Thousands of candles illuminate the room, marking the end of the Dark Ages and the beginning of a New Era. Resplendent in her wedding dress, Madhu is a picture of perfection as she sits demurely on the bed. She looks up at her re-wedded husband of a few hours hesitantly standing near the door. As their eyes connect, her bright smile momentarily knocks the breath out of Raja. It took all his strength to not drop the tray of dried fruits and glass of milk and make an absolute fool of himself over his Rani's beatific smile. Bemused at his own reaction, he smiles back at Madhu. He looks deep into her eyes and asks her for permission to enter their room. Melting at the soulful, nearly pleading eyes, Madhu nods and gives permission for Raja to enter.
Raja walks into the room and hands the glass of milk to Madhu to drink.
Madhu (shakes her head in denial): I am not hungry.
Raja (stubbornly holds out the glass and persuades): Madhu you may not be hungry but our unborn child must be flipping inside your stomach in hunger.
Madhu smiles slightly knowing that she can't refute his argument that she must eat so the baby is well nourished. She takes the glass of milk from Raja's hand and grimaces at the smell. Pinching her nose, she swallows the content of the glass in one big, hurried gulp.
After her ordeal with the offensive milk, Madhu notices the wide open doors and her eyes widen in surprise. Raja follows her gaze to the door and holds out his hand to Madhu as invitation to grab it.
Raja: The door to our room has always been open. Come with me and let's both close it together as the first step into our new life.
Madhu smiles at Raja and daintily puts her hand in his, allowing him to pull her off the bed. They walk over to the open doors and together they close them. Closing the doors, they gaze deeply into each other's eyes. Bu feeling shy and uncertain, they avert their gaze unsure of how to behave with each other. Raja turns his head again in Madhu's direction. And coming to a conclusion on his internal debate, he wraps his arms around her shoulders and pulls her close. Shocked, she stares up at Raja and blushes. Emboldened by her reaction, he picks up Madhu in his arms. As he boldly stares at her blushing visage, Raja walks over and slowly deposits on her on to the bed. Breathing heavily, he looms over Madhu. Every second he inches closer to her soft lips for a kiss. However, just a mere breadth away from nearly touch her lips with his, Raja pulls away and gets off the bed.
CUT!
As soon as the director yelled cut, thunderous sounds of claps resonated against the aged walls of Sitara Studio. The director, Mehul Chopra, stands up in excitement as the shot was pure perfection and was completed in just one take.
MC: Superb! What chemistry...!! Brilliant performance! This is precisely why I love working with you!
RK (smirks and quickly winks at Madhu): Me too Capteen Saheeb...I love working with me too.
Madhu (holds back her smile and pretends to be angry): Excuse me Mr. Rishabh Kundra. I believe Mehulji was referring to both of us. My dearest patidev you may be a Superstar but I am also a Superstar and a Superstar's Biwi. (Smiles mischievously) So that makes it double points for Team Madhu.
RK (smirks): Ahaan! Biwi I didn't know you like keeping track of points. You should have been an accountant. At least your skill would have been put to good use.
MC (laughs): You too don't start now...save some of your nok jhok for the screen. (Sobers) We have only a few more scenes left till the final climax. (Gives a sly sidelong glance at RK) I am not even going to ask you Rishabh knowing your penchant for calling pack up.
RK inclines his head in silent acknowledgment and his lips twitch in amusement.
MC (continues): So I'll just ask your better half. Madhu are you up for one more shot tonight?
Madhu (smiles apologetically): Actually Mehul Sir, I am a bit tired...but if you want us to shoot one more scene tonight...
MC (laughs): No...no...no. I may be sanki, as your Rishabh here likes to call me, but I am no dictator. I can't have my star heroine fall apart in exhaustion before the completion of the movie.
RK: Excellent decision capteen saheeb. So let me make things easier for you. (Screams) PACK UP!
MC (exasperated): I am the director RK, that's my call.
RK: Capteen saheeb my style of pack up is different, it's RK style. No one else can do it. (Smirks) Plus you did claim that I have a penchant for it. Now can't have my talent go to waste.
MC (shakes his head and imparts at Madhu before walking away): I don't know how you put up with him.
Madhu (sighs dramatically and answers): I don't know either. Bappa should gift me an easy button to deal with his best friend.
RK grabs Madhu's hand and pulls her towards the green room for some privacy. Once inside, he pulls her into his arms and gently cups her face.
RK: Madhu why didn't you tell me before that you're exhausted? We could have eased up on pace.
Madhu (cups RK's face): Because I know completing the shots on time is very important so we can move on to post production quickly. Time is money. And I don't want our production house to lose money because I can't keep up with the pace. (Leans up and kisses his cheeks) Honey I am fine and nothing a few hours of sleep won't cure.
RK (tightens his hold around her waist and kisses her forehead): Biwi you are far more important to me than any loss that I may incur. Wealth comes and goes but you're irreplaceable. I am such a fool. Of course you will be exhausted. After shooting all day, you go home and take care of our year and half old son. Arjun doesn't even let you sleep half the night!
Madhu (teases): And his daddy doesn't let me sleep the rest of the night.
RK (Continues, guilt-stricken): We shouldn't have taken up this project. I shouldn't have gotten carried away with another one of Mehul Chopra's whacky brilliant stories. And I damned well shouldn't have listened when he insisted that you be our heroine. I am a selfish ass for not thinking things through...
Madhu cuts him off with a quick on the lips. She pulls back and cups his face.
Madhu: RK stop it. You have NOTHING to feel guilty about so just stop it. I signed up for the movie knowing it would set a hard pace. It was my decision. RK I love being known as your wife and also being a mom. But I am also a woman of the 21st century and I want a career an identity that is solely mine. Pati I know it's hard to believe, but I am not the only woman in this world to balance family and work. Look around and we have some ladies working on our set, putting in much longer hours than I do. And they have families too. Is it tough? Heck yes! But is it worth it? Every bit of it! Ek Ishq Ek Junoon was our movie and I damn well was not going to let some other actress play opposite to you in Ek Ishq Ek Junoon 2. So stop feeling guilty because my condition/situation is actually quite common and the decision to sign up for the movie was solely mine. (Teases) Plus I am not only a Superstar and Superstar's Biwi, I am also Supermom. I can handle anything.
RK (rubs his nose against Madhu's and smiles affectionately): Biwi you know...you are one antique piece.
Madhu (smiles): Of course pati...after all I am Superstar RK's biwi and can't be ordinary.
RK (smirks): Ahaan!
Madhu (inquires): By the way RK, I am curious about the last part of our scene tonight. I don't remember seeing your attempt to kiss me as part of the script. Did you forget?
RK leans in and nibbles on Madhu's lips till she slightly pushes him away, insisting on an answer.
RK (smiles sheepishly): I did forget. (Looks at her hungrily and growls) Seeing you all decked up as a bride, I was ready to peel the cloth off every inch of your skin and relive our suhag raat.
Madhu (breathlessly): RK...(blushes slightly) Thank goodness you came back to your senses. Can't imagine how embarrassing it would have been if you had carried out your plan to make love in front of the whole set.
RK (jokes): It would have revolutionized Indian television.
Madhu (lightly hits him on the chest): RK...
RK (quirks his eyebrow): Since we seem to be having a Q/A segment, why were you being such a nautanki about drinking milk? The script clearly didn't have the grimaces as Madhu Jr has no issue drinking milk even during her pregnancy.
Madhu (evasively): Umm...you know...I just don't like drinking milk. The smell just makes me want to puke so you should be glad that I only grimaced.
RK (confused): But you love drinking milk. Hell you would even try to make me drink milk instead of scotch. (Muses) The only time I remember you hated drinking milk was when you were pregnant with Arjun.
RK stops and looks at Madhu suspiciously. He starts putting together all the small incidents and symptoms that he has overlooked in the last few days. Adding them all up, he concludes there's only one possibility.
RK (nervous yet excited): Madhu are we having a baby...are you pregnant?
Madhu (moves away from RK in annoyance): RK!! (Whines) It was supposed to be a surprise. I had a whole elaborate plan on how I was going to tell you right after wrapped up our final shot but now it's all ruined.
In his excitement, RK picks Madhu up in his arms and twirls her round and round.
Madhu (feeling slightly little dizzy): RK...!
RK puts Madhu back down on her feet, wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her tightly into his chest for a hug.
RK: Biwi...how? I mean when...?
Madhu: I am 7 weeks along. Doctor just confirmed yesterday. As for the how and when, don't you dare tell me that I have to explain the how and when!
RK (plants a kiss on her forehead): Thank you Madhu. I am so happy. (Slightly scared) Now we have to be extra careful. I don't want it to be like...the first time...(he shudders as the memory of the miscarriage still haunts him) If we have to shoot only one scene a day, then so be it. I am not taking any chances with your and the baby's health.
Madhu (cups his face): RK...we will be fine. As long as you are with us, nothing will happen to us. (Gently) It's time you stop feeling guilty about the miscarriage. It was not your fault. It happened because it must have been a part of God's plan for us. Think of all the blessing we already have, a beautiful son and another on the way. (Pats her stomach and teases RK) Plus my beta here is made of hardy stock. He won't leave mommy and daddy and go anywhere.
RK (gets down on his knees and puts his face against Madhu's flat belly): Sweetheart don't be offended that your mom has turned you into a beta. I know you are my beti and will come into this world and be on Team Daddy.
Madhu (pats her belly): Beta don't listen to your daddy. You are mommy's little champ and will come into this world and be on Team Mommy.
RK (stands up and wraps an arm around her waist): Beti.
Madhu (stubbornly): Beta.
RK (sighs): You already have a son on Team Mommy.
Madhu (gasps): OMG...I almost forgot! RK let's go home now. Arjun must be having fits and giving poor Maa a hard time now.
RK (sighs dramatically again): As always, my dear son will demand your attention for most of the night and his daddy will have to deal with scraps.
Hand in hand, they leave together for home. Their hands always intertwined in the journey of life. Though RK and Madhu have had their shares of ups and downs, their love for each other grows stronger each day. Come what may, none can separate a bond made and blessed by Bappa. They are a perfect example of Rab ne bana di jodi, the epitome of Ishq and Junoon.
Author's Note: Please comment. 😳
