Posted:
Brilliant Episode - Great Acting and Extremely Well -Directed
Since pink is Astha's color and this is what she used to color Shlok finally, here is a song and some lyrics from Teyenna Taylor that apply to Astha. Color Me Pink also implies that someone is highly pleased.
Color Me Pink - Teyana Taylor
I know that I'm trippin, I know
He got me trippin, I know
That(that) Boy(boy) He(he) Color Me Pink Yes Sir!
That boy color me pink, Got me feelin' like a lady
I know that I'm trippin, I know
He got me trippin, I know
That(that) Boy(boy) He(he) Color Me Pink Yes Sir!
That boy color me pink
Got me feelin' like such a lil' lady
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1A7ZtUXYY&feature=player_detailpage[/YOUTUBE]
Comments:
First of all, I want to applaud the unsong heroine of the Holi Party and that is Sojal. She specifically wanted to get the bhaang filled glasses - not for any malicious purpose but because she just wanted to have fun. But doing so, she did a huge favor to Shlok and Anjali who finally started their way back to freedom. Astha would never been that uninhibited if she had not been that drunk.
1. Shlok Painted in Astha's Colors
So a half drunk Astha who got even more drunk thanks to Sulbha's insistence, approached Shlok who was stunned to see her in Swati's avataar. Astha eventually did not have to be Swati for Shlok to be free. She just had to be herself - clumsy, honest, generous and full of love for Shlok - to bring Shlok out of bitter memories that he is holding so tight to save himself from further hurt.
Astha asked Shlok if he liked her in Swati's avataar, and that she would put her color (pink) on him and that color would become a dominating factor for him from now onwards. Shlok after a stunned silence told Astha that she liked to hurt him by deliberately using his past wounds. Shlok, who also was drunk, was honest too and showed his hurt to her by telling that she did not care about his wounds. When Astha denied it, initially Shlok was distrustful of her especially when Astha told him that she felt his pain and her only goal was to take away his sorrows. And that she was not planning to share his happiness. So Astha finally openly offered him her unconditional love, where she was not demanding anything of him.
Shlok's skepticism slowly started melting away when Astha told him that she loved him. He asked her the question that what was her motive for doing all this and if she wanted something. This is the main reason for Shlok's distrust as he has never gotten any unconditional love. He loved Swati deeply but she always demanded something or other for him. Astha is the only one who is not expecting anything in return from him though she hopes that he would love her back. So she told Shlok that she was doing this because she loved him. That she had fallen in love with him again and this time it was after knowing him truly whereas first time she had fallen in love with the false image he had presented to her. I really liked Shrenu and Avi's performance here where Shrenu as Astha switched between laughter and tears, and Shlok's expressions that switched from shock to mocking disbelief to stunned realization that Astha truly loved him the way he was and had gone to all these lengths for him. Though Astha told him that her timing was never right, this time she did get her timing right.
The final scene was picturized beautifully with stunned Shlok standing still and laughing free spirited Astha (her true self) throwing plates after plates of pink and yellow gulalal that represented her love and trust for him. I even liked how Vinayak and Aditi were shown on the sides as two witnesses - Vinayak beaming in happiness at genuine show of love for Shlok and Aditi with cold blooded expression at this display. The color throwing was the best Holi scene I have seen in any serial and it advanced the story in a beautiful way.
2. Acid-Filled Red Color - Shlok Letting Go of Swati's Last Bitter Memory
At first Shlok was stunned at all this. Then Vinayak asked him to throw the color back at Astha. Shlok who had refused to play Holi with Astha and had reluctantly put the color on Astha at baba's bidding, ran after Astha. Chipkali gave him the plate of red Gulaal that she had mixed with acid. Incidentally, this was the only color Astha did not throw at Shlok. So she never had to be Swati to free Shlok. This was the color that was on the car and was Swati's signature Holi color. Shlok too it and was going to throw it in anger at Astha - anger because Astha was forcing him to let go of his memories. But an innocent dancer was hurt in the process that brought back Shlok to his senses. Astha who is convinced that Shlok hates her, asked him in a hurt voice that whether his hate was that extreme where he would burn her.
And...
3. Niranjan's Rage - Hell hath no fury like a Drama Queen Scorned
The Holi Party has not worked the way Niranjan wanted it to work. He wanted to present an image of this perfect family - traditional wife, obedient daughter-in-laws, perfect marriage of his heir and a benevolent head of the family who is generous enough to celebrates the colorful festival by mingling with family, minions and adoring subjects. Alas...everything went in the opposite direction.
He was already seething after seeing a drunk Anjali dancing in abandon. He had just returned after taking her to his room, when the poor dancer was hurt badly in Godfather's party. On top of that, the heir and his wife were making a spectacle of themselves along with the other lowly daughter in law. Then the image of a perfect marriage of the heir was shattered when his wife accused him of hating her enough to want to burn her.
Suddenly the mask fell off for a minute and he thundered Astha to be quiet. The "obedient" future Anjali responded by putting a finger on her lips. It was just a hilarous scene. Then he ordered the family to go home and even the heir went quietly as he knew baba's patience was at the end. Baba of course used money to silence the people who were hurt and then took out his wrath at younger brother Vinayak who was responsible for Holi arrangments. His explanations were termed as excuses. Wonder how long has Niranjan bullying his younger brother who for some reason still respects him. After the family was dismissed, Abhay came forward to throw more salts in his wounds by telling him that he would not tell anybody of all this. As if there was anybody else left to be told. Did not everything happen in the open. If one looks from a normal view point, nothing big happened except that an innocent person was hurt. Rest of the fun, drunk behaviour etc. are normal things that can happen in a big party. But still. ...from Niranjan's point of view, his image was dented.
4. Niranjan's Helpless Fury and Funny/Poignant Anjali
There has always been a question as to why Anjali has changed herself so much for Niranjan who is not worthy of her. I think it was answered today to some extent though no back story of Anjali and Niranjan has been shown so far.
They showed Astha and Anjali in parallel once again - both drunk and both loving their husbands. The difference is that Anjali changed herself to become something that she is not and Astha has not done that. Anjali craves Niranjan's approval, respect and love.
Again the stick was shown and Anjali was rubbing her arm. So Niranjan must have hit her but after a while he could not do anything else as Anjali was too drunk and was in a way showing him a mirror. Some of the scenes were very funny when he was talking about wanting the DILs to walk in Anjali's footsteps and Anjali in turn was tripping over her own feet. Niranjan too saw the irony of his statement and was even more furious if that was possible. He as usual blamed her and called her on her "excuses". Since it is always Anjali's fault, he was telling her that women should not have been given even non-alcoholic thandais. Now a sober Anjali would not have questioned him, but a drunk Anjali did tell him logically that she had always served it before. Would the guests not question his hospitality if women are not given any drinks whatsoever on a festival. This shows how much Niranjan had lost control of the situation.
Then the fun part was when Anjali told him that she is going to give herself punishment. That she will not be with him because she is not worthy of him . I really wanted her to say that she is going to sleep with Astha from now onwards in the guest room as part of her punishment. But of course, we cannot have Astha away from Shlokie bear as that would be too boring for both Shlokie and viewers. Anyway, her self prescribed punishment was to stand outside Niranjan's door for the entire night for a month. This was hilarious because Niranjan likes to give these monthly punishments to Anjali but they have to be hidden from the rest of the family, else his image would crash. Waiting for the day when Anjali punishes herself by leaving him for good. Actually, kicking him out of the Anjali niwas is the better option with kids/grandkids staying back with Anjali.
Coming back to the episode, Niranjan thundered and lectured for a long time but it was really in vain because Anjali was too drunk for Niranjan to derive any enjoyment from further abusing her. So he left in disgust.
Misti, I am with you that Anjali should get drunk like this at least once a month. Niranjan is going to find faults with Anjali anyway and abuse her. So why not enjoy herself and also defy him at the same time every so often.
Geetanjali was just brilliant in the scene where she made one feel for her and her drunken act was just superb.
5. Astha and Shlok - Falling & Rising in their Own World
The discord and intensity of Anjali and Niranjan's bedroom scene was contrasted by a jovial and light atmosphere in Shlok and Astha's bedroom. Shlok of course was himself drunk and was not bothered about Astha either damaging his image or making a public drama. So the clear contrast between Shlok and Niranjan was never made this clear.
Astha and Shlok were sitting or lying on the opposite walls of the dividing line between Shlok's sleeping area and sitting area (which is Astha's sleeping area), with Astha counting her bangles and Shlok observing her in bafflement. It was a very funny scene. Then Astha started crying because she once again made a mistake of falling in love with Shlok who was just going to hurt her. Shlok mocked her that she was mad to fall for somebody like him who was not worthy of love. So Shlok never hated Astha; it was all self hatred where he neither trusts himself nor think of himself as worthy of love because he has fallen so low after being in love. He also told her that her suffering is because she fell for him - the unworthy one. Both Niranjan and Shlok are insecure, but the difference is that Niranjan thinks of himself as this great person because of the image he has created whereas Shlok underestimates himself and his goodness.
That's when their discussion of falling and rising in love started. Astha told him that she would no longer fall in love, but rise in love. That she has hurt herself a lot by falling. That implies that she would stop changing herself (she did not change but she did compromise with her values) and leave with dignity because he does not care for her. Shlok ended up mocking her in his signature style where he was rolling on the floor with laughter and mocking her lines of "rise in love and not fall in love". He was in disbelief because he himself has fallen and changed himself after falling in love.
Overall, a brilliant episode that was superbly directed by Waseem. Even though everyone was good, the episode belonged to Shrenu, Avinash and Geetanjali. All three were superb in showing transition of emotions in the same scene. Also the writing and editing was on par with acting and direction.
The whole sequence from Astha declaring herself in love with dancers dancing and music being played, along with the throwing of color by a free spirited laughing Astha on stunned still Shlok was beautifully picturized. I also liked how Aditi is not given exaggerated reactions, but is shown calm as any cold blooded murderer would be. So though Aditi is not my favorite character, I liked her inclusion in today's scene between Shlok and Astha. Vinayak was another witness who was presented as a well wisher foil to Aditi's evil designs.
Other favorite scenes were Niranjan/Anjali in the bedroom and the last part of Shlok/Astha scene where Shlok is falling on the floor laughing and Astha leaves him.
Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye
Cricket
Seher Hone Ko Hai
