OS : MIRAGE
"So you say that it's a mirage of your mind?" the reporter asked the man of the hour who sat right across him in the big hall surrounded by a tonn of people who had been dying to get a glipse or a quote of him since months.
"I am saying it could be or could be not. I have been finding treasures in places I did not want to search. I have been hearing wisdom from tongues I did not want to listen. I have been finding beauty where I did not want to look. And I have learned so much from journeys I did not want to take. They all could be a mirage but you won't know it's reality until you walk through it." The man replied with a smirk. He was the God of twisting words, only if the people infront of him could understand that.
"Next question!" His PA or rather his best friend commanded because he knew his boss better than anyone. Even his calm demeanour could be a mirage.
"So you've been away all this while writing a book leaving your jwellery business?" another reporter asked.
The man fixed his shades from his eyes to the hard wood of the table as he moved back a little laughing at the proposed statement.
"And why would anyone of you think that?" he counter attacked.
"because nobody has seen or heard from you in months and then you suddenly launch out a book from you. Doesn't really fit in the Hyderabad Don Raghav Rao category of works." the interview tried sounding confident but deep down he too knew he was playing with the devil.
"And what makes you believe that The Raghav Rao cannot do everything." came the don's snarky reply.
"Moving on next question" his buddy Farhad butted in calling off the debate at once.
"So sir who really is Pallavi? I mean we've read about her in your book but we don't know if she's a fiction or a reality." a young reporter asked gainign a soft smile from Raghav as he closed his eyes and then opened them again feeling a scent of strawberry in the air arround him.
"Pallavi is a light of hope on your very dark day. She can be a fiction for you or a reality that depends on you but for me she is someone who saw the better in me. Who cracked a shell open to bring out the pearl from it making it shine infront of the whole world." Raghav replied still smiling.
"So we can say that even the don believes in love stories since he wrote one?" the same person asked again.
"Love stories are what you people call it. I call it the grace of life. Evil originates not in the absence of guilt; but in our effort to escape it. The darkness inside of us sometimes engulfs our soul to the deepest pit of pain when all we wish for is a hand to grab us out. So yes even a don can read or write love stories while running his business at the same time." Raghav gave a small laugh eyeing the previous reportner indirectly giving him his answer.
"So it was lovely to have you all here but unfortunately the time window for this interview is over. We have a signed copy by Mr Rao for each one of you and a lunch at the hall. Thank You." Farhad concluded the meeting as Raghav got up nodding at the crowd and moving it. He had never ever imagined that one day other than being a great businessman, he'll end up being a writer of a great novel.
Farhad walked behind his as they passed through the main security gates of their mansion and staright away went towards his den. Raghav subtly removed his coat as he poured himself a drink ; green tea to be precise.
"That was the most normal interview we've ever done." Farhad exclaimed.
"I told you i am changing for the good now." Raghav replied chugging down the drink in slow sips as he went through some files.
"And that is great. I mean who would have thoight that the Raghav we had seen months ago; a short tempered and broken man would evolve so much. I can't even imagine that time when you fought for Kirti on the street late at night and came home with blood all over you after both Amma and Kirti bashed you. You were so broken in this cold mansion and i hated to be a whitness of that." Farhad circled around getting comfortable on the sofa.
"And all thanks to you brother, you awakened me up from the slumber of pain. It was the worst day of my life and all i wanted to do was die but then you fought me; man to man; convincing me to sign up for a therapist so i could move on in my life from all the guilt and pain i had inside of me." Raghav handed him brother another cup of green tea.
"Your welcome. I mean it was tough to have you agreed on it but you finally gave up." Farhad gladly took the cup sipping onto it.
"That therapist told me that treating me would take years but guess who won in this too. Initially i thought he was stupid when he asked me to start writing my pain in a diary. I remember i thrashed him black and blue but then the next night i thought about it and eventually words flowed out." Raghav smiled taking a seat opposite to him.
"So Anna even i wanna know who is this Pallavi?" Farhad asked curiously.
" A girl i met one rainy night infront of the charminar when i accidently couloured her white saree with sindoor." Raghav gave a michiveous look to his buddy.
"oh common that's the beginning from your novel. Please tell me the reality. Who is she? I have never met her or have i?" Farhad gave a pointed look.
" That's the truth Farhad. Pallavi is whatever i wrote in my book. She's my Saree Ka Dukaan. She's a person who walked into my life unannounced and changed it for good. But no you haven't met her. Nobody has. She's right here." Raghav replied pointing at his mind and then his heart.
"So you turning all illegal businesses into legal, permanently leaving your rely on alchohol and all the evolved changes are exactly like you've written in your book? So there's no real Pallavi. She's just your mirage." Farhad slumped his shoulders not proud of his defeat.
" Farhad remember those mornings when you would wake me when in the morning as i slept while writing on my laptop. I used to see her everywhere around me, in my dreams, in my every decision that i eventually brought out the real Raghav from beneath the dark pit." Raghav smiled getting up.
"Gosh sometimes you do sound crazy." Farhad joked leaving the room not able to take all the heavy words.
Raghav walked towards his room window as he stood sipping on his drink when a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Don't tell me you're drinking again? " he turned to the voice to see Pallavi siitng at his chair admiring him.
"After all that you've made me go through. Nope thank you i am okay." Raghav joked.
"You know i sometimes feel bad for farhad . I mean he's gonna go crazy trying to find his Anna's Pallavi." Pallavi laughed amused at the thought.
"Too bad he can't cause you're locked in me." Raghav said putting his hand on either side of the chair trapping her ; closer to him.
"Should i confess that i am a tad bit posessive now that i've shared this angel of mine with the world now. Everyone knows about you. Now they're gonna wish for you." he joined their foreheads.
"hmm but i don't think that thsi Saree Ka Dukaan is gonna leave her Ghamandi Rao ever." Pallavi giggled. A sound Raghav was now accustomed to. Gone were those days when he would sit around hearing his heartbeat, rather now their was a kix of her laughter and her heartbeat in that silence.
Farhad strolled down the staircase ready to leave for his home when he heard some commotion outisde the main door.
"I am sorry but i can't allow you to go in." the guard tried stopping the uninvited gest.
"I am sorry but this is my last chance i have to meet him." came a reply.
"Excuse me everything okay?" Farhad asked looking at the guesta nd then his guard.
"Sir this-"
"I'll tell you. Sir i am so sorry that i am late. I am a journalist and i was supposed to be at Mr. Rao's novel panel but since i had just arrived at Hyderabad and joined this new media house. I kinda lost my way and got late. I'll just take only 10 minutes of Mr Rao, 1-2 questions max. Please i really don't wanna mess the first day of my job." the guest requested with no breaks for breathing.
"Okay okay relax i'll see what i can do." replied a surprised Farhad , "By the way may i know your name?" he asked.
"Hi i am Pallavi." the girl replied as she saw Farhad freezing to his ground.
So i decided to post my drafts in the entire time that we're left with.
This is based on a thought that once crossed my mind. I mean what if Pallavi was just Raghav's imagination. Somewhere deep down despite of his loneliness he knew he deserved a chance. So what if all this while Pallavi had been an imagination since the night of the very first episode. An alternative life that gave him peace and help me mend his broken parts.
Do tell you thoughts on it.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
