Dreamingstars

[themakeupbrush]

Alia Bhatt at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

[lostinsfiction]

alia bhatt wearing custom tarun tahiliani ivory draped chanderi dhori skirt and soft scupted corset at cannes 2026

[dreaming-star]

My favourite look from this year's Cannes ✨✨

[cvt2dvm]

Homemaking but Without the Alt-Right Trad Wife Pipeline

Hey Girlie Pops,

Between TikTok and Tumblr, I’m seeing way too much bedrotting and overwhelm about what actually needs to happen to clean a room or maintain a home. There’s a real gap in basic home-training skills; and the people filling that gap are often alt-right tradwife influencers and crunchy pseudoscience. So! I am here, as your big sister who’s been living alone and maintaining clean, functional spaces in both surgical/clinical and cozy domestic settings for 6 years now, to teach you the basic tools, how they work, and how to keep your home clean cheaply and effectively. This is homemaking for Competent Women not patriarchal nonsense. I'll cover pet care and pet cleaning routines and supplies in a follow up post, and these are all going to be tagged as #Big Sister Chats

≽^•⩊•^≼ Tools and Supplies ≽^•⩊•^≼

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ The Perpetual Tools ♡ Basics You Actually Need ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

ᵔᴥᵔ An upright canister or Euro canister vacuum - not a stick vac. If you’re only going to have ONE vacuum, it should be a canister with real suction power and attachments. Supplement with a stick vac later if you want. ᵔᴥᵔ A Bucket ᵔᴥᵔ A Mop - Cuban, Spin, Microfiber, Sponge, Deck Brush… I don’t care, just get a good mop head. ᵔᴥᵔ A Broom ᵔᴥᵔ A Dustpan & Brush ᵔᴥᵔ If you have carpet: A handheld carpet cleaner/spot cleaner, and know where your local rentable wall-to-wall cleaner is (grocery stores, Lowe’s, Home Depot). ᵔᴥᵔ Rubber or heavy nitrile gloves ᵔᴥᵔ Rags ᵔᴥᵔ A Scrub Brush ᵔᴥᵔ A Plastic Razor Blade ᵔᴥᵔ A Garment Steamer or Iron (I am begging you and I promise it's worth it) ᵔᴥᵔ A lint brush, lint stone, or lint comb ᵔᴥᵔ A clothing drying rack or clothes line ᵔᴥᵔ A dish drying rack with mat ᵔᴥᵔ A Toilet Brush & Plunger Set ᵔᴥᵔ Two Laundry Hampers or Laundry Bags ᵔᴥᵔ A sponge with a non-scratch scrub side (Scrub Daddy, Scotch-Brite, whatever) ᵔᴥᵔ Plastic Drain Snake ᵔᴥᵔ An old toothbrush (For detail bits) ᵔᴥᵔ An Ironing pad

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ Nice To Haves ♡ Upgrades That Make Life Easier ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

ᵔᴥᵔ A Hand & Stick Combo Vacuum (Bissell Featherweight, Dyson stick vacs, etc.) ᵔᴥᵔ Your own wall-to-wall carpet cleaner (if you have carpet) ᵔᴥᵔ A Spin or Steam Mop ᵔᴥᵔ A Swiffer-type Quick Mop dusty and mist/damp mop system (O-Cedar Microfiber, Swiffer, etc.) ᵔᴥᵔ A Wet/Dry Vac (there are very cool all-in-one mop/vac combos now) ᵔᴥᵔ A Steam Cleaner ᵔᴥᵔ 1–2 divided cleaning caddies ᵔᴥᵔ Scouring Pads / Steel Wool ᵔᴥᵔ A Dish Brush ᵔᴥᵔ Dryer Balls ᵔᴥᵔ A Mini Bucket (for mixing small solutions) ᵔᴥᵔ A Duster (instead of just using dry rags) ᵔᴥᵔ Spray Bottles (Labeled with what's in them) ᵔᴥᵔ Dedicated sink plunger ᵔᴥᵔ Pumice stone for hard water and rust lines ᵔᴥᵔ A floor and a hand squeegee (Wet messes, pet hair if you do the rubber brush + squeegee thing) ᵔᴥᵔ Ironing Board/ Arm boards/ Tailor's Hams ᵔᴥᵔ Disposable Exam gloves

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ The Barest of Cleaning Supplies ♡ The Minimum Effective Arsenal ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

ᵔᴥᵔ Bleach or an ammonia-based cleaner - Something with actual documented pathogen-killing power (Clorox, Lysol) ᵔᴥᵔ Distilled White Vinegar ᵔᴥᵔ Scouring Powder - Bar Keepers Friend, Comet Bleach Powder, Baking Soda, pick one ᵔᴥᵔ Oxygen Bleach / OxiClean / OxyPowder ᵔᴥᵔ Castile Soap ᵔᴥᵔ Laundry Detergent - powder, liquid, pods, doesn’t matter just something effective ᵔᴥᵔ Carpet cleaning solution (if you have carpet + a portable carpet cleaner) ᵔᴥᵔ 90% Rubbing Alcohol ᵔᴥᵔ Hydrogen Peroxide ᵔᴥᵔ Enzyme Cleaner (if you have pets or a period)

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ Nice To Have Cleaning Supplies ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

ᵔᴥᵔ Cleaning solutions for any “Nice to Have” machines - (steam mop, carpet cleaner, wet/dry vac) ᵔᴥᵔ Dish Soap ᵔᴥᵔ Surface-specific cleansers - (stone-safe, wood-safe, bathroom-safe, etc.) ᵔᴥᵔ Mirror & Glass Cleaner - (Though 50:50 vinegar + water does this very well) ᵔᴥᵔ Canned Air for electronics ᵔᴥᵔ Screen Wipes / Screen Cleaner ᵔᴥᵔ Metal Polish ᵔᴥᵔ Leather Cleaners ᵔᴥᵔ Beeswax Block ᵔᴥᵔ Lemon Oil ᵔᴥᵔ Essential or Fragrance Oils - These do not CLEAN they're to make things smell nice, and be sure to check which ones are compatible with YOUR pets ᵔᴥᵔ Fabric Softener ᵔᴥᵔ Fabric Scent things (sprays, rinses, beads, etc) ᵔᴥᵔ Spray Starch ᵔᴥᵔ Wrinkle Releaser ᵔᴥᵔ Ironing Spray ᵔᴥᵔ Color Safe Fabric Sanitizer ᵔᴥᵔ Dryer Sheets ᵔᴥᵔ Dishwasher detergents & Rinse additives (if you've got one) ᵔᴥᵔ Washing Machine Cleaners - If your machine works with these AND you have them in home, but honestly, hot water + a baking soda scrub + rinse + vinegar will do this too ᵔᴥᵔ Laundry Stain Remover Pre-treatment (tide pens work pretty well here tbh) ᵔᴥᵔ Niche fabric detergents (woolite, delicates detergent, etc) ᵔᴥᵔ Drain Cleaner/Liquid plunger ᵔᴥᵔ Citric Acid or other hardwater problem solver if you have hardwater issues ᵔᴥᵔ Carpet Powder

≽^•⩊•^≼ The Routines ≽^•⩊•^≼

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ Daily Maintenance ♡ Because it's easier to keep clean than get clean ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

Mornings: ᵔᴥᵔ Make the bed - Your mom and that navy admiral guy on all of the inspirational vertical shorts accounts were correct. It starts your day off correctly with an accomplishment and it makes your room look better ᵔᴥᵔ If you have in unit laundry and a load, start it before class/work/etc ᵔᴥᵔ Do dishes as you cook or right after eating ᵔᴥᵔ Quick Trash check - if it's full, smelly, wet, etc, take it out on your way out of the house

Evenings: ᵔᴥᵔ Switch your load from the morning into the dryer or onto a drying rack ᵔᴥᵔ Quick sweep of clutter and things where they don't belong back into their rightful places ᵔᴥᵔ Quick run through with a broom/dust mop/swiffer/stick vac (your surface level quick cleaning method for hair, crumbs, dust, and dirt) ᵔᴥᵔ Dishes, get that sink cleared nightly and wipe it down and a quick pass over your prep surfaces (you can literally take your wet sponge from doing dishes, wring it out, and take a hand towel after it) - it's the same concept as making the bed in the morning, so that you start and end your day with an accomplishment ᵔᴥᵔ Put away any laundry you did that day, pull out and prep your outfit for the next day (iron/steam out wrinkles, hit it with a lint roller doesn't have to be perfect, doesn't even have to be starched, just presentable and not looking like you grabbed it out of the laundry pile and slept in it) ᵔᴥᵔ As Part of your evening hygiene routine, wipe down the bathroom sink for toothpaste worms, makeup dust, etc. Grime will build up quick in bathrooms

Keep In Mind: These are all 2–10 minute tasks, totaling about 30 minutes to an hour of maintenance per day. Doing these small resets cuts your deeper weekly cleaning from 6–8 exhausting hours down to 2–3 manageable hours. This isn’t about perfection. This isn’t about being a Stepford wife. This is about saving time, energy, and effort for Future You, so she’s not stuck doing disaster recovery every Saturday.

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ The "Adulting" Midi Cleans (1-2x weekly) ♡ for a little more heft (1 hour max in addition to above daily) ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

ᵔᴥᵔ Run the Vacuum, just... hit the open floors, should take you maybe 10 minutes per room assuming fairly large rooms, my entire apartment takes me about 20 minutes and 30 minutes if I'm wrestling with the stairs, and I only do stairs once a week ᵔᴥᵔ Quick scrub the toilet, just a quick inside the bowl with the toilet brush, swirl (not even 90 seconds) ᵔᴥᵔ Hit all the kitchen and bathroom countertops with a quick wipe without moving your knife block, spice rack, etc. (3-5 minutes a room) These are your touch up cleans, Not your deep cleans, not your maintenance cleans

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚ The Weekly Reset ♡ 2-3 Hours Active Time ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

Bedroom: ᵔᴥᵔ Sweep under the bed ᵔᴥᵔ Strip the bed and throw the linens in the wash (Pillowcases, sheets, duvet covers, mattress pad/protector) - Blankets and comforters that don't have a cover should be laundered monthly, covers and sheets should be laundered weekly, and inserts should be laundered every 3-6 months ᵔᴥᵔ Gather any dishes that didn't get caught in the daily sweeps ᵔᴥᵔ Vacuum ᵔᴥᵔ If you have hard floors: Mop and dry with a towel (a towel under the feet works great for this and you can use your dirty towel from the bathroom) ᵔᴥᵔ If you have carpet: use carpet powder or baking soda on freshly vacuumed carpets and let it set while you clean the rest of the house, then vacuum again at the end ᵔᴥᵔ Remake the bed with clean linens (either the ones you just stripped, or a secondary set) ᵔᴥᵔ Wipe mirrors and surfaces ᵔᴥᵔ Dust frames and bookshelves ᵔᴥᵔ Tidy Nightstands, put books away, etc ᵔᴥᵔ Straighten Drawers and closet

Bathroom: ᵔᴥᵔ Clean Makeup and Skincare Brushes/Sponges ᵔᴥᵔ Launder towels, washcloths, and bathmats ᵔᴥᵔ wipe down toilet exterior, toilet seat, sink, and tub with lysol or bleach solution ᵔᴥᵔ Scrub any necessary stains away ᵔᴥᵔ wipe mirrors ᵔᴥᵔ Chemically clean toilet bowl (lysol or bleach into the bowl, then scrub with toilet brush) Living Space/Office: ᵔᴥᵔ Vacuum and mop ᵔᴥᵔ Wipe Down Surfaces ᵔᴥᵔ Straighten throw blankets and throw pillows ᵔᴥᵔ Sort Mail into shred, address, and file ᵔᴥᵔ Clear your junk mail tab in your email ᵔᴥᵔ Empty digital and real recycle bins ᵔᴥᵔ Hit upholstery with a lint roller Kitchen: ᵔᴥᵔ Vaccuum and Mop ᵔᴥᵔ Wipe Down surfaces, cooktop, and oven; move knife blocks,spice racks, and small appliances as needed ᵔᴥᵔ Thoroughly clean any small appliances like toasters, coffee makers, or air fryers ᵔᴥᵔ Wipe down sink ᵔᴥᵔ Check fridge for expired goods, wipe down one shelf (rotate which shelf you wipe down through the month) ᵔᴥᵔ Check freezer and scrape frost if necessary ᵔᴥᵔ Wipe the microwave out with a damp cloth if you have a microwave Outside and Entryway: ᵔᴥᵔ Sweep leaves, dirt, and gravel from front step, shake out welcome mats and entry rugs ᵔᴥᵔ Tidy your shoe rack if you have one ᵔᴥᵔ If you have dogs, now is the time to clean up poop in a back yard. ᵔᴥᵔ Straighten up outerwear, "dump tray", and purse/bag ᵔᴥᵔ Check the car for random fast food trash or general clutter

Closing Words: It's not your fault if no one taught you any of this, that's okay. I had to teach myself a lot of this, so I'm sharing this to help you learn so that you don't have to struggle through trial and error like I did. My asks are always open for your unique challenges and home keeping struggles and I hope this helped!

[paobhaji]

✨This gives me exasperated husband, ‘im waiting for my wife, what is she doing, just try to be patient…this is my life now i guess’✨

╥_╥

[libraryleopard]

the artful dodger actually has the perfect formula for a tv show because it's 30% crime show 30% medical drama 30% period drama romance and 10% anachronistic needle drops

[dreaming-star]

So I've just started 'The Artful Dodger' Season 2 and as soon as I saw Inspector Boxer, all I could see was Charming from the 'Shrek' franchise 😂😂

I mean… is it just me?

[partywithponies]

"It's just a TV show" maybe to you. I absorbed it into my soul though.

[monicah77777]

Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon promo 1

[smashingorpassing]

some organizations working on the ground in gaza right now

gaza soup kitchen

the sameer project

salam charity

watermelon relief

[bimilbyeol]

Hi everyone! As someone who’s been searching for years for subtitles, I wanted to let you know that WLEXT has all episodes of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon with English subtitles.

I also have Turkish subtitles up to episode 320.

I couldn’t find Turkish subs beyond episode 310, so I’ve been subbing the rest myself (bit by bit).

If anyone needs them, I’d be happy to share my link!

If only Hotstar was available worldwide… 😩

[dreaming-star]

IPKKND's one impactful payoff for Khushi

When Shyam's truth is exposed

What follows is a long ramble on a moment I loved and the 'What if?' it inspired!

I revisit Shyam's first reveal, during my recent rewatches of IPK, often as it feels like one of the few instances that we get a payoff for Khushi. I vividly remember watching live as all of Shyam's plots played out and waiting with bated breath for the reveal.

The hit and miss was a little dragged out for my liking and there were a few loopholes but the writing potential of this reveal could not be understated. It was pulled off so well and Aabhaas and Sanaya did a fabulous job.

These are a few things that caught my attention:

The Flashbacks

Of the flashbacks that we see Khushi reflect on in the lead up to the reveal, there are two that stand out to me.

The day Shashi reacted to seeing Anjali when the Raizadas came to fix Payal's rishta with Akash.

When Shashi pulls off Khushi's engagement ring and throws it on the floor.

I've always thought these two flashback moments had so much potential that don't really end up being focused on further in the narrative. Especially as Shashi is discarded as a character and the writers sacrifice Shashi-Khushi's dynamic after this.

Why does Khushi remember these moments as proof of her doubts regarding Shyam?

Is Khushi reflecting on her father's initial doubts of Shyam from before Shashi's health crisis? Bua-ji attempts to explain away the first one as Shashi being irritated by the heat but placing the flashback here makes it clear that Khushi is presented doubting this event.

By the time Shashi pulls Khushi's engagement ring off, her doubts of Shyam and their engagement are many. The show makes it clear by this point that she is growing increasingly uncomfortable with Shyam's proximity to her.

Perhaps in her opinion, Shashi doesn't approve of their relationship as Shyam is not a suitable/compatible partner for Khushi. Though she does question his decision to pull off her ring.

Why is there no resolution/revelation during Shashi's recovery confirming Shyam's role in Shashi's paralytic attack?

Watching it back, it feels like there were seeds being planted here but there was never a follow through (as in most cases re. Khushi's storyline as a character).

I would have loved a scene between Khushi and Shashi during his recovery pre-Payash's wedding where she took care of him and talked about her feelings surrounding the engagement revelation fallout. Shashi was always the one elder who understood Khushi and saw her as she needed to be seen.

By doing this, I think it would have also made the contract marriage reveal so much more powerful. Especially while everyone lambasts Arnav and Khushi for their elopement, Khushi's wordless plea is directed at Shashi.

Shashi is also the first to bless and forgive her seeing and knowing that there must be a deeper story to what happened. Shashi and Khushi as a dynamic could have really been strengthened in these moments.

The Reveal

I love the contrast between when Khushi walks in, unsure and with trepidation as Shyam, Buaji's golden boy (credit - @phati-sari), stands firm in his element as the manipulative lawyer he is, having just been threatening a client.

Then Shyam turns around and the rug is pulled from underneath him. All the cunning slips away as the facade collapses in front of their eyes. Khushi pieces everything together and now the tables are turned.

The cunning lawyer is revealed to be the bumbling snake he always was and Khushi who has been gaslit and manipulated by Shyam this whole time, is vindicated as her doubts are confirmed.

As @jalebi-weds-bluetooth and @chutkiandchotte have mentioned in their analysis of the Khushi-Shyam dynamic during the kidnapping, this man truly is Khushi's villain.

The Potential

A lot of these threads could have been picked up post-Holi and I really feel this is where they would have had the most impact.

If, after the Holi attraction revelation, Arnav's hurt became central to the dynamic between Arshi instead of the constant abuse, we could have seen him try to resolve things with the Guptas and bring these threads together.

The underutilised moment that could have done this for me is:

When Khushi believes Arnav swapped his and Mami's medication

Photo credit: @phati-sari's recap of episode 211

If both characters were given space to dwell on the hurt that existed between them despite Holi and the beautiful but painful open secret between them, we could have seen a clear unfolding of the possible depth between Arshi and their in-laws.

What if?

Khushi tries to bring together the Raizadas and pulled away from Arnav here despite Holi. She focuses on supporting Payal and the elders. During this period, Payal notices Shyam constantly lingering around Khushi and maybe witnesses a brief but sour encounter between the two.

The two sisters band together realising that the snake 🐍 has not reformed and resolve to bring forward the truth of Shyam's character to the family (after all, Khushi threatened to do just that at Payash's engagement). They slowly present holes in Shyam's every story over time and Payal becomes a thorn in Shyam's side each time he attempts to accost Khushi.

On the other hand:

Arnav sees the impact of how Payal was affected by the recent mix-up and is hurt that Khushi truly believes the worst of him following this, he reflects on who he is becoming and who he is beginning to resemble in the course of this sham.

Arnav tries to redeem himself in his own eyes the only way he knows how and phones the hospital/rehab centre where Shashi is receiving treatment and asks if there are any new developments. He asks to be kept updated, promises to pay for any new treatment options and ask that his assistance be kept quiet.

Akash is brought into the loop as he inadvertently hears Arnav talking to a doctor about beginning Shashi's speech therapy. They both band together to support the Guptas and discover that Shashi's recovery has been progressing slower than expected. Shyam's tampering with the medicines is revealed and Arnav is left with more questions than answers.

Despite my love for IPK, I'll always lament what it could have been.

I do think a lot of the storyline decisions at this point was the channel and CVs deciding that Arshi (more specifically passing off abuse as angst and inserting Rabba Ve moments to make it even more jarring 🫠) was the driving force of the show and all other threads be damned.

Would love to hear anyone's thoughts on my rambles. Maybe what I'm seeing wouldn't have worked character wise but I do feel the wasted potential watching these scenes back.

[waltersnowwhite-deactivated2013]

a detailed list of things i hate

hot weather

high temperatures

heat

warmer than average conditions

[dreaming-star]

How I would have loved the post elopement tracks to be written

I had to get these rambles out so excuse the disconnected thoughts. I've not really shared many IPK musings here so here goes… in my opinion we truly missed out on so many golden opportunities because of the disaster track the writers' made the contract marriage.

Arnav's hatred of Khushi and the circumstances is overt and so the realisation/understanding of the truth is subtle (credit @chutkiandchotte @jalebi-weds-bluetooth)

The writers tackle the misunderstanding by asking the question 'can Arnav grapple with his undying love for Khushi despite his belief that she was Shyam's mistress?' Instead of asking 'will these two souls torn apart by a misunderstanding find their way to each other again? Will they understand each other?'

These are a few ideas I would have loved to have seen play out. This is inspired by @jalebi-weds-bluetooth's post about the alternative ways that the contract marriage could have gone.

Imagine a distant marriage between the two leads with moments of completely unintentional comedy?

Where almost every character tries to create chances for Arshi to romance albeit begrudgingly (granted this did happen thanks to Anjali and Nani most of the time but I would have loved it sans the abuse they decided on making a key factor of the contract marriage)

Imagine a few days after things settled down post elopement where Akash notices Arnav being distracted at work and troubled at home, Payal noticing Khushi being over involved in household work to distract herself and NK returns noticing an icy bitterness between Arshi. Imagine Mahinder and Manorama comparing their elopement to Arshi's and seeing an odd misalignment between the two.

What if these Raizadas got together to talk about this and tried to constantly bring them together with nefarious plans à la NYE? This could have led to the Bali-in-Delhi honeymoon then later progress to Akash and Payal deciding (thanks to the insistence of the others!) to manufacture tension in their marriage. This could compel Arshi to again play cupid between Payash. Then we have Arshi who married on the foundation of protecting the Payash marriage being forced to play along.

Imagine a double date where Arnav and Khushi have to diffuse the false tension between Akash and Payal (who are only able to put up a facade because Anjali and NK/ Manorama and Mahinder are training them on arguing as a couple via bluetooth because of course these besotted lovebirds cannot put up a pretence to argue).

As this continues, Shyam tries to hilariously ruin each of these plans but fails each time because Devi Mayya is rooting for Arshi too. So again we see fate align and cracks form in the angst set up around the heartbreak that was the original misunderstanding.

This is where some of IPK's magic was lost for me - the more the misunderstanding was dragged out or the characters were sent back to square one, the less this became a story about how fate aligned. It's also where the show stopped weaving fate into the narrative which gave it an ethereal atmosphere for example using Tu Hi Bata Mere Maula as a track.

One of the major things that was the pull of the show for me alongside the character of Khushi, Arnav and Shyam - was how fate was the unconscious fourth character. This showed up through the soundtrack, dialogues and stunning visuals working in harmony but this gets lost post contract.

Arnav then remembers the glimpses of Khushi that he saw before the misunderstanding stained all his memories, sees this version of Khushi gradually come to the forefront and questions how this side of her could be a facade when it appears to be so natural. Khushi witnesses Arnav's bond with his siblings and wonders why he would create the contract on the foundation of breaking Payash's marriage when he is so supportive of the two as a couple. This is the start of things thawing between Arshi.

Meanwhile Mahinder gives Arnav advice on winning the Gupta family's hearts post elopement. As Arnav wins them over, his heart feels more settled with the Guptas than his own home. He spends more time with Shashi (maybe takes up the mantle of Shashi's recovery - talking to doctors and finding out how he can invest in Shashi's rehab and recovery unbeknownst to Khushi).

Arnav and Akash find out about the tampering of Shashi's medication and through this track of Shashi's progressing recovery, they accidentally discover Khushi's previous wedding card with Shyam's name. This leads Arnav to remember Khushi's turmoil during her engagement, the heartbreak he saw on Khushi's face at the poolside when it was clear her fiancé hurt her and the betrayal her family felt after it ended.

As Shashi's recovery progresses, one of the first messages Shashi writes to his son-in-laws is a request to 'Protect Khushi from Shyam' or a revelation that he had tried to protect her until Shyam did this to him. Confusion sets in then a horrifying question rattles Arnav. Had Shyam been the one to prey on Khushi? Had he not only misunderstood Khushi but perhaps been the one to place her in the lion's den?

On the other hand, Khushi has thrown herself into taking care of the Raizadas to take her mind off her heartbreak and stay away from Shyam. Payal acts as her protector in this regard, making sure Khushi isn't left alone with Shyam after noticing her sister's discomfort around him.

Both sisters try to bring forward the doubts that Anjali had regarding Shyam to poke holes in the family's narrative surrounding Shyam. Khushi's journey with the Raizadas mirroring moments she had in the home pre-elopement.

Seeing how adept Khushi is at cooking delicious dishes Nani could make an off-the-cuff remark of how its such a shame that nobody else has the good fortune to taste Khushi's cooking and Payal reminds Khushi of their small sweet shop which sparks a 'Eureka' moment. This is where the dabba service begins (I would have loved to see Khushi's scooter make a comeback here - with some comedic moments)

Khushi jumps at the chance to cater for others and upon hearing of Khushi's plans, Arnav secretly pushes for Shukla ji to partner with Khushi so her business can be based in AR. This way he can keep her away from Shyam as he tries to figure out his next move and ensure she remains close as much of the bitterness between them has faded.

The misunderstanding is further confirmed to be false when Khushi commemorates her parents' death anniversary. Khushi solemnly spends the day withdrawn as she cooks sweets for the prasad after the pooja while Shyam tries to utilise the opportunity to be the shoulder that Khushi can cry on.

Khushi maybe goes to a school/orphanage to distribute sweets in her parents' name, in line with her desire to always bring smiles to others especially when she is hurt herself.

Arnav finds out about the anniversary after the fact and rushes to check on Khushi and support her through the day as her husband. Anjali tells him about Khushi's plans to go distribute sweets (again making Anjali the key figure to push Arshi together) and Arnav ends up there at the same time as Shyam.

Arnav witnesses yet another confrontation between Khushi and Shyam but this time he doesn't see the perspective of a cheater and his mistress. The veil is lifted as Arnav sees the dynamic for what it really is; a sexual predator and his victim.

Arnav now has to grapple with how his trauma prevented him from seeing Khushi for who she truly is as well as a new heartbreak of why she never confided in him to begin with.

GIF Credit @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @featheredclover @phati-sari

This was a really long ramble but I had to get it down so I could stop ruminating on what the show could have been 🫠

[indeliblemidnight]

Arnav Singh Raizada + white

[adk1272]

Person: it's been 4 years since IPKKND ended ... No one really even remembers it anymore -

Me: *kicks down the door* TU HI BATA MERE MAULA TU HI BATA MERE RABBA

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hi Jalebi,

I've recently got back to my old love for IPKKND and discovered yours and @phati-sari's blogs among many others which are feeding my nostalgia and love for IPK and have reminded me of why I loved the show so much. I had never really been drawn to read fics based on the show before because of how attached I felt to the story when I first watched it (especially IPK was an escape for me during a bad time) and my worry that fan interpretations would veer off what I interpreted from IPK but I came across Farak on your page while scrolling through the IPK tags and WOW!

It drew me in instantly, was written consistent with character canon and had changes in all the right ways to be considered better canon than the show. Once I started, I was desperate to finish then couldn't believe there wasn't any more to read. I've read it 2 or 3 times since then. I'm still very wary of diving into fics especially as I know there are many that are inconsistent with character canon but Farak opened the way for me to continue to enjoy new interpretations of the show that would do justice to what the writers' didn't.

My question is after seeing how beautiful some fan interpretations are of what the show could have been, is it hard to do rewatches and cringe at what the plot ended up being? If you still rewatch the show then how do you enjoy it without it being overshadowed by the frustrations of where the writing went wrong?

Sorry if this is too long a question. Thanks in advance x

Gosh... what do I do with so much love?

@phati-sari - I love her. The way she sees the way - a lot more for what it is as opposed to me who fixes and changes everything just to suit my mind, lol is special.

And she does it in a way while balancing the reality and fancy, what is ethically right and morally wrong 🤌🤌🤌

Thank you for loving Farak - that one was really close to my heart. I was binge watching the show (and the show is so not meant to be binge watched) and I desperately wanted a release for Khushi's pain and Farak was pretty much born out of that. And in a way that justified every character as well - at least to a certain extent.

Now coming to your AMAZING QUESTIONS

is it hard to do rewatches and cringe at what the plot ended up being?

Yes but for what has really changed over the years.

And it's in a few categories of things. Hehe.

#1 Certain behaviors/characteristics of some characters just are difficult to watch.

Khushi's infantilism dressed as cutesy is just impossible to watch. Why does she spin if she's lost (thus increase her chance at being in the wrong place?)? Why, after having set Lavanya as a bride on the bed, does she hide in bathroom and peak outside? Just what was she trying to look at? Does she have no sense of privacy? What is her damn rationale behind Swami track? Arnav is proven violent, proven powerful. How does annoying him get her anywhere? So yeah - a lot of Khushi's OTT childish behavior and idiot'ism' doesn't fly by at all.

And similarly I just eyeroll at the 24 hour track so much cause Arnav's confidence and gall to get back after breaking her heart in the worst way possible seems... ridiculous and tone deaf. I don't get it. It nearly makes me not ship them. I LOVE THOSE SCENES IN ISOLATION. But in context. C'mon dude - you twisted yourself over four times over not being able to say sorry for a fact you didn't know. You hurt the hell out of her. How does emotionally/financially blackmailing her work more? It's the most unlikeable he comes across to me.

#2 There were certain things that could've very easily be done differently.

I just can't watch any of these tracks - the suicide track, the 'I-might-get-murdered-by-my-husband' track, the swami track, the must-bathe-arnav-publicly... just a lot of these post marriage tracks.

I loved the first half of kidnapping. I firmly believe nothing else could've brought these two together if not for something this horrible.

But the whole Mami Bond? I loved them trying to make Khushi dupe Shyam - but everything else didn't make sense. Even Lavanya becoming 'Desi' or Khushi forcing marriage on La... sigh... I just skip these scenes.

#3 And the LOST opportunities.

Shashi was RIGHT THERE. Akash could've been so WELL used. Payal as well! Why is everyone only fighting with Shyam for Anjali's child (I mean yes, kill the guy for that) but what about the way he assaulted and harassed Khushi for nearly a year at this point? NK WAS ROAMING AROUND WITH A CAMERA THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING!

WHERE WAS THE PAYOFF FOR THE MU?

If you still rewatch the show then how do you enjoy it without it being overshadowed by the frustrations of where the writing went wrong?

So two things actually - I just go around watching my favorite scenes. And because I edit... I kinda re-edited parts of the show so I can chill and watch it, hehe.

And true, I haven't rewatched it in a long time. Not even me post editing it. Hehe.

Maybe I should?

Love,

Jalebi

[dreaming-star]

Aww yay! I'm so glad you liked my question. Thank you for your lovely reply. Farak is so deserving of all the applause. It filled in the gaps that the show missed in my opinion and picked up the sidelined characters in a way that did justice to who they were in the show vs who they could have been. Some of my other favourites have been Open Secret and Illusion (the sad angsty one) too!

Reading yours and PS's (@phati-sari) FFs gave rise to some fanfic ideas of my own too. Thats been surprising and fun to explore (though I think I'm a long way off sharing anything read-worthy).

@phati-sari writes in a way that balances the reality and the fancy - between what is ethically right and morally wrong 🤌🤌

She really does! This is what I struggled with in some fan writings but PS (and your writings) really balance out the threads the show missed and the glimmers of wonderful writing we saw. Lots of love @phati-sari! 🤍

Khushi's infantilism dressed as cutesy is just impossible to watch.

I completely agree. When I've watched repeats in the past, I've had to turn my brain off at the context to begin to digest the ridiculousness that ensues. Now I tend to skip those scenes as I find them really hard to watch or I watch them in isolation devoid of the surrounding context.

There were certain things that could have very easily been done differently.

Agreed. The tracks you mentioned are definitely those I have trouble sitting through now. Post-contract marriage is when the show began to lose its way for me (especially post-Holi). It definitely felt like the writers couldn't decide how they would resolve the loose threads and the devaluing of Khushi's character (as well as every story/character linked to her) is a big part of the downfall in my opinion.

The characters' complexity is erased and they get reduced to a single perspective. Arnav is reduced to being abusive (instead of cold/detached as I would've preferred) after the terrace incident and Khushi becomes bechari or changes depending on what the plot demands 🫠. The plot meandered every now and then but the characters always slingshotted back to the misunderstanding.

The kidnapping plot really put the show back on track for me character wise (particularly Arshi) though plot wise, the execution fell flat.

La becoming 'desi' I hated. I would have loved if she was written to find her own way to grow as a character minus the regressive stuff. Especially if they wanted to show her look changing as she bonds with and adapts to the Raizadas. Something like beginning to dress in her own blend of indo-western attire. Where we could see her personality/style shine through as a person instead of the bizarre Khushi 2.0 stuff they went with. I don't know.

And the LOST opportunities

I have so many gripes with the lost opportunities and loose threads that the show didn't address. One of the biggest being how the writers treat Shashi. I remember watching the Laxmi Nagar episodes post-contract marriage and thinking it would be addressed here and being so disappointed. Instead Shashi as a character is treated in such an ableist way; made invisible unless convenient for the plot.

He disappears from scenes where the whole family is present with no explanation (I don't remember him for example being at the havan pre-Payash wedding nor hearing an explanation for this) though he is definitely not the first nor last character treated that way by the writers (the other major example being Mahinder Mama ji who goes AWOL in the midst of the kidnapping storyline only to make his sole "reappearance" as a voiceless character on the phone for karwachauth).

Shashi's disability essentially becomes a plot device for the characters to use like Khushi during the post-24 hour track to avoid going home with Arnav and Garima during the remarriage to avoid run-ins with Dadi. I would have loved to have seen Arnav and Shashi bonding through his recovery, Arnav or Aakash checking diligently on his rehab and finding out about what Shyam had done to him.

What about the way that Shyam assaulted and harassed Khushi for nearly a year at this point?

Yep, I loathe the complete lack of resolution or recognition of what Shyam put Khushi through. Especially as the audience sees Shyam's abuse escalate during the contract marriage and kidnapping only for Khushi's trauma to be tossed aside and never meaningfully addressed. Anjali's apology gives a sliver of recognition to what Khushi went through but not nearly enough. I would have also loved to see Manorama Mami converse with Khushi post-2nd reveal to resolve the lack of trust from Mami after the kidnapping storyline and the tension that existed between them around the remarriage. Though I know they grow closer by the end of the show.

NK WAS ROAMING AROUND WITH A CAMERA THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING!

UGH I KNOW! Why does the footage never see the light of day? Or at the very least get addressed through the eyes of the characters caught up in the misunderstanding!

WHERE WAS THE PAYOFF FOR THE MU?

*sigh*

^Me if I ever found it but alas not to be.

I don't know if I'll ever get around to rewatching it from start to end tbh. Right now I'm craving the joy that I'm getting from rewatching my favourite scenes as well.

Oops, this became a really long reblog 😅

[dreaming-star]

Fourteen years since the show that started my fangirl era. I became reacquainted with my love for IPKKND only recently and happily found the fan community here.

Maybe someday I'll get past my insecurities and share my musings or a fanfic (goodness knows if they would be worth reading). For now I'm here crushing on all you IPK experts; @arnavsinghraizada @phati-sari @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @chutkiandchotte @thedupattaknowswhatsup @featheredclover @honeybellexox @laad-governess @pyaargulzar and so many more blogs I've been indulging in (my apologies for any crazy like activity as I explored the IPK rabbit hole here 🫣)

Niya x

Pic credit IndiaForums (XAMTXLOVESXYOUX)