What an episode! What a turnabout! Friday episode had left us in tenterhooks after the entire family walked in through the main door and looked disapprovingly at Arnav and Khushi who were on the verge of attaining Heaven on Earth! The weekend for the Fandom went by in wondering about the family’s reactions, expecting more emotional explosions from the rest just like Mamiji’s instant reaction!

But Hey, What happened? The crying stopped for an instant, there was many patch-ups; a truce declared all over the house, there were more dialogues than in the past few episodes! Arnav-Anjali, Akash-Payal and Khushi-Naniji had conversations lasting more minutes than before!

Let us revisit the episode in brief!

Anjali’s words to Arnav saying that he had lied to her and that times had changed since Arnav had married had shown Arnav looking horrified and hurt by his Di’s accusations! He tells her that she should trust him and that no one could come between them! He rushed ahead with his words to clarify to his Di that nothing had changed between them; she was still THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON in his life! These words made her stop crying and she looked at him to analyze whether she had heard him correctly! She then tells him that the times had changed from the time he had stopped answering her questions! Arnav correctly deduces that she is talking about the reason for his sudden marriage because that was the first time he had shut her out of his room and life! He tells her that he had married Khushi for his sister and her baby!! He tells her that he did not marry Khushi because he loved her! He tells her that Khushi came to their home as his wife on that fateful night but it was purely for Di’s sake and for the sake of the baby!

He tells her that he had married Khushi because he had thought that Khushi and Shyam………….but he does not complete it! Neither does he clarify that his thoughts at that time was wrong! Nor does Anjali ask him what he meant by that incomplete sentence! Does she now think that Khushi was the girl who had tried to hit on her husband as Shyam had claimed? Does it mean that Arnav had married Khushi to take her out of Shyam’s life? Does it mean that it was Khushi who was to blame for the current mess in Anjali’s life? It was the right time for Arnav to tell Anjali about the terrace scene and Shyam’s words, everything that he has told Naniji! Then why did he not do so? Did he think that the truth should be told to Anjali in small doses, one scene at a time? This is going to create trouble in the near future, when Skunky gets in contact with Anjali and tries his emotional tactics on her!

DID ARNAV LIE TO HIS DI?

He tells Di that he did not love Khushi when he had married her!

Arnav, explain yourself!!!!!!!!

What did you feel when she fell into your arms for the first time in Sheesh Mahal? Intense attraction and desire!

What did you feel when you saw her wearing that red sari and with flowing hair during that photo shoot? Powerful attraction which froze you in your tracks!

What did you feel when you saw her standing there in the rain drenched to her very bones? Intense desire to call her back!

What did you feel when you saw the onrushing car which would have crushed her to death in that parking lot? Intense fear for her life, and you did not stop to think, just rushed there and snatched her into your arms and safety!

What were you doing there instead of being in the conference hall? You were watching out for her safety!

What did you feel after all those numerous challenges you gave her, numerous put-downs you gave her? A feeling of disquiet, a tiny wisp of regret!

Why did you start thinking of her all the time? She had already made a home for herself in your heart!

What did you feel when you heard that she was still stuck in that crumbling guesthouse? A soul-shattering sense of fear, you rushed headlong into that building yourself, not bothering about your own safety, nothing but Khushi in your mind!

What did you feel when she declared that she was going back to Lucknow, never to come back? A sense of panic, of despair on the prospect of never seeing her again, you even wished upon a wishing star, seeing her locked door, you wished her back!

What did you feel when you heard that she had got engaged? And intense fear of having lost her, an intense anger against her for not having thought of you before getting engaged!

What did you feel when she was upset and did not take any calls? You went mad with anxiety, you even asked your fiancé La about Khushi’s whereabouts!

What did you feel whenever you brought tears to her eyes, or saw that she was in pain, physical or mental pain? You could not bear it, you rushed to her aid, to help her by either bandaging her cut,bleeding finger, or remove the glass bangle with your teeth or you hated yourself for those tears!

What did you feel when you saw NK becoming friendly with Khushi Kumari Gupta? You felt extremely jealous of him!

What did you feel when you thought that she was in that ambulance after that accident? An intense fear that you had lost her! TUMHARI SAANSE RUK GAYE THI!

What did you feel when you saw the “A” in her mehendi? A feeling that she was definitely yours!

What did you feel when you kissed her on her cheek that day? An intense feeling of love, of possessiveness and happiness!

What were you going to confess to her on that fateful day on the terrace? It was the reason for all the “KYUN FARAK PADTA HAI TUMHE!”

IF THIS WAS NOT LOVE, THEN WHAT IS LOVE? ARNAV, FACE IT, YOU LOVED HER BACK THEN!

But yes, technically Arnav DID NOT LIE TO DI when that he said that he did not love her when he married her! He actually hated her from the moment he saw her in Shyam’s arms! He hated her from the moment when he heard Shyam saying that Khushi was his junoon, his love, his obsession! Love and Hate are two sides of the same coin! Intense love and intense hatred had been a part of Arnav and Khushi’s life!

But then he continues to let her know that he started loving Khushi after marriage! He reminds Di of her words to him that one day a girl would enter his life without whom his SAANSE RUK JAYEGI! Anjali smiles on hearing these words, a sweet smile which had been missing for so long from her face, it is a genuine smile with genuine, loving tears in her eyes! She smilingly listens to Chhote telling her that Khushi was the girl without whom he felt that his BREATH WOULD STOP! USKI SAANSE RUK JAYEGI! HE LOVED HER SO MUCH! He then tells her in the same breath that he loved her too!

On first hearing these two sentences back to back where he confesses his romantic love for Khushi and his filial love for his sister, it felt a little odd! Why did he say both those sentences at the same time? Then we remember that he had announced in front of the whole family that both Anjali and Khushi were two most important people in his life! He has now understood that Di felt insecure about her brother’s love after having lost her husband’s love too! He has understood his sister’s mental insecurity, she desperately needed to know that she was wanted by someone in her life; her life was based on the two pillars of love, Chhote and Shyamji! Since the pillar of Shyam was uprooted and thrown out, her insecurity of being replaced in Arnav’s life was understandable! He has shown that he had a shatir dimaag along with his big loving and caring heart, he knew what those words meant to his sister, a reassurance that no matter what anyone does or says, her brother was there for her!

She is happy on hearing that she was still the most important person in her Chhote’s life! She feels happy to hear that Arnav remembered her words of a girl who will make his SAANSE RUK JAYEGI EK DIN! She feels happy to know that her Chhote has finally fallen in love! She had always known that Chhote had feelings for Khushiji! She was ready to encourage them too, witness the incident of the bangles when Anjali sent Khushi to the poolside on the pretext of getting a flower tray and then started her countdown of Tik-Tik One, Tik-Tik Two, and gleefully smiles when she notices Chhote rushing to the poolside to meet Khushi?

It does explain a great deal about Anjali's mental psyche. it shows how complex her character and personality has turned to be, all due to her handicap, her rejection at the time of her wedding, her parents’ deaths, the trauma, then bringing up her younger brother like a son, and the marriage to a good guy according to her so she is not able to understand how a good guy can turn bad so suddenly! She does not realize when she has turned from a sister into a mother for Arnav, hence those insecurities!

TO BE CONTINUED.........

WAS IT A LIE? PART TWO:-

On the other hand, in Naniji’s room, Khushi gives her clarification to Naniji! She tells Naniji that Arnav’s meeting was cancelled at the last minute and so he came home. She tells Naniji that on hindsight she thinks he should not have come home at all. She tells her that Anjali felt sad on seeing her face. Khushi is worried whether Anjali would now misunderstand Arnav too. She feels that she is to blame for everything. She tells Naniji that Anjali Di too feels that she was to blame! This is the effect of Arnav blaming Khushi during the fight near the poolside when he had blamed her for everything that had happened after Khushi had entered into their lives! She is not angry with Arnav for those words but has felt an immense hurt and sadness which has now settled deep in her heart! She tells Naniji that she tried to help and do good for everyone but matters always took a turn for the worse, it was unintentional! She is deeply distressed but Naniji understands her feelings.

Naniji tells her that she is not to blame. She tells Khushi that they were a married couple and hence entitled to share some private time together. She tells Khushi that Anjali has been affected by all the revelations but she did not hate Khushi. Naniji asks Khushi not to misunderstand Anjali. Naniji reveals to Khushi that before their marriage, Anjali had always liked her and been happy about the relationship developing between Arnav and Khushi. Anjali had always wanted them to be together. Khushi is relieved to hear this and I think it must have been a contributing factor in her decision to leave RM, because she would not want to add to the distress being caused to Di who has always been in support of her!

In another bedroom, another couple has to battle out of their own troubles! Akash and Payal have been drifting apart even before this saga of Storm Shyam broke over their roof! A gentle love story which began so beautifully has been trampled first by Mamiji, the proverbial mother-in-law, then by the advent of Bubbly which saw Akash changing into someone Payal could not understand! Now this new tragedy to hit their lives has left Payal and Akash on two sides of a precipice, no bridge in sight! Payal tries to explain to Akash that she too was a part of the family and so should be treated as such; she too worried about Di and the rest of the family! Akash appears to have mellowed, makes me wonder, and tells Payal that he had thought a great deal about everything and so they should start life afresh! Payal is so happy to hear this that she ignores his next sentence that whatever Khushi had done so far should not be repeated in future!

What is that about, Akash? What has Khushi done which should not be repeated in future? Is it the fact that she brought both of you together? Is it the fact that she hid her pain in her heart and hid the fact that your sister had a cheating husband? Is it the fact that she bartered away six months of her life so that you could marry? Is it the fact that Khushi tolerated all the indignities meted out to her by your mother? Is it the fact that she saved your hide from the Sethi brothers who would have cleaned out your money and business reputation when you were the one who was supposed to have checked out their credentials? Is it the fact that she tried to search for your missing brother and almost died to bring him back safely to your family? Is it the fact that Khushi brought out the lying face of Shyam in front of the whole family? Or is it the fact that she tried to help you once again to get together like the first time?

Why has Akash suddenly mellowed down? He shouted at Payal a short while ago refusing to eat dinner because Di was suffering but went to eat it when his mother called him for dinner! He comes back to his room mellowed down, why? Is it something he has heard? Something he and his mother discussed during that dinner? I WONDER AT THE SUDDENNESS OF IT ALL! Payal in her wish to please Akash and save her marriage does not stand by Khushi who has stood by her at all times!

It is night-time, and Khushi is sleeping while Arnav looks at her adoringly. He tells his sleeping wife that Di understood everything; he had already spoken to her! He promises Khushi that everything will be alright slowly! He looks at her and tells her that she had lost her challenge when she had coming running and flung herself into his arms! He goes on to say that it was easier to talk to her when she was sleeping!! There is look of deep, adoring love and a satisfaction on his face thinking that she would have to accept him as her husband! You do love to be known as her Husband, right? What a change in you, Arnav Singh Raizada, a guy who did not believe in marriage and wanted a live-in relationship with La, now wants nothing else but to be acknowledged as Khushi’s husband! He lies down there beside her and looks at his sleeping princess unblinkingly for a long while! He removes the lock of hair from her face and lovingly tucks it behind her ear! He slowly holds her hand just like in GH earlier, not wanting to let her go! His hand creeps slowly within her hand, not wanting to wake her up, but also in acceptance of the fact that her hand held his world within it!! He goes to sleep with a sweet adoring smile on his face, thinking that he is holding her hand and she is his for life, little does he know that his life was going to change the next morning!

NK was right, you know, you must be the only husband in the world who told all the important things to his sleeping wife!

Morning sees Naniji preparing for the pooja and she hears Khushi speaking to Buaji on the phone, Khushi informs Naniji that Buaji was unwell. Naniji is worried and gets ready to go to her home to visit the ailing Buaji but Khushi tells her that it was not necessary; she asks for permission to go home! She tells Naniji that she was needed in RM by Di! She requests Naniji not to tell Payal because she wanted to inform her jiji herself! We see a hesitation on the part of Khushi to avoid any meeting between Naniji and Buaji, similarly she does not want to alarm Payal!

TO BE CONTINUED.....

WAS IT A LIE? PART THREE

Arnav comes back from his jogging, looking handsome, with a packet in his hand. He realizes that Khushi appeared a little worried; Khushi goes away to her room while Naniji explains about Buaji’s illness. Khushi goes to her room and starts packing her bag. She keeps the statue of DM first in her bag! It feels like the Godly presence from the lives of the Raizadians is going away, earlier the family were not able to reach the satsang site, now we see Khushi taking away her DM, from the home! Is it a sign of troubles to come? Is it a sign of the entry of Shyam, the Master of Evil Designs into the RM household again?

Arnav knows that his wife would be very upset by this news and rushes to his room. He sees Khushi packing her bag and immediately gives her some of his shirts to pack it in saying that he was going with her! You really cannot think of being away from her for a few moments, do you, Arnav? she protests immediately saying that he need not come and to remain with Di, he starts arguing that he had already spoken to Di earlier, but then stops when he realizes that she was upset and decides to give her the packet which he had brought after his jogging. He gives her the packet and waits with bated breath hoping that she liked what he had brought! He is rewarded with the emergence of her joyful smile; she exclaims happily “CHANNE!” and happily starts munching. He waits for his share, and when he realizes that she had forgotten to offer it to him, he is surprised. He goes near her and talks to her suddenly; she is startled and drops some channe onto him and the floor!

Both go down onto their knees to pick them up, when Arnav decides to flirt with his beautiful wife! He looks at her with mischief in his eyes, a sharat bhari nazar and tells her ‘KHUSHI KUMARI GUPTA SINGH RAIZADA, GHUTNO PE AANE KI KYA ZAROORAT THI? TUM AISE BHI MUJHE APNA PATI MAAN LETI!!!!!!!! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN ON YOUR KNEES? YOU COULD HAVE ACCEPTED ME AS YOUR HUSBAND WITH OUT DOING SO!!! there is a sweet smile on his face, a mischievous smile on his face! He does enjoy teasing her!

Khushi remembers the challenge of saying that the day she went into his arms willingly she would accept him as her husband! She also remembers the night before when she had hurtled herself into his arms when she was scared of the dark! She does not say anything but thanks him for the gift of channe! Arnav has now understood that his wife gets her pleasures from simple things, like channe and not designer bags costing Rs. Two lakhs! She has a beautiful tiny smile on her face but her eyes fill with tears! He falls more deeply in love with her every time he sees her!

Payal wants to know why she was not told about Buaji’s illness, she wants to go to GH! Khushi tells her that she would manage there, and to manage the Raizada clan! She apologizes for her interference in her sister’s life! She hears Anjali who enquires about Buaji’s health! It is the first time that Anjali had spoken to Khushi after Shyam was thrown out of RM! Khushi is surprised and teary eyed to hear Anjali tell her to have breakfast before leaving for GH! Arnav is happy to see his sister talk to his wife! Khushi tries to go towards Anjali, but Anjali tells her that she was going back to her room to rest! It was a tiny step from Anjali’s side towards the girl who held her Chhote’s heart! Khushi is very happy and shares it with Payal! Naniji gives a box of laddoos to Khushi to take home! Khushi sheds tears and hugs Naniji saying that she would miss everyone! It feels like a goodbye!

Arnav works on his laptop listening to Khushi and Nani’s talk when Mamiji comes there and tells her not to hurry back to RM! Arnav and Nani do not like Mamiji’s words and glare at her! Arnav had already closed his laptop and stood up in preparation of going to drop Khushi home when NK comes there and tells Khushi that Arnav would drop her to GH! Khushi does not want Arnav to drop her but Arnav takes the bag and goes to the car!

They reach Buaji’s home and Arnav realizes that Khushi had been silent all through the journey, no songs, no fights to liven the journey! He tries to make her smile by singing her Mausam Hai Suhana Song, with his WHAT THE , WHAT THE, WHAT THE ! added to it, it only brings tears to her eyes! He asks her what was wrong, he knows it is not only Buaji’s illness! He holds her chin tenderly to enquire what the matter was, he is very uncomfortable with her silence. She refuses to let him enter the house, on the pretext that Buaji and Amma would be fussing over him if he does so, Buaji would not rest! He goes away from there unaware that his life, his wife, his Khushi, his joy was looking after him with tears in her eyes!

It was a goodbye from her, when she said CHALTE HAIN instead of the customary AATE HAIN!

DID KHUSHI LIE TO THE FAMILY?

Yes, she did lie to the entire family as seen in the precap! Buaji was shown as perfectly fine and cooking in the kitchen! Arnav reaches the door and hears Buaji and Khushi’s voices, he rings the bell! Khushi sees him from the side door and panics when Buaji makes her way to the door to open it!

Khushi has lied to the family in order to leave RM as quietly as possible because she knew that Arnav would never let her leave RM! I think she has worked out that his earlier threat of the contract marriage was a false threat; it was a simple fact that he would never let her go, he loved her too much! She realizes that Arnav had to juggle between two important people in his life, but she feels that her time away from RM might bring some peace to Anjali. But it is important that she leaves RM for a while so that the family realizes the hardships and troubles faced by Khushi and learns to value the sacrifices done by her! Arnav will now do everything in his capacity to ask for her forgiveness and to bring her back to his life!

THANK YOU TO MY READERS!

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ MY VIEW AND A BIGGER THANK YOU TO THE ONES WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO COMMENT TOO!

DD, THANK YOU FOR LIKING THE WHAT DO YOU FEEL SECTION, I LOVED IT TOO, SO MANY MORE WERE LEFT BUT CANNOT PUT EVERYTHING!

MAYA, THANKS INDEED! PANDORA'S BOX CONTAINS LESSER TROUBLES THAN RM!

RAMYA, THANK YOU, TIME AND FAMILY DO HELP AT ALL TIMES!

KHUSIFAN, THANK YOU FOR THE APPRECIATION!

TSHAHEEN, THANK YOU FOR LIKING IT!

AASHNA, THANK YOU AND YES, I DID NOT THINK HE ACTUALLY LIED, HE DOES NOT THAT LYING BONE IN HIS BODY!

OCEAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS EVERYDAY! LOVE YOUR APPRECIATION, GETTING ADDICTED TO IT!

ARSHI ADVOCATES, LOVED THE FACT THAT YOU LOVED THIS VIEW, YES SO MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED STILL!

DD, SORRY FOR THE DELAY TODAY!

PEPPER, YES SHE HAD TO LEAVE FOR THE REALISATION TO STRIKE THE OTHERS!

MAYA, THANK YOU FOR VISITING AGAIN AND READING IN SPITE OF MY LATE ADDITION! IT IS READERS WHO VISIT AGAIN AND AGAIN WHO MOTIVATE A WRITER MORE!

PAAGOLHOGAYA, THANK YOU FOR VISITING FIRST TIME AND LIKING MY VIEW!

SS, THANK YOU, FOR LIKING THE VIEW.AND ANOTHER THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THE COINCIDENCE OF THE HAND HOLDING SCENE. WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WILL USE IT IN SOME APPROPRIATE VIEW!

DIEHARD_ROM, THANK YOU FOR APPRECIATING THOSE LETTERS SO MUCH! SO OTHER FRIENDS TOO HAVE COMMENTED SIMILARLY SAYING PROBABLY THE CVS HAVE READ MY LETTERS AND GIVEN A RESPITE! YEAH, YOU GUESSED IT RIGHT, I DO KNOW ASR PERSONALLY, SO HE IS EASIER TO WRITE AND I DO UNDERSTAND HIM BETTER! YOU SAID IT, POSTMORTEM OF ARNAV'S LIE, LOL!

PROY, THANK YOU FOR LIKING IT! YES, SHE NEEDED TO LEAVE FOR THE REAL RT TO BEGIN IN EARNEST!

GK, THANK YOU FOR LIKING IT!

JUSLIKETAT, THANK YOU FOR LOVING IT!

YAMAN, THANK YOU AND HAPPY THAT YOU FELT IT WAS A BALANCED VIEW!

SW, THANK YOU FOR READING MY VIEW, YES, HE WILL FIND OUT THAT SHE WAS LYING ABOUT BUAJI'S ILLNESS AND WANT TO TAKE HER BACK,BUT THIS TIME SHE WILL NOT GO! AND IT IS HIGH TIME, MATTERS WERE SORTED OUT!

THANK YOU!