Stranger
“. . .sometimes one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that?"
“Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as he wishes to think we are.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind
“Khusi ka mauka aap kay liay ho ga. Papa ki janay ki baat ko aap nay kitnay achay say istemal kar liya na. Iss baat ko kab aur kaisay istemall karna hain koi app say seekhay”
Its episode 3 and after the Ketki engagement sequence Abir decides again to leave the place. He is tired of all the games his mom is playing. He does not like the way his mom doesn’t leave any stone unturned to remind everyone of his father left him. He removes his sherwani as the atmosphere around him is suffocating. We get to know that this is the norm. Abir is the only one in the house who truly knows his mom and who calls her out for her manipulative actions. He starts clicking pictures at some monument that resemble ancient ruins.
“Dard toh dost purana hain
Saath main yaadien laata hain
This tells us about the pain Abir conceals under his smiles and positive demeanor. He considers pain to be his friend because it frequently torments him. The pain he felt when his father left him is still somewhat raw.
Kuch meethay kuch muskil si
Phir main dard aur who yaadien lag jaati mehfil si
Memories are often said to be bitter-sweet. Sweet because they remind us of the good things that happened and bitter because they teach us that one way or another things are temporary and out of our reach. What’s gone maybe gone forever and only the memory remains. Pain and memories are old friends often experienced together.
Khaas hain itna yun samjho
Ghar par ahana jana hain
Dard toh dost purana hain
Abir here tells us how deep set his pain actually is. He is a frequent visitor which mean that these painful memories assault him often but he has learned to live with it.
Uss say gala mila toh laga
Liptaa hu pashminay main
Here he tells us how familiar pain is for him.
Dard Puraya ho bhi toh
chub jaati hain meray seehnay main
Even other people’s pain affect him maybe because he has seen pain so closely that he can tell when people are hiding their pain behind their smile and it hurts to see someone like him. He doesn’t want anyone to ajust to living with pain as he has become used to it.
Kia koi aur duyna main jo meri tara deewna hain
He asks this questions while going through his camera’s gallery and while looking at pictures of Mishti’s eyes. Eyes that tell a million tails, eyes that he can’t seem to forget. Is she someone like him too? Someone who has learned to live with pain.
Dard… dard toh dost purana hain
Right on cue Misthi’s voice echoes amongst the ruins and Abir has found that someone like him.
“Abb tak toh nahi thay meri life main toh abb kyum hayay hain. Hain koi jawab”
Ironically Mish is also in the same place and she laments and asks God why her father came back in to her life now.
“Saaray jawaab toh bas ussi kay paas hotay hain” He hides behind a pillar and attempts to answer her question.
“Kon” Mish instantly knows that someone is messing with her.
“Aap nay sawwal kis say pucha tha?” Abir asks her that whom did she ask this question too
“Kon hain?” This girl though can’t be fooled
“Boliye” Abir still tries though and speaks in a deep voice he even throws a stone to distract her form her actual hiding place
“Kon hain?” Mish ain’t having it though she knows someone is here and then a game of hide and seek starts and they both keep hiding between pillars.
“Mujay mat dhnoodo main tumhari samasaya nahi hu balikay” Abir tells her that he is not her problem which foreshadows that he would never be a problem for her
“Oh Balik tumay saach main lagata hain kay main yay maan lun kay yay uss ki awaaz hain jis say mainay sawal kiya. Btw meray BP and BM yay film 25 baar dekhi hain baalak” Mish tells him that she has caught up with his farce and she knows exactly what he is talking about.
“Upar walay ki awaaz hamesha upar say nahi aah ti. Kabhi kabhi who kisi aur ko bhej dayta hain kisi ko humrahi madad karnay ki. Ho sakta hain kay upar walay nay mujay aap ki problem solve karnay kay liay bheja hain yay phir app ko meri. In short upar wala hum dono ki help kar raha hain” These lines are so deep and so true. Sometimes God helps us in mysterious ways and often in way in which we don’t expect. He tells her that maybe God has sent him in her life to help her or vice versa and in this way God is helping them both.
“Mujahy tumhari help ki bilkul zaroorat nahi hain aur na hi main tumhari help karnay kay mood main nahi hu”
“Aur upar walay yaani universe kay special dost main toh tumhay jaanti bhi nahi hu toh phir main tumhari help kyun lun aur tumhari madad kyun karun” Mish tells him she is self sufficient and she doesn’t want his help and is not in the mood to help her. She finally sees his hiding place and slowly walks up to pillar behind which she is hiding.
“Lekin tum mujhay dekhna chaati ho. Jana chaati ho kay kon hain woh. Mera peecha kar rahi ho?” In spite of being a stranger Abir knows her too well. She knws he is curious and even teases her of following him. Lol this makes Mish turn her back towards him and walk away.
“Main kyun karun gi tumhara peecha tum mera peecha kar rahay ho” She tells him that he is following her.
“Hello madam sambro aap ki problem solve karnay main help ki hain” Abir runs after her and asks her stop as he has helped solve her problem.
“Chup chup kay baatien suntay ho mujay tum par shak hain” Mish tells him that she doubts his intentions because he was eavesdropping on her thoughts.
“Meray dil par shak hain?” Abir is so bewildered and intrigued by this girl
“Meray peechay mat ahana paasthao gay” She tells him not to follow her else he will regret it but he keeps on following her.
“Aik toh meray dil par shak upar say dhamki” He sees the first glimpse of her angry chorni avatar. As she is talking she stumbles and her earring falls to the ground.
“Aharam say. Main nay aap ki problem solve karnay main help ki at least thanks toh bolti jayay” Abir is so cute here he is like at least show me some gratitude women
“Thank you stranger” She stops takes a pause smiles and says thank you.
“Main khudi bol day ta you are welcome. Pata nahi mainay aap ki problem solve karnay main aap ki help ki ya nahi ki par apnay meri help zaroor ki” Before this he was so consumed by what happened at his place that he left to take a few pictures to calm himself down but this hide and seek and conversation with her has given him a odd sense of calmness. Right now he can’t put his finger on it but being around this girl is something else.Abir picks up her earring. Then he muses that this earring signifies” Humarhi qismat main phir say milan likha hain” and how apt was that. The whole sequence is beautiful. In midst of the temple ruins two pain-ridden individuals heal each other a bit unexpectedly. How beautifully has fate interweaved these two strangers together.
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Anupamaa
