Posted:
Thoughts:
- MMP come back from the doctor's office laughing their heads. While it's nice to see them being chill, I'm confused about the timeline. Are they returning after college or was the appointment during those hours? I don't know how Indian college systems are set up, but during exam week, do students only show up at school for their exams or do they attend regular lectures as well?
- The Khuranas getting ice cream for Mickey was cute. I am a bit surprised by how chill they were about him but given everything that has happened to them lately, I guess Preet having a boyfriend is something quite mundane.
- Mickey is bang on about Babes not being happy with him staying back and Minnie & Preet forcing him to stay behind. It's quite ridiculous to be honest. This whole situation has been set up for a major blowout. Also, Minnie's dialogues sounded so fake to me. It was almost as if she was trying to convince herself that Babes truly is young at heart, open minded and has no problems with Mickey. I've seen that kind of behavior before where we try to present our parents as being totally chill in front of our friends because we don't want them to think we have a lot of restrictions imposed on us. In Minnie's case, it's quite silly considering how close she is to the two. And her muttering, "Hopefully" to herself is a clear indication that she doesn't know how her own mother is going to react to things nowadays. Pre-marriage she knew her mother inside out, but post-marriage, she's seeing a totally different side to her. It sucks that she has to walk around eggshells with her but it's understandable since she doesn't know what will trigger Babes anymore.
Also, considering that Mickey comes from a really conservative family, he has a better understanding about what the limits are between a man and a woman. Granted, he was a total chichora when he was first introduced, but he has made a considerable amount of growth since then. Hanging out with Minnie, knowing all the problems she and Babes have gone through, he must have surely pondered about some very serious topics. How a person can become vulnerable to developing various mental health issues, how the complexities of the brain affect one's behavior and motivates their action, or even how a third person react / support a person in delicate situations.
In many ways, I find him to be HS-lite. He's beginning to understand the complex and delicate relationship between men and women. However, he's not going to allow his gender to pose as an issue from helping out a friend. I'm sure that if Minnie had been a guy, he would have offered the same kind of support as he's doing to her now.
Out of all the characters, I am super impressed with Mickey and how he's turning out to be.
- Babes' conversation with Naeem Bi is major LOL. While peeling potatoes, she's getting angry at Kammo for saying all those mean things about her daughter. Umm... okay?? Where was all this talk when Kammo was ACTUALLY saying it to her face?? Why didn't Babita speak up then?
For a woman who has always taken her daughter's advice to heart, how is she showing such a huge lack of trust in her? She's constantly going to Naeem Bi for validation that Minnie won't be another Meeta. I'm glad that Naeem Bi didn't fall for it and kept bouncing it back to her. She's YOUR DAUGHTER, shouldn't you know what kind of girl she is?
Her wariness of Mickey is understandable. As she pointed out, she has known Bobby for a long time and knows what kind of boy he is. Ironic, since Bobby's the one who's constantly flirting with Minnie while Mickey dropped that a long time ago and is now happy with just being her friend. Granted, Babita doesn't know Mickey that well, but did she ever try to get to know him? She pointed out how she saw him constantly hovering around Minnie, but did she not see what he was doing? He was busy helping her, plan out your wedding Babes. He was literally right there all the time. Why didn't she ever make the effort to get to know him better? Or better yet, if she had such a huge problem with his hovering, then why didn't she tell him to back off? After all, it was during the shaadi that there were so many people coming in and out. All eyes would have been on the family, so why didn't she ever speak up then? Oh wait, that's because she was too busy with her problems to pay attention to her own beti.
I can understand the fear that she has as a mother though. These teenage / early twenty years are filled with rapid changes and crazy hormones. Confusing crushes with true love, wanting to experiment or even explore themselves romantically or sexually - for them it's all new and exciting, but for parents it's horrifying and stress inducing. There is SO much that can go wrong, especially when unprotected sex is involved. No matter how much parents trust their children, there is that fear that they might get carried away whether it's due to peer pressure or otherwise. Now, we know that Minnie is sensible and that she won't engage in activities like pre-marital sex, but these are growing times for Minnie. While she may not have any interest in it right now, who knows what her opinion might be later on.
Also, just want to put it out there, just because people have pre-marital sex, it doesn't mean that they are bad people. The important thing is that it should be safe, and consensual.
Naeem Bi is right that Minnie shares everything with Babita, but that was the old Minnie. There's a lot that she keeps to herself now and again, it's understandable. And given the way she's going to snap at Minnie today, I wouldn't be too surprised if Minnie starts hiding everything from her. The two women just don't know each other anymore.
Also, what does "Ithiminan" mean?
- Naeem Bi freaking out and calling HS was everything for me. When in time of need, she reaches out to her son first. <3
- Loved how both Babita and Ruksana were standing behind Naeem Bi in this shot while the men were off to the side.
Also, Babita just looks so done with Khatri right now.
(Or it might be Paridhi bored out of her mind. At this point, who really knows.
)
So Irfaan confirmed what I had assumed about him before. He really does restrict Ruksana from doing a lot of things and this gendered comment regarding property matters proves it. I don't see him as being the violent type, but he is very strict on areas that she can interfere with. I wonder how long and how hard Ruksana had to try to convince him to let her work. I think his agreement is also dependent on the fact that she chose to go into the teaching field. If it had been anything else, I doubt he would have said yes. I'm feeling quite bad for her. I don't know what type of community or friends she has, but surely she must have felt restricted in her own home. Having Naeem Bi as a support would have done wonders for her. Not to mention, it would just be nice to have another woman in the house. Even though she would have loved it, she's still willing to let her MIL stay behind because it's what she wants. And no one would understand the importance of having the ability to pursue their wants than her. So what if she's limited by her husband? At least she can lend her support to Naeem Bi so that she doesn't get suppressed.
Irfaan's tongue is no less than a meethi churri. I appreciate the actor here because there is no spite behind Irfaan's words. While his words are hurtful, they're soft spoken, and have this odd quality of politeness and respect. It's a weird juxtaposition that makes his statements that much more painful.
Won't say much about him calling Babita a homewrecker, him not wanting to instigate Ruksana more, or him calling himself shareef. It's all...
Khatri's getting muft ka entertainment though.
Liked how Naeem Bi didn't refrain from calling him out though. As she said, there's no decency involved when he's trying to sell the house against her will. He may have stood up as an act of intimidation and defiance, but again, his voice and tone didn't match what one would expect from such actions. He's still polite and soft with her.
HS arrives but he's at a distant at the moment. The red and silver string beads make him appear as if he's behind bars. Ironic, considering he's a police inspector, but it also calls back to the many times he would have had to stand behind those bars and watch Naeem Bi sort through her family matters on her own. After all, he's not related by blood but emotionally, he's absolutely entwined with her. Today, Naeem Bi called upon him as her son. There's no way he would have backed down from being there for her.
He pushes aside those measly barriers and walks over to his mother's side and right off the bat confronts Irfaan. HS' comment on his education is true. There's no point in having so many degrees and certificates if you don't have the manners or sense to know how to talk to your own mother. There's a certain line that you don't cross, or if there's something that you want, there's a way to put it forward. Taking things to court is ugly, and filing a case against your own mother is horrendous. And what did Irfaan think will happen in the aftermath? Does he really think that Naeem Bi will go along with happily? Or live the rest of her life with him not resenting him for putting her through such an ordeal?
I don't doubt that Irfaan has a lot of respect for Naeem Bi. I think he's the eldest and undoubtedly he must have seen the abuse she went through. For Naeem Bi to get through it all and still be the wise, caring woman that she is - he must see and respect the strength that goes into that. But on the flip side, for him to say that his father did him wrong by putting the house in Naeem Bi's name is just...
What's his problem with women and property? It's such a highly misogynistic line of thinking. I'm both surprised and not surprised by his mentality. Besides, where did he expect his mother to go after her husband died? It's not like he ever asked her to go with him. He's only asking now since it'll suit his interest.
Btw, how can Irfaan file against a wrongful will? What are the legalities that go behind such a case?
Again, loved how Naeem Bi stood up in defiance to him and refused to bend to his will. It broke her heart to know that her own flesh and blood will file a case against her that will render her homeless. It doesn't matter to her that Irfaan is her child. She won't stand by and let injustice pass, especially when it comes to her. Not after all that she had to bear at the hand of her husband.
How can Irfaan does this to his own Ammi?
- Naeem Bi walking into her home and seeing her jaan, her Immu naively playing with his toys was the most heartbreaking moment of today's episode. Immu running to her saying he was all alone was crushing as that's how Naeem Bi has lived for years. All alone, away from her family so that they can create a better life for themselves and him.
He ran into her arms because there's immense love, warmth and security. She hugged him back he gives her the courage to keep going, and acts as the light on her darkest days. After all, everything she's been through and continues to go through is to ensure a better future for him. I'm sure that if Naeem Bi writes her own will, she would have transferred over her share to Imraan. She may not have a lot, but at least she can pass the house on as a part of a legacy to the Baig family.
Naeem Bi's raised hands as Imraan runs out of her arms and to his mother's - again, heartbreaking. It was a split second but she was attacked with an empty coldness. The light that was in her arms a moment ago, was gone. The void was back and she was left feeling hollow.
I still appreciate Ruksana trying to comfort Naeem Bi. From their brief interaction, they seem to have a polite relationship but it's not super close. Ruksana is definitely trying and I know with time these two would have one of the best MIL / DIL relationships ever. They would truly be #goals. But fact of the matter is that despite Ruksana's wishes, they're not close. Still, she recognizes the fact, steps aside and lets her MIL be comforted by the appropriate people. First, Beeji and now HS. It makes sense especially this time around since only a son can somewhat heal her MIL's bleeding heart.
Hanita share a look before HS goes towards Naeem Bi. It's for a split second, but there was a conversation. He needs to step up and go to her as only he can comfort her right now.
Jean, this scene was short but I really do feel like it was made for us. I would have preferred if it had been longer but given the way the show is being written nowadays, it's no less than a miracle that we got this in the first place.
(It's blurry but it's the best that I can do since these were very quick movements.)
His eyes glistening with tears...
...reddened with pain because he's having to comfort his crying mother.
Mhaari maa nahi hai, aur jiski hai usko khadar nahi. << The perfect dialogue to sum up the entire episode. Irfaan's behavior with his mom was not correct. He's young and can make all these trips to court. But Naeem Bi? He's going to make her go through all this at this age? Heck, he's going to make his OWN MOTHER go through all this heartbreak and turmoil in the first place?? It's not HS' heart that breaks, it's his soul.
No one understands the importance of a mother than a child who has had to lose her at a very young age. Whether it's during major milestones, or when his mind is conflicted, or on regular days when everything is going just fine; there is that silent ache in the back of his head of wanting his mother around. To have that warmth, love and security and just be at peace.
I loved how Naeem Bi playfully slapped him as if saying dhat, pagal. And her holding back her tears, taking in that sharp breath to give herself that extra bit of courage to be strong for her son, her true son - aahhh!! It was so good!! Props to Sandhya ji for enacting that bit. Her main hoon na, spoken with that slight insistence as if she was reassuring him - just this woman, this mother. 
Naeem Bi saying this fight against her son is a small matter given the many battles she has already won thus far, HS' momentary curve of his lips were a nod to her past triumphs. However, him looking towards Babita was also him saying that it may not be as easy as he says it is. This is a fight against her son. A mother fighting against their child is never a pretty or easy event. It's hell for everyone involved, but twice as much for the parent.
Idk how many times she has asked HS for something important but this one was soft. It was different. It was laced with a heaviness that a parent never wants to bestow upon their child. She simply asked him to arrange the best lawyer for her as she fully intends on fighting the case herself. It's not a differentiation between blood, rather a demonstration that she's not so for gone that she needs her battles to be fought by someone else. Unlike her son, she doesn't need to hide behind a third party. She's more than capable of fighting her own fights and coming out of them triumphant.
Just when you think you couldn't love her anymore! - Babita rushes into the Haveli, heavily distressed. The day's events have her extremely stressed out. First Kammo passing her remarks on Minnie taking on the characteristics of her step mother Meeta made her flustered. Then Irfaan's comment about her not being shareef because she got a divorce also shocked her. Finally, Irfaan's blatant defiance and the way he's treating his own mother rattled her.
It's best to be childless than to have a child like this. Shayad mujh mein hi koi kammi rahe gayi thi. << Ufh! Naeem Bi questioning herself to this extent is excruciating. We all know how good of a mother she is. It's not her fault that her son failed to pick up on her moral lessons or her general goodness.
While Babita reflects on these words, she thinks about what Kammo said as well. Of how kids learn from their parents, and of how Minnie is going after her mother and Meeta. What I didn't understand from this sequence was how Babita left Naeem Bi's home so abruptly. I get that she probably got overwhelmed, but it was also a bit rude.
Loll, cue in Minnie running after Mickey. This nothing less than adding fuel to Babita's fire. In a way, I don't mind MMP having some mindless fun. After all the stress that Minnie's been in, she needs some chill time. And it's not like it was just MiMi who were goofing off. Preet was there too and she was just as involved, but of course Babita will only see MiMi. And another thing, if Mickey drew on Minnie's face, then obviously Minnie will chase after him to get revenge. Why would she go after Preet?
Chalo, let's put that aside for a moment cuz I wanna talk about the Senior Citizens. The Khuranas finally return with the ice cream with smiles that will make Colgate proud. First of all I wanna know from what special shop did they go to buy this ice cream? Or did they hunt down a cow, milk it, go to a jungle, find some special herbs, mix it with the milk and make the ice cream themselves? 
Bottom line is I wanna what the heck took the Khuranas so long???? I wanna know! 
Now, coming back to Toofani Express, Minnie has finally upgraded herself from running after Makhan Singh to grabbing his collar. That too in front of Babita! And the Veer Balika prize goes to you, Minnie!
Par yeh kya! Babita has flashbacks to when she grabbed HS' collar.
OMG! Babita thinks that Minnie too will fall in love. That too with a guy named Makkhan Singh!! 
Yeh kaisa gor paap karne jaa ri hai yeh chhori.
LMAO, Makkhan ne tujhe cartoon bana ke rakh diya? Now that's a joke.
Yikes! Koi situation ko kaise awkward banaye, yeh toh koi tum se seekhe Babita.
I get what she's saying, but like dude... come on... you don't scold your daughter and tell her these things in front of people, especially her friends. You take her to the side, sit her down and then talk it over, that too CALMLY. You don't blast at her. Granted that's how Minnie spoke to her, but there was a major difference: there was no third party present in that confrontation. They both had equals go's at each other but Minnie had shushed her up while Babita had no come backs. Today, there were grandparents and her friends present and it's obvious that Minnie didn't want to make a scene. Hence, her soft and hushed tones. She didn't want to escalate matters but Babita had different plans. She wanted to unleash EVERYTHING on her without pausing to consider whether she's right or not.
Running around after a guy - okay, I can see why a conservative mind like her will find that wrong. She doesn't agree with it. Okay, I can get behind that, even respect it. She doesn't want this type of behavior under her roof, okay. Peace, chill, I get you. But why can't she tell her this in a CALM and RATIONAL way? It's not like she's had this conversation with Minnie multiple times before and she's still choosing to defy her. She has LEGIT never had this talk with her. LMAO, imagine Babita's reaction when she finds that MiMi danced together in the streets of Patiala, that too at night.
I felt the worst for Mickey here. He already knew that Babes didn't like his being there and now Minnie got in trouble because of him. Considering how he's always trying to make her smile and relieve her of all stresses and troubles, it must have hurt him even more knowing that this siyappa in her life happened because of him.
Babita blasting them while exams are coming up is totally reasonable. Even I'm with her that they should be focusing on their studies but I'm giving the kids benefit of the doubt because we don't know how hard they've studied so far. It's not like the CVs are going to dedicate an entire episode on them studying. That'll be hella boring. And we've seen from previous episodes that Minnie is studying. Whether it's when she's with her grandparents, or at her own home, she's constantly with her books now. So if she takes a few minutes out to have some fun, I don't see anything wrong with that. You can't be in study mode 24/7. The brain needs a break so that it can not only retain information better but just so that it can relax a bit.
Where I draw the line is Babita attacking Preet & Mickey. Her telling Preet why is she pushing Minnie towards Mickey is just... major yikes! First of all, Minnie isn't an idiot. She knows her boundaries and is fully aware of not only her actions, but the space she takes around Mickey. We saw it when she called up Preet slyly to let her know that she was hanging out with him alone at night. She knows what it can look like and she doesn't even want a remote chance of complications arising between them. Besides, if Preet wasn't totally chill with MiMi's equation, then there's no way Minnie would have ever let herself be that close to Mickey.
LMAO Beeji, tu chup hi rahe toh better hai. Varna teri bhi vaat laga de gi Babita. Aaj isse koi ni rok sakta! BUT, if she still wanted to blast her, then I won't complain.
LMFAOOO, wah re Babita tera logic! Please! Enlighten us on what the TRUE meaning of friendship is. 
For that, let's just see how many friends do you have?
a) Poonam - childhood friend whom she lost touch with after she got married and only met again after 17 years. Also the woman whom Babita got jealous of and suspected HS heavily flirted with her because he likes her better.
b) HS - a new friend who helped her during the darkest period of her life by constantly guiding and supporting her in whichever way possible, whenever she needed. Also the man whom she ended up falling in love with and married.
c) ???
Loll, gotta hand it to you Babita. You're a true expert.
My take on this is that not everyone's understanding of friendship is the same. Depending on the people we meet, we have different equations with them. The times and people we grow up in also affect our understanding of a lot of things. Taking things a little personally, compared to me, my parents and my brother have a lot more friends than I do. The kind of emotional connection that I need differs greatly from theirs. Friends are friends and given the difference in our generations, only people our current age can understand the type of issues we go through. If we look at how far things have advanced in the past fifty years, it honestly appears to be a completely different era. Technology has advanced, laws have changed, and society has progressed. With all these advancements, people's needs have altered as well. Thus, for Babita to dismiss Minnie's friendship with Mickey just because it doesn't match with her understanding of what friendship is, is not right. If she was so strict with the funda of men and women can't be friends, then what the heck was up with her and HS? By that logic, she should never have been friends with him. She should never have shared her woes, cracked jokes, played pranks, and sure as hell, never should have gotten so close to him. But she did. And if she dismisses this by saying that what she and HS shared was pure, then I can throw it right back at her and say that what MiMi share is also pure. Just like no one can understand her better than HS, no one can understand Minnie better than Mickey. The difference between the two is that Hanita ended up falling in love while MiMi have not.
Now to her next point: Mickey is Preet's boyfriend and there's no need for Minnie to be friends with him. Umm... what?? Why wouldn't I want to know my best friend's boyfriend? Alienating him or giving him the cold shoulder is super rude. Granted there's a distance that should be maintained, but again, MiMi aren't kids. They're sensible teenagers. They know what their limits are and they will never cross them. And hasn't it been a while since Babita has known about MP dating? So why did she never think of all this before? Why is it NOW that it's become a huge problem for her? Because Kammo's words?
Another major yikes! moment - her bluntly asking Minnie what's her interest in Mickey... Babes, come on! You do NOT ask these kind of questions to your daughter that too IN FRONT OF OTHERS. It's absolutely mortifying! And then the audacity she had to ask her if she wants to be another Meeta. EVERYONE in that room knows what Meeta represents: the Other Woman, the home wrecker etc. For Babita to accuse Minnie of this...
LMFAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO @ Mickey is my boyfriend and Minnie is his soulmate.
I swear, I did NOT see that one coming and each time I see that scene, I get the same reaction. She starts it off so confidently too! Babes please! Lemme me tell you what we really are. 
Mickey is my boyfriend and Minnie is his soulmate, okay? 
DKM Preet Kaure, DKM!
It's good that Preet straight up told Babes that she has no insecurities when it comes to MiMi cuz now Babes can't even use Preet as a weapon to fire at Minnie. Which to be honest, was low even for her. She's always been in the habit of hiding behind someone or another but for her to do so with Preet was just sad.
The sight of Mickey leaving all bandaged up was super sad. Can't really explain it but gave this really old vibe of someone helpless being denied the right to stay at a refuge. The bg score didn't help either as it just emphasized that image for me. Still, being the great friend that he is, he turned back once for Minnie, to see her mouth out an apology to him, but his single long blink was a reassurance that he didn't take anything to heart. He understands, and he truly does, as he knew from the start that Babes wasn't happy with him staying behind. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already thinking of limiting the amount of time he spends with her just so that she doesn't get into any more trouble. In a way, that pains me because he shouldn't be put in that spot. He has never wished ill of Minnie. He completely understands the consequences of his actions, and yet he still takes those risks so that Minnie can be happy. I can't explain how special he is to her because there aren't that many people out there who would go that far to keep her happy. (I know HS is there but he's singing a different tune these days. And to some extent, even he can't see nor understand Minnie the way Mickey does.) I hope we get to see a MiMi scene on Monday. I want these two to remain BFFs till they grow old and get grey hair.
- Precap: Minnie is still trying to speak to Babes calmly, which given everything, kudos to her. Babes was obviously comparing her situation to MiMi's, so it's not wrong for Minnie to talk about the same. But I have to say that MiMi is FAR more simple and easy to understand than Hanita. In MiMi's case, Mickey first liked Minnie but she never liked him romantically. He fell out of love with her and was content at being her friend. This is totally understandable given their age. Teenagers are constantly undergoing changes, and romantic feelings is just one of them. Crushes develop and they subside. What they consider to be true love gets proven to be just an infatuation. It's totally normal.
With adults however, it's a lot more complicated, and in the case of Hanita, complication was taken for a ride out to space. HS' past history with Imarti and his mom, and then Babita with being cheated on, the divorce, and then the character assassination - it was all too much. HS loved her first but kept a tight control over his feelings (except that one time when he didn't). Babita however was all over the place. (Even now, I feel like she's all over the place as her love for him is still a huge question mark for me, but that's besides the point.)
Given what she had to suffer at the hands of Ashok, her husband, a man, it's completely understandable that she would have been wary of wanting to be with HS. There will be so many fears and insecurities and there's no way she would have wanted to make herself be that vulnerable in front of someone again. But it still ended up happening because it wasn't just any man, it was HS. Someone whom she came to trust when she had lost all faith in herself. Someone whom she found no problems going to in the middle of the night when she found herself to be lost or stuck in a dilemma. He's also the man to whom she gave full rights to over her daughter. The fact that he had proven himself to be worthy of being Minnie's father, was reason enough for her to in some ways let go of her inhibitions, and allow herself to fall in love with him. She cried for him, yearned for him, had her heart break into pieces so sharp that they made it hard for her to breathe. Yes, she let go of control but only because it was him.
Minnie too has been vulnerable in front of Mickey, but it's of a different kind. Minnie was able to get through her depressive period in one piece because of him. He was the only one who stood by her when everyone else abandoned her. He has become the one person to whom she shares everything with because he too, has proven himself worthy of holding that position. He has never tried to take advantage of her vulnerabilities or her weaknesses. Rather, he has always pulled her back when she takes things too far and tries to show her alternative pathways. He grounds her, calms her, and most importantly, helps her to grow into the best version of herself.
Now, do we know what MiMi's future holds? No, we don't. Should we have all the answers right now? No, we shouldn't. Like I said before, feelings change over time. Who knows, maybe down the line Preet & Mickey mutually fall out of love or because of their life aspirations, they end up breaking things off but choose to remain friends. Or, it's entirely possible that MiMi do develop romantic feelings for each other but choose not to act upon it. Or Minnie ends up falling in love with Mickey but doesn't do or say anything for MP's sake. Or Mickey's old feelings get rekindled but doesn't say anything because he doesn't want to hurt Preet's feelings or jeopardize his friendship with Minnie. The point I'm trying to make is that NOTHING IS GUARANTEED. But that doesn't mean that you break off whatever beautiful relationship you currently have for something that might or might not happen. That's not how life works. Falling in and out of love, being on cloud nine or at the bottom of a pit - those are all parts of life that people have to go through. Without one, you can't appreciate the other.
As for the thappad, I think it's taken out of context. Minnie had to have said something else to warrant it. Otherwise for Babita to slap her just because she said she and Mickey aren't confused like her and HS...
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