Where are the ShiVi we fell for, writers?!!

I am too pissed these days to gather the motivation to make anymore posts. I miss the days when I would wait to wake up to catch a glimpse of Shiva and Raavi in the day's episode even though I knew they would only have a small scene, if they had one at all - those small scenes were packed with meaning and drew you in with the allure of all that churned unsaid in the air between them. I couldn't stop rewatching those token scenes leading up to the wedding, and I spent a lot of time rewinding to catch every microexpression of the wonderfully cryptic character Shiva, especially in Raavi's presence. The only problem I had with the ENTIRE show at that point was Shiva's manhandling - even that made sense when you explored the character's headspace, albeit not being justifiable.

I came for the couple, stayed for their beautifully crafted, unique and indecipherable connection, and fell in love with the feel-good family vibe. This show used to cheer me up on days I felt miserable, it worked like magic on many of us dealing with a depressing state of worldly affairs. It was simple, heartfelt and pure love with the littlest amount of drama and felt soothing to watch.

Where is that show? Where are the Shiva and Raavi I came here for? 

I am too frustrated to elaborate, but I will use this thread to curate some eloquently penned, on-point responses from the EDT as I don't want these posts to go unnoticed in the rush of the EDT in case the forum gets stalked. I really hope the writers go through these opinions and realize what we fell in love with and what they're letting go of.

Please feel free to pen your opinions of the same here. I intend this to be a ShiVi specific thread, without any dissecting of other characters or discussion of arcs - the aim is to do our bit to get the point across to the CVs, as silly as that might sound.

PS. I hope the users don't mind my copying their responses here

Originally posted by: Raingoddess

I feel like ShiVi’s relationship is slowly becoming shallow & it’s because of the writing... the acting is not the issue. 

And its true especially from Raavi’s side. It’s more about nok jhoks and cutesy moments (which are fine in moderation) but they are missing the deep connection that was shown in the past. I’m not saying she has to love him or care for him. But whatever the case is, keep her consistent. Don’t throw these lollipops at the fans to keep them happy. It’s almost as if she doesn’t respect him but expects something from him. 

She doesn’t respect him. Fine. Then start from there and slowly build up to a point where she does. Like I mentioned the other day, the tension between the two & Shiva’s hidden emotions drew me to ShiVi, along with the complexity in their relationship. Hope the writers realize that and build on it. I rather get meaningful scenes of other characters rather than scenes of ShiVi that serve no purpose. And if they can’t fix it, don’t mess up what’s already there (case in point Raavi’s dialogue today). 

Originally posted by: milkcakejamun

The most beautiful part of this show was discerning whether Shiva had feelings for Raavi and whether Raavi cared more for Shiva than she ever did for Dev and was just blinded. All those scenes pre-marriage, where she put the haldi first on Shiva, where she looked towards Shiva during her wedding, where she essentially said she'll "correct" Shiva with her love... those scenes were so heartwarming as it portrayed two childhood frenemies who felt something more.

My favorite ShiVi scene so far was during the bus ride where Dhara makes Raavi reveal to the audience that she cared about Shiva's hunger in her childhood. I don't know why we can't get more such scenes of the two of them. I also don't know why a single abandonment episode has made her forget the years of memories she's had with the guy. If she truly didn't care about Shiva, then she wouldn't have called him over during the mehendi ceremony, she wouldn't have started her haldi ceremony with him, etc. 

Fanfiction writers have been doing better at exploring this unique relationship these two have. Maybe they are reserving this mature conversation for when Suman comes, because only she can move things forward. But even then, I'm wondering how I'll enjoy it especially after knowing that the two of them essentially have hit rock bottom. I know romance doesn't happen in a day, but for any relationship, basic trust must exist. And both of them need to fix this. Raavi needs to trust her husband, and Shiva needs to stop the anger he gets when he's with her.

Originally posted by: milkcakejamun

As much as I understand that there may be some limitations with the pandemic, I think the CVs have the pacing all wrong. They seem to emphasize scenes that aren't wanted and disregard scenes that should be expanded more upon.

If I was the CV for this show, or if I had the ability to re-write the past few episodes, this is what I would've done:

-Prolong the bonfire scene and give a chance for every couple to shine. Why bother having ShiVi dress so beautifully for a 2 minute dance and a 6 minute scene? They definitely could have expanded the scene by showing Shiva eating all of the kebabs Raavi made (instead of having Gautam comment on it as an after fact), they could've had a scene where everyone teases him about it, but he mumbles he doesn't discriminate when it comes to food. They could've showed a ShiVi dance where Raavi realizes that Shiva doesn't know how to slow dance, but is making the attempt anyway, and she could've helped him dance

-The Kesar drama could have been showed very hilariously if they really wanted to. They could've "leaked" ShiSh's plans so the entire family knows. But DevTa and GauRa+Raavi team together to scare ShiSh in their little prank. It could've been a whole riot to see the family scare each other without knowing the others know too. We could've even had GauRa teasingly scold ShiSh to never pull such a prank again or Kesar will come for them in their dreams.

-And then this whole puja... they could've set it up so prior to the puja, ShiVi talk about the expectations for their marriage. They could've talked about pretending in front of the entire family to prevent them from getting hurt, and they could've continued to have their silent war behind closed doors.

I know I only focused on ShiVi, but this is legit because I am angry with how the show basically destroyed everyone except ShiSh, even Raavi... after her dialogue today, I'm wondering how she'll believe Shiva in the future or even attempt to make amends. Her character is all over the place. Last night when he wanted to tell her something, it seemed like she wanted him to say something sweet. But then today, she doesn't want to believe in his innocence? How can you romance/want happiness with a man you don't even want to believe? CVs, don't continue on this train wreck you've created.

Shiva is still the same but they’ve ruined Raavi’s character and they’ve ruined the dynamics they had before their wedding. It’s like the CVs have completely forgotten that they’ve known each other since their childhood. They’re trying to make Shivi like every other itv couple who hate each other and have a ton of misunderstanding. I started watching because of pre-wedding Shivi, more specifically Raavi. I loved how her character and her determination to win over Shiva. They have crazy chemistry, even now. But their relationship is so different from what it used to be. Shivi is not progressing in terms of plot and characterisation. It’s just working because of Kanwar’s and Alice’s chemistry. 

I am posting whatever I posted on EDT regarding this. 

Dhara-Raavi Scene 

Everyone knows my soft corner for Raavi, given her fragile emotional state. 

The anger and lashing out at her by Dhara again today broke my heart. I don't mind her being okay with the beating. We need to understand that she might have been genuinely witnessing all this beating since childhood, so it's normal to her. We can't expect her to start respecting Shiva within five days because he is her unwanted husband now. She did take the ointment for both of them but left because of Dev. So, I am assuming Dev is still a sore topic for her, and they both need to resolve by verbalising an apology from Dev and Raavi just closing it with him. 

Dhara screaming at her-Why, can't she take care of Shiva is gaslighting of another level! Like Dude, why the f***k did she get her devars married if she still wanted to be the center of their universe? Only to procreate? I am sorry but this strange Dhara is extremely toxic! Pyar, samman and Izzat cannot be beaten into people. I am sorry but no! Her partial treatment towards Rishita is unbearable to watch. 

I am all in for a story that involves a considerable attraction but emotionally distant Raavi! That'd probably be the first time I shall see such exciting dynamics between a couple. 

Shiva and his emotional loneliness are so evident even with all the brothers hugging. We see there's no malice in his heart, and he is in love with his brothers. If you'd notice Shiva, he is someone who internalises his grief or feelings. He is vocal as passionate only when it comes to emotions like love for his family or anger. Deep down, the part which he internalises is highly vulnerable and distant from everyone. It’d be such a pleasure to watch Raavi touch that extremely hidden part of him. 

For once, I don't want Shiva to fall for Raavi because she cares for the family. I find that the most bizarre reasons on ITV! Look she fed me, I love her for cooking my favourite food. Look, she respects my family. Those can be added bonuses, but two individuals should fall in love because they found each other compatible and not merely due to family. 

I love the importance of family, but I am sorry, individuals matter too. They have hopes, dreams and ambitions. It's not a crime to love yourself too. Dev refused a job. Freaking stupid. He could have taken the position to support more financially and maybe later migrate to a chain of stores with his MBA degree. Plan better. Invest in the strategic growth of the business while Shiva does operations and hard work. 

Raavi needs to think beyond cooking for the family. What's precisely her ambition? Rishita apparently is educated more? What's her dream? 

How long can you just rely on a shop to meet expenses. 

I don’t even look forward to their scenes now, it’s heartbreaking   the kind of scenes we got before marriage and the entire marriage set a standard and now I’m disappointed some way or the other when I watch them. They don’t have the intensity now, it’s like they’ve become the typical nok jhok vala couple and while Alice Kanwar chemistry is enjoyable they don’t come across as the old Shiva and Raavi. As for the family drama, It’s become boring too. Maybe writers changed idk but want our intense ShiVi back

Thanks for making this thread Felicie, hopefully we can just send this thread to one of the creators of Pandya Store or to one of the cast members to forward our thoughts and feelings. Here's some additional thoughts I have to offer on the matter of ShiVi...

To the CVs or creative heads of Pandya Store that are reading, I began this show to explicitly to watch how the Kathir and Mulla love story would play out as I loved that couple in the original. I only expected to follow at max 1-2 episodes as I am not a native Hindi speaker, but the depth and chemistry between ShiVi caused me to stay in the long run. At a certain point, especially pre-Kesar, I felt as though Pandya Store was doing an even better job with the ShiVi romance. There was depth to their relationship (especially considering their childhood), there was attraction between them (if the eye locks and shocked gazes mean anything), and underneath it all, those two were perfect complements to each other. 

As Kanwar mentioned in one of his Instagram posts, "If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary. I'm glad we balance each other well"

And ShiVi are exactly like that. They balance each other out in the best of ways. Both of them are impulsive, but in different ways. Shiva's impulsivity comes from his anger and his need for his family to be protected at all costs, and Raavi's impulsivity comes from her need to be love and spread love to everyone in her vicinity. As I watched the show, I expected to see a story where Raavi manages to slowly melt away all the walls Shiva has built. I expected to see Raavi become Shiva's greatest pillar of comfort, become a woman Shiva relies and comes to need in order to find peace and happiness. Likewise, I expected to see a story where Shiva teaches Raavi to fight for her beliefs and wishes. 

These two are perfect complements with the same goals and passions. They both want pure love and understanding. And as the audience, we realized that only the both of them could satisfy the other. No one in this world would love Raavi as much as Shiva (especially looking at Shiva's love for his bhabi) and no one in this world would understand Shiva as much as Raavi (especially considering how she constantly looks to him despite being "enemies"). And in between all of this, we received wonderful sprinkles of their childhood--only to realize that these emotions/feelings were probably present all along.

It was a beautiful relationship, one where trust and mutual understanding could grow. However, over the past several weeks, this relationship has been ruined over and over again. Raavi has all rights to be mad at Shiva considering she mistakenly believed he abandoned her, but the Raavi we saw in the beginning would not have held this grudge against Shiva for so long. He's called her so many names, hurt her so many times, told her she would never have a place in his family, yet she always looked out to him and promised she would change Shiva for the better. She believes in love and family over anything else. So, with that being said, how CVs is she still hating/not believing Shiva? Why can't she understand Suman's words or Dhara's words? Why are her insecurities causing her to completely disregard the shared childhood she had with Shiva?

Does one moment of abandonment give Raavi the right to criticize Shiva and call him a gawar? Does it give her the right to constantly bring up her unhappiness to Shiva, even when he is trying to be nice and diplomatic? The old Raavi would have tried to change Shiva in other ways, and she wouldn't have ever called him gawar.

Now coming to Shiva, CVs what have you done to him? Where is that sensible, young mature man we saw during the wedding sequence? The man who carried out the wedding and supported Raavi in front of a crowd. Where is the man who looked up at the noose with a sense of guilt and sadness? Where is the man we saw during the post-kidnapping scene where he stood silent despite all his wife was saying because in his heart he knew the truth of what happened? After seeing how shocked and affected Shiva was, I expected him to tone down the teasing and the anger, and instead, try to understand where she is coming from.

However, instead of the mature conversation the audience wants to get. One where ShiVi can speak about their personal beliefs, wants, and desires for their marriage and the future, we get endless nok-jhoks with no clear resolution in sight. Why is it that even after their nok-jhoks, Raavi continues to not trust Shiva fully? How can we have scenes where she is gazing into Shiva's eyes or eagerly waiting for Shiva's words, only to have the next scene be where she doesn't trust him.

Why are their characterizations fluctuating so much? Please just give us back the old ShiVi. We loved them to pieces! I want to see a mature love story where these two souls realize just how perfect they are for each other. But, through their process of falling in love, I also want them to retain their child-like innocence. They deserve all the happiness in the world!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPAUx3EBkIT/?utm_medium=copy_link

I was okay with the slow burn!! But I never expected Shivi story to come to a complete standstill. ShiVi story development has the maximum potential in Pandya store, but no makers dont want to explore and organically develop their relationship. All they are interested in is paying more attention and trying to show everything else other than ShiVi. 

With all this delay, somewhere the ShiVi charm is getting lost! I really feel Alice and Kanwar speak up and raise their voices since maximum viewers are interested in ShiVi story development. I have no problem if they give equal importance to all the couples in the show. But here its like ShiVi are at the bottom of the barrel with no idea where there story is going at the moment!