Sequel FF: Sameer 'sang' Naina (Section V Part 2 updated- Pg 107) - Page 66

Part 3 : The Setback

Thursday, 29^th September, 1994, 10.00 pm:

He took the glass of water lying on the table besides and gulped few mouthfuls, hoping it would ease the tension knotting his chest. He wondered if he'd done the right thing by accepting Vivek Somani's proposal? Yes- his mind affirmed. Sameer is no good! Naina would be better off without him. She might cry and crave him for a while, but all these adolescent infatuations were anyways bound to die soon. Plus, wouldn't Naina be happy for her brother and her father? She would, he decided. Yet something felt odd. Felt wrong. Even for Rakesh Agarwal. As he lay rocking in the huge grandfather's chair in the Agarwals' living room, his mind drifted to the deal he'd struck two days before.

Tuesday, 27^th September, 1994, 12.45 pm:

Rakesh entered the expensive restaurant where Mr. Somani had called him for a tete-a-tete. Less than an hour ago, Rakesh had been frankly astounded, when the principal told him that there was a call for him, from none other than Mr. Somani. And then, Mr. Vivek Somani had proposed lunch with him. Had the lunch been offered to Anand or Bhaisahab, it would have made sense, but an invitation to him, that too alone, felt uncanny even to Rakesh. He was apprehensive if they'd decided to call off the alliance or had personally invited him to ask for dowry- which obviously he wasn't in a position nor in a mood to give.

 Mr. Somani got up to receive him. "Aayie aayie Rakesh ji...baithiye! The waiter behind pulled out a chair for him. Rakesh's eyes darted hither and thither, for this was the first time he was sitting inside Kanchkura, the most expensive restaurant in Ahemdabad.

"Ji Namaste...kahiye aapne mujhe yahan kyun bulaya..., he remarked, in his usual crass tone.

"Dekhiye Rakesh ji...main aapse kuch zaruri baat karna chahta hun...aur mujhe lagta hai aap Naina ke pita hain...aur Naina ki zindagi ka faisla aapse acha aur kaun kar sakta hai...! Aakhir ek shikshak hi to bacchon ka maarg darshan kar sakta hai..., he started, knowing fully well how to inflate Rakesh's ego before harping on the topic at hand.

"Jee main kuch samjha nahi! Rakesh replied.

"Samajh jayenge jaldi kya hai...Ohh I'm so sorry...pehle aap yeh toh bataiye ki aap khayenge kya..., he handed Rakesh the menu for lunch. Rakesh opened it and Vivek Somani saw his eyes widen with surprise at the rates mentioned next to each dish. Smirking to himself, he assessed the greed in the man seated before him.

As they sat eating the sumptuous Gujarati thalis, Mr. Somani remarked abruptly, "kya aap Sameer aur Naina ke rishte se khush hain?

Rakesh looked up at him in surprise, "ji...wo...main..., pondering on whether to reveal his dislike for his son-in-law-to-be or not. 

"Na jaana kyun mujhe aisa lagta hai ki Sameer aapko kuch khasa pasand nahi hai? Mr. Somani prodded him on.

"Ji aisi to koi baat nahi hai...

"Dekhiye main jaanta hun school mein Sameer aapko kaafi pareshaan kar chuka hai...Infact hum sab bhi jaante hain ki Sameer kaafi ziddi hai...thoda gusse wala bhi hai...mujhe aisa kehna to nahi chahiye aakhir wo Vishakha ka beta hai...but to be frank, mujhe achambha hota hai ki Naina jaisi susheel aur sensible ladki ne Sameer jaise ladke ko kaise pasand kar liya..., Mr. Somani elaborated.

Rakesh looked at him dumbfounded, "yeh aap keh rahe hain?

"Dekhiye Rakesh ji...main saaf saaf baat karne wala aadmi hun...main kisi jhoot se ya kisi galatfehmi mein aap sabko nahi rakhna chahta...aakhir aapki beti ke bhavishya ki baat hai...mujhe lagta hai Naina apni zindagi mein Sameer se bahot acha ladka deserve karti hai...!

"Par ghar pe sab to Sameer ke liye raazi hain! exclaimed Rakesh.

"Par kya aap raazi hain? Mr. Somani queried.

Rakesh remained silent. If he  lies now, Naina would get married without any hassels of dowry in a rich clan.

"Mujhe ek baat samajh nahi aayi...aap Sameer ke pita hokey uske khilaaf bol rahe hain? Rakesh asked suspiciously.

"Pita hun...isliye apne bacche ka sahi galat jaanta hun...lekin uski zidd ke aage main kisi aur ke bhavishya ki bali chadha dun? Mr. Somani shook his head emphatically, "nahi...aisa nahi ho sakta...Sameer ko main ache se jaanta hun...aap bhi jaante hain...these two not a good match! he exclaimed.

Rakesh gulped, unsure of what to say now. It seemed certain now that Mr. Somani was calling off the marriage.

"To kya aap rishta tod rahe hain? Rakesh enquired, as he felt his temper rise. 

"Aap Naina ke liye pareshaan hain...main samajhta hun...toh aapke dono bacchon ke bhavishya savarne ki zimmedari meri!

"Kya matlab...meri beti ko samajh kya rakha hai aapne...kal rishta jodo...aaj todo...arey samaaj mein uska naam to kharaab hoga na...aur jo Sameer meri bholi bhali beti ko ghuma raha tha...sar-e-aam ishq lada raha tha..uska kya...aap ameer hain main samajhta hun...lekin hamari bhi jaati-samaaj mein kuch izzat hai...! Rakesh started hollering at him.

"Rakesh ji...shaant ho jaiye...shayad aapne theek se suna nahi...aapke dono bacchon ke bhavishya ki zimmedari meri hai...dono...Naina bhi...aur Arjun bhi!

"Arjun ki...? Matlab? Arjun ka Naina ke rishte se kya lena dena hai? Rakesh queried, the rage still simmering in his voice.

"Lena dena hai...Rakesh ji matlab yeh ki Naina ko hum apni bahu zarur banana chahenge...lekin dulhan wo Sameer ki nahi...mere bete Rohan ki honi chahiye...!

Rakesh raised his eyebrow, digesting the information.

Mr. Somani continued, "Rohan har maamle mein Sameer se behtar hai...decent hai...well educated hai...puri life topper raha hai...ab to uska MBA bhi khatam hone wala hai...uske baad mera pura business uska...aur rahi baat Sameer ke Nana ki property aur business ki...to wo bhi mere control mein hi hoga...aur anyways yeh to aap bhi jaante hain ki Sameer mein itna caliber hai hi nahi ki wo itna bada karobaar akele sambhal sake...

Rakesh was stunned. He couldn't speak for a minute or two as he sat there assimilating the information thrown at him. And then he had to agree, he'd found Rohan to be a much more pleasant person than he'd ever found Sameer.

"Aapki patni ko yeh manzoor hoga? Wo to Sameer ki sagi maa hai na!

"Bilkul Vishakha Sameer ki sagi maa hai...aur isliye wo Sameer ko ache se jaanti bhi hai...bachpan se ziddi raha hai...Naina bhi uski ek zidd hi hai...kal ko man bhar gaya aur chod diya to kya karenge aap...kya reh jayega aapki izzat ka, samaaj ka...Vishakha samajhti hai ki Naina ke liye Sameer se acha rishta Rohan ka hai...aur dekhiye...isme aapka koi nuksaan bhi nahi hai...ek acha damaad mil rha hai...ghar, karobar, khandaan to shayad jaisa aapne kabhi sapne mein bhi nahi socha hoga!

Rakesh was contemplating the scenario in hand, wondering if it was a trick on part of Sameer's family.

"Vaise agar aapko Rohan aur Naina ka rishta manzoor hai to jaisa maine bataya...aapke liye ek aur fayeda hai...aapke bete Arjun ka...! Mr. Somani added, understanding fully well that Rakesh was almost drawn into the proposal.

"Arjun ka kya fayeda...? Rakesh asked.

"Ji Arjun ka...maine suna hai ki Arjun kaafi time se Ranji ke liye try kar raha hai...aap is rishte ke liye haan kar dijiye to Arjun ka Ranji mein selection final samajhiye...aur fir wahan se Indian team ke liye raasta aasaan...Arjun to kaafi talented hai hi...he only needs the right opportunity.

"Ranji mein? Mera beta? Aap sach keh rahe hain? Rakesh stammered.

"Bilkul...mere kaafi contacts hain...selection mein approach lag jayegi...aur uske saath saath sirf aur sirf aapke liye yeh 25 lakh ka cheque..., Vivek Somani got out a chequebook and a pen from the pocket of his jacket and wrote down a cheque.

Rakesh eyes seemed to have popped out from the sockets as he eyed the zeros on the cheque. Mr. Somani handed the cheque over to him and which Rakesh received with shaking hands.

"Soch ke bata dijiyega...jis din aapki haan hogi...us din main Arjun ka selection confirm karwa dunga...aur jis din Naina aur Rohan ki shaadi hogi us din is cheque ko aap cash kara sakte hain...! Mr. Somani concluded.

"Apna waqt lijiye aur soch samajh ke faisla lijiyega...aur haan agar yeh baat aapke aur mere alawa kisi aur ko pata chali to deal cancel! Mr. Somani concluded with authority. And Rakesh understood it was time for his dismissal.

***

Friday, 30^th September, 1994, 6.00 pm:

"Mana kar rahe hain? How is it possible? Kya kami hai mere bete mein...sundar hai...susheel hai...ameer hai...padha likha hai...kya chahiye aur? Vishakha shook with disbelief.

Mr. Somani had just got off a call with the Agarwal family and apparently it seemed that the girl's father was against the marriage. Or so he told Vishakha. Inwardly, he was elated at the success of his plan. How easy it had been to ensnare Rakesh. You just needed to know a person's weakness. And Rakesh's weakness was not his daughter, but money and power. Mr. Somani, being the businessman he was, had played well on those.

"Wahin to meri samajh mein nahi aa raha Vishakha...matlab hum mana karein to ek baat bhi hai...wo log mana kar rahe hain? Na dahej, na daan...kuch nahi maang rahe...kahaan milega aisa rishta unko? Mr. Somani exclaimed ruefully.

That evening when Sameer was informed of Rakesh's refusal for the wedding, he was outraged. He shouted, "us din to kuch nahi bole woh...achanak se kya ho gaya?

"Ek to main sharafat se unki beti ka haath maang raha hun...koi aur ladka hota na to us khadus ke baare mein ek second nahi sochta...wo to mujhe chacha-chachi, Preeti aur Naina ki fikar hai...varna bata...kya main Naina ko bhaga ke shaadi nahi kar sakta tha...rok ke dikhata mujhe uska baap! Munna nodded trying to placate his friend.

Pandit's face was set with worry. "Lekin ek cheez samajh nahi aa rahi...iss Safari suit ko tujhse problem kya hai?

Sameer's eyes opened wide. "Haan ekdum sahi bola tu Pandit...aakhir puchun to isse ki problem kya hai iska...saala itna kameena sasur na insaan dushman ko bhi na de!

"Puchega kaise? Naina ko to phone pe aane nahi de raha hai wo danav! Munna snapped.

"Naina se nahi...ab usi se puchunga...wo bhi aamne saamne! Bahot ho gaya! Sameer retorted.

"Kya? Wahan jayega...dushman ke ilaake mein? Pagal hai tu Sameer...uncle-aunty ko handle karne de...! Pandit tried to drill sense into him.

"Mummy ko itni mushkil se convince kiya tha...insult ho gayi na unki toh...ab kya khaak baat karenge wo unse! Sameer hissed.

With that, Sameer pulled over a jacket and took his bike keys with Munna and Pandit at his tail.

Around twenty minutes later, he was standing beneath his girlfriend's balcony, seething with rage, yet yearning for a glimpse of her. And as if the Gods above understood, minutes later, Naina appeared on the balcony, her face stained with tears.

As both looked at each other, their emotions brimmed to the surface. Naina started crying and Sameer's heart wrenched to see her in this situation. He pressed his fingers to his lips and blew her a kiss and then his hand gestured her to be assured- that her hero had come and would handle everything.

With this, he dashed up the stairs, taking two at a time, with Munna and Pandit following him. He skidded to a halt in front of chachaji's house and Naina rushed to the doorway to greet him. "Tu kahan chali...aake baith yahan! Rakesh's belligerent voice bellowed as he came to the doorway. It was unbelievable that it had been in this very house that both their families had been discussing amicably, laughing and thinking of finalizing a date for their wedding. Time seemed to have taken a U-turn.

As he saw Sameer standing there, all traces of remorse vanished as instances of Sameer's glaring misconduct and arrogance in school flashed before his eyes. He couldn't help but feel victorious at having gotten rid of him. "Tu jaa andar..., he ordered Naina, and turned to Sameer, "aur tu...ameerzade...paison ka bada ghamand hai tujhe...nahi karni meri beti ki shaadi tere jaise lafangey se...chal nikal yahan se...aur fir yahan dikha toh haath pair tudwa ke inhi seedhiyon se niche fenk dunga!

"Sir...aap apni hadh paar kar rahe hain! Sameer controlled his rage.

"Hadh...tu sikhayega mujhe hadh hain...meri jawan beti ko bargala ke uske saath aashiqui lada raha hai...aur mujhe hadh sikhayega...meri hi ghar pe aake mujhe aankhein dikha raha hai aur mujhe hadh sikhayega...chal hat yahan se...aur in do namune ko bhi le fut!

At that moment, hearing the brawl, Anand emerged at the doorway. His expression was contrite, as if he was sorry for Sameer being treated this way, sorry for Rakesh not accepting Sameer.

"Bhaisahab...bas kijiye...beta Sameer...tum jao...hum kal baat karenge aaram se! Anand spoke kindly.

"Arey kal kya baat karenge...baat aaj bhi wahi hai...kal bhi wahi rahegi...mujhe yeh ladka pasand nahi hai! Rakesh shouted.

"Kya main wajah puch sakta hun...kya burayi hai mujh mein...ya fir school ki fizool harkaton ke piche aapne yeh faisla kar liya? Sameer averred coldly.

"Pucho pucho...shauk se pucho...burayi kya hai tum mein hain? Arey tum mein kaabiliyat hai kuch karne ki...sirf Nana ke paise pe aish karte ho...aawaragardi karte ho...khud ki do kaudi ki haisiyat hai nahi...aur aaye meri beti se shaadi karne...tum ho kya uske muqable mein...wo topper hai...tum failure...wo susheel hai...tum loafer...wo mehnati hai aur tum aalsi...wo samajhdaar hai aur tum laparwah...sirf hero jaisi shakal hone se koi hero nahi banta samjha...arey himmat hai to khud kuch karke dikha na...!

"Bhaisahab...please..., Anand intervened.

"Arey chodo Anand...aaj is bigdail koi iski asliyat batani zaruri hai...meri bholi bhaali ladki ko fasa liya...pata nahi uske sath...Ram Ram! Jee to chahta hai iska khoon pi jaun! Rakesh was in a fury now.

"Isne Naina ko nahi fasaya...balki Naina iske piche thi! Munna slammed, unable to control himself.

"Aur nahi to kya...Naina agar achi hai to Sameer usse bhi acha hai...Naina ko usse behtar pati mil hi nahi sakta..., added Pandit.

"Achaaa...? Waqalat karne ke liye yahan bhi tujhe tere yeh do chamche chahiye? Arey jo insaan khud ki ladai nahi lad sakta...wo meri beti ko do waqt ki roti kya khaak khilayega?

"Papa please..., Naina was tugging at her father's sleeve, begging him to stop amidst her tears. "Arey hat tu...! Ek khoobsurat ladka kya dikh gaya...tu to lattu hi ho gayi! With this, a hard slap slashed against Naina's cheeks.

Sameer was outraged. "Rakesh sir please!

"Zyada dahadna band kar...meri beti hai...main haath uthaun ya laat...tu hota kaun hai?

"Papa Sameer vaisa nahi hai..., Naina implored, crying.

"Wo to awara hai bhi...tune bhi kya laaj sharam bech khayi thi? Baap ke saamne apne aashiq ki wafadari kar rahi hai! With this, he gave another roaring slap on Naina's cheeks.

"Naina! Sameer ran towards her, only to be blocked by Rakesh. Sameer fought against him, but Rakesh threw him out. Munna and Pandit steadied him.

"O Ameerzade...apni ameeri ka ghamand kahin aur dikhana...arey kal ko business mein loss hua ya teri jaydaad kisi ne hadap li...to kutton se bhi badttar halat hogi teri!

"Sir...please...Naina..., Sameer pleaded, trying to get to his girl, his voice desperate.

"Jaa yahan se...Naina chahiye na...apni shakal tab dikhana jab chaar paise khud se kamane layak bano...aur jis din tune aisa kar diya na...us din main Rakesh Agarwal...khud apni beti ka haath tere haath mein de dunga! Rakesh roared.

And then the door slammed shut in his face. Sameer stood looking at the white wood of the door, standing in the way between him and Naina.

As he descended the steps of Nirmal Jyoti Society, Rakesh's words echoed through his ears, "jab chaar paise khud se kamane layak bano...aur jis din tune aisa kar diya na...us din main Rakesh Agarwal...khud apni beti ka haath tere haath mein de dunga... business mein loss hua ya teri jaydaad kisi ne hadap li...to kutton se bhi badttar halat hogi teri... jo insaan khud ki ladai nahi rakh sakta...wo meri beti ko do waqt ki roti khilayega...khud ki do kaudi ki haisiyat hai nahi...aura aye meri beti se shaadi karne...tum ho kya uske muqable mein...wo topper hai...tum failure...wo susheel hai...tum loafer...wo mehnati hai aur tum aalsi...wo samajhdaar hai aur tum laparwah...sirf hero jaisi shakal hone se koi hero nahi banta samjha...arey himmat hai to khud kuch karke dikha na!

When he looked up at the balcony again, he did not see Naina. Perhaps Rakesh won't let him see her till the time he proved his worth.

This is exactly what he would do.