Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
The story is set in New Delhi 2012. It starts with Anjali arranging things and then looks at her marriage portrait and carries deep emotions. Karan Tacker (the host) starts the show and speaks that marriage is an important moment in both boy and girl’s life. But after marriage, the boy doesn’t have much to change but for the girl there is a new life. She has to make compromises and also adapt to the boy and his family. However, why she need to make those compromises and adapt herself to their sayings whether it is right. Karan says that today’s girls know between right and wrong and we can only give advice but not order. Karan speaks that today’s story is of Anjali from Delhi who was the only child of her parents and they were excited about it. The story goes back to 3 years and the year is 2009. Anjali speaks with her friend and pulls his leg and asks him to come directly to her marriage instead of engagement. She is preparing to meet Nishanth who is her fiancé and is supported by her father. She goes to meet Nishanth at the cafteria and speaks of the engagement ring. He is happy to hear it and she wants to leave since Sangeet preparations are on. She speaks of being lucky to have him as her life partner and on that note takes a selfie.
She comes home and dances during the sangeet [Hum Lut gaye… song plays] with her friends. Anjali is being asked about her law exams and there are 5 exams remaining and she speaks Nishanth also knows about it. Some friends suggests that it would be difficult while another friend speak that dreams can be fulfilled after marriage as well. They celebrate more and dance [Abhi to Party Shru Hui Hai song plays]. Next morning, she meets Nishanth and he looks at her clothes and becomes not so happy and asks whether she is fine with such clothes since people can stare at her. She informs that he have directly asked that question and says that its not her problem if they look at her. She manages to calm him down and he speaks of watching a movie together and she replies of her exams and she needs to study the whole night. He speaks that studies can be repeated but marriage is only once and also his friends are waiting for him at the movie centre. She thinks repeat is a big deal and he asks if she fails then what and asks whether she is taking care of her family. He is not so happy and wants her to drop down from his car but stops by commenting via taunt that she wore not so good clothes and goes to drop her. She becomes bit dejected to see his behavior.
Later, Anjali and her friends go out and are seen at the cafeteria and Nishanth was also present there speaking with a girl. He finds Anjali trying to snatch her phone from her friend and he comes there. He takes her aside and suggests that yesterday she didn’t agree to watch a movie but now she is hanging out with friends and have earlier said about exams. She speaks of writing her exams and only then came for the coffee with her friends and also she called him earlier but he didn’t pick up the call. She suggests that he should have called her and he asks whether he should tell her where is he going. He speaks of coming there for work and not for lavish reasons like her. He starts to speak about her friends who like her pics on social media and write different kind of comments. He asks her to stay with her friends and doesn’t need to come to him in angry tone.
Karan Tacker (the host) speaks that Anjali was not knowing what to do and Nishanth had created a scene from a small fight. She was under pressure and tried to avoid the situation which is done by most people.
Anjali later speaks to her friends about Nishanth’s trying to control her and also show possessiveness. He doesn’t appreciate that she is studying law. Her friends suggests that the girl needs to adjust after marriage. Later, both families attend a dinner together and his mother speaks that Anjali’s name will be changed after marriage and surname is automatically changed. Anjali’s mother-in law further speaks about a new name and even she has changed her name when she married. Anjali thinks her name as identity but Nishanth’s father speaks wants the tradition to go on. Anjali’s mother thinks that some compromises are needed in marriage and also wants no issues. Even her father didn’t support and doesn’t listen. Next morning, she receives a call and wants to re-schedule the appointment for tomorrow but in vain and decides to go the same day. She then calls Nishanth’s mother who asks why she is delayed. She informs his mother about the interview call and wants to attend it and later will come to her home. She requests his mother who agrees to her but acts double-faced and calls her son. Nishanth goes to pick Anjali from the law firm and she thinks he came there after informed by his mother. She speaks of the selection and he shows his unhappiness and becomes angry. He thinks that she has avoided his mother’s kitty party. She speaks of getting an internship offer in a famous law firm Raina & Raina and asks him how he compares her work with kitty party.
He then informs her of being a boy and takes care of his family. His career is important and doesn’t matter what she does. He then slaps her and wants her to correct herself and not forced him to change her. She got slapped in the middle of the road and becomes dejected. He leaves from there in his car. Anjali while going back starts crying and remembers Nishanth’s words, his slap and warning. She wipes out her tears and comes home and her mother informs that Nishanth’s mother is threatening to cancel the marriage. Anjali speaks to her father of how Nishanth slapped him and she thinks that they don’t want marriage. But her father doesn’t take her arguments in his stride and blames himself for her upbringing. He asks her to marry for his respect. She becomes quiet and loss of words to hear it. Karan (the host) speaks that some parents under the societal pressure asks their daughter to marry. He speaks that parents throw their children in the pit. Anjali didn’t have option though Nishanth has slapped and abuse her. Whether Anjali is going to accept it ?
Anjali’s marriage preparations are going on [Dil Ke Darare..Yaadein Teri Hai Darare.. song plays] and she remembers about Nishant’s words, warning, and also her father’s words who spoke what people will think if she doesn’t wish to marry. All the marriage proceedings are going in full swing though Anjali is quiet at her end. Anjali applies the Mehendi and in the night her father comes and suggests that she is the pride for him. He says that what they are doing are for her better future. He also apologizes to her and she cries on hearing it. He also speaks of missing her at his home and wants her to not go with sadness. After that emotional input from her father, Anjali reminisces about her past good times with her father. The marriage day comes and her maternal grandma (Naani) asks why she is so sad and quiet and wants to know the answer. She says nothing grandma and the grandma shares her own experience of how so many proposals came to her and her father pinpointed two proposals – landlord and school teacher. She chose school teacher and says that self-respect was crucial and deciding factor. She suggests Anjali that self-respect is important thus you marry between equals and also wants her to take own decision and suggests her to remember those words. Anjali is being taken to the Mandap which is illluminated well and Nishanth and his mother are seen. She remembers about Nishanth’s words and also her grandma’s words about self-respect and own decision. She carries a teary face while Nishant and his mom becomes surprised to see Anjali not moving.
Anjali is being told by her father to come forward for the marriage and Nishanth’s mother makes a taunt at her. Nishant comes to her and asks what is this drama and tries to take her by force. She slaps him [Halla Bol song plays] in return and asks what will he do and until when he will threaten and apply his force on her. Anjali’s dad comes and asks what’s happening. She wants her dad to not stop her and reminds him why he wanted her to marry. It is because there are so many people and he worries about them. She thinks that after her marriage if there is some problem nobody would get affected and the pain will be borne by them and she spoke all in teary voice. She then shifts to Nishanth’s mother and suggests that she wanted to break the marriage and that dream will be fulfilled by her. She then speaks of breaking the marriage and also informs that Nishanth’s attitude and thinking of regarding others very less than him, not caring about self-respect of others. She thinks he is not suitable for marriage since he wants to stop a girl, wants to keep her inside home, and also slap/abuse her. She calls him a coward and reminds Nishanth’s mother about her grandma’s words that relationships are between equals and suggests that Nishanth is not equal to her. She cancels the marriage. Anjali goes with her parents.
The story comes back to present day 2012. Anjali is seen with her husband and daughter Jia. She speaks of being lucky to have him in her life and shows care for their daughter. Anjali speaks of doing compromises in her marriage but also her husband Karan did it with full heart and not by thinking one as lesser or for someone’s force. She is fortunate to say NO on that day in 2009. The story ends on that note.
Karan Tacker speaks that Anjali’s one decision have changed the life but realization came late. He says that one who thinks girls are weaker are fools and asks the girls to work on their self-respect and do not think lesser than others. Anjali Sharma wanted to become a journalist from Kolkata and her marriage was fixed due to societal pressures. She did Mass Comm but after engagement the boy has problem with everything and wanted a slave instead of a wife. She broke the engagement and asks the girls to not give up and follow their dreams because girls are not lesser than anyone. Karan speaks that marriage is of two people and compromises are to be borne by both people. Moreover, equality is not just in rights but also in emotions and decision making and we need to respect a relationship otherwise it is a waste of time. Karan signs off by asking the girls to have dreams since they are not lesser than anyone [Ladkiyan Kam Nahi in hindi] and also say Halla Bol when needed.
Episode Video:
[youtube id=http://youtu.be/D3hTqdEPoIE]
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