So finally after a lull where things just coasted towards its unsurprising end, it revved up today with unpredictable factor kicking in again.
Riddhima who is living in the razor edge of fear and terror, opts to end her mission just few minutes after beseeching Ganpati ji for help, guidance and support. Accordingly, she gives out a prearranged distress call to Kabir informing him of lurking danger to her life and seeking help in escaping from jaws of death.
Kabir soon arrives, the happy Romeo -Juliet croon to each other via a window until Vansh arrives on the scene. Vansh shoots Kabir point blank and in close range causing Riddhima to scream Vansh’s name , thus awakening her from her nightmare only to see the smiling face of Vansh observing her almost indulgently.
** I found it intriguing that Vansh was wearing a white while killing Kabir. Also the fact of Riddhima saying that out of all members, Dadi and Siya were the innocent, why do I feel there’s going to be a surprise there? What if Siya is not innocent as she seems ( the timid, docile one’s usually aren’t).
Again switching to Riddhima’s nightmare, Vansh killing Kabir, does it imply, he will destroy the “glamor of trust, love” that Riddhima has by exposing Kabir for what he truly is ? **
And just like that, the scene switches from a nightmare to a living daymare ! Ishaani’s boyfriend Sunny suddenly makes his appearance. The Raisinghania’s accept him as their ‘honewala Damad’ without extensive and exhaustive background checking, which is a surprise considering how precarious their lives are. Vansh after a token protest seems to take a step back. Engagement is slotted for the very next day.
When Sunny springs a surprise on Riddhima by hinting that he is the guardian angel sent in answer to the signal to protect her. Riddhima is relieved but reserved.
** While it was obvious that there required an external element to move the plot forward, I really was not expecting Ishani’s engagement.
Vansh who states that time waits for him and he does not wait for time, finds that not even his family waits for him !! But then he is Vansh and not Vansh Raisinghania ! A man who could easily be made to dance to their tunes as long as he considers them as family. Outsiders are treated like a poisonous serpents that have to be watched/ defanged or killed ..
In the case of Riddhima, he appears to be slowly falling for her yet he remains vigilant!. Nothing escapes his scrutiny , right down to her searching for Kabir in the window. His flirtatious questions mask his probing but he remains vigilant. which beggars the question, whether Sunny is a plant, has he been planted by Vansh to find out the ‘mystery source’ of Riddhima? The outright public hostility, the lack of trust could just be a smokescreen to lull Riddhima’s suspicion or whether he really is a help sent to aid Riddhima by Kabir, which then raises the question, If Kabir already had a ‘in’ through Ishani, why was Riddhima needed? **
From a girl who wanted to vamoose the previous night to resolving to find the backdrop regarding Ragini as soon as she thought Sunny has come to protect! The change is literally overnight ! Instead of packing her bags and making the run for the city with Sunny, she resolves to get to the bottom of the story. It makes me wonder whether Riddhima wants to find out the truth for Kabir’s ‘Mission’ or for herself.
The episode also suggested the slight thawing and growing ease between Vansh and Riddhima. From a girl who adamantly had tried to thwart Vansh applying sindoor on her maang, or refusing to drink the water he offered. From the girl who forbid him to step closer when he came to return her duppata, from the girl who resisted when he had tried to tie her dori… Riddhima has come a few steps, she still does feel uncomfortable at his proximity, Riddhima is still wary of him but when Vansh holds on to the zipper, after the initial shock and fear.. Riddhima stays quiet, She does not even let out a half hearted protest when he bends over and straightens the zip using his mouth. One might say, she was too shocked to react, but her reactions did not seem so.Certainly, their relationship is moving like a snail but moving it is. It will require another jolt for the relationship to evolve or devolve ..
Another scene that I appreciated was Vansh advising Ishani about the sanctity of marriage and the fact that it is a lifelong commitment and just then Riddhima is climbing down the stairs.
