If ASR were like Shyam

- he would have stayed engaged and married La.  Shyam does not have the courage to oppose societal pressure.  He rather slither underneath the surface with his vileness.  How stark was the difference between ASR and Shyam today, while ASR stood and took on the barbs of his family but stayed firm in his belief that ending a relationship, although painful, is far less painful than pretending to have one.  All Shyam could do was look on like a coward and look away from his wife.

If ASR were like Shyam:

- he would also have stayed engaged to La while knowing full well that they don't share the same level of emotion.  Shyam was very well aware that Khushi did not feel anything for him.  He never once cared about that.  He only needed to satisfy himself.

If ASR were like Shyam:

- he would have never been with La at all.  Shyam is only with Anjali for money.  He has made that amply clear.  If we are to believe his words to Khushi about the state of his marriage, he is woefully unhappy - but lacks the courage to walk away due to her family and her purse strings.

If ASR were like Shyam:

-he would have announced from the high heavens all of his kindnesses to show people what an upstanding man he is, instead of doing them privately (i.e. paying Babuji's bill, the girl at the temple, the silver coins, meeting KKG to plan to get Payash together - remember, this was his idea, the plan was hers, the instigation - his).  I particularly love this aspect of the ASR character, what you see is what you get - thorns and all and he is unapologetic about it.  

If ASR were like Shyam:

- he would have planted that kiss on Khushi and taken it as far as he could go.  Shyam didn't care a damn about KKG's feelings - only the satisfaction of his.  And he manipulated and played every single member of her family in an attempt to HAVE her, all the while knowing her heart was not in it.

So, the next time we are comparing ASR to Shyam, let's think about the entire character in context and history.  

Here I will illustrate:

Two world leaders ordered their army's to attack their own people.  

Horrible.  Disgusting.  You are shocked.

Now what if I told you one was Abraham Lincoln and the other Pol Pot.

Context - it's important.

*anu is now comatose after seeing Nandy be the first person to reply on her thread*

Or a conscience.

Have we ever seen ASR dupe anyone and then do one of those evil sneers?  I am thinking no on both.

If ASR were like Shyam - he would have concocted a story instead of the truth to get La to get out of his life.