Much needed episode and much needed conversations in it.
I will not lie I have been the first one to go after Manjari or Manjulika for what I thought was an illogical response to the situation. We all suspected why and called her a doormat or speculated her to be a master plotter.
But somethings need to said by characters onsecreen to give clarity to their perspective apart from just actions. For Manjari, she is an everyday common married woman from 20 years ago. The kind of woman who has a heart of gold and gave it all to her husband. Her husband is unsatisfied in the marriage and is a general A-***e to her. She has low self esteem probably (again many obvious reasons for it but I hope they clarify them all one day) and is happy to have given birth to a son who her husband adores.
Her husband starts an affair after some years. She finds out about. He probably wants to leave her but keep Abhimanyu their son (whom despite his peruse clearly loves in his own crooked way). She begs him and his affair partner to please end it (again I assumed she got to know after Neil was already born but again glad they specified it). We have seen or heard of so many women doing this because they can't imagine life without their abusive spouse. We don't understand their reasons always but it's not unheard of.
She prays and makes mannat that her husband "returns" to her and he does probably due to some financial gains like that land on which Birla hospital is built. Manjari is ecstatic and consider this as a second lease at life and becomes more submissive than before to keep him happy. She isn't lying when she says she forgave him but she clearly did. So no Manjari unfortunately is no evil Khiladi but she is a reflection of so many women in the society. Somehow, that's more unfortunate. This woman has no agency at all.
Also, clearly Harsh, the mysoginist, was never serious about his affair partner Avni Rathod. Poor Avni might have read the situation differently and assumed he would divorce his wife legitimatize their relationship (again we have seen so many examples of this irl). She got cheated then found out she is pregnant. Decided to tell his to Manjari over Harsh (for whatever reason) and leave the baby in the orphanage.
Manjari with her psyche probably hated Avni (and transferred the blame of the affair to her because she now doesn't even have the capacity to go against her husband even mentally),
but like she said she couldn't hate the child. We know what happened and how Neil came to live with Birlas. I take back whatever blame I put on Manjari for forcibly keeping Neil away from his rights or his father because No. She reacted how a woman from her position would react in this situation. Harsh hates Neil even now and never loved Avni Rathod either. He would have blamed the kid for being a living proof of his weakness and threat to his status. So she hid it. Still wrong but now her reasons make sense. And I have to give it to Manjari. She didn't hide the truth out if some hidden grudge against the husband or the affair child. She genuinely was affectionate to the kid (less than Abhimanyu but equal to all other kids). She did what her subjugated mind thought would be the best for her husband's izzat. And that's why she is angry at Akshara because if this izzat and nothing else.
So all my previous speculative posts about why Manjari played a long game and her being a shatir villian were proven wrong. I am happy that her actions aren't insensible according to her. But also sadder to see the situation this poor woman is in and this reality is so depressing.
She is a victim who indirectly became an abuser
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