Writer: Aazeen Khan (aazeen02)
Graphicer: priya185
Chosen Trope Set (Set A+Set B): Lost & Found Reunion + Marriage Backdrop
Character Pairing (Hero + Heroine): Rahul Khanna (SRK)+ Anjali Khanna (Kajol) From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Story Title: Pyaar... Dusri Baar
“Main chahti hoon meri beti mujhe jaane… Uski maa kaisi thi, kaun thi… Inn sawaalon ka jawaab wo khud de sake. Mumma, main ye aath chitthiyaan aapke paas chodhke jaa rahi hoon…” Tina, on the hospital bed, had given her mother-in-law a pile of letters, and then she gave her another pile of letters- “Mumma, ye chitthiyaan maine aapke, Rahul aur Anjali ke liye likhi thi. Mujhe nahi pata ki agar ye chitthiyaan main sirf Rahul ke liye likhti toh kya wo maanta. Lekin meri aakhri ichha hai, isko pura karne ki koshish keejiyega. Rahul ko Anjali se milwaane ke liye.” Tina spoke, tears rolling down her face.
“Anjali? Ye Anjali kaun hai beti?” Rahul’s mother looked nonplussed.
“Rahul ki best friend… Aur shayad pyaar, jo apne parwaan par nahi chadh paaya kyuki main anjaane mein unke beech aa gayi thi. Mumma, main nahi chahti ke Rahul akela reh jaaye mere baad. Mujhe baby ki bhi bohot chinta hai, lekin main jaanti hoon aap usey bohot achhe se paalengi. Lekin agar Anjali aap sabki zindagi mein aa jaati hai, toh mujhe aur khushi hogi ke Baby ke paas Maa kehne ke liye koi aisa insaan hoga, jo ussey mere jaisa pyaar karega. Usey Dadi aur Papa ke pyaar mein Maa ka pyaar nahi dhoondhna padega.” Tina tried to smile amidst her pain.
Rahul’s mother had her palm on her mouth, hearing this, not just the shock of her beloved Tina on her deathbed was devastating, but also the fact that a broken heart was still beating somewhere, and she had an incumbent task of getting them married. But how, she didn’t know. The impending loss of Tina was fogging her brain, and she didn’t want to think in any direction other than necessary. She didn’t even try talking to Rahul when he had come angrily and with incessant sobs out of Tina’s room. She knew Tina must have expressed her last wish to Rahul, and in the state of mind all of them were in, he must have gotten angry and helpless at the situation, so he rushed out of the room. They needed to wait for this storm to pass; there was no other choice.
*
It was a couple of weeks after Tina’s demise, Mrs. Khanna had requested Mr. Malhotra-Tina’s father, to visit her, so she could talk about Tina’s last wish, and a way to reach Anjali Sharma. They read the letter addressed to Mrs. Khanna about the same, and with a silent weep Mr. Malhotra wiped his entire face with his palms, got up and paced up and down the room they were sitting in, and finally spoke- “Main baap hoon Tina ka, mujhse ye dukh jhela nahi jaa raha, main Rahul se kaise kahoon ki Tina ki yaadon ko dil mein sanjoke Anjali se shaadi kar lo. Rahul kabhi nahi maanega Samdhanji.”. She nodded, and Mr. Malhotra continued- “Aur chaliye hum Anjali se kahein ye sab, toh Anjali kyu Tina ki aakhri ichha ke liye apna sab kuch chodh chaad k ek bachhi ke baap se shaadi karegi. Aur kya pata Anjali ki bhi shaadi ho gayi ho.”
“Ye darr to mujhe bhi hai Samdhiji, lekin jitna samay beet’ta jaayega, utna hi sab khatam hone ke chances hain. Baby abhi bohot choti hai, aankh kholegi jiss maa ke saamne, usey utne aaraam se apna legi. Baad mein sab mushkil ho jaayega. Tina Rifat Bee ka zikar kar rahi thi, aap unse pata maangein, kya pata hum Anjali ke parents se mil sakein.” Mrs. Khanna nudged.
*
Anjali Sharma stood frozen, bathed in tears on the sofa, holding Tina’s letter for her. She has been gulping the bitter taste of letting go of her first love for more than a year. She had left college in Delhi before the last semester and completed her education here in Mumbai, where her mother and an ailing father lived. In front of her sat Rahul and Tina’s respective parent, asking her hand in marriage to her first love, to serve the last wish of her deceased friend, and in their lap lay an infant who was oblivious to the fact that her world had crashed down and her grandparents were striving to fix it before she realised over the years. She looked up at her mother’s asking- “Teri kya marzi hai beti? Kya tu abhi bhi Rahul se pyaar karti hai?” A fresh bout of tears leaked from her eyes as she looked from her mother to Rahul and Tina’s parents.
Mrs. Khanna walked with the baby in her arms and sat next to Anjali. Something holding inside Anjali broke, as she took the baby in her arms and cried like never before, holding her to her heart. She nodded vehemently and hugged her.
*
“Kitni badal gayi ho tum.” Rahul finally spoke as they sat at a quiet corner at Bandstand, Mumbai. He was eyeing her long hair and her saree.
“Tum bhi… Ab cheapsters ki tarah kapde nahi pehente.” She forced a giggle. They were both asked to go out for once and talk it out. She still loved him, and he silently grieved his dead wife’s last wish. Initially, he was outraged when he was told that they had talked with Anjali about her hand in marriage. He simply refused to accept anyone in Tina’s place. But meeting Anjali in person brought out the old friendship instantly, as if she were exactly the person whom he needed in this solemn time. Her presence alone as if healed his heart’s ailment. And for the first time in days hugged someone and cried once and for all. And after all the initial meltdown, they finally sat and could take in their present looks.
“Anjaliiiiii…” Rahul finally sighed her name. “Maine kabhi nahi socha tha ki main dubara kabhi bhi shaadi karunga. Tina se waada karne ke baad bhi nahi. Main in fact tumhein yahi samjhaane aaya tha. But mujhe pata hi nahi tha ki meri sabse achhi dost ko dekh kar mera dil iss tarah pighlega… Sheh!” Rahul felt so guilty that he couldn’t hide the fact that his love for her brimmed out of him, which was unknown to him till now.
“Pyaar dosti hai… Agar wo meri sabse achhi dost nahi ban sakti toh main use kabhi pyaar kar hi nahi sakta…” Anjali repeated his monologue that he spoke in front of Miss. Braganza, some years ago. “Rahul, isko farz samajh lo par bojh mat samjho. Don’t feel guilty. Kuch waqt awkwardness bhi ho sakti hai, but agar tumhare dil mein genuinely mere liye koi bhi feelings hain, toh I guarantee you, dheere-dheere sab theek ho jaayega.”
And this pulled all his guards down; he sighed and hugged her. Not the friendly one this time, but the budding love that will grow over time.
*
Phoolon ka sehra sajake dulhe raja
Gori ke haathon mein mehendi lagi hai aaja
Maathe ki bindiya kya bole, sun sun sun
Sajan ji ghar aaye dulhan kyu sharmaaye
Sajan ji ghar aaye.
Anjali took Baby Tanya from her mother-in-law’s arms after she and Rahul had taken blessings from everyone after their marriage. Rahul had one final time shaking himself out of Tina’s thoughts before the marriage and locked away her belongings to have a fresh start with Anjali. True, his heart will always hold a piece that Tina held, but it has to be locked up now. His eyes were glistening with tears, seeing Anjali love his baby- Tanya. True, his heart will eventually learn to love her more deeply, but he surely had the deepest respect for her. He instinctively took her in a hug and kissed her temple. Her broad smile and cheering around made it all worth it. He smiled, too. True- Pyaar dusri baar bhi hota hai.
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