This is gonna be a long one, so bear with me. 😆 I’ll talk about SaiRat first, before moving on to Pakhi.
If the missing Sai scene showed me something, it is that Sai is growing on him, and Virat will fall first, he will realize and then be in denial. The words he used will come to bite him later. Sai might forgive him this time, but she is not the type of person who forgets when people mess with her. I loved how she was telling Pakhi that she literally begged Virat to run away, but he didn’t.
What I want Virat to remember after this episode is that ONE Sai was not the cause of his problem, she was the solution. And she was right in front of him. Like Pakhi said he was so angry that he wouldn’t be able to see the solution, even if it is right in front of him. And TWO, she said that she’d go out, even with broken legs, if she has to. She is fiercely loyal (probably got it from her father) and the type of person who’d take a bullet for you, if she needs to (again, her father). Dear Virat, if there is anything about Sai that should attract you to her, it is this.
It seems to me that Sai is emotionally the strongest between the two. Despite the hurt and her bubbling anger, she saw the problem and the solution straightaway, while Virat was too lost in despair and a fear of what will happen next.
Please note that this is not a post to demean Pakhi’s character. I just want to point out some observations that I made about her. Pakhi may have Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and is in dire need of therapy. I’ll walk you through some of the toxic signs she has displayed so far.
1) When narcissists behave in a manner that generates shame (EMA), they often use projection. (Projection is a primitive defense because it distorts or ignores reality in order for us to function and preserve our ego. When we project, we are defending ourselves against unconscious impulses or traits, either positive or negative, that we’ve denied in ourselves. Instead, we attribute them to others.) Projection is a way to cope with the discomfort that shame generates. Shame is a feeling that narcissists detests. Instead of dealing with their own shame, they try to project their own behavior on others and they do it frequently. She called Virat a cheater (without listening to him) and today, she seemed to suggest that Sai was off to a secret rendez-vous. So basically she knows what she wants from Virat, and this has generated a sense of shame, which she is offloading on others.
2) There is the feeling that ‘’She hates me”, when I actually hate her. Remember when she said that I’m on your side Sai on the first day. She immediately assumed that Sai disliked her, that is because she herself dislikes Sai and pitted Sai as being against herself.
3) She has this inflated self-image of herself, that unrealistic sense of superiority. It was interesting how she said she wanted to eat cornflakes today when Bhavani asked her. Almost like showing Karishma that she is not to be messed with, because she has the support of Bhavani. In a way she was belittling her (another characteristic of a NPD. Ok, I know Karishma bullied her as well, but since she is displaying other characteristics, I wanted to point this out). Bhavani is actually fanning that dysfunctional behavior.
4) Lacking empathy – Pakhi has displayed this before, by asking about her position in her life, and through her outburst because of the lipstick. She does not stop and think, but immediately bursts in a way that makes you guilty. Moreover, she does not think twice about her actions, that’s why she really does not get it when Sai tries to establish a healthy boundary. When Sai has to handle Pakhi, she’ll have to do this in a gentle manner; in a way which shows Pakhi respect, because the last thing a narcissist wants is you disrespecting them.
5) Frequently demeans and bullies. Pakhi clearly feels threatened by Sai. Interestingly, her own marriage does not seem to be a hurdle for her. It’s not only Sai’s dynamics with Virat that she envies, it’s the love between Sai and Ashwini, and her ability to stand up for what she considers right (remember Pakhi was not allowed to leave the house, Sai tried today and nobody could stop her!), it’s the tact with which she handles Bhavani-Ninad.
So yes, Virat, you can take her to a therapist if you so wish. I will not flip, I swear😆
Let me hear your views.