ONE CHANCE GIVEN 2.8
71st National Film Awards (Celebrating 2023)
CID Episode 65 - 2 August
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 02 August 2025 EDT
Congratulations SRK National Award
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Makers mission to prove Navri incompetent in all aspects.
A joke called National award
Asli Gunehgar
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Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 03 August 2025 EDT
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Saiyaara Male lead is overrated!!!
*****
Chapter 11
The trio sat comfortably in their table awaiting a waiter to take their order. Pooja sat by the window with her mother at her side. Arjun sat opposite to them, somewhere in the middle, happy to have the whole sofa chair for himself.
Pooja had made it clear that she wouldn't have dinner if it was not Chinese food and hence they sat at Mandarin House, a very new authentic Chinese restaurant midway between their house and the mall.
The place was dim light, a candle flickering in the middle of their table, very smooth jazz playing in the background and a faint aroma of spices that stirred their appetite.
"Chowmein Noodles - Chicken and...hm...chilly...no...ginger...no...Chilly chicken," Pooja said in finality, even before seeing the menu.
The guy nodded and quickly scribbled on his notepad. He looked North Eastern and Arjun felt a little relieved. The food would not be bad.
Arjun looked at Priya.
"Full a sapda mata. Rendu perumkum athuvai pothum."
Arjun gave it a thought and quickly skimmed the menu before placing his order, "Mixed Sizzlers and Prawns in white garlic sauce. Pooja, enoru noodles peru sollu. Unaku pidichathu."
"American chopsuey."
"Anything to drink, sir?"
Arjun looked at Pooja.
"Co..." started Pooja but stopped seeing her mother glaring at her.
Arjun smiled and said, "Three cokes. That will be all."
Priya started protesting, "Night coke kudika kudathu."
Arjun added, "With ice," to the departing waiter and earned a death glare from Priya.
"Arjun!"
"Priya!" mimicked Arjun playfully.
And in spite of trying to control her laughter, she laughed.
Pooja sat there staring at her mother, who had laughed genuinely not once but twice that night. If the man in front of them was the reason for this, then she swore that she would do anything in the world to make sure they stayed together and happy.
*****
The restaurant's ambiance was awesome and the service even better. In less than ten minutes, their Sizzler appetizer and drinks had arrived.
Arjun took his fork ready to dig in.
"Wait!"
Arjun looked up to see Priya get up and walk towards him. Instinctively, he glided near the window. She sat to his right and pulled her plate towards her.
Arjun narrowed his eyes, what was she doing?
She was intent on selecting the best portion from the dish. Without thinking, she brought the fork to his lips. He looked surprised, but took the bite all the while locking his gaze with her. As if she had only realized now what she had down, she lowered her fork, but couldn't do the same with her eyes, which seemed to be caged in his intensity.
Her hands trembled as she brought the fork to his lips next time.
He was intently observing her and saw her getting redder by the minute.
He smiled. This was definitely an improvement on things and what he would have given to know what was in her mind exactly now!
"Neeyum sapdanum."
"Huh?"
He raised his eyebrows and she looked away to hide her obvious blush. She immediately brought the fork to her lips and took a bite before turning to look at him.
Both of them glanced at Pooja for a second and saw that she was very much happy with her food and oblivious to the happenings around...well...in front of her.
*****
Pooja was watching TV in the hall. It was night and it was only a matter of minutes before her mother came and took her to sleep. She was too engrossed in the Barbie movie that was playing on her favorite cartoon channel that she didn't even hear her mother scream minutes later.
*****
She frowned when she saw the collection. She had no winter clothes. How were they to survive in Ooty? There was shopping to do and neither Pooja nor Arjun seemed to like shopping. Arjun. As soon as the name came to her thoughts, she swallowed. She had hardly spent a day with him and she had already started liking him? Stop it! She chided herself.
Why? Another voice echoed.
Because he is nice and he deserves better, the pessimistic part of her pain countered.
He likes you and he has made it clear that he is not letting Pooja go, which indirectly means he is not letting you go, the optimistic part argued.
You deserve happiness. You have suffered enough. Maybe this is how it was meant to be. Enjoy life! Both voices seemed to come to a finality.
Her thoughts were cut short when she felt a movement in her shoulder and she jerked, screaming her lungs out when she saw the reason.
*****
He looked at the traces of stubble in his chin on the mirror. Should he shave now or in the morning?
Should he even shave?
What would Priya like?
He smiled to himself. Weird! Maybe this is how people in love felt! Wait a minute! LOVE?!
He looked wide eyed at himself in the mirror.
He liked her, of course. But, love?
He didn't have time to think further, because that was when he heard a shriek. Without giving it a second's thought, he darted to the bedroom.
"Ena achu?" he asked, looking at a very frightened Priya.
She looked dazzled as she tried forming words, "Pa...pa...pa..." she stammered looking at a corner.
He looked at the same corner but did not seem to find anything.
He walked to her side, "Ena Priya? Baya padama sollu."
"Pa...pacha," she managed finally.
"Pacha va?" he turned to look at the corner to find, indeed, a cockroach more frightened of her than she was of it, before turning to scan her from head to toe.
She seemed to have noticed him.
"Ena?"
"Oru pacha ku ipdi bayapadura? Naan pambunu nenachutein. Nijamavai nee doctor thaana? Illa?"
"Hey!" she impulsively hit his chest and only then did they both realize that he was standing there shirtless.
She blushed and turned away, internally smacking herself for her actions.
Well, what was wrong? He was her husband after all.
She turned to face him again, half expecting him to have gone back to the bathroom. But, he was standing there regarding her expressions with subtle intensity.
She saw his eyes dart to her lips and found them getting dry, begging her to wet them.
Ignoring their plead, she took a step forward, "Arjun?"
"Huh?"
"Romba fresh a iruku. Epo adi patuthu?" she asked, placing a gentle hand on a gash just below his neck, on his left collarbone.
"Pooja va kapathum pothu..." he answered quietly, all the while observing her.
"Dettol poteingala? Ointment poteingala? Ein bandaid podala? TT poteingala? Doctor kaila katu poturukarula, ithuku ein podala?" she asked, in full "wife" mode.
He gave a little laugh, "TT, ointment elam potachu. Ippo thaan band aid a kalatunein."
"Band aid a kalatitu kulika ponengala? Enum mosam aidum. Mothaala band aid podunga," she said, turning to look for her first aid kit she always had handy.
*****
Why hadn't he kissed her yet? He will never know.
She had cleaned his wound and dressed it with clinical efficiency. But, the proximity! God, it was hell. He could now identify the ingredients of her shampoo and perfume without any difficulty. Each time she touched him, it burned and he knew it wasn't the wound or the medicine.
*****
"Appa enga porenga?"
"Ein da?"
"En kuda vanthu padunga," she said patting the empty side of the bed. His eyes immediately darted to his wife who was comfortably resting on the other side.
Her face showed no reluctance or discomfort. In fact, he saw in them subtle acceptance.
He did not think. He did not want to think as he made way to the bed, all the while locking eyes with her for any sign of resignation. When he reached the bed, she switched off the lights from her side, telling him without words that she might have accepted him after all.
Tomorrow was going to be a good day; he closed his eyes with that thought last in his mind. He did not know at that moment how wrong he was.
(To be continued)
*****
Yes SushK16...ok how do I call you? Sushk?
Sadly, We still have Priya's past and Ashok is still out in the loose...and there is Pooja's dad who may make an appearance sooner.
By the way, I found this photo on google images and was shell shocked. There was a seen like this in the serial?! I haven't watched the episode if it was real.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
