The background is that Gunjan comes to know that Neil loves her. She gets the biggest shock of her life. Everything became blurred; the earth under her feet shook completely.
Gunjan stood still for a while as if someone had taken life out of her. "Neil, merey barey mein?aur mein toh?mera to woh?..ye kaisey ho sakta hai?Neil mujhse?.aur is liye shayad", she had too many questions but no answer. The unbelievable had happened with her. Her tears dried, her mind switched off, her heart beat got milder. She didn't know what to do.
Now the scene begins:
For some time, Gunjan was totally numb, unable to react, unable to thinkand the first word that came to her mind and she uttered was, "Samrat".
She immediately turned back, and rushed towards the hotel reception.
At the HotelReception:
"Please, kya ap mujhey bata sakti hein, Samrat Shergill konsey room mein hein? Merey paas time bilkul nahin hai. Please, ap meri help kerein. Mujhey us se bohat zarori kaam hai", Gunjan, despite being completely breathless, said all this without even taking a pause in between.
The Hotel people knew who she was, and after a bit of a consulation, they told her Samrat's room number.
While the Hotel Admin was busy in consultation, Gunjan constantly kept on dialing Samrat's phone, and everyone he didn't answer her call. "Kahan ho Samrat? Please, ek baar phone utha lo. Muhjey tumhari bohat zarorat hai Samrat", were the only thoughts that had surrounded her mind.
As soon as she got his room number, with the speed of light, she raced towards it.
Samrat's Room:
After Gunjan told him to go away from her, Samrat had decided to leave and so, was packing his bag. With Gunjan's photo in his hand (the one that was published in the newspaper), he was saying, "Sorry Chashmish. Mera bilkul aisa koi irada nahin tha. Mein toh yahan tumhara saath deney ke liye aya tha. Aur dekho, ye mein ne kya ker diya. Meri wajah se sub kuch khatam ho gya hai Chashmish. Mein ab yahan?"
And the door of his room banged open.
He turned around and saw Gunjan standing there, completely out of her breath. He couldn't understand what had happened. Was he also shocked? Of course, he was.
Finally, seeing him standing in front pf her, he tears in her eyes that had dried a few minutes back strated rolling down her cheeks. Their eyes met and within a second, she ran towards him and with all the force she had, hugged him and closed her eyes to feel him, while tears dripping from her eyes like water drips from a tap.
He was completely numb, his arms were straight, eyes wide-open, heart beat very unusual. He knew that something had gone wrong, but what it was he didn't new. He tried to compose himself and when Gunjan is in arms, how can it be that he doesn't wrap her in his arms. He was aso suffering every second and now he had got her this close to him, which he could never even think of, after what all had happened between them.
So, he also tightly wrapped his arms around her waist and for a while, they both closed their eyes and held each other, to let go of the distance that had come between them, to feel each other, to be with each other, to share the suffering that they had experienced without each other, what if they were for just a couple of hours.
"Chashmish?" he said while hoding on to her tightly, but as soon as she heard the word Chashmish, she broke her silence, "Samrat. Mujhey please maaf ker do. Mein ne gussey mein na jaaney tumhein kya kya keh dia. Samrat mein,?Samrat tum,?Samrat Neil?"
And Samrat knew that he was thinking right. The problem revolves around these three, i.e. Gunjan, Neil and himself.
He slowly broke the hug, gently wiped tears of her eyes, held her shoulders, "Relax Chashmish. Mein hun na tumhrey paas. Please rona bund kero aur mujhey batao key kya baat hai. Kya hua hai jo tum itni pareshan ho".
Samrat removed his hands from her shoulder. Gunjan took a few steps back and told Samrat what all had happened, how she overheard Neil saying that he loves her and then she also saw her picture in his laptop. All this while tears were flowing from her eyes. "Samrat, wo aisa kaisey ker sakta hai? Wo mera bachpan ka friend hai. Hum ne sara bachpan ek dosrey ke saath guzara hai. Wo mujhse? ye wo kaisey ker sakta hai Samrat", Gunjan still had all those questions, which she put forth for Samrat to answer.
Samrat listened to her patiently, and when she completed, he went to where she was standing (a few steps away from him).
"Chashmish, pehley tum rona bund kero", he said while wiping her tears that were refusing to listen to him.
He again kept his hands on her shoulders, "Chashmish, agar wo tum se pyar kerta hai, toh us mein us ki kya ghalti hai? Chashmish, pyar per kisi ka koi copyright toh nahin hota hai na. Aur jissey tum bachpan ki friendship keh rahi ho, ussi friendship ne us ke dil mein in feelings ki shuruat ki thi, jaisey humari friendship ne ki thi. Chashmish, pyar ek ehsaas hai jo koi jaan bojh ker nahin kerta. Ye kiya nahin jata, ho jata hai. Tum ek baar Neil ki jagah per ho ke socho. Us ne apni puri zindagi sirf tumhein chaha hai, baghair return mein kuch chahey. Wo yahan sirf tumhein dhondta hua aya tha, aur jab ussey humarey barey mein pata chala, toh bhi us ne tum se kuch nahin kaha. Agar us din mera Neil ke saath argument na hota, toh shayad mujhey bhi wo kabhi apni feelings ke barey mein nahin batata?"
With this last line of his, Gunjan's eyes widened, and she interrupted him, "tum jaantey the Samrat? Aur tum ne mujhey ye sab batana zarori nahin samjha?" Gunjan couldn't believe that Samrat knew about Neil's feelings.
"Chashmish, tumharey yahan aney ke baad, mein Neil ke office mein tumhein dhondta hua gya tha. Wahan mujhey pata chala ke tum already yahan pohanch chuki ho. Baton baton mein mera Neil ke sath argument ho gya aur tab us ney mujhey bataya ke wo tum se bohat pyar kerta hai", Samrat's voice became a bit husky when he was saying this and for the first time, he broke the eye contact.
Gunjan could see what all Samrat has been going through. She could see the agony the pain on his face, in his eyes and could feel it in his voice. It must have been the same for him also, when he came to know about it and I ran for him, he had no one to share his pain with-her mind was buried in these thoughts and she forgot all about herself and her heart cried for her Samrat now.
She lifted his face and made him look back in her eyes, and in her sweet, concerned voice, "Samrat, meri taraf dekho. Ek baat puchun, such such jawab do ge mujhey?"
"Mein tun se kabhi jhoot nahin bolta Chashmish", Samrat responded.
"Kyat um issi wajah se idher aye the? Mera matlab hai??", and she couldn't phrase the sentence further.
Samrat then told her how Neil had refused to tell him about the location of the shoot, saying that Samrat needs to think again about his relationship with Gunjan and that he needs to act maturely. This Gunjan didn't like coz she thought what right Neil had to say all this to Samrat. Samrat clarified her doubts here also and told her that may be Neil was right and he said all this to him, coz he was very much concerned for Gunjan. Then Samrat also told her about how the gang gave him the idea of getting info from the shoot and how the reporter dodged him with the news.
Everything was sorted out between Gunjan and Samrat.
"Chalo Samrat. Ab hum yahan ek minute bhi nahin rukein ge. Acha hua ye film khud hi bund ho gayi. Ye film ki duniya merey liye nahin hai. Hum apni duniya mein bohat khush the Samrat aur hum wahein wapis chaltey hein. Mein bhi apna saman le ati hun", was the final decision from Gunjan, and she moved towards the door.
"Ek minute Chashmish. Hum yahan se jayein ge zaroor, per us sey pehley tumhein ek kaam kerna ho ga".
"Kaisa kaam Samrat?", Gunjan was confused and asked Samrat after turning towards him.
"Tum janey se pehley ek baar Neil se milo gi", Samrat didn't ask her, but told her firmly.
"Mein ye nahin ker sakti", if he was firm, she was also strong in her reply.
Samrat walked to her, held her hand in both his hands, "Chashmish, hum yahan se jayeinge, lekin Neil se miley baghair nahin. Aur Chashmish, tum hi ne toh mujhey sikhaya hai na ke job hi problem ho, us se darr ke bhagney ke bajaye ussey face kero. Neil ab bhi tumhara dost hai. Us ne tumharey liye bohat kuch kiya hai Chashmish. Aur ye jo kuch bhi hua hai, is mein uska koi kasoor nahin hai, toh phir tum ussey iski sazaa kyon de rahi ho? Aur phir, mujhey bhi to us sey maafi mangni hai na. Toh chalo, hum dono chal ke us se miltey hein. Usko bhi is waqt apney doston ki bohat zarurat hogi".
Gunjan's eyes shone with a spark, a spark of pride. She was sooo proud of Samrat, of his love, of her love. She was thinking that how can anyone say Samrat is immature. He is the most sensible, selfless and sincere person, and her respect for him, her love for him brought that spark in her eyes and a smile on her face.
She just nodded to him in acceptance to whatever he had said and he also responded with a smile, "Chalo Chashmish. Neil se milney chaltey hein".
In Neil's Room:
Neil was back in his room and was bruied in his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. He got up and opened the door. There he saw Gunjan and Samrat standing together, and for a second he felt a bit awkward. But then he regained his self and invited them in.
Gunjan and Samrat enetered his room and all three of them seated. After a few seconds of silence, Neil began, "Tum dono yahan kaise?"
Before he could continue further, Samrat interrupted, "Neil,?wo?Neil, hum tum se kuch baat kerna chahtey the".
Neil could figure that Gunjan and Samrat had come for some thing important. Samrat's words signaled this, and if they weren't enough, Gunjan's changed expressions and lowered eyes conveyed the intention."
"Bolo Samrat, kya kehna chahtey ho. Gunjan, Kya baat hai?", Neil couldn't bear the suspense and he wanted to knew the problem asap.
This time Gunjan gathered the courage to speak, "Neil, wo?.Neil?.", the courage wasn't enough.
Samrat covered her hand (that was holding the sofa tightly), she looked at him, he nodded back assuring her of his support.
This gave her the strength to express herself. She told Neil about what all happened and how she came to know about his feelings. Neil was completely shocked, coz this was something he never wanted. He was helpless, he was dumbfounded, he was shattered?and was totally heart broken.
He had nothing to say in his defense, but he opened his heart in front of both Gunjan and Samrat. He told them how Gunjan became his inspiration, his reason for existence, his only love of life. He also told them that it was only because of her that he transformed from a seedha saadha Chamku, to the famous and most sought after director Neil Oberoi.
He concluded with, "Gunjan ho sakey toh mujhey maaf ker dena. Mein tumhein kabhi takleef nahin pohanchana chahta tha. Agar ye film na hoti, toh mein kab ka yahan se chala gya hota. Meri kismet mein shayad tumhara pyar kabhi tha hi nahin. Aur mujhey is baat ka koi afsoos nahin hai. Jab hum kis se pyar kertey hein, toh zaruri nahin ke badley mein humein bhi uska pyar miley. Per mujhey is baat ki bohat khushi hai, ke tumhein Samrat jaisey larkey ka pyar mila hai. Gunjan Samrat tum se bohat pyar kerta hai. Tum dono ek dosrey ke liye baney ho".
Tears were rolling from the eyes of all three of them, It was a painful and heart wrenching conversation.
When Neil was done, the wave of silence gripped the room again. No one had any clue about what to say.
Gunjan knew that she had to speak now, and so she did, "Neil, mein ne hamesha tumhein apna bohat acha dost mana hai. Tum meri zindagi mein ek bohat special jagah rakhtey ho. Hum ne apna sara bachpan ek doesrey ke saath guzara hai. Per mein kabhi ye soch bhi nahin sakti thi, ke us dosti mein tum itney agey nikel gaye?.mera matlab hai ke?tum mujh se?..", Gunjan fell short of words again.
Neil interrupted, "Gunjan, jab mujhey tum se pyar hua, us waqt meri koi hesiyat nahin thi. Mein zindagi mein kuch bun ke, bada bun ke tumharey saamney, tumharey paas ana chahta tha, per shayad kismet ko ye manzoor nahin tha. Lekin mera yakeen kero Gunjan, mujhey is baat per koi afssos nahin hai ke mein ne tum se pyar kiya hai. Mein apni puri zindagi tum se pyar kerta rahun ga. Kyonke pyar ek aisi feeling hai jo kabhi khatam nahin ho sakti. Lekin mujhey is baat se zyada is cheez ki khusi hai ke tumhein tumhari zindagi mein sacha pyar mila hai. Samrat ke pyar ke samney mera pyar kuch bhi nahin hai. Wo tum se itna pyar kerta hai ke shayad koi aur nahin ker sakta. Mein ne uski ankhon mein tumharey liye pyar, tumhari fikr, tumhari qadar dekhi hai."
And then turning towards Samrat, "Aur Samrat, tum bohat lucky ho ke tumhein Gunjan jaisi larki ka pyar mila hai. Jantey ho Samrat, uski puri zindagi sirf tumharey gird ghoomti hai. Wo bilkul ek phool ki terha hai, jo jab tumhein na dekhey toh murjha jati hai, aur tumharey dikhtey hi, uske chehrey pe smile khil uthi hai. Jab tum dono ek dosrey se itna pyar kertey ho, toh mein toh kiya, koi bhi tumharey bheech mein nahin a sakta".
Neil was unable to say further. Samrat placed hos hand on his shoulder and said, "Neil, tum bohat achey aur sachey insane ho. Gunjan bohat lucky hai jo uske paas tum jaisa friend hai. Aur Neil, mein tum se maafi mangna chahta hun. Mein janta hun, meri wajah se tumhein, tumhari film ko, bohat nuksaan hua hai.Per mera yeakeen keri Neil, ye sab us reporter ki chaal thi. Us ne mujhey apney jaal mein phasaya aur ye sab hua. Shayad meri ghalti is laik toh nahin hai, per ho sakey to mujhey maaf ker dena?..Aur haan, meri aur Gunjan ki taraf se apna dil plase hamesha saaf rekhna. Ab tum sirf Gunjan ke hi nahin merey bhi friend ho. Ho na?"
Samrat surely knew how to lighten the mood. Gunjan and Neil both smiled.
Neil replied, "Samrat, tum sahi keh rahey ho. Us reporter ne apni ghalti maan li hai aur wo subha ke paper me apology note punlish ker raha hai. So all is well on that front. Aur Gunjan tumhein bhi fikr kereny ki koi zarorat nahin hai. Subha sab kuch theek ho jaye ga. (Gunjan gave him a smile). Aur haan, tum is film ki bilkul fikr na kerna. Maine issey discontinue ker dia hai,aur press mein aisi reason de di hai jis ki wajah se na tumehin, na mujhey, aur na hi is film ko koi nuksaan hoga. Waisey bhi, abhi itni koi shooting bhi nahin hui thi ke humein issey bund kerney mein koi problem hoti. Ek cheez aur, Samrat, tum ne sahi kaha, ab hum do nahin, bulkey teen friends ho chuckey hein."
Samrat continued, "To phir, deir kis baat ki hai Neil, apney naye friend se galey nahin milo ge?"
Neil and Samrat shared a friendly hug, and then while shaking their hands, Samrat said, "Dude, I hope no hard feelings now. Apna khyal rakhna and hope to see you soon".
"Tum bhi apna aur Gunjan ka khyaal rakhna and all the best to you guys"., and then he truned towards Gunjan, "Bye Gunjan, aur hamesha khush rehna".
"Bye Neil. Apna khyaal rekhna, aur humein bhool mut jana", Gunjan greeted him.
"Chalein Chashmish", Samrat brought his hand forward. Gunjan looked at him and gave him her hand, and off they went from Neil's room. Neil watched them go. He was sad, still contentment was visible on his face and his heart was satisfied.
After leaving from Neil's room, Gunjan and Samrat were feeling so light. They were very happy about how things ended on a positive note. They were walking in the corridor of the hall, silently, when Samrat thought of something.
"Chashmish, walk per chalein? Mujhey tum se bohat si baatein kerni hein".
"Per Samrat, sara din guzar chukka hai. Kaafi raat ho rahi hai, abhi tumhein kahan jana hai? Aur baatein toh hum yahan bhi ker saktey hein na"
"Chashmish, mujh se koi sawal mut kero, bus tum merey saath chalo".
Gunjan had no choice, except to listen to him. They left the hotel and walked out of the main entrance.
Mostly, they were silent. A small look at each other, a brief talk was all they did. Walking on the road, they went quite far from the hotel and were now at a beach.
It was a beautiful sight. Two lovers, walking at the margin of the beach, holding each other's hands, with silence all around, except for the noice of the water that was giggling due to the light, soothing breeze. The full moon was shining upon them, breaking the darkness of the sky, and the twinkling stars were it's companions.
They both were lost in each other's eyes when Samrat suddenly stopped walking.
"Chashmish, apni ankhein band kero".
Gunjan didn't understand what Samrat was up to. "Kya? Kya keh rahey ho Samrat?"
"Chashmish, please, apni ankhein band kero".
Gunjan gave up and closed her eyes, with her heart beat slightly picking up a race.
After a few seconds, Samrat said, "ab apni ankhein kholo Chashmish".
Gunjan opened her eyes. Was it a dream for her? It can't be reality. Or, was it the dream come true? she thought. Samrat was on hi knees, looking up, in her eyesGunjan could now hear her heart beat. Her eyes were filled with water and this water was escaping in the form of tear drops from her eyes.
"Tum janti ho na Chashmish ke tumharey baghair meri zindagi kuch nahin hai. Tum ne meri zindagi ko jeney laik banaya hai. Tum merey jeeney ka maksad, merey jeeney ki takat ho Chashmish. Tumney hamesha mera saath dia hai. Mein janta hun ke mein tumharey laik nahin hun. Mein ne bohat bar tumhara dil todha hai, tumhein takleef pohanchayi hai. Per mein jaisa bhi hun Chashmish, mein tum se bohat pyar kerta hun. Tumharey bina meri zindagi adhuri hai, aur mein ab ye adhuri zindagi aur nahin ji sakta. Mujhey apni life mein tumhari zarurat hai Chashmish. Mein tum se promise kerta hun, ke mein kabhi tumhari ankhon mein ansoo nahin aney dunga, dobara kabhi tumhara dil nahin todun ga, hamesha tumhein khush rakhunga, her pal tum se pyar kerunga. I Love u Chashmish. I love u very much."
Gunjan was just staring at him, with every word of his falling on her heart, she could feel it fall, coz that made her heart beat audible to her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Samrat then took out something from his pocket, and in his right hand (which he had lifted to the level of her waist now) was a ring, whose diamond was sparkling in the darkness of the night.
If there was anything left in Gunjan, that also slipped away. She stood there with her teary eyes wide open, heart beat?now who cared about the heartbeat, and living her whole life in that moment. Wasn't this her dream? Or, Was this her life? Watever it was, it was HER moment, it was THEIR moment.,She almost died for coming at this moment, and he almost lost her for coming at this moment.
They just looked in each other's eyes, as if they will never let this moment pass.
Not breaking this eye contact, Samrat took a deep breath, and said, what she has been dying to hear, "Chashmish, aj se kuch mahiney pehley, jab mujhey merey pyar ka ehsaas hua tha, tab mein ne tum se pocha tha ke kya tum meri zindagi ka hissa bun sakti ho. Aj mein phir tum se kuch pochna chahta hun Chashmish. Kya tum meri zindagi bun sakti ho?", and brought the ring forward.
Her dream was coming to reality now. A smile made its way on her lips and it glowed in her eyes. Tears had now covered her cheeks. She brought her left hand forward. He also smiled and tears of happiness dropped from his eyes also. He looked at her hand, gently held it and put the ring in her finger. He then looked up in her eyes, then back towards her hand and gave a small kiss on her fingers.
He got up. She was smiling, he was smiling. Finally, destiny had brought them together.
For such a long time now, she had been holding herself, and she just wrapped herself around him and hugged him as if till eternity. He also held her with all his force. They found the peace they were looking for, longing for. While hugging each other, she looked at the ring in her finger and smiled, and he thanked the moon for being the witness of their love then and now.
He broke the hug, wiped the tears off, cupped her face and kissed her forehead, and then again they let themselves live in each other's arms.
And in this way the official journey of the soulmates started.
Members Lounge
