For Phoenix To Rise

Hera Flames @Flame.Of.Rose IF-Sizzlerz

Posted: 8 years ago

Okay, Zee (MKrayZee) and me were discussing Nandini since last night and we had a, although short, but a feel good discussion about her and this is our outcome. This is our expectation and our understanding of Nandini.

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One of the main reasons why we, and we think many others, liked this show was because of Nandini's character. She was different from the usual heroines. She was real. She was sweet but she could give as good as she got. Her morals were determined by herself and not by society. She set her own limits but she was not a prude. And she did not crumble when the hot lead singer was falling for her.

She was the girl carrying herculean weight over her shoulder with a smile. She was the girl who used optimism as her defense mechanism. Her knowledge in science couldn't shake her desire to believe in fairy tales. She had so much light within her that she didn't even thought before spreading it to her enemies. That was the Nandini Moorthy we first saw.

We are not saying that we want back the exact same Nandini, because that would mean zero growth, but we surly want her essence back.

We do not have issues with how she has handled the Pandit track. We cannot expect a girl who always respected authority to suddenly challenge it and defy it. She took her time, she waited till she felt his actions were inappropriate and she reacted (fusion concert night).

Our issue is that she has become dependent on Manik. For everything. This girl had her own individuality and that seems to have vanished. We are not saying that she goes around punching everyone, no. And yes it is obvious that Nandini has gone through so much in the last 6/7 months that her light has dimmed. Anyone would become more subdued after all that she has been through. Even her replies now are not as spunky as they used to be. But her moral compass? Her ability to show Manik that he is wrong? What happened to that?

During hate track, that was one thing that pissed us, what happened to her moral compass? For all her perception, she knows Manik listens to her, her internalizes what she says. Every. Single. Word. We never told her to give up on Manik, no that is not Nandini, but we would have loved to see her calling out Manik time and again on his stupidity, just like she did in ice cream scene. We would have been delighted if she could show Manik the exact mirror to what he was doing.

We liked the amputation track because she took the decision to walk out, because she felt they were toxic. Because she could not deal with it. It was her choice. Her opinions. Her stance. For both of them.

We need this individuality back. I agree, it's in human nature to depend someday or other on someone but then you always need to remember not to depend so much that you forget your own element and merge onto their's. With Pandit track, I agree, psychologically Pandit paralyzed her emotionally, taking away from her, her capabilities to react rightfully and depend on Manik. In this, her dependence is because of both Pandit's brain games and Manik's reassurance that he will always protect her. She clanged onto his promise like a parched traveler to last drop of water in a desert.

But, ain't it too much on her?

Where is her breaking point?

There has to be one because she is no machine, she is mere human.

How much can a person take before they snap? How much before they lash out? How much hope before you become cynical? How much good before you show your middle finger to the world? She is human. Not an angel. She has a light within her and she shines for Manik but what about her? When and why did she stop shining for herself? We need her to have a meltdown. We need her to lash out. We need her to crumble, to shatter before she can rise up anew as a phoenix.

She needs a break from all this. She needs her space...her own issues, unrelated to Manik. Her choices. Her love. Her dislikes. Her career. Her music

She needs to burn herself down for her to rise from her ashes, like a phoenix.

More stronger, more fierce.

- Zee & Aditi

Edited by Flame.Of.Rose - 8 years ago

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Mrinal Krishna @Sexpot Goldie

Posted: 8 years ago

Res coz I need to think about this

Unres

Nandini

This is how I see this girl...

At 7 she lost her parents,worse still she witnessed their untimely, gruesome death. At that age concept of death is very ambiguous, actually most raw emotions are. If you asked a 7 yr old if they liked icecream, they will say yes and if you asked them why they liked it,they will describe it in very objective terms. Death is very abstract yet final so such contradictions are very difficult to process. But I think what really helped her cope with this tragedy is her Grandmother bringing creative arts into her life. Studies prove that children who pursue music,dance,sports from a very young age are very well adapted and have a high sense of self worth without it being obvious. So in Nandu's case music must have been cathartic and self healing. Moreover, older siblings who look after children with special needs are extremely empathetic,organised and crisis managers. Children are very resilient when it comes to absolute tragedies as long as they get nurture,security and discipline and in Nandu's case it has been just that.

In summary her formative years she has learnt to become self reliant,independent,empathetic,secure,loving individual.

Space and its students provided a different impetus in her growth. Every individual needs to come out of their comfort zone to test their mettle and their upbringing. And boy did our girl rise to the occasion. I still maintain that Nandu and Manik are not two halves that become one but two individuals who push each other to tap into their raw, organic sides. Any relationship that helps you achieve a sense of self satisfaction yet allows space for your vulnerabilities is always worth nurturing. In each other's absence it heightens ones sense of security and self worth as you feel nurtured and loved. I think this is where the writers let us down a bit by introducing extraneous conflict. In any relationship admittance or negation can never be external, pressures always exist but the heart of the conflict stems from internal demons and miscommunication.

What I would like to see now is Nandu show us her resilience,vulnerability,defiance basically all shades but with more clarity especially as she is loved by another person whom she chose...

This is a quote from one of my fav films Rachel getting married " Paul Buchman likes to say that 'the measure of a great life is not how well loved you are, but how well you love others."

And She loves Him...This should enhance her and liberate her, not make her a wallflower.

Edited by Sexpot - 8 years ago

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medha @medha16 IF-Rockerz

+ 2

Posted: 8 years ago

res

Adi and Zee 🤗

These are some of issues that have been talked about a lot of times on various instances...glad to see u make a comprehensive analysis on how Nandini isn't the same Nandini that we fell in love with initially.

Nandini is a woman of her own making, she is confident, strong, independent, loyal and had a fierce sense of independence. It is this defiant and yet rational streak in her that made Manik take notice of her initially. She has never taken shit from anyone and neither will she stand by and watch from the sidelines when there is a wrong thing going around in the vicinity. She has always stood up for herself as well as for others.

She had her own individuality which has been lost gradually over the course of this show. For some reason, her entire life has now shifted focus, the fulcrum of all her thoughts, intentions and actions is now Manik and Manik alone. She has lost that edge that she possessed earlier. There is reason enough to be a little jaded in her views with all that she has been through but right now her character is inconsistent. On one hand she talks about her "verlasting hope"and in the next moment she melts into a puddle just because she feels that she won't be able to perform with Manik in the FC and blames it on fate.

When was Nandini so resigned to this fatalistic presupposition? She has always been a fighter, an object of strength, a woman who has endured much and is who she is because of the same. She fought for her rights, for her place in the college, for her acceptance in Manik's group and for everything else in life. Why is it now just upto Manik to resolve the issues that have cropped up in their path ? Wasn't she an equal in this relationship?

You mentioned the hate track. Now if we come to that, the way Nandini behaved was almost passive. We know that she was feeling somewhat guilty for letting herself be manipulated by Nyonika but why didn't she call out on Manik being a stubborn ass and being a hypocrite because he did a similar thing in the past? Why did she have to "prove" herself to him when he never did the same? And what exactly did she have to prove...that she was a teenager who was shown the wrong direction and unknowing of the scheming mother, she fell for it?

I agree that Manik is a major part of her life now and that her life would alter in the wake of her newfound relationships, but that does not imply that her world would only revolve around him. What about her life, her hopes, her dreams, her ambitions, her family and her friends? Completely immersing yourself in another's life and to dictate your life by the said person's expectations of you is completely unhealthy. Before being Manik's girlfriend , she is Nandini Murthy. She is a friend, a student, a niece, a sister, a learner in addition to being Manik's love. All these aspects of her combine together to make her the person she is.

And like u said, above all the roles she plays, she is a mere human. she is allowed to be selfish, to think about herself for a while, for her happiness and to act in a way that would ensure the same.Why isn't she allowed to act like another person and always be the epitome of optimism, faith, a source of light to clear out the darkness of other people?

What about her own darkness, her own fears and her own aspirations? Why is it about manik only?

Manik has fab5 but she has nobody to fall back on (I'm not even considering Navya in the equation). Since When was her life guided by Manik's choices and actions?

Where do we see her going from here? What happens to her career...is she willing to devote her life to music or does she want something else altogether, science perhaps?

She is, at the end of the day her own person. She is allowed to live according to her own terms and

have an existence separate from her relationship with Manik. She needs to explore, to discover herself, be confident in her own skin and bring clarity to the jumbled mess her life is currently. She is all over the place, she needs closure, acceptance, reflection and her own space. A breakdown need not always be a visible one where u fall apart at the seams, her breakdown will be on a metaphorical level-- a breakdown of her jumbled thoughts, ideas, aspirations, beliefs, emotions only to make sense of it and rise above it all much stronger and self assured.

Phew! It turned out to be HUGE...forgive me for that but I these had been running through my mind for a while and had to come out

Edited by medha16 - 8 years ago

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OMA @OmaRamdass IF-Rockerz

+ 2

Posted: 8 years ago

Somehow I suspect nandani is going to break down after this pundit incident

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Rida @FleetingWishes. IF-Sizzlerz

+ 5

Posted: 8 years ago

Res😎

You two should collaborate more often. <3

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Hera Flames @Flame.Of.Rose IF-Sizzlerz

+ 3

Posted: 8 years ago

Originally posted by MaybeSomeday...

Res😎

You two should collaborate more often. <3

WHAT THE HELL MAN!!! What are you doing here? 😲

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Spero @Spero Senior Member

Posted: 8 years ago

That's a brilliant analysis. I'll just write down my thoughts on the spot.

I personally feel that the writers have always been biased towards Manik's character. His character evolves whereas Nandini's character evolves to suit Manik's character. I love this girl for daring to stand against Fab5, for fighting for Navya, for Mukti and simply for being Manik's shining star. She was always there until she wasn't anymore. I don't know when it happened. Must be after the end of the Soha track. I'm glad that you highlighted the ice cream scene. In recent times, that has been the best scene for me and it literally screamed Nandini.

In trying to glorify Manik's character, the writers don't realise that that they have dimmed Nandini's character and this is having a major impact on the audience who cannot connect with the character anymore. We all love Manan, but KY2 is much more than Manan. It's about all these teenagers and their growing up pains.

I miss carefree Nandini. Breakdown is required, but at the same time, love needs to become part of her life and not her whole life. It's time for the focus to shift from Manan reconciliations & breakups. We've been there, we've done that. Manan need to grow together, both individually and as a couple.

KY2 never used to follow the cliches, and even if they did, it always appeared fresh. I want this KY2 back, and the characters' authenticity restored. It's high time for not only Nandini, but the whole KY2 team to rise from the ashes.

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EXOL @EXOL IF-Stunnerz

+ 7

Posted: 8 years ago

nice post aditi..

totally agree to this

She needs a break from all this. She needs her space...her own issues, unrelated to Manik. Her choices. Her love. Her dislikes. Her career. Her music

she just cant depend on manik for everything...

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Hera Flames @Flame.Of.Rose IF-Sizzlerz

+ 3

Posted: 8 years ago

Originally posted by medha16