Iconic Shivika

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Note: Ishqbaaaz Redux Incorporated

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Tough men with tender hearts, a concept that appeals if not all but many, yet there will always be something that'll set Shivaay apart. His's redemption has been the talk of tellywood twitter in both universes, redemption itself too.

Too soon to say how this redemption unfolds completely, but given the history of the real universe character, a contrast & comparison with the alternate universe Shivaay & other male leads in general is bound to be considered worth it.

Characters are inspired from real life people & it's true in both worlds that none are perfect. Shivaay too is amongst the many male leads who have commited a number of unforgivable sins. But the character's representation has always been directly linked to it's trait and life occurrences that have effected the characters personality enough to trigger such things. With or without these, the actions are never supported. But the storyline revolves around that concept in a way that the character learns & grows something from that encounter...& the lessons stay. Shivaay doubted Annika in both universes, but never again in the same way.

In an industry which is made to run on the idea, make it work as long as it works, where the leads meet & part ways more than just once, this matters...because no relationship is ever smooth, but you can't keep coming back to square one.

So Shivaay isn't set apart from the others because he's completely different, he just handles things differently. He's no God gifted perfect man, but he tries his best to become his best version. Talking about his redemption, was it enough & how will this one be, has been discussed amply. Based on viewer discretion the views may differ here but I'll just say this. The Shivaay we met was a stone hearted man of rigid principles. The only sort of love he ever felt was for his family, the kind that's just natural and never understood deeply. But emotions and feelings were a concept alien to him, he barely understood what he felt himself.

His world stopped each time he felt her heartbeat fade. He knew he couldn't see her cry. But he didn't even know why. Of all you know, Shivaay didn't even know how to apologize & how to stop Annika's tears.

The first time he said sorry he had barely learnt to say that word out loud. He didn't realize the gravity of his actions, he just knew he wanted to make her smile. That was not his redemption, just the beginning of the long process. A process that allowed him to feel, grow & learn. The same Shivaay who didn't know how to apologize & comfort Annika after he'd rescued her from Daksh, did both when he brought back Annika after the failed Kul Gotra pooja attempt. That's just one little aspect, one incident. These first two years of Ishqbaaaz, Shivaay had learnt a lot & each moment was linked to his redemption, an entire process, because the more he felt pain, he wanted to keep her away from it.

This version of Shivaay is different, he has seen pain, felt it too closely, so much that he hasn't learnt to handled it & tread on the dark path. He couldn't meet her gaze, fumbled with words, and felt the guilt like he should. Pain isn't an alien concept to him. He does realize the gravity of his actions. His guilt is another form of pain for him, one again he will struggle to handle with like the pain from his past. But of all he knows & has been repeating to himself & others, he seeks apology but knows he's not worth it...& though she might forgive him but he wouldn't be able to forgive himself, because nothing can turn back time.