Disclaimer: This isn't meant to bash any character, or to prove who is superior/inferior to whom. This is just to portray that while parents may seem perfect to us, they are also flawed. That they can be wrong, and may have qualities which is less than desirable. And I request you to kindly refrain from bashing any character, and just try to understand them.

All parents damage their children. It can't be helped. Youth like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces beyond repair.

                                   -Mitch Albom (The Five People You Meet In Heaven)

***

(Ishwari-Sonakshi)

As Sonakshi rummaged through the kitchen drawers, Ishwari had realized, Sonakshi was not looking for her lost belongings, but had another purpose. But, she wanted to sidestep the matter, so she simply asked, 'Tumhara saman mila?'

Sonakshi, steeling herself, but still hesistant, 'Nahi, lagta hai sachmuch kho gaya... waise Dev... I mean Mr. Dixit kaise hain, unki tabiyat kaisi hai?'

They continued sometime back and forth, dancing around the matter, but Ishwari wanted this girl to just go away.

As Ishwari enunciated only Sonakshi wanted that relationship to work, she couldn't help herself, '...Par aap jo chahti thi, wo hua na? Aap chahti thi thi ki Dev aur main ek na hon, aur hum ek nahi hain.'

Ishwari remained adamant, 'Mera beta itna bara hai ki wo apne faisle khud le sakta hai.'

It was like she was speaking to a wall, 'Aap ka beta kabhi itna bara nahi ho payega, ki wo khudke faisle le, jo aapko pasand na ho.'

Ishwari bristled, 'Tum yahan meri parvarish pe ungli uthane aayi ho?'

('How dare this girl question her bond with her son? Her Dev. And for what, that short lived relationship?')

'Kacchi umar ka pyar, barsati naalon ki tarah hota hai, jisme zor bohot hota hai, par gehrai kuch bhi nahi. Aur jinn rishton me gehrai nahi hoti, wo tik nahi paate. Mausami rishton ka bhi yahi haal hota hai, barsaat khatm hote hi sukh jaata hai.'

('Atleast she would think of her son, she loved him right?')

'Aur Dev ne? Unhone bhi kuch nahi haara ?'

'Aap jante ho, ki Dev mujhse pyar karte the, he loved me, aur in sab se pehle to main unki dost thi, shayad acchi dost, ek lauti dost, jinke saath wo sirf apna pyar nahi, apni kushi, apna bachpan, phir se jiya tha, unhone kuch nahi khoya? Ye sab bhi to piche hi choot raha hai na? Aap unke life me sabse jyada important hain, aur aapse jyaada pyar wo kisi se karte bhi nahi, khud se bhi nahi, issiliye ek second bas aise hi, sab kuch kurban kar diya. Un se accha beta to kisi bhi maa ko nahi mil sakta, lekin us maa ki bhi to koi responsibilities honi chahiye na? Jaise ki unke bete ki khushiyan sambhal ke rakhna? Inn questions ke answers main nahi de sakti, kyunki maine wo game nahi khela na, ki Dev kiska jyaada hai, mujhe pata hai, gar main khelti to aap hi jeet ti. Aaj agar aap jeet bhi gayi ho, to haare sirf Dev.'

As Radha Rani entered rubbing salt to the wounds, Ishwari mocked, 'Bhabhi, rehne dijiye, Dev ab uske saath nahi hai na, to usi baat ka sadma laga hai use.'

Sonakshi was just fed up, they didn't want to see it, 'Aur waise bhi, aap dono ne bas humare pyar ka mazak hi banaya hai... do minute noodles, barsati naala, ek glass paani. Aisi baat kon karta hai? Main yahan kyun aayi thi, main bataya, iske baad main yahaan aaungi bhi nahi.'

As Radha Rani proclaimed arrogantly that Dev had moved on already, Ishwari looked troubled, but still didn't want to accept the back that her Dev was distraught, broken, that his smile had left him.

Sonakshi knew then, that their love would never be valued, could only part with the words, 'Agar jo aapne kaha agar wo sach hai, to aap se jyada khush main hoon. Sabhi to Dev ki khushi hi chahte hain na? Lekin teen mahine me main jitna Dev ko jaan paayi hoon, aap 28 saalon me nahi jaan paaye, warna unse unki khushi nahi chhin te. Par main humesha pray karungi ki Dev humesha khush rahein, aur wo mujhe saach me bhool jaaye.'

***

(Bijoy-Dev)

Today was the day, the day when his daughter would be happy, would finally move on with Ritvik. She would get over that idiot. As he patted himself in the back, meeting guests with a smile, his eyes fell on him. His blood boiled, he wanted to just throw him out, but Sonakshi had herself invited him.

('Accha hai, wo khud dekh lega, ki meri Shona kitni strong hai.')

He did not want to create a scene on his daughter's biggest day, but couldn't help himself, for he wanted to give that Dev Dixit a piece of his mind.

As Dev turned towards Sonakshi, he asked, 'Kahan ja rahe ho?'

Dev halted in his steps dumbfounded, so he continued, 'Tumne meri beti ko personal life me pareshan kiya, usse bhi mann nahi bhara to public life me uska naam khrab karne ki koshish ki. Jab usse bhi meri beti ka rishta nahi tuta to tum yahan chale aaye. Ab kaun sai dukh, kaun si pareshani, kaun sa insult karna baki hai uski?'

Dev looked heartbroken, could just mumble, 'Aaj akhiri baar use dekne aaya hoon. Aur, use wish karte hi chala jaunga.'

Though Bijoy was taken aback, he just wanted to push futhur, aiming to hurt, with arrogance in his voice, 'Acha, yeh baat tumhari samajh me aa gayi hai ki meri beti zindagi me aage barh chuki hai. Wo ladka dekh rahe ho, wo apne zubaan pe tika rehta hai. Meri beti use pasand karti hai, kyunki wo meri beti ke saath khara hai. Tum meri beti ko deserve hi nahi karte. Koi haq nahi hai tumhe uske saath khare rehne ka.'

Dev eyes filled up, 'Sahi keh rahe hain aap, Sir. Aaj pata chala hai maine kya khoya hai. Actually samajh nahi aa rahi hai ki maine jyada khoya hai ki, ya Ritvik ne jyada paya hai.'  He somehow mustered a ghost of a smile and continued, 'Magar ye samajhne ke liye toh mere paas puri zindagi pari hai, aaj, aaj Sonakshi ka din hai, uski khushi ka din hai...'

Bijoy cutting the words in between had some more harsh words to say, '... Issiliye maine tumhe dhakke de kar bahar nahi nikala, kyonki Shona ne tumhe invite kiya hai. WELCOME'

As Asha nudged Bijoy to come along, he couldn't help but leave with a parting shot, without caring about the destruction he was leaving in his wake, 'Aur ab aa hi gaye hain, to dekhte hue jaiyega ki meri beti ke liye tum jaison ko bhulana kitna aasan hai.'

***

Ishwari and Bijoy, parents of the golden children, Dev and Sonakshi. While they maybe poles apart, the thing that unites them is the pride they have on their (specific) children, and the partiality they showcase towards them.

In their eyes, these two are perfect, the ones who will forever keep their heads held high, and their chests puffed.

But these two often forget, that Dev and Sonakshi are human too, who come with their own limitations and flaws. That they can commit mistakes, need a breather now and then. That they may have their own choices which may not please their parents. That they may need their own time to move on. That despite being their children, they have their own individuality.

Dev to assure his mother's happiness breaks up with Sonakshi, but shatters every day. And Ishwari fueled by her insecurities, compels herself to believe, that her Dev cannot break. She just does not want to acknowledge his pain, for she thinks he has returned to her (forgetting that he never left her). She ignores the fact that her words now seem superficial to Dev, who has made a compromise to himself that his own happiness will never equate to his mother's happiness. But he still keeps on seeking Sonakshi, knowing it is wrong.

Sonakshi, while understanding Dev's reasons, initially can't help but resent him. She may have wiped her tears, and pasted a smile for the sake of others, but cannot move on. But, for the sake of her father she agrees for marriage, even on knowing that she's committing a farce. And while Ritvik is a nice guy, it doesn't mean she needs to get married to him, as her heart is with Dev. She also seeks him, hiding it from her family.

Sonakshi gathering all her courage goes to meet Ishwari, perhaps to convince her of their love. But she is met with an insecure Ishwari who is full of ego, belittles their love, and proclaims that her Dev can never break over something so trivial.

Dev similarly, knowing that after that day he's going to forever loose Sonakshi, goes with the hope that if he sees her moving on, perhaps he can move on too. He meets Bijoy who has been smarting with hate for the boy who broke his daughter's heart. Without an ounce of compassion for the difficult situation Dev had to go through, and laden with ego that his daughter is moving on with "the perfect guy", he belittles him.

The absolute conviction with which they berate their children's ex-partners, in which their ego shines through. The compassion that they leave behind, trivializing the heart-break and the tough decisions their children had to take. They ignore the fact that just a pat on their head won't suffice, for it's not a simple scratch on the knee, their heartbreak may not have made a sound, but it shattered them from within. That despite raising such "perfect children", they themselves have been riddled with flaws.

So, as the night ends, their children (unknowingly) give them a reality check. As Dev falls, Sonakshi is not far behind. She leaves her engagement, and goes to tend to Dev. For they may not be perfect for each other, but they are enough for themselves. In that moment, Dev and Sonakshi do not want to be the golden children, they just want to be themselves, leaving Ishwari and Bijoy with tatters of their pride. Their children's actions force them to acknowledge, that perhaps they were wrong, that their children weren't as strong and unbreakable they wanted them to be.

For they were broken too, 

Their love wasn't a crime. 

Imperfect and flawed it maybe, 

But their love was worth more than a dime.

Healthy discussions welcome.