love…. Even though he DOES NOT know that his Khushi is completely innocent, yet, he is unable to keep his true feelings buried within him….And that lifted him even higher in my eyes (if that's possible ROFL!!!)…. .. Deep down of course, he would have loved to hear her reciprocate…..And when there is no answer on the other end, he disconnected….. He is relieved to have poured his heart out but at the same time, he clutches hard the phone not believing he actually said that….He is somewhere also disgusted with himself for letting go of his non penetrating shield and becoming weak into admitting his love for a woman who he believes he hates…..He has always detested the feeling of weakness and helplessness…. He shuts his eyes tight, opens them and gets ready to face the kidnappers…..

'KHUSHI' : How she had waited for days to hear his deep, husky voice take her name…. And when he did, she closed her eyes in relief and let the dam break loose….. She couldn't believe she was finally hearing his voice after days….. After worrying herself sick over his safety, here he was talking to her finally……Reassuring her that he was good…..Telling her to not cry…. And then after a long pause and few failed attempts, the magic words poured out over the phone leaving her in a complete initial shock!!!! Her crying stopped, eyes widened……Then a single droplet rolled down her cheek….And just when she absorbed those words and a smile lighting up her face, ASR disconnected……She cradled the phone in her palms as if her life depended on it...

Khushi's ecstatic HEART dreams on : Her happiness knows no bounds…….She leaves the room unnoticed….Slowly and happily revisiting old memories when ASR never completed his sentence 'farak padtaa hai kyunki ………..' …… 'I love You' – The loop closed for her…..Vacuum in her heart filled ….. So consumed by his confession, she sees him everywhere…… She sees him in the dark room lighting the candles – an indication of bright new tomorrow ….. He gifted her the pearl string – the pearls which he had pulled apart when they had first met…..The pearl string now held together – promise of a secure future together……

Her dream sequence tells me that when the time comes, she will happily and readily accept ASR even after her innocence is proved….. She is not the person who will grudge anyone for long least of all the man that she loves from the core of her being….. She will forgive him easily…. That's what she did when she imagined him in the room with her after his words over the phone….. She immediately erased from her memory all the acrimony that existed between them…… She extended her hand and put her finger on his lips – not wanting to hear any explanations from him and yet assuring him that she is with him forever….. 'kuch naa kaho….kuch bhee naa kaho….kya kehna hai….kya sunna hai….tumko pataa hai….humko pataa hai…samay kaa yeh pal….tham saa gayaa hai….aur iss pal mein, koi nahin hai…bas ek mein hoon……bas ek tum ho….'

When ASR gives her the bottle with a message inside it saying 'I love you' , her happiness multiplies further…..Yet, there is pain on ASR's face when he gives her the bottle….Since, its Khushi's dream, I can only assume that the grief is due to the pain he caused her for so long….He cant believe how those 3 words made her forgive him so easily and lifted her spirits …..He regrets not having said them to her earlier….. And just when Khushi is over the moon reading his note, she realizes HE IS GONE….!

Khushi's MIND races : The moment Khushi snaps back to reality, her mind is restless…. Her fear of all not being well with ASR resurfaces in spite of those reassuring words…. She starts putting the jigsaw puzzles together – starting with calling up ASR only to find his phone back on voice mail, then ringing up the ever dependant Aman followed by a call to the airlines…. Khushi left no stone unturned and no loop open….As her eyes fell on the 'reached London' message, her mind started to race at a furious pace…..

Khushi's MIND questions : "Why did he say those words all of a sudden in that peculiar tone??? He has never spoken with me like that (yeah right!!!)……. How could he say 'I love you' so fast, so easy just after saying those hurtful things, making me cry and not giving me a chance to prove my innocence???? Was he trying to say something more to me beyond what he said???

Khushi's MIND decodes : ASR is most certainly in some trouble…. If things were alright, he would have never uttered those words… He is most certainly in some danger….

Go Khushi go…. Am awaiting day the mighty delicious ASR tells you 'Khushi tumhaarey paas jo hai ussey dimaag kahtey hai' and the day you tell ASR 'Arnavji aapkey paas jo hai ussey dil kahtey hain' ………!!!!!