Director Nissar Parvez used contrasting color palettes. Lucknow is warm, golden, and dusty. Arnav’s car is a black void. The Raizada mansion is grey and cold. The Guptas' home is bright and cluttered. You can see the conflict.
Khushi’s world revolves around small joys: gajras (flower garlands), jalebis , and her elder sister Payal. When a rich, snobbish woman throws Khushi's gajra on the ground, Khushi doesn't back down. She delivers a fiery dialogue: "Yeh gajra nahi, mera pyaar hai" (This is not a flower garland, this is my love). This sets up her core trait: she finds value in emotion, not money. iss pyaar ko kya naam doon first episode
This dialogue is legendary for two reasons: it highlights the extreme class divide, and it plants the seed of Khushi's biggest flaw in his eyes—she doesn't respect "value." For Arnav, she is a thief. For Khushi, he is a pompous, rich jerk. Director Nissar Parvez used contrasting color palettes
The answer, as fans know, is one word:
The final voice-over asks the question that would become the show’s tagline: "Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon?" (What name shall I give this love?) The Raizada mansion is grey and cold
Rewatching the first episode of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon in 2026 reveals why it remains a cult classic.