ArSh/KaSh OS- new OS on pg 48 - Page 13

Shilpa applied another coat of lipstick and looked at herself critically in the mirror, satisfied she gave her long hair a final brushing. She did all this with quick moves no wasted movements she placed the brush back and looked at herself in the mirror and thought she looked the part. She blew a breath out and knew any second she would be called to start shooting but she needed a couple of minutes alone.

Things were going great the show had a great response, everyone liked her work and was going crazy about her chemistry with the main lead Karan. They were getting so much fan mail that it was impossible to open each and every one. But there was something that was bothering her, well not exactly bother it was more like something that kept niggling at the back of her mind.

It was Karan, well not exactly him but there were times that there was something in his eyes that made her want to drop gaze. Shilpa frowned as she thought back to the last couple of days, especially the last few days since the track was following the male lead falling in love with her. The scenes were written so well and the fact it is all done in a light hearted way with a dose of romance makes it novel. It would be an understatement to say that Karan is a good actor, seriously, he totally rocks in the character, its as if the character was made for him.

There was a knock on the door of the dressing room and the voice called out: we're ready!

Shilpa immediately got up and made her way to the door, last moment she turned to have a look at herself in the mirror: lets just go out there and do our job! The rest is not important!

She quickly made her way out smiling casually at the light boys and the assistant director to walk directly to where the director stood with Karan. She was still a couple of feet away when Karan who was talking to the director looked up directly at her.

Shilpa faltered in mid stride and muttered to herself: damn! And here we go again!(there it was the look again)

Shilpa reached them and smiled briefly at karan and the director: so we ready?

Karan looked at her and thought to himself: what is it about her that draws me to her?

Director: ok you two! You've gone through the script today we are going to do an enactment of the famous Shahrukh-Madhuri aur paas scene! Any questions?

Shilpa looked at him and then at Karan: no!

Director: then lets start shooting!

Shilpa felt the fan blow her hair across her face as she stood inches from Karan, he raised his hand and tugged the hair back from her face, but the strands caught on her lips. She looked into his eyes and blinked totally mesmerized as the character should be. Shilpa knew they had the entire crew enthralled and focused back to look into Karan's eyes.

Karan saw shilpa's eyes focus on his and go dreamy as was required of the character, he was suppose to draw her in closer, their noses were to touch almost when she was suppose to pull back as if coming to her senses. Shilpa pulled back at the right moment and looked at him confused then turned to leave.

Karan waited for her to fling her duppatta back over her shoulder so that it would fall across his face. He saw her fling it back but instead of floating across it hit him in the eye and making him yell out.

Karan: shit! My eye!

Shilpa horrified: sorry! Here let me have a look!(she pulled his head down and blew gently at his eye)try opening your eye!

Karan opened his eye and looked at the shilpa's worried face: relax shilpa! I can still see!

Shilpa: you sure na! I'm really sorry!

Karan: well there is only one way to make up for it(at shilpa's questioning gaze) have coffee with me?

That was the start of their friendship, as the show became more popular, the bigger the craze for Karan-Shilpa became. Karan and Shilpa's relationship had also bloomed, the friendship was stronger than ever and Karan was very protective of Shilpa.

They were shooting a scene where they are performing in a play as Heer-Ranjha. Shilpa's costume was a lungi and a kurti but the kurti had a very revealing back. Initially shilpa had dressed up and was roaming around the set casually. Karan came across some crew members who were ogling her he very calmly took off his own shirt and went to shilpa with it.

Karan: here!(handing her the shirt)

Shilpa looked at the shirt and then at him: what am I suppose to do with this?

Karan: wear it! (when shilpa raised her brows at him he leaned in close and whispered) show some pity on the guys working here. They'll have a stroke otherwise!

Shilpa couldn't help it she laughed, she laughed so hard that she had tears streaming from her eyes. Still smiling she thrust her arms into the shirt and rolled up the sleeves: happy?

Karan smiling raised his hand and wiped the tears: very! (he did not immediately let go and in that split second things started to change)

Karan wanted to step back but couldn't it was as if a force outside himself wanted to push him forward towards her. He looked in her eyes trying to understand what was so special about her that drew her to him. She was not the first attractive actor he was working with but there was something special, in the way she looked at him, the way she smiled. It was an understatement to say that he enjoyed her company, when they were together they had their own conversations and jokes. He let go as he knew people were looking at them plus something had shifted in shilpa's eyes an awareness. So he stepped back and joked: better retouch your make up we'll be starting soon.

Shilpa let go of the breath she had been holding and smiled tremulously: yeah! (and escaped from there)

Shilpa thought to herself: oh damn! I'm in so much trouble! (she looked at the script that had been handed to her, there were no dialogues as such but the scene itself gave her goose bumps)

The hero comes in through the window and sees the heroine modeling some western outfits that she had never worn before. Once the heroine becomes aware of hero's presence she becomes embarrassed and the remaining scene is how both can't seem to control their feelings and have some passionate moments.

Shilpa swallowed hard and wondered how she was going to get through that days shoot. Karan stood outside the window and peaked inside, shilpa was standing in the black short skirt and strapless top. Feeling Karan's gaze shilpa looked at him and saw him grin as he spoke: don't worry shilpa! I'll try and not overwhelm you with my sex appeal!(and then he winked)

Shilpa gaped at him stunned and then turned her face away as the director called out. Muttering to herself: I'll give you slow! Idiot! He wouldn't what hit him!

Everything went fine till they reached the kitchen where shilpa accidently breaks a cup and cuts her feet. Perched on the counter shilpa kept one hand on her chest trying to cover herself as pain was reflected on her face through the cut on her feet. Karan waited for the cue then lifted shilpa in his arms and carried her to the lounger that was placed in the room

He placed shilpa gently on the lounger and retrieved a duppatta from the side to drape over her legs. Shilpa get up to leave as Karan turns around but then stops, as if pulled by a string Karan turned back towards shilpa. They stared into each other eyes as they bridged the gap between them, slowly the duppata shilpa had draped across her shoulders slipped from her hand as she stood infront of karan.

For that moment nothing else was important all she could see was him, feel was him. Karan traced her face with his fingers tucking the hair back from her face which had covered her face. Tentatively shilpa raised her hand and touched his face making Karan turn into his touch and kiss her palm. Unable to stop himself he stepped closer still and gathered shilpa's hair onto one side and placed kissed along her neck down to to her shoulder.

Shilpa shuddered at the first touch of his lips and closed her eyes as pleasure streamed through her body. She turned her face and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck and felt the collar of his shirt come in the way. Her hands streamed across his back pushing him closer to herself as both their breaths turned ragged. Through the fog of desire they heard the words from the side ok now draw back startled as if you've just come to your senses shilpa. Shilpa's eyes opened with a snap and she pushed at his chest to free herself from the sensual haze.

The scene was done to the directors satisfaction, the entire creative team was very happy with the way the scene had shaped. Everyone wanted to congratulate them and say that they had an amazing chemistry, the TRP's were going to sky rocket after the episode was going to be aired. Shilpa forced a smile and murmured her thanks hurrying back to her dressing room to hide.

Once there she looked at herself in the mirror and muttered: what the hell was that? This is wrong! I have a boyfriend and Karan is a co-actor and a friend. So okay things got a bit tangled its only natural we are both attractive people and we sort of got too involved in a scene.(she stopped as she realized she blabbering, taking a deep breath) chill! I'm sure Karan had not even noticed anything.

Karan had been going through his own inner battle, he felt like kicking himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. He ran a hand through his hair rumpling them as he thought back to the scene they had just done. He clenched his hand into a fist as he recalled the feelings that had coursed through him at her touch.

Immediately he pulled the breaks: this has got to stop! Shilpa is friend and I'm in a relationship with a wonderful girl! All this is just the after effect of the atmosphere! I'll just go home and have a good night sleep.

Both refused to acknowledge what had just happened between them, so they continued to live in denial as the bond they tried to ignore became stronger with each passing day. Each romantic moment that they shot brought a new level of awareness. Slowly rumours were starting to circulate, when an entertainment news channel aired their interview, the media and the fans went ballistic over their off screen chemistry.

Everyday had become a challenge to keep their feelings into check. They were shooting the scene where the hero disheartened by the heroine's refusal to accept her feelings is set to leave. So in the scene Shilpa is suppose to run after Karan and stop him, and accept her feelings for him. So the scene was

Shilpa: where are you going?

Karan: away from here! Away from you!

Shilpa felt the pain his words inflicted but pushed through it: well you can't leave!

Karan without answering her turned to walk away for a second Shilpa stood there shocked that he was actually walking away. She saw him moving away and it was as if something broke inside her and she ran after him. She reached him and called to him: stop! Please!

But Karan was in no mood to stop so he continued walking, desperate to stop him shilpa ran infront of him blocking his path: you can't leave!

Karan: give me one good reason why?

Shilpa looked at him and let go of all her inhibitions: because I Love you! Don't go! Plz! I love you! I tried but I can't help it, my heart just doesn't know how to live without you!

Karan stopped, his heart squeezed in his chest, he looked at her face and saw the love for him reflected in her eyes. Words were beyond him at the moment, all these months he had tried to get her to say these words and today she finally said it. He crushed her to him not letting even air come between them.

Director: Cut! Karan-Shilpa that was fabulous!

Shilpa drew back unable to look at Karan, she quickly turned away and almost ran to her dressing room. Karan stood there and realized what his heart had been trying to tell him all along.

Shilpa kept staring at the mirror and thought: how could she? How could she be such a big idiot? She was committed to someone else and so was Karan! This was wrong!

She glanced down at her hand and fingered the ring she wore as a token of her boyfriends affection. So deep in her thought she was that she didn't realize when the door opened to her dressing room.

Karan: take off that ring!

Shilpa startled: what? What are you doing here?

Karan: take off that ring shilpa! You and I both know it means nothing!

Shilpa winced at his words: what are you saying Karan? Have you gone mad?

Karan: no! its high time we face wht is happening here shilpa!

Shilpa: and what is happening?

Karan: take off that ring shilpa and I'll break things off with my girlfriend! We can be together then, we can get married!

Shilpa was stunned, she wanted to say yes, she opened her mouth but at that moment his girlfriends face came infront of her eyes. She was a sweet girl, they had always gotten along, how could she do this to her.

Her conscience pinched at her making her feel guilty: No!

Karan: are you saying you have no feelings for me?

Shilpa wanted to scream: of course not! But Karan we are friends and anything more than that is wrong between us! We both are in a relationship and this would be wrong!

Karan: what about being in a relationship with a person you don't love? Isn't that wrong?

Shilpa felt as if she was slapped, her face lost all its color: whether I'm in love or not is not your concern. Plz Karan I don't think its appropriate to talk about this topic anymore. Plz leave now!

Karan could not believe she was going to be stubborn about it but judging from the set of her mouth he thought it wiser to let things be. As he left shilpa knew she won't be able to hold out against him but she won't be able to live with herself if she gave in. There was no other option she knew what she had to do.

Karan: she did what?( he stood astounded as he heard the creative heads tell him that shilpa was leaving citing some personal reasons)

In the ensuing month Karan tried talking to Shilpa, reason with her but she was not listening. On the last day of the shoot Karan had arranged for a farewell party especially for Shilpa but she never showed up. Karan called her: why are you doing this?

Shilpa: this is right, Karan!

Karan: for whom?

Shilpa: lets not end this on a sour note! I'll always wish the best for you Karan! Have a good life! (she disconnected the call)

Karan stood on the sets and thought it had been 2 years since she had left the show, 2 years of listening to constant demands of the fans to bring them back together and finally she was back.

So much had changed and still there was this little part of him that kept whispering to him in joy: she's back!

Shilpa walked onto the sets which she had left 2 years back, it had taken her two years to feel strong enough to come back and face what she had run from. She knew he was already there, the buzz that always surrounded him, it was as if the scene had especially been choreographed coz suddenly the crowds parted and they both looked at one another and the spark was still there. It was as if the years in between had never happened.

Shilpa stood stunned unable to believe that things were taking an ugly turn, it wasn't the conspiracy that bothered her so much it was the fact that he might be involved. Shilpa looked at Karan waiting for him to respond but he kept quiet and continued to look at the other actors not meeting her eye. Shilpa waited for him to look her way, but he didn't, all this time she had assumed that they were friends. Whatever had happened or didn't happen between them their friendship had not suffered but she was wrong.

Shilpa knew what she had to do: fine! I'll leave the show at the end of this month! I really don't care anymore!

Karan looked at her now but now Shilpa was in no mood to look at him. Once the meeting was over shilpa gathered her stuff and left. On the final day of the shoot, once the shooting for the day was done, shilpa left without any good byes.

The show went off the air soon after that

Tarq-e- Taulakat pe

Roya na tu na mein

Phir bi yeh kya hua ke

Pechle kuch dinon se soya na tu na mein

Wo humsafar thaa…. haaan
Wo humsafar thaa… haaan

Wo humsafar thaa magar us sey humnawai na thi…
Wo humsafar thaa magar us sey humnawai na thi…

K dhoop chhaon ka…
K dhoop chhaon ka alam raha, judaai na thi.
Wo humsafar thaa magar us sey humnawai na thi…

K dhoop chhaon ka alam raha, judaai na thi.
Wo humsafar thaa…
Wo humsafar thaa…

Aaannn

Adaavatein theen… Taghaaful thaa… Ranjishein theen Magar
Adaavatein theen… Taghaaful thaa… Ranjishein theen Magar

Bicharne walay main sab kuch thaa Bewafai na thi…
Bicharne walay main sab kuch thaa Bewafai na thi…

K dhoop chhaon ka…
K dhoop chhaon ka alam raha, judaai na thi.

Wo humsafar thaa… haaan
Wo humsafar thaa…

And then life gave them another chance after almost 2 years after the show had ended, they came back on popular demand. Amidst demands to see Karan-Shilpa together again in another show, the creatives and PH casted them together.

So they stood on the sets looking at each other and everyone around them knew the spark was still there. Somehow the misunderstandings had been sorted out, things were not exactly the same as they were not the same people. But there was a hope of more