slap.
stick.
...........................
lovely episode, clipping along toward the big sangeet muqabla. the haar-jeet/win-lose conversation of 160 has led to khushi declaring war on the "saamnewala." no, not medha and lata as bua ji wonders... but the ladkewalon, aka the boy's side... more specifically, that laad governor.
"iss jang mein jeet... humari hogi." in this war... victory shall be ours, prophetic words from kkg. she will indeed completely destroy his fort no-faraq and conquer its most precious treasure, his dil... the poor man will keep thinking his dimaag can resist the assault.
but what struck me really this episode was its tenor, its tone and texture. comedy was today's chosen genre. after the break up with la, which saw fairly serious and intense stuff, an element of tragedy even in la's story, a deliberate attempt at lightness, before romance sets in and makes it all densely emotional. this episode was laurel hardy, charlie chaplin, physical comedy, very thappad-atta... slapstick, as illustrated above (hyuk).
karan goddwani and sanaya irani were impeccable in their utter senselessness. suddenly in the middle of it, a mosquito, why? then the slap... wonder if the writers came up with all of this while toying with the word "slapstick." how to get a slap... why, thwack a mosquito, of course. where? on asr's... cheek? great, so we have physical contact... heat, passion, drama, but all around a ridiculous reason... then a completely corny word from a cute, "paagal" man, loveria. a little comedy act with a pithy message... the heart of it, as it were. a fairly classic structure i thought.
"100 chuhe khake billi chale haj ko... " when payal demurred at the suggestion of competition for sangeet, khushi hit back, after eating a hundred mice, the cat goes on pilgrimage?!! apparently payal had done nagin dance at someone's sangeet. snake dance. anyone remember the snake dance from bride and prejudice? seems up north this is quite a thing at shaadi functions. and maybe by 161, writers knew many call shyam snakewa? so a little joke?
khushi giving bua ji a little push to get her twirling and in the mood for dance, and then leaping around doing her trademark thumkas with a few well chosen nagin moves was hard not to smile at.
from here we went to rm where the three ladies there were in deep talk about shaadi, the wedding atmosphere is building up. seems madhubala ji the dance instructor has taken umbrage and decided to ditch the raizadas; no problem, says, nani ji, she will teach the steps, she's a dancer after all. and the moaning groaning mami ji, cheated out of a rich daughter-in-law by the vagaries of love, counters, "are you suwar (sure)?" suwar as in pig. again that almost physical humour. mami ji's mouth is a comedic device in effect, even nk can't quite match her tempo and range. dialogue writers obviously had a special loveria for this englissiya speaking lady. "publically humra itna insalat mat kijiye..." awww.
what were those two pickle jars doing sitting in front of nani ji, i wondered. did they mean something? happiness? joy? good fortune? usually, we find pickle jars at gh.
"aisa koi nahin hai jo naach nahin sakta uss laad governor ko chhorkar, " there's no one who doesn't know how to dance apart from that laad gov, khushi mutters as she walks into rm, nk in hot pursuit... suddenly, mosquito attack... and the leaping, jumping, trying to kill mosquito moves begin, almost choreographed. nk of course thinks these are real "murda" (corpse) when he means "mudra."
nanhe ji thinks khushi ji is teaching steps, follows around trying to replicate them and when she says that's not what she was doing... he's insistent, holds her hand and tells her to quickly teach him some.
of course, someone's eyes fall on on them just then. a lovely little peak at jealousy flaring. man in frenzy, loses track of call. woman completely unaware of this momentous event.
when nk realises what has khushi prancing... "machhar yaani mosquito?" he worries, "oh god agar mujhe lovaria ho gayee toh..." oh g what if i get loveria (of course, he means malaria)? and in typical "nri" hyuk style a rush to get the mosquito repellent...
leaving kkg alone by the poolside intent on catching and killling all the mosquitoes of the universe. clapping hands together, jumping up and down, peering strangely into things. no wonder when the man sees her, he has that slightly incredulous air, asks, what are you doing? "kya kar rahi ho tum?" the "unbelievable" thing in his voice just below the surface wanting to burst out.
she looks uncomfortable, then as if resolved, looks up only to notice...
"shhh, bilkul chup...!!!" shhh, absolutely quiet... drama queen, "aapke bhale ke liye hai... kuch mat kahiye... aur hiliye bhi mat..." this is for your own good (always suspect any sentence that begins thus)... don't say a thing... and don't move.
"listen you..." he starts...
and slap. thwack, phatak... the deed is done... kkg has slapped asr. tight. on left cheek.
shock. eyes growing angry. jaw hardening. asr music. dangerously. swaggering. in.
"woh... chala gaya... matlab... ud gaya... machhar chal kaise sakta hai..." that... went... i mean... flew away... how can a mosquito walk... classic kkg dialogwa. sanaya brilliant right through.
asr advnaces... a signature piece of this crazy romance. she begins to step back and nk arrives... the man is beside himself with anger...
some more mad talk, then a loud, vicious, "shut... up." new year is all about shutting up it seems.
when nk speaks up for khushi, everything comes to a head... jealousy does not bring out the best in asr...
"aur tum abhi issi waqt yahan se chali jaao..." and you, leave this place now, he turns on khushi. when she starts apologising with, "dekhiye, hum dil se (oh what a reminder of the hot tea by the cool pool day)...," he loses it, "i said get OUT."
khushi comes flying down... slap echoing in her ear.
he will veto sangeet talk... absolutely furious. is it only that bizarre thappad that bothers him? no, definitely nk grabbing khushi's wrist has left him seething, unable to control his anger.
"aisa koi competition nahin hoga.." there will be no such competition, the man is in rage today, his music clings to him...
of course, nk doesn't seem to notice the mood and says if you don't have the muqabla, how would he know if he's the winner "sikandar" or the "bandar" monkey. a glacial stare lights up the screen. the poor boy however is practically abandoned by his fam in their pursuit of wedding fun, dance competition; even mama ji is willing to go ahead minus him.
then in steps akash... if bhai doesn't want sangeet, there will be none, he is quite ok with that.
a visibly irritated asr is touched and with a smart, "thanks, akash," leaves. scathing looks at kkg from time to time, who of course is still hearing the thappad at regular intervals. nice sound effects.
next scene, signs of that feeling so elusive, but before that a warning: man dressing. about to wear tie.
"arnav ji, hum do minute aap se baat..." arnav ji, may i speak to you for two minutes... khushi is again out to save the day.
"mujhe nahin karni... out!" i don't want to... out. curt, hurt.
a sleek silver gray tie goes around the neck in a swift sure motion, a head bends, hands get busy knotting... white shirt, gray waist coat... gelled hair, strands spiky, falling forward, stern, angry jawline, a combination not suitable for the weak hearted.
"par hum toh bahar hi hain..." but i'm outside... tom and jerry vibes again, despite her sincerely apologetic and remorseful air.
he's seething.
she starts, "dekhuiye, arnav ji agar aap thappad ki vajah se... hum..." see, arnav ji, if you are because of the slap... i... tears appear and her face begins to crumple.
he turns, pulling off the tie, ready to shout, sees her tears.
everything changes. that quick flip of expression, from angry to nonplussed to brimming concern. he walks up to her as though unable to help himself.
"khushi?!!" oh that timbre in his voice again... like that day when she'd dashed against him at the poolside afterv discovering snake's truth.
"dekhiye, arnav ji, humne jaan boojjhkar nahin kiya... hume pata hi nahin chala ki macchhar aapke gaal mein..." see, arnav ji, i didn't do it on purpose, i didn't know that the mosquito would on your cheek... she begins explaining. but.
"haan haan thhek hai, it's ok," he cuts in hassled, voice gentle-ish... husky... troubled, can't take her crying... "rona band karo..." stop crying.
"toh aapne hume maaf kar diya..." so you've forgiven me?
the sweetest nod with the slightest almost smile...
she is wreathed in smiles immediately, "achha? toh hum sangeet rakh sakte hain," aah so we can have the sangeet? tears are wiped off promptly.
he's stunned.
"what?!!toh tum yeh acting kar rahi thi?" so you were acting all the while?
one minute angry, next second concerned, then almost tender and loving, and wham incredulous and angry again... supremely romantic utterly ipk.
"itni... itni..." so... so... he's at a loss for words, gathering rage.
"aap phir se gussa ho rahe hain..." you're getting angry again...
"get out... isse pehle ki main..." get out, before i...
"isse pehle ki aap kya..." before you... what? kkg, you don't ask such things of a frantically in love in anger in hurt in madness man. shhh.
then further attack of sanka, a cheek is presented... she invites him to slap her. back to the genre of the day.
......................
No comments:
Post a Comment