Long as I am around, I’ll shield you from everything and everyone. Even when I am not around, I will do whatever it will take me to make sure that you’re protected.
Just hold my hand or let me hold yours,
Either be mine or just let me be yours. – IAdoreYouCreates
W H A T H A P P E N E D I N T H E E P I S O D E ?
The episode begins with Shashank assuring Apurva that he’ll save her. He makes her sit on the bed asking her to calm down – Apurva, I have already told you that long as I am here… you don’t have to be scared. Don’t be scared.
Visibly unsure, she asks him why she should not be scared.
Shashank – Basically, I have been quite good at my studies. From the very beginning. Moreover, I am a scientist. He is a mathematician. I am a scientist. We don’t trouble each other.
Apurva who is still consumed by the absolute terror of the ghost asks him – but Khadoos, you are a scientist, no? Still, you believe in these things?
Shashank – I didn’t… but one day when I didn’t study enough… I caught the sight of the ghost that very day. The way you saw it now… I saw it then. I had no choice but to believe and now, I am quite accustomed to it.
Apurva – Tell me something. Who else from our house has seen that ghost?
Shashank – Probably everyone. That is why Sumi and Prachi study so hard. The ghost must have thought that you would study today… you would study tomorrow… and that is why it probably didn’t show up in front of you so far but it has realized that you… just don’t study and that is why it has greeted you today. Probably… from today onwards… you’ll keep seeing it. And remember… whenever you hear thak-thak, thak-thak… know that the ghost is somewhere around.
Apurva hides her face in her palms, before slapping his arm as she tells him not to say all these things in front of her. She does not want to listen to them.
Shashank – Why? Are you scared? You are scared? Nah… it’s just that I had heard – Apurva Vartak isn’t afraid of anything so that made me ask.
Apurva – You heard it right. I am not scared.
Shashank gets up and says that in that case, he would go out and sleep. She holds on to his hand and urges him to stay at least until she falls asleep.
Shashank – Okay, Okay. I will stay till you fall asleep. Once you are asleep, I will go out to sleep but…remember, if someone knocks on the door after I am out… do not open the door. Keep this window shut as well. You’ll feel the heat but you will have to adjust. We don’t have an option.
He asks her to sleep but she stops him – Khadoos, why do you want to go outside? Sleep here.
Shashank – Here? But why?
Apurva – Should I be honest? I am afraid of ghosts.
Shashank – Oh, is it so? You should have told me earlier, no? Alright, I will stay here with you but how many days am I going to sleep here?
Apurva – EVERY DAY.
Shashank – Every day?
Apurva – Every day.
Apurva asks Shashank to be her friend and he readily nods. Turning his face away from her, he can’t resist his grin as he wonders why he is behaving like his wife, acknowledging that what he is doing is utter stupidity.
Apurva catches him smiling and accuses him of laughing at her fear of ghosts.
Shashank shakes his head saying – No, I am not laughing because of that. I am laughing to see a witch being afraid of a ghost.
Apurva – Did you just call me a witch?
Shashank – Yes, a witch of weird qualities whom I like sometimes.
Apurva – If I am a witch, then you… you are a devil. Khadoos Devil!
Shashank laughs – Khadoos Devil? Fine. You anyway keep calling me with weird names. A new addition to that! I don’t mind but will you listen to this devil once? Study sincerely from today onwards. Bring good marks. Work hard and then see… that ghost will never appear in front of you again.
Apurva nods and he brings her to sit on the bed. As they comfortably settle on the bed, he expresses his sincere gratitude for what she has done in Babi Aatya’s case.
Shashank – Apurva, I want to tell you something.
Apurva – What? I told you that I will study, no?
Shashank – I am not talking about that. That… you have to do but whatever you have done today for Babi Aatya… that was really important. Thank you so much and I am really proud of you. I am saying this from the bottom of my heart. I am thanking you as sincerely as I was apologizing to you.
Apurva – But, look, Khadoos… I haven’t done anything different or special.
Shashank – You won’t understand that. Without hurting our self-respect, you have taken a huge burden off our shoulders and that… only a good witch can do.
She slaps his arm – you again called me a witch?
Shashank – But I called you a good witch, no? Stay like this forever. Nice and now… studious also.
Apurva – But, Khadoos, why does a witch have to study?
Shashank – This witch has to study. If not out of this devil’s fear then at least out of the mathematician ghost’s fear… she has to study. Also… from today onwards… whenever you are going to your father’s home… it’s okay if you don’t ask me before going but at least inform me, hmm?
She nods. Upon catching the sight of swaying window curtains, she hugs him. He looks behind and chuckles. He asks her to sleep but she refuses to leave him.
Shashank – Are we going to sleep this?
She glares at him, making him smile. As they get into the bed, he gives her his hand to sleep on which she readily takes but just a couple of moments and she realizes that it’s not going to work.
Apurva – Khadoos, I am very scared today. Today is not the hand day.
Shashank – Then?
Apurva turns to his side and circles her hand around him, resting her head on his chest. His hand instantly wraps around her back before he lifts it to her head to caress her hair as he pats her to sleep. She reminds him to take off his glasses as usual.
Shashank sweetly assures her that as long as he is there, she does not have to be scared of anything or anyone – you don’t have to be scared. I am right here and long as I am here… you don’t have to be scared of devils, ghosts… and witches, hmm? Realizing that she has already fallen asleep, he smiles before letting sleep take over him.
The morning arrives with Shashank sharing the last night’s fiasco with Kanitkars who burst out laughing.
Kukki – A ghost? And that too of a mathematician?
Suva Aai – Shashank, only the Kukki gang used to do such things until now. You used to call them out and now… even you?
Maai – But what kind of a joke is this? What if she had gone into shock?
Shashank however requests everyone to not expose his lie in front of Apurva if they want her to continue studying sincerely. Suva Aai supports him.
Apurva walks in and Prachi kickstarts the plan, pretending that she did not study yesterday. Manasi Vahini joins the drama and asks her if she saw him again yesterday? Prachi nods
When Apurva asks Prachi whom did she see, Shasahank stops Prachi from saying anything. Kukki asks Prachi to go and complete her studies but Apurva holds her back, asking her not to be afraid. She asks Prachi whom did she see but Prachi leaves without answering her question, pretending to be as scared as she could have been.
Shashank walks up to Apurva – Apurva, what happened? Are you thinking about something? Talk about it.
Apurva – What were you guys talking about?
Shashank? Everyone was talking about the same ghost that you saw last night. Prachi did not study last night so she also saw that ghost.
When Shashank repeats that Prachi has gone to study, a terrorized Apurva makes a run from there to her room, leaving everyone in splits.
Later when Manasi and Sumi go to Apurva’s room to call her to eat watermelon, they find her studying.
Manasi to Sumi – Sumi, looks like she has really taken it to her heart. Looking at this pile of books, it doesn’t feel like she is going to get up from here the whole day.
Manasi asks Apurva if she is just going to study the whole day to which she nods, saying that she has to because Shashank has asked her to. Sumi informs Apurva that Suva Aai has called her downstairs to eat watermelon but Apurva refuses to go down. Manasi and Sumi try to convince Apurva but she stays firm in her stance. Eventually, Manasi and Sumi leave the room and stand outside. Sumi and Manasi discuss how Shashank’s plan is working out.
Maai comes there asking why they haven’t brought Apurva down yet. They show her how sincerely Apurva is studying. Maai calls Apurva and asks her to come down to eat watermelon.
Apurva walks to the window and asks Maai who used to stay in their house before Kanitkars. She asks if there was any mathematician who used to stay there.
Maai decides to support Shashank’s lie since she also wants Apurva to study and nods. Sumi joins the conversation and narrates the rest of the story that Shashank had told them which precisely matches what Apurva knows, making her believe that the ghost thing is for real. They ask her if she saw the ghost to which she says yes. The trio convinces Apurva of the ghost’s existence with their reactions. Apurva rushes back to her books and starts studying.
When Shashank returns from the institute, he is surprised at his unusually quiet house. Maai tells him that Apurva has been studying the whole day which is why the Kukki gang has no excitement to enjoy. Maai gently reminds Shashank to do everything with the utmost care – the same care that he takes while doing his experiments in the laboratory because otherwise not just he but everyone might have to pay a heavy price.
When he reaches his room, the sight at the front makes him smile. Seeing Apurva sitting with her books all around her, he quietly walks up to her and scares her. She throws a pillow at him saying – you scared me.
Shashank laughs – sorry, sorry. You were so engrossed in your books. I came here and you didn’t even realize? Good. It’s a good thing. He sits on the bed, asking what all that she studied today.
Apurva – I have studied everything that you have asked me to. I have learned one chapter of economics – diminishing law…. One chapter of psychology – Freud’s theory of subconscious mind – ego and super-ego.
Shashank – You got this by heart? Unless you understand this, you won’t be able to write this in exams.
Apurva – Who told you that I didn’t understand it? What is the diminishing law? When you do one thing over and over, its productivity diminishes. For example – you are always behind my back with your ‘study study study’ chant. One day… you will get tired of it.
Shashank – Good and what about Psychology? Which law?
Apurva – Law of Economics and the theory of psychology. Ego and super-ego. You know what? You are the perfect example of the super-ego.
Shashank – Good. I am impressed.
Apurva – Khadoos, I have studied a lot today and I am going to continue doing that. That ghost… won’t bother me anymore, no?
Shashank laughs and assures her that it won’t. Apurva heaves a sigh of relief. She tells him that tomorrow she is taking a day off from her studies. He asks why, to which she responds that she is tired after studying so much. She adds that she is going to sleep.
Shashank – Eat and then sleep.
Apurva – I am sleepy and I am sleeping.
Shashank – Hold on. Who is going to take care of this mess that you have made?
She points at him and sleeps. Shashank shakes his head in disbelief saying that she is back to square one and only that ghost can teach her some discipline but is quick to realize that she has already fallen asleep.
M Y T A K E
I am afraid, I might get diabetes with the amount of sweetness, Mr. Kanitkar has so generously brought to us in the last two episodes. The constant assurance that long as he is there, his wife has nothing and nobody to be afraid of has to be the most endearing part of the episode. Both times…. when they were sitting on the bed and when she had fallen asleep in his arms. Just Mr. Kanitkar being the doting husband that he is!
I wonder if he is going to stay in one piece after his wife gets to know how he has fooled and persuaded her into believing his ghost story! Mr. Kanitkar has had a lot of fun at Mrs. Kanitkar’s expense. I am sure, he will have to pay for it and we will be in team Mrs. Kanitkar then, Mr. Kanitkar.
Apurva clinging to Shashank for her dear life made me feel so bad for her but look at him. He enjoyed it to the fullest. Seems like the time has arrived when Mr. Kanitkar can’t see anything beyond Mrs. Kanitkar.
Apurva befriending Shashank just so that she can make him stay back with her and use his protection for her safety had me chuckling but Shashank actually doing what she asked him to do though! Those were supposed to be childish things for him but look at him. He has zero issues in offering anything and everything that his wife asks for. It was fantastic to see him acknowledging that she has been indeed rubbing off on him.
Shashank is getting so much more expressive when he is with Apurva now. He doesn’t absolutely hesitate to confess what his heart holds. Be it letting her know that he does like her sometimes to how he is proud of her for what she has done today. The same had happened in the episode after the office fiasco. How clearly he had talked about her being worried about him, how he can’t stand anyone saying anything to her and how he will always stay safe because she cares about him.
The sleeping position has changed and still… and still, look at the comfort level! The the comfort seems like they have been sleeping the same way for ages now. Soulmates from the past life, I had said. That’s what these two are! Their hearts and souls recognize each other even when their brains hold no memories of their previous lives.
I somewhere knew that Kanitkars would support Shashank in his lie at least for a while because even those people want to see her succeed in her life and career.
The small scene after Shashank returns from office was yet another sweet moment. I am sure, Mr. Kanitkar’s heart was dancing to see his wife so sincerely studying. It has wanted it for so long that the sight surely must have gotten him overjoyed. Did he actually scare her? Mr. Kanitkar is still in the mood to have fun? Definitely his wife has rubbed off on him. She makes him the perfect example of the super-ego and Mr. Kanitkar absolutely doesn’t seem to mind.
The highlight of the episode –
Mr. Kanitkar – Who will clear the mess?
Mrs. Kanitkar – YOU!
Yet another fantastic and entertaining episode!