The episode began with Amma walking in to greet Pallavi and they hugged each other warmly. Pallavi was eager to make them breakfast, to which Amma responded by saying that that wasn't the reason she had set up this meeting. Of course, Raghav and Pallavi (henceforth R-P) were clueless as to what she meant. I loved that she asked Pallavi to focus on spending quality time with her husband so that he would stay calm. She knew exactly what her son needed but also that Pallavi needed him too. She closed the door on her way out and I hope R-P took note of this for future.
Showing Pallavi's dynamics with Amma in this way is positive reinforcement that there are MILs like her who aren't overly sweet to the point of being a doormat and that it's possible for women to have MILs who aren't insecure that their son spends a lot of time with his wife.
I know that Pallavi had at one point said Amma would always be just her MIL, but I can see it changing organically and gradually. She herself doesn't realize it but their bond is much more than that and doesn't feel forced. I appreciate the writers for this subtle messaging. After all the saas-bahu crap we've seen over the years, this is much needed. They are also referring to the original promo about mummy ji to maa and showing that women like Sharda aren't an exception when it comes to being a good MIL (and then maa). Showing Pallavi have two MILs who both love and cherish her is a win for this show, i.e. it makes it look like a norm and not an exception. I also love the fact that Pallavi is shown to receive this care and love without needing to move mountains to prove herself or earn that love. These two women have welcomed her with open arms and have accepted her nature. There is no competition so Raghav isn't dragged into a tug of war between these two. Pallavi isn't replacing the other two women in Raghav's life. She has made her own place, not just in his heart but also that of Amma.
Pallavi was pleased to see their wedding photos on the wall, which captured their happy moments. It was good to see her articulating how she missed this life where she truly belonged: her home, her family her room, and her husband.
Humaari life kab normal hogi, Raghav? Kab hum normal husband ki tarah jee payenge? She asked in slight despair, but we all know that won't happen for a while. Nothing is normal about these two!
Raghav was livid as he heard what Mandaar had been up to but Pallavi had to calm him down so that he didn't do anything impulsive to upset the delicate balance. I object to the writers wrongly using the word 'ego' here because his anger and frustration has nothing to do with ego and everything to do with being concerned for his wife's safety and comfort. That's the least a woman can expect from her husband so I didn't see anything wrong with Raghav's reaction.
Their quality time was cut short as a panicked Amruta begged Pallavi to return to D-house as soon as possible before their secret was out. Both R-P were disappointed but they understood it was the need of the hour. Raghav learned about the need for a cook and we all know where this is going. As Pallavi was about to leave, she covered her hair and face, the sight of which stopped Raghav in his tracks. It's not that he hadn't noticed her eyes before, but I like to think he had always been distracted by her hair. Now that her hair was covered her eyes were in focus.
The Chand Sifarish song was a great fit here, especially because of the lyrics. That veiled look of hers is common for many Muslim women, and Subhan Allah a fitting way to express Raghav silently praising the Lord for his creation as he was mesmerized by her eyes. Keeping in mind they live in Hyderabad, which has a huge Muslim community, the whole thing gave it a nice touch, reminiscent of the kind of romance that a lot of Muslim couples have where the man only sees his wife's eyes. It was a great decision for her to not say anything after she put the veil on, as though that cloth had sealed her mouth and let the eyes do the talking.
They have been showing him holding her face gently every time they've met secretly, as if to drink in her sight to get him through the moments until he next sees her. In this scene he took it a step further by kissing her eyelids and forehead after praising her beautiful eyes. It reminded me of a scene from KRPKAB where Dev looks at Sonakshi's lovely face up close and says 'Meri poori duniya hai iss chehre mein'. Raghav did not say this out loud but it was written in his eyes.
I think this is the first time he has praised her physical appearance openly. Previously, he had always been more taken with her personality, and had previously gone so far as to say 'Main har cheez bolta nahin'.
Be ready to welcome me. I'm coming, he reassured her. This time, their parting was less about the pain of separation and more about the anticipation of seeing each other in enemy territory very soon. They both had no idea how it would happen, but they were sure it would. You could see the confidence in their eyes and in the way they hugged each other.
Again, props to the team for the camerawork during the R-P interactions, and especially to the shot of her leaving fading in the background with Raghav in the foreground. Kudos!
There was an important parallel here showing how Pallavi's worth to the Raos was for her presence and time in their lives, not for the things she could/would do for them like cooking or other household chores. She had the life of a queen with the Raos and with the Ds it was literally back to the grind. Even though she covered her face while leaving RR mansion, there was a breeziness to her walk, she was light on her feet because with the Raos she had wings. It was as if Pallavi was a bird who temporarily flew out of the D-house cage to meet her partner only to return to the cage shortly afterwards because she had no choice. She would be waiting for her partner to come and open the cage door permanently by breaking it once and for all, but until that happened, he would have to step in to the cage for a while and be by her side.
I was happy to see the growing tension between Sunny and Mandaar. We all know Sunny is an extremely shrewd and selfish person, so he was even more eager to learn about Mandaar's Achilles' heel. It made sense that he wouldn't stop until he found out what Mandaar was really after.
I had wanted a shower scene of Raghav but it was probably too early in the story for that. Nevertheless, we still got a scene of Raghav walking out of the bathroom after a shower and having his eureka moment as he realized that the window of opportunity that Amma had asked him to look out for was now open in the form of a vacancy for a cook at the Ds.
Of course, RR in a towel, dripping wet and running around the house, was eye candy but also used for comic relief. I like how they switch it up in the show so that it doesn't get too heavy during serious tracks. In his excitement to tell his mother his idea, he almost tripped down the stairs and told the staff off for using so much water. (It's these little touches in dialogues that make such scenes comedy gold). 😆
What followed next was slightly comic with Amma and Farhad shocked at his state, asking him where his clothes were and Amma concerned about her son catching a cold as though he were a 5-year-old. Mothers are all the same!
Raghav proudly shared his idea with Amma and Farhad, while Amma brought him back to Earth reminding him that he didn't know how to cook and that Farhad's idea of getting food delivered from outside wouldn't work. Farhad said he'd order food from a restaurant that was like home-cooked food but he reminded Raghav that he had a business to run and needed to be available to attend meetings if necessary. They used this opportunity to let us know that Raghav wouldn't stop working. Phew!
Geeta ji has amazing comic timing as do Sai and Himanshu. I loved the way she said those lines which made the entire scene unintentionally funny.
Tere woh bada bindo woh issal missal pao maanga to, to tu kaise manage karega?
Raghav wasn't able to answer this question but knew that he had to find a way to somehow take advantage of this opportunity.
I loved the dynamics in this scene, very wholesome to watch, and these three together are always rocking on screen.
Keerti appeared at that moment, which sent Raghav scampering to get dressed. I believe she took time out of her lunch break to check on Raghav, possible after the fight between Sunny and Mandaar. She didn't hold the Rakshabandhan festival dear enough to rush home for Raghav. Amma was surprised to see her home so early, considering she had said she wouldn't
We learned that Nikhil was in Bangalore and had received the rakhi. I wish they'd bring him in soon. On one hand, Amruta was reluctant to tie a rakhi on Mandaar's wrist even in pretend mode because she didn't feel he deserved it and that she could share such a sacred bond with him again. On the other hand, Keerti was more than fine with tying a rakhi on Raghav's wrist even though she didn't treasure their bond, at least not on the surface. Their conversation had many undertones, though, which I really loved.
I was dreading that scene because I didn't want to see another fight between Keerti and Raghav on this special day. We all know how he'd waited a decade for this occasion and had made do with her old rakhis over the years. At least brother and sister were being courteous to each other, and Amma anxiously watched them both.
I was a bit surprised when Amma said in front of Keerti that she wished Pallavi had been there so that the family would be complete, and Farhad's response that she'd be there soon. Did this mean they were fine with talking about Pallavi's return openly? Didn't that contradict Raghav's apparent wish to punish Pallavi for how she had treated him and his refusal to sign divorce papers, the apparent souring of their relations, etc.? Wouldn't it tip Keerti off?
I was curious to see what gift Raghav had gotten for Keerti. Unlike last time, she didn't rudely refuse it but asked for something else instead: a promise. Raghav had been well-prepared for this, and as he had said to Amma previously, he had made up his mind about how to handle Keerti and her demands.
Tere liye tera bhai apna jaan de sakta hai, phir yeh promise kya hai?
It felt like foreshadowing to me, because Raghav making such a sacrifice might end up being what it would take for Keerti to realize her brother's worth.
Bas apna bada bhai ka thoda respect rakhna aur usse wahi promise lena jo wo kar paye.
I loved the way he started to gently and politely set boundaries with her. He was her elder brother and she needed to accept and respect that. She needed to be mindful that she didn't ask him to promise something he couldn't give her, i.e. not to put him in a dilemma like last time or to go against his principles just for the sake of her unrealistic or unfair demands in order to prove his love for her.
Tumhara bada bhai hai main, aur mere liye tumhare khushi se badh kar aur kuch bhi nahin hai.
Main apni khushi hi to chah rahi hoon bhai, she started to protest, but he stopped her mid-sentence.
To theek hai, main tere se promise karta hai ke tereko tera life ka har khushi dega, har burayi se bachayega. Phir woh kissi bhi form mein ho, ya kissi bhi rishtey mein kyun na ho.
Keerti's face fell but Raghav stood his ground. I felt proud of him for the way he handled it. Rational Rao always works wonders.
Main tumko hurt nahin karna chahta hai, Keerti. Lekin aaj ka din woh main tumko nahin de sakta jo tumhare liye ghalat hai.
He didn't say it in so many words but he gently delivered the message that while he would do anything to make her happy, there were some no-go areas. At the same time, he made sure to express to that he cared about her happiness and was trying to be being sensitive to her feelings. I felt as if having Amma's strong support gave him the confidence to do what was right for Keerti even if it made her unhappy. He was no longer afraid to say 'no' to her or to refuse her requests for fear of losing her. He clearly started playing the long game with Sunny and her, and he would keep an eye on him and then make the right moves.
I have always said he needed to talk to Keerti like an adult and use a softer approach with her. He'd been to strict and overbearing with her in the past and it had driven her away. Today, while she didn't like his response, she didn't seem too surprised. It was almost as if she had only come with a small hope that he might actually consider her request as during the Hyderabad schedule he had promised to get Sunny and her married. That had changed recently, of course.
For all her rebellion, it was clear that she still wanted his approval and blessings before marrying Sunny, otherwise she would have done it a long time ago. Her disappointment showed on her face but she recovered quickly and fed him more sweets with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, understandably. In true Rao fashion, she responded with a thinly-veiled challenge that she wouldn't rest until she got what she wanted. There were siblings, related blood, and had the same determination. The talk of blood ties made me feel that this bond would come in question in future and that she might up end up showing everyone that blood is indeed thicker than water.
You could see the disappointment on Raghav's face but no surprise on hearing her words. Rather than trying to pacify her, he told her that he expected the person who had the right demands/goals to win in the end.
Keerti didn't want to wait around much longer and headed out to the office. It was a short moment but the most civilized conversation brother and sister had had in a while. I wish they would spend more time together because without doing that, I don't see how they can understand each other. Raghav has made a lot of mistakes in his dealings with Keerti, which has only deepened her feelings of resentment towards him over the years. I appreciate that Keerti tried to at least use this occasion to politely ask him to consider her request instead of fighting with him or creating a scene. It must be exhausting to fight with family members all the time and after a point you just want peace. I hope Raghav continues to engage with her using reason, warmth, and a friendly approach. She is bound to melt one day. Slapping her or shouting at her is the worst way to solve this and I hope he never repeats it.
Amma agreed that his approach was the right one. Previously, she had wanted to leave Keerti alone to learn things the hard way but after discovering Sunny's involvement with Mandaar she felt a sense of urgency to get Sunny out of her daughter's life. Raghav seemed to be thinking about this but he clearly had other priorities to deal with and would take care of Sunny later. I have this bad feeling that he won't be able to save his sister from heartbreak at the hands of Sunny but when that happens, I hope he will be her strongest source of support.
Raghav knew he wanted to get into D-house but was unable to fully formulate the plan. In came Swapnil, a famous jeweler with whom he was signing a contract. I was glad to see Farhad bringing Raghav out of his reverie and reminding him that he literally had business at hand to deal with. Side note: Raghav was dressed more casually in a kurta but looked every bit as formidable sitting in his office. I loved Sai's body language in that scene.
Can I just thank the CVs for giving us so many study scenes these days? It's my absolute favorite part of the mansion and I love the way they film in their from different angles. 
So Raghav signed the lucrative business deal with Swapnil and took inspiration from his dressing and overall style for his disguise as a cook in D-house. Again, props to the CVs for the way they introduced the idea of a mask (finally indirectly acknowledging COVID) and the way they showed Raghav closely observing Rama. We didn't need dialogues from him to know what he was thinking.
Side note: Raghav usually towers above most characters on the show but he seemed smaller in front of Swapnil, who seemed like a gentle giant. If it weren't for COVID, I would have loved to see more of his business interactions, and not just to weave them in for domestic affairs.
I am really glad the CVs at least took the time to show us Raghav's through process behind choosing to enter D-house as a cook, how he came up with the detailing for the disguise, and why he decided to take Rama along. Otherwise, it would have seemed strange for him to just show up there out of the blue. Since Swapnil is half-Maharashtran, half Rajasthani, I wonder if Raghav will opt for a mixed background too (irony of ironies knowing Sai himself is from a mixed background). I don't know how he'd pull the accent off - as most people have been speculating he might be mute and take Rama along as an assistant/interpreter of his sign language. It goes to show how far Raghav has come. In episode 2 he insulted Rama but now he is going to take him to D-house as a trusted companion.
I loved how they ended the episode with Raghav Rao's background music and famous smirk as he formulated his plan on the spot. I have missed this Raghav! ❤️
Mandaar overheard Mansi and BWA's suspicions about what Amruta and Pallavi were up to and Amruta's reluctance to tie the rakhi. We see the in the precap that he wants Pallavi to burn Raghav's photo to prove her loyalty to Mandaar. The guy is delusional if he thinks that would prove anything. I wonder if Mandaar is afraid of fire. If so, then Pallavi will discover a weakness of his to be used as ammo later on.
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