The episode begins with Anupama at the hospital, taking care of her mentor, Panditji. He is lying in bed, looking weak and dejected. Anupama is preparing to feed him some fruit when she is lost in a painful flashback. She recalls Panditji’s son, Tarun, being incredibly cruel to his father. In the memory, Tarun aggressively demands that Panditji sign over the house to him, threatening that if he doesn’t, he won’t even light his funeral pyre. This memory deeply saddens Anupama.
Suddenly, Anupama’s phone rings with a call from ‘Tarun Beta’. She answers and puts the call on speakerphone for Panditji to hear. Tarun’s voice is dripping with sarcasm and cruelty. He asks if his father is okay, then callously remarks that he thought he would have to perform his father’s last rites at the hospital. He informs them that he has to leave town urgently but will return soon to take possession of the house, coldly telling his father to arrange for another place to live. Hearing his son’s heartless words, Panditji breaks down completely, tears streaming down his face. Anupama and the other women in the room are shocked and appalled.
Devastated, Panditji has a complete emotional breakdown. He starts shouting that he doesn’t want to live anymore and doesn’t need anything. He thrashes around in bed, pushing away the plate of fruit and everyone trying to calm him. In a desperate moment, he tries to harm himself with a fruit knife and rips out his IV drip. Anupama, Jaspreet, and Bharti rush to stop him. As they struggle to restrain the distraught old man, a nurse runs in to help control the situation.
Anupama tries to console the weeping Panditji. She holds his face and tells him that he is just like her own father—her biggest supporter and cheerleader. She reminds him of his own advice to her: that no matter how much life troubles you, you should never give up. In a moment of profound pain, Panditji turns her words back on her, asking, “Then why did you give up on your life?” This question hits Anupama hard, triggering a flood of her own painful memories. We see flashbacks of her son Toshu and ex-husband Vanraj shaming her for being a dancer, calling her a ‘nachnewali’. This is contrasted with a memory of her Gurumaa, Malti Devi, entrusting her with the responsibility of her dance academy, and a beautiful shot of Anupama dancing with passion. The weight of her past, her broken dreams, and her current struggles is visible on her face.
Just then, two of Panditji’s young students arrive at the hospital room. They are worried to see their guru in such a state. Heartbroken, Panditji tells them that he can no longer teach them dance because the artist inside him is dead. He yells at them to leave, and the scared girls quickly exit. Anupama watches this unfold, her heart aching for her mentor.
The next day, Anupama is at her home, performing the morning aarti. Her flatmates, Jaspreet and Bharti, join her. After the prayer, Jaspreet gently but firmly reminds Anupama that their rent is due by noon. She explains her own financial difficulties and that they are all counting on Anupama’s salary. Anupama is caught in a dilemma. How can she ask for money from a man who has lost his will to live? She walks towards the hospital, the pressure of the rent and the image of her broken guru weighing heavily on her mind. On her way, she finds a bottle of pills on the floor, picks it up, and looks at it, her worry deepening.
When she reaches the hospital, she finds Panditji still in despair, struggling to open a medicine bottle. She offers to help, but he lashes out, angry that she’s late and refusing her help. He throws the bottle, and the pills scatter across the floor. This is the last straw for Anupama. Seeing him so determined to give up, she finally loses her patience and shouts, “Quiet! Absolutely quiet!” Her stern voice silences him, leaving him shocked and tearful.
Review
This episode was a powerhouse of emotion, diving deep into the parallel struggles of Anupama and her mentor, Panditji. The performances were outstanding, particularly from Rupali Ganguly and the actor playing Panditji. His portrayal of a broken man, betrayed by his own son and losing his will to live, was heart-wrenching. The scene where he attempts to harm himself was intense and effectively conveyed his despair.
The episode brilliantly connects Panditji’s current situation to Anupama’s past. When he throws her own words back at her, asking why she gave up, it opens up a flood of Anupama’s past traumas. The flashbacks were a stark reminder of the constant criticism she faced from her family for her passion for dance. This parallel is the core of the episode’s emotional conflict: will Anupama, who was forced to abandon her art, be able to save her guru who is now willingly abandoning his? Anupama’s final outburst, where she shouts at Panditji to stop, marks a significant shift. It’s a moment of tough love, born from a place of deep empathy and a refusal to see another artist’s spirit die. The episode masterfully sets the stage for Anupama to not only heal her mentor but also, in the process, find the strength to reclaim her own identity as a dancer.
Recap Points
- Panditji’s son, Tarun, verbally abuses him over the phone, pushing him into a state of deep despair.
- Overcome with grief, Panditji has a breakdown, attempts to harm himself, and declares he is giving up on dance and life.
- Panditji’s words trigger flashbacks of Anupama’s own painful past, where her family shamed her for her passion for dance.
- Faced with financial pressure to pay rent, Anupama is in a dilemma about asking for her salary from her distraught mentor.
Plot Twists
- The revelation of Tarun’s extreme cruelty and his demand for the house is the primary reason for Panditji’s breakdown.
- Panditji completely gives up on his passion for dance, declaring that the artist inside him is dead.
- Anupama, after patiently trying to console him, finally snaps and takes a stern, commanding tone with Panditji to stop him from self-destructing.
Predictions
- Anupama will take it upon herself to help Panditji find his will to live and his passion for dance again.
- This journey of helping her guru will inspire Anupama to restart her own dance career, possibly by reopening a dance academy.
- The immediate need for money to pay the rent will push Anupama to find a way to earn through her dance, leading to new opportunities and challenges.