The episode begins with an intense confrontation. A furious Chandru confronts Anika, shouting about a car she set on fire. He is angry and worried, telling her she’s becoming too reckless and arrogant. He grabs her arm, but she defiantly pushes him away. He questions her actions, pointing out that someone could have been hurt. As they argue, Dadi and Urmila arrive. Chandru complains to Dadi about Anika’s behavior, saying money and privilege have gone to her head. Dadi, however, defends Anika, claiming that her anger is a result of bottling up her emotions for a long time. She takes Anika away, leaving Chandru to face his wife, Urmila. He angrily blames Urmila and Dadi for spoiling Anika and enabling her bad habits.
The scene shifts to a large, traditional house. Saru is seen massaging the foot of an elderly man in a wheelchair, Dadusa. She has a sweet, innocent conversation with him and her friend Phulla about how their second toes are longer than their big toes, suggesting a past connection. Another older woman, Dadisa, enters and playfully scolds Saru for a comment about her cooking, pinching her ear affectionately. The warmth and love in this family are evident. Dadisa then announces she is going to the temple. From a balcony above, Anika and Urmila look down, scornfully watching a servant address Saru as “madam.”
A flashback takes us to a rural village where a woman, Gauri, who strongly resembles Saru, is working in a field. She sees a younger Chandru and her face lights up. This seems to be a memory of Saru’s mother, Gauri, and her past with Chandru.
Back in the present, Saru and Phulla discover their bicycle has two flat tires, leaving them stranded. Just then, Anika drives by in her car, taunts them about their lab test, and speeds off. Shortly after, a white Mercedes pulls up. It’s Ved. Seeing their plight, he offers them a ride to their exam, and they gratefully accept.
Meanwhile, a Guruji visits the family home and speaks with Annapurna (Dadisa). He delivers a grave warning that her eldest granddaughter is in serious danger. From a nearby doorway, Urmila and Chandru’s mother listen in, their faces filled with concern.
At the college lab, the atmosphere is tense. Anika’s friend, Tilak, slyly swaps Saru’s chemical with a dangerous, explosive one. Saru, focused on her work, doesn’t notice. As she prepares her experiment, Anika and Tilak watch with evil smirks. A flashback reveals Ved overhearing Saru and Phulla planning a simple prank on Anika, which explains his later actions. The scene is intercut with a memory of Saru’s father encouraging her to fulfill her dreams.
As Saru proceeds with the experiment, she pours the chemical. It immediately starts to smoke and then violently explodes, splashing directly onto Anika’s face. The lab is thrown into chaos as students scream and rush around. Ved is the first to reach a screaming Anika and helps her.
The final scene takes place in the principal’s office. Anika sits with a bandage over her eye, her mother Urmila by her side, furious. Urmila accuses Saru of deliberately harming her daughter. Other students, coached by Tilak, back up this false story. In a shocking twist, Ved also supports the false narrative, telling the principal he overheard Saru and Phulla planning to harm Anika. Based on the overwhelming, albeit false, testimony, the principal expels Saru and Phulla. The episode ends with a heartbroken Saru crying, her dreams shattered.
Review
This episode was a rollercoaster of emotions, masterfully blending high-stakes drama with moments of tender nostalgia and sinister plotting. The opening scene between Chandru and Anika was powerful, highlighting the growing chasm in their relationship and Anika’s descent into arrogance. The contrast between her privileged, toxic environment and Saru’s simple, loving life with her grandparents was stark and effective. The introduction of the Gauri-Chandru flashback adds a layer of mystery to Saru’s parentage and her connection to the family. The climax in the chemistry lab was brilliantly executed, with the slow-motion explosion and the ensuing chaos creating a truly shocking moment. The biggest twist, however, was Ved’s betrayal. His seemingly kind act of giving Saru a ride made his testimony against her all the more gut-wrenching, leaving viewers to question his true motives. The episode ends on a powerful cliffhanger, with Saru’s future hanging in the balance, making us desperate to see what happens next. The performances were top-notch, especially from the actors playing Saru, who conveyed her innocence and heartbreak beautifully, and Chandru, whose anger and frustration were palpable.
Recap Points
- Chandru confronts Anika about her reckless behavior after she sets a car on fire.
- Saru and Phulla’s bicycle tires are punctured, but Ved gives them a ride to their college exam.
- Anika and her friends conspire against Saru, leading to a chemical explosion in the lab that injures Anika.
- Anika, her mother, and other students falsely accuse Saru of causing the accident.
- In a shocking twist, Ved supports their false claims, leading to Saru and Phulla’s expulsion from college.
Plot Twists
- Anika’s prank, intended for Saru, backfires and injures herself.
- Ved, who appears to be Saru’s friend and savior, betrays her by siding with Anika in the principal’s office.
- A Guruji’s prophecy of danger for the eldest granddaughter is mysteriously fulfilled through Anika’s accident, raising questions about fate and karma.
Predictions
- Ved’s betrayal is likely a misunderstanding or a strategic move to protect Saru from a larger threat, and he will eventually help her prove her innocence.
- Chandru, suspicious of Anika’s behavior, will investigate the lab incident on his own and uncover the truth, leading to a major confrontation with Anika and Urmila.
- The expulsion will force Saru to return to her village, where she will discover more about her mother Gauri’s past and her connection to Chandru’s family, possibly revealing that she is the true heir.