Chapter 19 : Sameer-Shristi (Sahil Cameo) version

THE STAGE : AUDIENCE SECTION

The music swells. A roaring crowd fills the stadium. In the wings, Shristi stands watching, her hands clasped in anticipation, waiting for the show of a lifetime.

In the audience, Mehta slips through the crowd and slides into the seats next to Tawde and Pradhan, whispering urgently.

MEHTA(Hushed) : It’s not him. It’s a lookalike named Sahil.

Tawde and Pradhan exchange sharp, skeptical glances, training their eyes on the stage. Nearby, Arora sits tense, his eyes darting anxiously.

Suddenly, the lights flare.Sameer takes center stage. He begins to perform, in sync with every beat, every step, with flawless energy. Tawde, Pradhan, and Arora watch in absolute disbelief, unable to spot a single difference.

Sitaron Ki Mehfil

Mein Gunjega Tarana

Ke Hoton Pe Aaya

Hai Dil Ka Fasana

Are Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara

Lo Main Aaya Milne Dubara

Manzil Pyaar Tumhara

Main Hoon Saagar Tum Ho Kinara

TV MONITORING ROOM

Rohan sits on the edge of his seat, sweat on his brow, his eyes flying across the wall of monitors, desperately trying to lock onto the faces of Tawde, Pradhan, and Mehta in the crowd.

STAGE

Sitaron Ki Mehfil Mein Gunjega Tarana

Ke Hoton Pe Aaya Hai Dil Ka Fasana

Are Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara

Lo Main Aaya Milne Dubara

Sahil then takes Sameer's place for the next verse and to the end the song

Ajab Shaam Hai Ye Pyaar Ki

Pehlu Mein Sabhke Yaar Hai

Ajab Raat Hai Jazbaat Ki

Din Mein Pyaar Hi Pyaar Hai

Ye Pyaar Tumhara

Ye Pyaar Humara

Hai Khoob Nazaara

Zamaana Ushi Ka

Hai Saara Zamaana

Ke Jisne Bhi Sikha

Hai Pyaar Nibhana

Are Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara

Lo Main Aaya Milne Dubara

Manzil Pyaar Tumhara

Kadam Aaye Hai Us Mod Pe

Hum Tum Hai Jahan Saamne

Nazar Se Nazar Karne Abh Lagi

Baatein Bade Hi Raaz Se

Ye Raaz Tumhara

Ye Naaz Humara

Kare Hai Kya Ishara

Nishane Pe Dil Hai

Ke Dil Pe Nishana

Deewana Hai Apni Hi

Dhun Mein Deewana

Are Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara

Lo Main Aaya Milne Dubara

Manzil Pyaar Tumhara

Main Hoon Saagar Tum Ho Kinara

Sitaron Ki Mehfil

Mein Gunjega Tarana

Ke Hoton Pe Aaya

Hai Dil Ka Fasana

Sitaron Ki Mehfil

Mein Gunjega Tarana

Ke Hoton Pe Aaya

Hai Dil Ka Fasana.

The performance ends with a dramatic flourish of lights and pyrotechnics. The crowd erupts into thunderous applause. Tawde, Pradhan, Mehta, and Arora make a move to slip away, but Sahil steps up to the microphone. His voice, amplified throughout the stadium, commands the room. They freeze, slowly sitting back down.

SAHIL(As Sameer, emotional)Thank you, everyone... It is your love that has brought me back from the dead. A miracle. An impossibility.

Arora, Tawde, Pradhan, and Mehta exchange stunned, terrified looks.

SAHIL (Continuing, solemn) : A dead man, standing right here in front of you. The media told you he died in a tragic accident...

Mehta swallows hard, his throat dry.

SAHIL : But he didn't die in an accident, my friends. He was murdered.

A collective, shocked gasp ripples through the massive crowd. Arora's face drains of color.

SAHIL: Even God wanted me alive for this very day. To tell you the truth. To identify those murderers, and to expose them... so they can be punished. By the law, and by God.

Mehta’s hand shakes as he pulls out his walkie-talkie, dialing frantically.

Suddenly, a loud, sharp ringtone echoes from the wings. Arora fumbles in his pockets, his phone buzzing loudly. Sahil stops, slowly turning his gaze toward the wings.

SAHIL (Calmly, into the mic) : Excuse me, sir. Would you please switch off your phone?

In the audience, Tawde’s hand slips inside his jacket, gripping a heavy pistol. He pulls it free, keeping it low.

SAHIL : And now, I am going to name them. There were three men.

Arora watches in sheer terror. Tawde silently pulls back the slide of his gun, loading a round into the chamber.

SAHIL : Two of those three men... were police inspectors. And their names are—

BANG!

A deafening gunshot cuts through the stadium.

In the wings, Shristi screams, her hands flying to her mouth. On stage, Sahil staggers backward, clutching his chest, before collapsing to the floor.

Chaos erupts instantly. The crowd screams, dispersing in a blind panic.

Behind the stage, the heavy velvet curtains begin to crash down, shutting out the screaming crowd.

TV MONITORING ROOM

Rohan leaps to his feet, slamming his hands on the console.

ROHAN (Screaming) : Brother!

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The moment the curtain hits the floor, separating them from the panic, Sahil groans and sits up, ripping open his shirt to reveal a heavy-duty bulletproof vest. The impact has left him bruised, but alive.

Kabir, Sameer, Rishabh, and the backup dancers rush from the wings, crowding around him. Shristi drops to her knees beside him, her face pale.

SHRISTI : Sahil! Sahil, are you okay?

SAHIL (Wincing, taking a sharp breath) : Yeah... yeah, I'm okay. The vest caught it.

STADIUM CORRIDOR

Among the fleeing crowd, Arora runs into a quiet corridor, frantically dialing his phone. Across the stadium, Mehta exits into the night, his phone buzzing. He snarls and picks it up.

ARORA (Whispering furiously) : Mehta! I told you not to do anything! Why did you shoot? What have you done?!

MEHTA (Voice dripping with venom) : Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Arora. You think you can play games with us just because your daughter is involved? Sameer hasn't seen you. The only ones getting screwed here are the three of us. Now, you watch what I do to you.

ARORA : Mehta, listen to me—Mehta!

The line goes dead. Arora frantically redials, but it goes straight to voicemail. He drops his hand, staring into the empty corridor, paralyzed with fear.

GREEN ROOM

The backstage adrenaline slowly fades into a heavy, suffocating silence. The room is crowded with the team—Harry Uncle, Christine Auntie, Rishabh, Kabir, Sameer, and Sahil—all recovering from the chaos.

Suddenly, the shrill ring of the green room landline cuts through the quiet. Everyone freezes.

Harry Uncle steps forward and picks up the receiver.

HARRY UNCLE : Hello?

TAWDE(Voice cold, coming through the receiver) : Put Sameer on. Now.

Harry Uncle’s face darkens. He looks over at Sameer and hands him the phone without a word. Sameer takes it, his grip tightening.

SAMEER : Hello?

TAWDE : Sameer. You really thought you were being clever out there, didn't you? Before you open your mouth to say another word... listen to this.

There is a brief rustle on the other end of the line, followed by a sharp, terrified cry.

SHRISTI (Over the phone, crying out) : Please! Let me go! Leave me alone!

Sameer’s heart drops. His eyes wildly scan the green room—Rohan, Kabir, Rishabh, his aunt and uncle are all there. But Shristi is nowhere to be found. She is gone.

SAMEER (Panicked) : Shristi!

TAWDE : There is a car parked right outside the main exit. Come out. But you come alone. If I see anyone else with you... she dies. Understand?

The line goes dead with a harsh click. Sameer slowly lowers the receiver, his face pale, his breath shallow.

CHRISTINE AUNTY : Sameer? What is it? What’s happened?

SAMEER : They have Shristi. They’ve taken her... and they told me to come out alone.

Before Harry Uncle or Christine Auntie can even begin to react or stop him, Sameer bolts out the door, fueled by sheer adrenaline.

Sahil exchanges a sharp, silent glance with Kabir, then immediately runs out right after him.

Just as Sameer and Sahil disappear down the corridor, Arora pushes his way into the room, looking around at the panicked faces.

ARORA (Breathing heavily) : What happened? Where is everyone going?