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OS : Da Unforgettable Sunday of 19th Jun 2011
Saturdays are alwaz preferred over Sundays. All over da world.
Friday nite parties Saturday late sleepovers.
Sunday laundry n boring Mondays to look forward.
Such is da general routine on dis planet.
Offcourse one can differ wid mah opinion.
19th June 2011, Dis Sunday was special.
He had waited for dis sunday for a long time.
7 years to be precise.
In his profession dat was almost a generation gap.
Tonite as he sat amongst his peers, friends, and fans,der wer mixed emotions in his mind.
Happy dat he had finally made it here, in da land dat never sleeps spares or shares.
Sad dat da One sole reason he sat here proud among dis crowd, was missing in his universe.
Yet another award was declared, and da popular host voice echoed around.
" The Great Indian Television award for da Best Newcomer goes to..."
Prithvi closed his eyes wid a deep breath,
as memories started flashing in technicolor on da widescreen called his mind.
At 26 he was da class topper from his MBA course.
At 27 he was spotted at a local gym by a producer and sent on his way to Bombay to make a drastic career change to television.
At 29 he was into his Third show, aptly tittled, wen HE met HER.
Introvert, but passionate about her work, she was everyfink he wasna.
Deciplined. Articulate. Real. Real being da key word here wer every tear was from a glycerine bottle. Every hug was for a hidden camera and every smile was to justify sum vampish behaviour at a previous nite get-together. She on da other hand, unlike der peers was da soft-spoken friend whom his personality needed to keep himself grounded.
All throughout da shooting of da show, de formed a bond dat cudna be given a name.
As luck wud have it der onscreen chemistry scorched many a tv sets dat year.
He found himself many a times jus staring at her as she glided among peers seniors friends or crew on da sets. Laughing her way tru der ups and sharing a sincere ear to der downs. He was slowly getting enamoured wid her. One gesture at a time. Her soulful gaze, her cheerful smile, her affectious giggle, wen she accidently hit him on da arm in jest during offScreen interviews.
He cud have filled a journal on a 3 letter word, tittled, SHE.
She was sumone you cud share your deepest dark secrets widout worrying about disclosure. Happily being a friend to anyone in need, private in nature, she never mixed her personal and professional life. Never.
He knew dat, yet, everytime he saw her around, he craved to get close to her.
He wanted to be da one peron who cud be more den *Jus a friend* to her.
But as fate wud have it, before he cud share his feelings da show shut shop wid high TRP. Garnering a benchmark record of being remembered fondly even years later.
Dat nite, after da shoot, da happy producers threw a farewell party at a nearby hill station resort. Rooms wer booked for overnight guests. Drinks galore was da main item on da menu.
Knowing HE may not be working again wid her, He threw caution to da world and drank like a thirsty traveler in da Sahara. Offcourse wid da drinking binge he got into an argument wid a small time arrogant petty producer, of a rival channel, who in a fit of anger yelled at Prithvi, "Apne aap ko bade Tees Mar Khan samajhne lage ho ?? Shahrukh khan ke bhatije ho?? Kekta mai ke wonderboy ho ?? Ke Saajan Raahi ke next show me Rishta ke naam batiyaane eespaysal bulawa aaya hai tanne khaatir?? Chaar log ke alawaa kaun jaanta hai tumhe. Ek award to mila nahi hai. Ek show kya chala ki akad dikha rahe ho. Bade aaye mujhse zabaan ladane wale. Get out. Isse bahar nikalo koi"
Sumone had spiked her drink !! She jus knew it. Water. She remembered reading, drink lotsa water to reduce da effect. She walked towards da waiter lifted two glasses off his tray and came outta da party hall almost stumbling in da passageway. Tomorrow was her wedding !! Being a private person, She had waited till da show was over, before disclosing to anyone about her alliance. Da groom chosen by her parents, was a well settled bizznessman in Europe. She cudna afford to be seen by da media in dis condition, in anycase tomorrows announcement was gonna bring a lotsa media attention to her front door, hence she called for da lift n took it to da top floor instead to stall around till da people downstairs dispersed off.
She found Prithvi drunk sitting on da wide terrace railing of da hotel venue.
Taking slow steps so as not to scare him, she went n sat down beside him.
Dats wen tru a hazy vision she saw his tear streaked face. He was known to be a cool player. Da eternal happy- go - lucky goofball on da set, who alwaz wore his heart on his sleeve n a bright flirty smile on his lips and yet here he was at his lowest worst. Damini knew he needed a friend tonite. She placed her warm reassuring hand over his.
Damini: "Rith ?? Kya hua ??" she had used da one nickname she called him privately.
One dat he loved more den his own given name, Prithvi Saxena.
Prithvi turned n looked at her barely seeing her thru his drunk stupor.
"Tum yaha kyu aayi ho. Aaj akele rone do mujhe"
Damini: "doston se chup--- chuppate nahi" she *Hiccup*ed.
Prithvi: " kaunse dost. Aaj ke baad tum mujhe bhul jaogi. Outta Sight Outta Mind. Yahi usool hai iss badnaam industry ka. Aaj dost dost, kal, Tu kaun me khamonka !!
Bhulne ki beemari yaha palti hai. Tumhe bhi dass legi."
Damini: "Bharosa nahi hai tumhe apne aap pe?? Kya tum mujhe tumhare saath guzaare huye pal bhulne doge ??"
Prithvi: "Huh !! Meri marzi kaha chali hai. Apne aap pe bharosa hai par kismat pe yakeen nahi."
Damini: "To yakeen karo. Badal dalo apni kismat. Aise akele rone se kaunse patang udde hai. Dikha do un producers ko ki tum apni talent se kya karne ki shakti rakhte ho. Rith...
Apni kismat khud likhnaa seekh lo."
Prithvi: "Tum saath dogi ??" He looked into her eyes earnestly.
Damini: "Dosti anjaan rishton ki dor se nibhayi jaati hai. Waqt usse apne aanchal me panapne deta hai. Jaha bhi rahungi tumhe yakeen karna hoga, kahi naa kahi se kisi naa kisi dor se tumhare saath bandhi rahungi, kabhi tumhare kabhi mere to kabhi hmmmhe pasand karnewale fan ke dilme hi sahi. Hmmm saath saath honge Prithvi hmmm chahe yaa naa chahe." Not knowing how predictable her words wud turn out to be one day.
Mind yaa once in a day, it is said,
Goddesss Saraswati maa sits on our tongue
And wen we say sumfink, she says Tathaastuu.
We get happy in da knowledge dat da Upper Gods granted our wish.
But jus imagine, if we keep grumbling or having bad thots...
Maybe dats why der is so much chaos in da world currently...
-Pannalogy101.
Den Damini frowned. Her vision was blurring. Da spiked drink was taking effect on her system. She grabbed his arm in supportas panic started crouching its rear claw. He looked around at da darkened terrace. Knowing de canna be seen sloshed like dis by da media. He guided her towards his booked room a floor downstairs silently using da stairwell. Helping each other holding hands de reached da safety of da room. She helped him lay down on his bed.
As he fell on da stark white crisp hotel sheets pulling her down on him,
he whispered, "Rukne ko kahu to ruk jaogi??" Dat was da last he had seen her.
Waking up in da morning to tumbled down sheets and a tableside clock showing 12pm noon,
He was blank about wot da room had witnessed in da last 12 hrs.
Damini... Wer was she ?? Looking around, He was about to call out to her,
wen he noticed da head indentation on da adjacent pillow.
He lifted da sheet away n stood up only to stumble on his discarded clothes.
Jeez !! If only he remembered wot happened last nite !!
The knock on da room door had broken his train of thot. He quickly wore his trouser n opened da door only to see it was Room Service. As da cheerful waiter came in wid koffee n morning newspaper explaning, "Madam jee subah 6 baje jaate samay instructions deke gayi thi 12 baje koffee deni hai. Sir me paper bhi le aaya." Prithvi gaze fell on da front page headlines
He stood numb, as he read da front page news. For da papers wer flooded wid breaking news of popular TV star, Damini weds da Groom of her parents choice, in a secret ceremony at an undisclosed venue n den leaving tonite to settle abroad away in europe.
Angry n feeling betrayed, he had decided den n der she was in da same category of those ugly producers. Opportunist n fake He wud show dem all. He had to make it big.
He had to prove he was sumone de canna ignore. Lie to. And play wid.
It had taken him sum time to realise he cudna be angry on her for long. Eventually he had forgiven her in his mind, but was unable to contact her. She as though had jus goneD gayab off da face of da earth. No one knew about her wear-abouts. He had den put his soul at making a name for himself in da last 7 years-------
And now ladies and gentlemen", da host voice brought him bak to da present wid a body jerk. "-------- The Great Indian Televison award for Best Actor in a tv series goes to---------"
Prithvi closed his eyes n waited wid abated breath.
No one noticed da closed fist, which was taut wid tention.
"------ goes to Mr Prithi Saxenaaa... Congratulations to Mr Saxena !!"
Da applause was deaffening. He had finally made it.
Da most prestigious award ever in da Indian Television Circuit was his tonite.
As he walked towards da dais, every moment from his train ride into Bombay to last evening getting his speech ready if he won, shot past his eyes, in slow motion.
As he reached da stage and accepted da prestigious award, a realisation hit him. And hard.
If only she was der to witness his victory.
She wud have said only one word "Rith" and dat wud be his biggest achievement in life.
How he craved to hear her say his name on her lips...
"I wish Damini was here witnessing mah moment", he silently prayed to da Upper Gods.
Speech Speech Speech da crowd screamed.
Holding da prestigious trophy in one hand, Prithvi looked at da vast crowd cheering him on.
He placed da trophy near da mic.
Den he lifted his right hand n skratched his forehead, "Err...Ummm... Hmmm"
Da crowd went bonkers watchering his trademark gesture.
He grinned n many gals in da crowd fainted... Literally !!
"Thank You. Ladies and gentleman, friends, peers, and last but not da least, for whom i strive to give mah best everyday, mah wonderful encouraging fans, thank you for da vote of confidence.
Da fan frenzy increased a couple of notches.
"Thank you, to da jury on The Great Indian Television Awards committee for appreciating mah talent. Today, Sunday da 19th of June, on Fathers day, as i receive dis prestigious award, i feel i have finally become a dad. *Responsible and sumone you can depend on*. Today if i had a child, i wud be doted on wid a proud smile gracing da child's face. Tonite wid dis award, you have brought me one step closer to mah dream. A dream dat was in da making for da last 7 years. A dream dat was single handedly shown to me by da one person whom i never was able to tell how much SHE meant to me.
Prithvi closed his eyes, and Damini smiled across his mind whispering, "To yakeen karo. Badal dalo apni kismat. Aise akele rone se kaunse patang udde hai. Dikha do un producers ko ki tum apni talent se kya karne ki shakti rakhte ho. Rith... Apni kismat khud likhnaa seekh lo."
He opened his eyes to da crowd, da huge wall to wall tv screens behind him on da stage, highlighting his movements in detail. "I wud like to dedicate dis award to da one person who saw me standing here 7 years ago, wen i had no confidence on mahself. Tonite, werever she is, if she is watching, i jus wann say, yuP I Made It. Miss you, Alwaz." HE raised his right hand holding da trophy up high... Da crowd stood up n clapped unanimously.
Prithvi stood watching da crowd.
A lonesome feeling creating havoc wid his senses.
He had it all and yet here he stood alone in a crowd.
A silent tear was threatening to be disclosed.
As his eyes scanned da cheering n clapping crowd randomly, his heartbeat skipped suddenly.
For amongst da crowd, der SHE stood, clapping da loudest, tears streaming down her cheeks.
A lil girl standing next to her looked up and tugged on her saree .
Prithvi stood watching Damini look to her left n den at sumone down.
His gaze followed her head movement and noticed da tall girl clad in RED standing alongside Damini. And den his eyes grew wide.
For da girl was a mirror image of her dad !! No doubts about it !!
Prithvi's eyes immediately searched Damini's across da distance
Dats wen Damini nodded wid a smile n mouthed, "Happy Fathers Day Rith"
Writers Note:
Wen a flight is delayed by 2 hrs,
you can either snooze in da lounge wid ipod connected to ur senses
you can stare at da folks passing by
or you can sit n create *Wot If* situations in ur mind.
ME, i was worrying about missing Father's Day Get-together bak home.
So, to distract mah mind, i started penning down sumfink.
But as mah one track mind twisted its routes, i landed writing about PriDa
so, here it is fresh outta da mind factory, sitting in a lounge' sincerely hoping da Technical-Glitch-Delay gets solved soon and messa am home bound...
Happy Father's Day to every member on dis forum'
skorpion.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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