Chapter 10 :
The Resurrection
"Pragya di!! This dress is so pretty.. You should try this.. It'll look prettier on you!" Aaliya said hilding out a white dress to Pragya. "Aalu.. You know i don't wear dresses.. I'm happy with my jeans!" Pragya replied. "oh di.. Come on.. Try it at least.. Its gonna look wonderful on you.. For us.. Please!!" Bulbul said joining the crowd.
Pragya saw her two little sisters and laughed at how cute they looked. They along with Abhi dadi and Purab meant the world to her. She was happy that she came back to India and she had them with her. "Please di.. See., we are your baccha's na.. You can't just try this for us!" Aaliya pouted. "Okay okay.. I'll try it.. Stop the drama you two!" Pragya said, exasperated. She took the dress from Aaliya and went to the trial room while she and Bulbul hi-5'ed behind her back.
Just as they were about to look for clothes for themselves, Aaliya got a call.
"Yeah dadi.. No I'm at the mall with Pragya Di and Bul. We're shopping!"
"No bhai should be at the studio."
"Okay, we'll be there in an hour. Bye dadi!"
As Aaliya put the phone back in her pocket, she heard Bulbul give out a small squeal staring towards the trial room. She followed her gaze and saw Pragya. She looked beautiful.
"Pragya di! You look amazing!" Bulbul exclaimed. "Yeah Di.. She's right.. We are buying this for you! Baat khatam!" Aaliya declared. Pragya looked at them with a sigh. When these two were together, there was no way she had a say. She would have to listen to them. Adamant they were. So she just nodded and went back to change. By the time she came out, Aaliya had already got a piece packed for her and paid the bill for all their purchases.
"Di, dadi called. She wants us home. So we need to leave i guess." Aaliya informed her. "Is she okay? What happened?" Pragya asked worried. "I don't exactly know what happened di, but she didn't sound bad. I fact, i thought she sounded rather happy. Dasi was giggling at the back too. So it must be good." Aaliya replied. Pragya looked at bulbul who just shrugged as if she didn't know what was going on. "She's called Purab and bhai as well. Family meeting!" She said. "Aalu, you get the car along with Bulbul. I'll get something for us to eat. Reaching home will take time and I'm starving!" Pragya told the girls as she walked towards the food court.
Xxx
It had been over six months now that Abhi had gone back home. After the emotional reunion, Abhi thanked Pragya over and over for what she had done. "okay, one more time you say thanks, im gonna kick your ass!" She had finally said, frustrated. "Stop being a daily soap heroine! What? do you have partial amnesia now? " she asked him as he looked at her confused. "What happened to that cheesy flirty DDLJ line you used to say during college.. Dosti ka ek husool hota hai madam.. No sorry no thank you! Or whatever crap it was! " (To all the DDLJ lovers out there, no offence.. I love the movie too.. But Prags isn't the movie kinda girl right!)
Abhi couldn't help but hold his stomach and laugh. "You know what chashmish, you look dammn cute when you get mad at me.." He said, almost rolling off the bed. Tears started forming in his eyes.. "Senorita! Hum dosti ka husool nibhayenge, senorita! No sorry.. No thank you!" He said, imitating Shahrukh's accent with his arms open, and then burst out laughing again. Pragya couldn't help but smile at this adorable side of his! Oh how much she had missed seeing him like this!
Ever since she had met him again, he had been a very different person than the Abhi she knew. But, she also knew that this Abhi wasn't lost. These shades of his would emerge occasionally when the two of them would be talking about the college days. Pragya would see that glint of mischief in his eyes which would die down on the mention of Aaliya and dadi. This had made Pragya resolve that she wanted to sort things out. And see, her efforts paid off. Abhi was back to being dadi's little boy, Aaliya's naughty brother and of course, Pragya's best friend!
"Di, it's bhai I'm worried about. He's wasting his life.. He's such an amazing musician. He's such a great singer.." Aaliya said to Pragya as they were catching up in her room. It had been a couple of months that Abhi had come back home. He would spend the whole day in his game room or with dadi and aaliya and then meet up Pragya Bulbul and Purab often. "Whenever we talk anything about going back to music, he repels. Says there's no career for him in the industry. That his name is maligned and the gossip about him and Tanu has still not died down. He doesn't have to do it for money na di.. He has enough to feed seven generations.. But he needs music to keep him sane. That's the only thing my bhai knows. " Aaliya said, worried.
Pragya gently put her arms around Aaliya and hugged her. "Aalu, mera baccha.. Look at you.. All grown up and talking mature.. You have no idea how proud i am of you! I'm so happy my aalu grew up to be so loving and caring.. As for that stupid bhai of yours, i did notice this! I tried talking to him and he changed the topic.. But were does he stand when we team up, right?" She said winking at Aaliya. "No chance di! He stands no chance.. We will win hands down!" Aaliya laughed too.. "Hello ladies! Praising me?" Abhi walked in just then! "Oh yeah! Like we have nothing better to do" Pragya snorted.
Pragya had then called for a family meeting to discuss about the game plan in the absence of Abhi. She had asked Purab to take him out. He would then be briefed later. After a lot of discussion and debate, they couldn't come up with an idea. "But Abhi still has so many fans out there. People in Delhi are still crazy about his songs. I listen to them in cafs and hotels and everywhere i see kids." Indu daasi pitched it. Indu daasi was dadi's cousin who had recently moved in with the Mehra's. She had a daughter who was married and her husband was no more either. Dadi had asked her to live with them and she had gladly agreed.
"Okay! Why not arrange a concert!" Bulbul suggested. Everyone thought about it and Bulbul could see faces light up. "Yeah! She's right! I mean, bhai will know that people still love him and he will get his confidence back! Buls, you're awesome!" Aaliya hugged her. "I know i know, I'm the best!" Bulbul said cheekily and Aaliya rolled her eyes. Everyone laughed at the two of them. Now that they had a plan, ideas started popping in. They would have to arrange for everything without letting Abhi know about it, for now. Responsibilities were split. Purab was to look after finances, considering he was already handling Abhi's money. Aaliya would see the styling, look and props. Buls would manage the advertising and publicity considering that was what her portfolio was. Pragya would be the coordinator and arrange for the venue and other requirements. Dadi and dasi decided to help each of them in whatever way they could.
Since Mumbai wasn't a convenient venue considering Abhi was here and he would see the billboards, they decided to have it in Pune. The news would be word of mouth currently in the city and billboards and placards in Pune. Updates were to be given on social networking sites using a new ID. Media would be strictly instructed to keep the news away. Since Abhi had cut off from the social media and industry people, he wouldn't know. But media could be a leak. They had to make sure the press remained tight lipped about it. Tickets would be sold online as well as at the venue. Aaliya had designed clothes for him and decided on his look. The only thing left was to convince Abhi for the concert, and that, was the major task. Everything would be down the drain and a lot of money would be lost if they wouldn't be able to do that.
"Prags look, i happened to google for something and this popped up." He said walking into the hall where everyone discussing the ways they could convince Abhi. "Some idiot is spreading rumours that I'm gonna do a concert this September in Pune" he announced to a crowd that suddenly became silent. Pragya sighed. This was it! They had to do it now!
Pragya walked towards Abhi and led him to the couch. Once he was settled, she sat down in front of him, on the table. "Okay Abhi, look, we need to talk to you" she said slowly. His confusion only increased. First these rumours of his comeback concert. Second, he had been noticing the family behave strangely. There would often be hushed whispers and they would suddenly become silent when he would look at them. Messages were being communicated through signs. Abhi was irritated and confused. He wanted to know what was going on. And then it struck him. They had done this. They had arranged a concert. His family had done this. "You guys did this! Didn't you!" He asked, starting at each one of them.
"Yes, we did this. We arranged for the concert and you're performing." Pragya announced. "What the hell guys! How could you'll.. And dadi, you too?" Abhi fumed "how could you'll do this to me? You know how big an embarrassment this is? No one is gonna buy tickets. Im happy the way i am! What is your problem? You don't get to decide what i should do alright! Specially you Pragya! Im sure this must be your idea! You, bloody don't get to interfere in my life all the time! I don't need you to tell me what to do and what not to do! Just clear off! I don't need any of you!" He said standing up in a huff and walked out of the room.
Abhi's behaviour was a shock to everyone sitting there. No one had ever seen Abhi this angry. Aaliya bulbul and Purab were scared. dadi looked white and dasi didn't know how to react. Pragya was dumbfounded too, but she managed to calm herself down and went towards Abhi's room. She knocked a couple of times. "Get lost Pragya! You guys are like the worst family ever!!" He shouted from inside. Thats when Pragya lost it!
She opened the room with a thud and walked upto him, his guitar in hand. "Look Abhi, i know and understand your nervousness and anger. But you don't need to insult people. I just came to tell you a few things before I Clear Off!" She said. He was abot to open his mouth to talk when she raised her hand to stop him.
"And i wont be there to disturb you anymore after that. We did this because we care for you. We don't want to see you wasting your life! Music is what defines you, Abhi. It always has. I have seen you cry looking at your old albums. Dadi has seen how you secretly sneak into your studio at night and sit with your instruments, starting at them and caressing them till morning. Aaliya knows how important those awards are for you. Bulbul and Purab have seen the spark in your eyes when you tell them incidents from the concerts.
And you say the people don't love you and whatever crap! You wanna know how many tickets are left out of the 5000 tickets we wanted to sell.. None Abhi! The show was housefull within two weeks!" Abhi looked up surprised. "Three of the biggest corporates in the country are sponsoring the event! The social media is going crazy with tweets and pictures of their fav rockstar coming back! Now you must be wondering why the media didn't cover this. We kept them at bay. Aalia managed to get into the media with the help of a friend of hers and they held back the news with a promise of an elaborate press conference later. People are going mad with anticipation! Who's who of the industry is waiting to welcome their favourite rockstar back." She said putting the guitar on the couch. "It's upto you now, Abhi. We did what we could and we would really love to have our Abhi back. But if you still think you're not worth it, go ahead and cancel the concert." She walked out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Abhi slowly got off the bed and walked towards the couch. He sat there and picked up his guitar. He slowly ran his fingers through the strings. A familiar melody filled his ears and his heart. He played with the strings some more and it felt so good. He then analysed what Pragya had just told him and he knew she was right. He had acted like a jerk and he needed to apologise to her and everyone. He took the guitar in hand and walked out of his room.
It was almost an hour since Pragya came back from Abhi's room. The cheerful environment had suddenly turned glum. Everyone sat with their heads down. Aaliya and Bulbul had their head on Pragya's lap while she was caressing their hair. Purab sat with dadi and dasi holding their hand. Just then p, they heard him singing. All their heads snapped up together as they saw a sight they had missed. The rockstar was back. He smiled and walked down the stairs playing the guitar and singing. Everyone got up cheered in celebration! Only Pragya remained seated. She was elated seeing him like that, but, he had hurt her. She wanted to celebrate but when she looked at him, she got angrier. He had shouted at her!
Abhi saw this and smiled. He apologised to everyone and then moved towards Pragya. "Hey chashmish! Aren't you happy?" He asked casually. "Whatever!" She shrugged. "Are you pissed off?" He asked again. "Oh you noticed? Happy realisation!" She snapped back. Abhi chuckeld and held his ears. He kneeled down making a baby face and apologised. "Chashmish, im the stupidest guy around and you know that! You've known me long enough to know I didn't mean it. And i would never hurt you! Im sorry! Now stop being a fuggy like a balloon and cheer up!" He pouted. Pragya couldn't help giggling the way he said fuggy. The anger vanished in seconds. She looked at him as he flashed his most charming smile. Oh how could anyone stay angry at him. He looked Oh-so-adorable!
"Fuggy! Im really nervous!" He said as he sat in his green room. Yeah, he'd started calling her fuggy since that day. Though Pragya acted like she hated being called Fuggy, she thought he looked really adorable. "I haven't done this in ages!" He exclaimed. "Abhi, you're the rockstar. So many people are here because you're the best!" She said pointing out to the crowd they could see on the monitor in front of them. The host announced Abhi's entry. Abhi stood up and took a deep breath. He then lifted his guitar and walked to the door. Before opening, he turned back and looked at her. "Go Stud Boy! Rock the show!" She said to him, just like she did all those years ago during the finale of the fest. He had won it then. He knew he'd win tonight.. There was no turning back and the rockstar had risen from the ashes, all over again!
Xxx
Pragya, Aaliya and Bulbul reached home from their shopping spree to see a serious looking dadi sitting on the huge sofa. Dasi was sitting on the couch next to her, trying hard to suppress her smile. Abhi and Purab were sitting alongside dasi too. The girls sat on the other side of dadi wondering what was happening.
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
