Do you still rewatch ipkknd ?
If you do, what major changes you'd bring to the script that will connect to a modern Indian audience?
Honestly, I have not rewatched it in a long time! At least two years! There's almost a part of the show that I love that I feel I might not love now *eeks*
But yes, some major changes that I would bring in the script is (LONG ANSWER AHEAD);
Treat Khushi like an adult (age her up to 22/23 at least).
Sometimes she was written as a literal child which was undigestible (no sensible woman would turn in circles to find direction, she'd just... literally try to find directions). Zoya from Beintehaa is a great example of a woman who has an exuberant, young spirit but without regressing her to that of a child. So I'd write Khushi more in the guesthouse sequence energy and the later resignation energy because that woman had clarity, thought and growth.
Hold Shyam accountable for assaulting Khushi.
That part was just 'forgotten' in the story. I don't know why. But Khushi needed justice.
A proper redemption track for Arnav post marriage. The fact that he meted out anger on Khushi instead of Shyam for this said a lot.
He could have really shown the repercussions of Arnav's actions. To know his wife's sister was blackmailed on the night of his marriage instead of thinking his own cousin could consult him was a lot. And the fact his wife's family was ready to hide a disastrous truth about Shyam just to make Payal and his marriage happen says a lot about them. Maybe his mother was right in a way.
Flesh out Payal. There is no way she could live on a marriage that came at her sister's sacrifice. She'd beat herself up. She'd never forgive her own family for letting this happen, nor Arnav.
Balance Khushi as a character.
I definitely see Khushi splitting up into happiness, and numbness to cope with her abusive marriage. So I don't mind her irrational acts - I see it as her inability to deal with the reality of her marriage. As long as it is balanced with her seriousness. So she's crazy silly with the Raizadas to breathe life but once she's in her room alone with Arnav... something dies.
Better utilize Barun leaving in between. I think Barun's absence in between (if that's what happened) could've been far better handled. We could have had a high impact episode of the truth. Khushi's heartbreak and disgust and Payal perhaps overhearing it along with Akash and the sisters leaving the house. And then for a few episodes just focus on Khushi's family and the repercussions of it. And then just when Khushi thinks that ok whatever little marriage is there is ended, BAM, Arnav Singh Raizada is back to take his wife because he knows he's been a horrible husband but he'll spend a lifetime trying to correct it.
Better utilize the kidnapping track. Khushi believing Shyam, getting those papers signed, Manorama Bond, Masala Mama... all useless. Like literally this could have been a solid gripping track. Just... if they went with a bit of logic. I'd have them have the worst argument where Khushi realizes anything she has to say, her justifications, nothing matter because Shyam knows. That somehow even in this marriage, of humiliation, Shyam knows the truth before she does. That it hurts that Arnav didn't shake at her, yell at her, demand for truth. That's the least they had between them. So she won't tell him the truth because the reality is he won't believe it.
Then Arnav leaves but Khushi is desperate. She's broken. She'd rather have him hear her than think of the worst and calls him to wait at the airport. But Arnav does not show up at the airport - maybe she has a dream sequence of running into his arms and he tells her that nothing else matters (maybe she faints out of anxiety). He has left for London. She knows something is wrong. At first she thinks of going to police who immediately entertain her because she's a Raizada but turns out he's a good friend of Shyam's. So she keeps her questions to herself. Then she goes to Akash who decides to loop Shyam, and then Khushi might also learn how Akash might not forgive anyone for hiding anything so this risks Payal's marriage - maybe when Khushi decides to tell Akash about Arnav, perhaps Payal advises Khushi against it, convinces Khushi that she's overreacting about Arnav leaving.
I'd keep Manorama being suspicious for her own reasons (I found her initial reason justifiable). And then Khushi and NK team up as they should. NK should want to beat up Shyam but Khushi forbids because she knows Arnav is in trouble (because Arnav does confess his love to her over a random call). His safety matters first (and NK gets to know the truth of their marriage, which he did anticipate to a certain point). Then NK can have his friends who can do some digging. Meanwhile I'd have Mami begin to notice how weirdly Shyam was behaving with Khushi. (The fact Shyam begins to openly harass Khushi catches her eye but she does not know whom to tell, how to work this out).
Meanwhile Khushi and NK figure out that tracing Shyam would be the best and involve Aman (cause he was weirded out himself by Arnav not showing up and again, good character to introduce instead of Masala Mama - and this guy could be Anjali's potential love interest later. And prove that Arnav has smart employees). Then let them trace and find Arnav, rabba ve, save him and then show what happened at airport.
Arnav did probably show up but he was kept on gunpoint and threatened to not go to Khushi because she was also kept on a hidden gunpoint (she didn't see who it was but Shyam had kept a man around) so Arnav has no choice but to watch Khushi crying, humility left, as she waits for him at the airport. (Maybe that's how Arnav learns of Shyam's truth where Shyam might even enjoy torturing Arnav by revealing everything and even pitying him over how easily he could've had a happy marriage but now didn't).
And at home, when the revelation blasts open with Arnav, NK, Aman and Khushi holding Shyam accountable - Shyam opens all floodgates. At first Mami hates Shyam (a trump card he did not expect) because he's harassing Khushi. But Shyam reveals he and Khushi were engaged and Mimi's sympathy dies out when she learns Khushi and family hid this truth. Shyam calls out lack of evidence and rather points out the Guptas spinning tales... and even asking if they're a respectable family if they hide such a truth from the Raizadas. So Shyam does get 'arrested', Anjali does not believe anybody because Shyam has a point, everyone is upset at the Guptas (they all hate Shyam for harassing and attempting to assassinate Arnav) but they hold Guptas equally responsible, and Shyam's parting words to Khushi can literally be that the reason why Arnav believes the truth is not because Khushi is his love - it's because Shyam told him the truth. And that creates a deep rupture in their marriage.
I'd go somewhere in these lines. (Phew that's a long answer!)
AND OBVIOUSLY REVIVE SHASHI! HE WOULD BE THE KEY FOR PUTTING SHYAM IN JAIL! (Or even bring another redemption track for Arnav - perhaps that's how he learned the truth from!)
Also probably heighten/develop intimacy between Arnav and Khushi so as to it does not go into the weird 'abhi suhaagraat' karte hai vibes. Arnav and Khushi are perfect during the beginning of Dadi track. They do feel closer physically, they are healing from wounds, they are beginning to laugh. Bring in the fact that they're not married in better light. In fact I'd show Khushi is beginning to panic as six months are coming to a close end and she and Arnav should do something to fix it and for Arnav it's an afterthought cause obviously the marriage is legal.
Maybe she even has a cute proposal idea - cue in some comedy. She could curse Devi Maiyya that in this marriage Khushi has to do everything herself, even proposal! Maybe she'd watch Hollywood films cause that's what Arnav is more likely to get influenced by and be a little excited and embarrassed that every proposal ends with a kiss and would even try to practice to get closer to Arnav (so there's lot of room for romance and comedy as Khushi vows to renew her marriage).
Then she discovers there's no 'six months' rule like that. And that would devastate Khushi. She believed him, blindly. While he took advantage of her lack of education. He tries to assert of his inadvertent emotions for her to tie her into something that's more permanent even when he thought the worst of her, for Khushi it's again his blackmail. The fact that it's a laughing matter for him... that he's always known more about everything and she's known nothing. Why did she marry? Only he knew. Why did her life turn into a nightmare? Only he knew. How long would this marriage last? Only he knew. If for once Arnav stepped in her shoes... Arnav even does not understand her panic because they are married. Even in a temple. Khushi can even scoff if he calls that a marriage because no ritual ever happened. But she believed in this sindoor smeared in hatred. Because it was him. In shastras marriages without consent don't count, but for her him dragging her to a temple counted because it was him. And then you have a proper fallout of this scene.
A proper declaration of love by Arnav - which Khushi refuses to accept because she's only going to believe any of it when Arnav has nothing to gain from confessing his love. And Arnav would never do anything that would hurt his image or risk him losing what he likes because he's a shrewd businessman.
And then you have him flip the table by confessing everything to Khushi's family, and begging for a chance to get back. Giving Khushi power to select the rest of her life. Dadi can do her usual drama and we think they both are separated but Khushi waits, sees what he does, and when Arnav does respect that she has chosen not to go ahead with him and he apologizes regardless - that's when Khushi decides that yes, she will marry him again. Maybe they marry again privately, the sindoor, pheras, varmala just for them before the family takes them for a BIG grand wedding cause true, they do need their ceremony XD
And to insert more romance, now that they're properly married before a temple they could likely romance as much as ITV would allow them before Arnav is nearly discovered in Khushi's room before running away from the window (a hilarious throwback to the NYE night). You know, as much as feels and cutesies before Dadi 'dadies'.
Damn... I do miss writing fanfics.
But yes this WAS a long answer! Hope you liked these ideas!
