"But behind all your stories is always your mother's story,
because hers is where yours begins."
~Mitch Albom
He was a young kid caught between the grown up fights between his parents. He was at that impressionable age needing guidance about right or wrong. But his mom would rather indulge him materially than discipline him to win him over to her side in the battle. He grew up in a boarding school away from family. He learned to seek more from material comforts than warmth of relationshipwith the exception of his mom, his only semblance of normalcy. He has grown up estranged from his dad, his sister and family with bitter memories and constant negative ideas fed into his mind by her mom's boyfriend, who he looked up as a parent figure.
She grew up with her extended family since the age of 6 months abandoned by both her parents; by her mom who wanted a better life of her own and a Dad who ran away from anything that reminded him of his married life. Her grandparents, uncles and aunts provided her with the cocoon of love that she lacked from her parents.
One was growing up with a Mom who was so narcissistic that she never hesitated using her children as and when required when she wanted. She never encouraged any closeness between her son and his father or his family and enjoyed the sole attention of her son, who emotionally clung to her for comfort.
The other one found a mother in someone who brought not only a mother's love but also her father's love back into her life. She also taught her the difference between right and wrong. She encouraged the child not to severe her relationship with her biological mom or her brother.
That's the difference that guided how Adi and Ruhi reacted on the aftermath the Mehndi accident.
Adi who was the older one, saw only the part where his mom was scolded by Ishita ...missing the tears of his own sibling. His mother further fueled his deep seated dislike for his step-mom by playing victim again. He vowed in his mind, to avenge his mother's insult. While usually it is the mother's embrace that provide comfort to her kid...Adi and Shagun's embrace was the other way round.
Ruhi, on the other hand in spite of being the younger one and the one who was threatened with physical punishment by her biological mom for accidentally spoiling her Mehndi, chose to continue attending the functions just for the sake of her brother Adi and uncle, Mihir. Her values that have been imbibed in her by her Ishita Mamma influencing her to choose others' happiness.
Adi and Ruhi...both sharing the same gene...but very different upbringing from two different mothers, paving their journey into life in two very opposite directions.
