The blood hound Ishani is on the trails of Riddhima. Riddhima has managed to stay ahead so far in the course but her impulsiveness is forcing mistakes in her strategies. The domino’s effect would lead to her downfall.
Meanwhile Aryan & Chanchal are delighted to repossess the memory card. They think they have hit a jackpot but do not understand that it is their death card they hold (if not used intelligently).
Another mother son duo are in conversation mode. Anupriya reveals that Ragini is truly dead & that Riddhima lied to him. Kabir does not like the insinuation that he has been played for. He decides to get the Riddhima back under his control.
Weary of Ragini’s ghost haunting their relationship, Vansh has decided on the simplest remedy to settle the issue once for all. Vansh summons a priest and conducts last rites of Ragini to utter shock of Riddhima. To seal the deal & to move on, Vansh along with Riddhima break the statue of Ragini.
Riddhima promises to begin a new life in the garden strewn with assorted body parts of Ragini’s statue.
** The game is beginning to go awry for Riddhima yet Vansh is determined to hold it together – for what purpose?
The charade began with the shraddh. A funeral rites for a person who is not dead. A funeral rites for a person who is not dead without the the shraddh mantra but with Rudrashtakam !
What does that mean? Rudrashtakam is usually chanted to free a man from a curse plaguing him. What was quite suggestive was that the chants chosen was not just seeking the blessing to free oneself from a curse that had destroyed one’s life but the prayer was for Lord Rudra, not Shiva, Not Shankar, Nor Bolenath but Rudra..A God that lives on the periphery of the society. A Lord not governed by the rules & conventions of the society. A Lord who prefers the night, the death, the ghosts & skulls of the dead! Rudra the destroyer, the annihilator ! Rudra, the only one who has the passion, obsession & ruthlessness to destroy the future or the PAST!
Now the shraddh, why did it appear that the shraddh was less of Vansh trying to allay his wife’s fear, insecurity & more of Vansh Raisinghania laying the game plan to lure the bait! That Ragini held & still holds important place in Vansh’s life is no denying. But why is he hooking Ragini to Riddhima?
Remember, Riddhima came to Vansh mansion to find evidence, any evidence to fix Vansh as a criminal. Any proof that would send him to prison for a long , long term. It was only after her arrival, she learns about Ragini and subsequent incidents, events manufactured/staged guides her to fixate solely on Ragini to the exclusion of Vansh’s other crimes!
The Further Education of Riddhima :
From early on Vansh has been mentoring Riddhima, chiding her for her gullibility, mocking her for being soft, scolding her for not being able to take the pain. What was the result?
Riddhima who entered VR Mansion as a girl determined to find proofs driven by her love for Kabir, who was easily scared, a girl who was taken in by Mrs.Dsouza or a Sunny, a girl who was terrified of arms now has began to get suspicious of people, She has lost her fear of weapons, Not just lost the fear but is ready to use it for survival or on merest whim.
A girl who has begun to understand the power of fear. A girl who has begun to enjoy seeing fear in the eyes of others. A girl who has begun to play games. A girl who has begun to walk the path guided deftly by Vansh Raisinghania.
The lesson does not stop there nor does Vansh’s manipulations. Vansh tells her to meet him in the garden. A perplexed Riddhima meets him in the garden. She is confronted by a covered statue! Vansh confounds Riddhima further by handing her a hammer & then reveals the statue of Ragini. he tells her that he wants to remove any & all signs of his past. He wants to begin a new life & he wants to begin it with her & asks her whether she wants the same ?
The stance, the looks, the cadence of Vansh’s speech is no way an enamored husband’s eager speech to begin a new life. It is more of a hunter who has found its prey, more of a mentor who has found his or her disciple..the glance is apprising, judging, looking for weakness, the words are guiding, motivating, encouraging the student or the prey to do what the hunter/guru wants.
Riddhima, the girl who went into a shock seeing Vansh brutally beating up a stranger, the girl who could not stand violence now breaks the torso of Ragini under Vansh’s supervision. A girl who held violence in abhorrence today stands unmoved as limbs and other parts of Ragini’s statue lies un-lamented. Today it is a statue…tomorrow …..
Riddhima who broke the shackles of Kabir & his love will not be able to break the fetters of Vansh. For there’s one crucial difference between Kabir & Vansh.
Kabir sent Riddhima to Vansh’s house to get evidence.. his refrain was always,” mere liye” “Humare pyar ke liye” “My mission” but Vansh does not make that error.. He says, ” I (MAIN) will do it for YOU” “MAIN will help YOU” ” I will help YOU” It is never “My happiness, My life, My goal“..It is always,” For your happiness, For your peace, For your smile” .. Riddhima who has not had people putting her first, Riddhima who had to earn for her love when involved with Kabir, is charmed by the gestures of Vansh who gives the impression of putting her first, Who does put her first (when needed). Riddhima becomes a willing puppet & in turn a loyal puppet for hasn’t he put HER needs first, Hasn’t he put HER first!!
It is also quite interesting that Vansh stands right behind Riddhima when destroying the statue. The two becoming one & obliterating anyone who dares to cross their path. Riddhima will not be a damsel in distress, she will be a equal player.. She might hesitate now, she might even get repulsed and take a step back but the continued presence of Vansh will be her backbone, he will give her the strength to take that final plunge. The plunge that will maker her as him & him as her, A union of body, soul & mind. For a sati who wanted her Shiv to change & be accepted in the conventional society will be slaughtered mercilessly but a Parvati who accepted her Shiv with all his darkness, with all his detachments truly became one with Shiv.
Kabir has sworn to unleash darkness in the lives of Vansh & Riddhima. He gloats at the thought of making Vansh & Riddhima suffer. Little does he realize that darkness is Vansh’s home. It’s where he is most comfortable. The hunt will begin soon, in right earnest. The clever hunter will be hunted by the very prey he has set the lure for! The prey will become the predator & will be aided by his apt pupil.
The bigger question is – Why does Vansh need Riddhima? For what purpose is she primed for?
