How I Met Mr.Maheshwari
I am a frequent forum visitor to catch up on the latest telly bytes and Bollywood news. No points for guessing and I have no qualms about accepting ,that I am super crazy behind some of the good looking guys on TV, Shantanu Maheshwari being my latest love.😆
So when I got a chance to enter in a contest which gave me a chance to spend a day on D3 set, I thought why not. Not that I was very hopeful but how much time does it take to enroll in a contest. Surprised I was, when I was shortlisted and the Forum owners reached out to me to confirm my victory (yay!) and my chance to meet everyone on D3 set. Ecstatic I was!😃
Friday Morning 9:00AM when I reached the set, I was amazed how the college corridor, rehearsal halls etc where right next to each other, so much unlike how we experience it on TV. Yes, this was the first time I had ever been to a set. It took me a while to get used to the whole layout. But once I was, my eyes started looking for the D3 cast. I was told by one of the ADs that the shoot was too start at 10, so everybody would be on set by 9:45. I sat there in between all the hustle bustle, amazed at how a production works. I was a little overdressed, given that the director, ADs everyone wore casual\active wear.
At 9:30 Shantanu entered. Wow, he looked better than what he looks on TV. Tall lean handsome...haye, my Lover Boy(drools over him)😳. He was wearing glasses which gave him a very sophisticated look. I did not run to him and throw myself all over him (which I secretly wanted to). I put a calm face up for everyone else whereas dil mein ladoo phoot rahe the. AD went to Shantanu and spoke to him, looking at my direction. Shantanu turned towards me and gave me a sweet smile. I smiled back. 5 minutes later, someone tapped on my shoulder and turnedaround to find Shantanu standing there.
Shan: "Hey, I am Shantanu. How are you?"
Me: "I am Sniti and of course I know you're Shantanu!"
Shantanu started laughing." Thank Goodness..it would have been awkward had you asked who I was. (laughs) So, how do you like our D3 set?"
I looked around once more and said "not at all like what I expected it to be. I mean look at everyone, running here & there, shouting for things, setting up lights...wow. Makes me feel I am the only jobless person here."
Shan: Naah, don't worry. This is roz ka. You are like the guest here, so just enjoy.
Me: I already am, I am excited to see you guys shoot. Do you have any dance sequence that you would be shooting today. I would have loved to see that part.
Shantanu thinks for a second or two and replies : No I dont think we have anything today. Today is going to be a regular scene where we plan about the musical and...by the way I hope you follow the show regularly"
Me: Naah Naah..main toh galti se yahan aa gayi. Waise who are you. (making funny face)
Both of us laugh. AD comes and calls Shantanu for the shot. He walk away saying he will talk to me later.
I see Vrushika walk in. She looked as pretty as she does on screen. Shantanu & Vrushika rehearse some lines and go in for a take. I could not hear the dialog but I don't think it would have been more than 2 lines for each of them, but it took like 4 retakes and 30mins to do that 1 part. Whoaa.. acting requires some patience, I thought.
Next shot was with the entire D3 gang and it a was fun shoot so could be wrapped up in 1 take. Director announces a quick break when Shantanu gets all his friends to meet me. They were all so warm and nice to me. Amar & Shakti said a quick hi and left for their next scene. I liked Vrushika a lot, she was a kid and Shacedon left no chance to pull her legs. It was fun. Soon they all went back to their respective shots. During the Lunch time, they invited me to their green room, where they all shared their lunch. Since I did not get my box, they were all kind enough to share their food with me. D3 gang was a big gang in real lives too. From their conversations, I could pick up that they hung out a lot, off work. Macie was total timepass, he and Vrushika reminded me of the brother sister duo who keeps fighting all day long. Shantanu was so unlike Swayam in real. He spoke a lot more and was very casual fun loving guy and zero bit mature. He made sure I felt comfortable in the group and did not feel left out.
Post lunch, few more scene, tea break and finally the day was about to get over. Being a Friday, everything wrapped up sooner. Saturday was working only for Amar and Shakti to shoot the Kamli dance sequence.
End of the day I bid farewell to everyone and was about to leave, when Shantanu asked me where I lived and how did I plan to go. I told him I stayed near XXX and I planned to take a local. Apparently he and Macie lived around that area so they offered me a drop in Macie's car.
I was sitting in the back seat and Shacedon were chatting candidly when suddenly Macie asked me how my day was. I started blabbering about my experiencing like a child about how I was so happy to see everyone, to see how a scene is taken blah blah blah. Only if I got a chance to see then dance, it would have been perfect.
Macie: Good you did not see us dance. Hai na? (looking at Shantanu) and both started laughing.
Me (looking confused): Aisa kyun?
Shantanu: arey nahi, you would have got shocked to see how we shoot a dance sequence versus how it appears on screens. Pehli baar toh hum khud hi dar gaye the. (Shacedon laugh agn)
Me (frowns): phir bhi..i come on a dance based show and didn't get to see the dance, not fair. (cross my arms)
Shantanu: Achcha aisa karo, kal we are all hanging out in ABC pub, you can join us there and see how we dance in reality. (Shacedon laugh like maniacs and do a high five)
Me (confused): why are you guys laughing so much.. I don't understand.
Macie: Kal sab samajh jao baalike..haha
Macie: Achcha tell me this, who is your fav character in D3?
Me (almost in whisper): Swayam.
I swear I was not dreaming, I saw Shantanu's face go red.
Macie: Le teri ek aur fan. Abbey tu toh cha gaya hai re. (hitting Shantanu's shoulder playfully)
Shantanu: Thank you for liking my work.
Me: Oh phuleez, koi award nahi diya hai that you go on with your speech.
Macie: Arey sahi! (He turns around and gives me a high-five.) Dost (looking at Shantanu) ab tujhe hum dono se kaun bachayega. Buahahahhaa
Both me and Macie laugh and Shantanu just joins his palms together over his head as if saying "pls spare me"
I get down at the nearest station and catch the next local to my home. Before getting down, Shacedon asked for my number to inform me about next day's plan. I did not ask them for their number, I mean if they start handing out their personal numbers to all the fans, they would be in some serious trouble.
Next afternoon, I saw a SMS from unknown number with the plan of the day. It was from Macie.
I responded back asking if he was sure about inviting me. He replied saying, it was absolutely fine.
Now that aise chance baar baar nahi milte, I thought I should just probably go. If I feel awkward, I could just take a leave.
I reached the pub to see Shacedon and Archie already there. Shacedon seemed inseparable. I walked up to them and asked in was too early. They said they had been there since last 1hour already. They came early and thats how they do usually - boys start partying early and girls will reach in their own sweet time. Soon the girls came by. They were all pleasantly surprised to see me.
Vrushika: Macie, pakka tune hi bulaaya hoga Sniti ko. (looking at me) Yeh kisi se flirt karne ka mauka nahi chodta. Bachke rehna.
Macie: Ae chal chal rehne de.. Apna pehla din yaad nahi, tabhi toh main hi aaya tha baat karne. Baatun kaise ro rahi thi for not getting the dialog right. (turns towards me) pehle din on shoot yeh itni conscious this..dialog gadbad hogaya toh ro rahi thi. Tab humne jaake isko chupo karaaya tha.
Vrushika: Kuch bhi bol raha hai yeh. (she starts hitting him)
Macie: Abbey Shantanu bacha bey apni Sharon se..
It was so much fun hanging out with them. They were like college friends, no qualms of being stars or so. All of them down-to-earth and warm. All of them were dancing whereas I was standing by the side and watching them. I mean I do dance, but nowhere close to these guys, so I was really conscious. On a normal day I would have left my lose and danced on the new Bollywood numbers the DJ was playing but not today.
Shantanu: come join us.
Me: err.. no. may be later..
Shantanu: Why.. you don't like dancing?
Me: I do, but I am little awkward dancing with you guys. You know super conscious of how lame my dancing skills are.
Shantanu: Oh come on.. hum itne bhi koi achche dancers nahi hai. Come on (pulling my hands)..arey sab bas yunhi naach rahe hai. This is not a completion or anything, poure fun. Don't worry
Me (pullimg my hands back): No.. I can't. (worry now hsowing up on my face)
Shantanu 9looking straight at me) : Agar hum nahi hote, toh would you have danced?
Me: Hmmm.. yeah I would have.
Shantanu: Toh kya problem hai...dnt think too much. We are here to have fun, so just forget about everything and chill.
He pulled me into the dance floor.
Though I am not a bad dancer (by average janta standards) my awkwardness was showing up in my body language. I don't know why the DJ would do that but he suddenly switched from "Gandi Baat" to "Tum Hi Ho" remix.
Me (thinking aloud): Yeah really, as if a fast song was not enough to cover my weirdness, now you play a romantic number which does not even have a signature dance move. Perfect!
Suddenly I feel a pull and next moment Shantanu is holding me as if we were going to do some ballroom dancing.
Shantanu: Don't think too much, just follow me.
He put his right hand on my waist and held my right hand with his left. He put his feet between my feet. With the music, when he moved left, he tapped his left foot on my left foot as to moving it out and I would follow, same with right foot when he wanted me to move right. Once the rhythm was set, I also felt a little more comfortable and little less conscious. Shantanu was smiling and chatting (which I did not pay attention to). Looking into his eyes, I thought "this is not Swayam, this is so much Shantanu". He twirled me around a few times before the song ended and took a bow when we finished.
Shantanu: Do you feel better now? (smiles)
Me (in trance): yeah..yeah.. I mean yes. I do..yep..
Shantanu (laughs): Are you okay?
Me (snapping out): Yeah..sorry. That came as a surprise. When we were dancing, you did not look like Swayam, which is what I expected...
Shantanu (confused): EH? Ki bolchish..
Me: I mean when Swayam is dancing he is so intense and there is so much passion in his eyes but now when we were dancing you were so calm, easy and ...
Shantanu (smiles): Were you expecting me to be like Swayam.. the lover boy? (winks)
Me: hmmm.. no I think Shantanu is better than Swayam. (winks back)
Now that the ice was broken, I was there on the dance floor doing what I knew best, copying the signature steps of the Bollywood songs DJ played. Sure I was not the best dancer there but I cared less. I smiled and Shantanu from across the dance floor and he smiled back. The beautiful night finally came to an end. I had a great time with everyone and had to be arguably the best day of my life. Back home, while unwinding myself I see my mobile beep. Whatsapp msg from unknown number with no profile pic to reveal the identity. Msg said " You dance well. Don't worry about people around. Dance like no one is watching you J "
I respond back "Thank you. If I dance like no one is watching me, it will be a very unpleasant sight. Some audience is necessary"
Unknown Number: "lol.. you're funny"
Me: "lol.. you're anonymous"
Unknown: "Shantanu \ Swayam. You could take either"
Me: "Until yesterday it would have been Swayam, now I would pick Shantanu. J"
Unknown: "haha.. have a goodnight"
Me: "you too. Thanks for the wonderful time"
Unknown: "pleasure was all mine. Take care."
Note:
By now you would all have figured out that the above piece of work was fiction. I wonder if this is how Shantanu and gang will be in real life too. I wish they are and I wish I get to experience the same if and when I meet Mr. Maheshwari. (continues drooling on the lover boy) 😊😳
Edited:
Thank you for the over whelming response. Would you guys be interested in what happened next...of course in my imaginary world that is...lol
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