My Special Someone
I fainted a chuckle as a response to mohit and sanaya 's mockery of some random person that I did not know. And I couldn't care to find out whom actually we were mocking so openly. I wasn't in the mood. Lately, I had been sensing a blizzard slowly taking away the joyfulness I used to share on the Mjht sets. Things were changing so fast and I couldn't understand why. Only two weeks ago, we were announced of a three years leap coming into the show and hence leading to the introduction of four fresh faces. As a lead actor on this show, I did feel somewhat insecure with the upcoming changes. Then last week, I got to know that three of the current main leads will not be a part of the supposed season 2. The characters of Uday, Benji and Dia were axed in order to give space for the newcomers. Frankly, this was news that I did not take well since firstly I presumed these characters were part of the foundation of mjht and secondly because it meant losing the presence of three wonderful friends of mine. And now, I am here having a lunch, quieter than usual, with only two of my co-stars. Although, they were in our typical masti form, I did not feel entertained. In fact, I was rather tensed. I was tensed because Rati had still not come from the unexpected meeting with the producer she was call for. I wondered what the matter could possibly be. Somewhere in my heart, I was scared they had called to discuss her character nupur. Could it be nupur I doubted? Apparently one of our characters was to be shown dead by the end of season 1 and as unbelievable it might sound, we, the actors had no idea of who it would be. Could it be nupur,I doubted again? No. I relaxed myself. The death of nupur was an obvious wrong guess. Nupur was the life of Mjht. As hard it might be to accept, she was the most loved and popular character of our show. Without nupur, there was practically no Mjht. My personal suggestion about the "death" was that in reality it would not be true and this was only a sly method for the creative team to attract some viewers. But then why was she called by the producer, I wonder again, my mind not willing to rest in peace.
Soon I was called out to give a shoot. I walked to the right location and faced the camera. I was asked to give some close ups. Just as I was required to act, I apperceived rati coming out of her meeting. I went blank on my shot. Rati was crying, her head kept down as she walked towards her room. Tears were not falling down her cheeks but I knew she was crying. She was crying internally. I was sure no one had noticed, especially not with her attempt of masking her emotions, but I noticed .I knew her! "Mayank" the director scolded me for freezing during the shot. I apologized and tried to concentrate on the act. Coincidently I had to give some worried and depressed facial expressions. Since I was already in this sort of emotional conditions, I did not need to 'act' with extra efforts and my take was okayed right away. Once I was done with the first shot, I excused myself and rushed to rati's room. I was surprised to see her out of her onscreen look.
"Hey" I called softly as I entered her room. I saw redness in her eyes. "What happened?"
She avoided to meet my questioning gaze and responded in an almost sob voice "Nothing" she said.
"What do you mean nothing? You look all distressed!" I told her sternly. I feared the worst. Could it actually be nupur, I panicked.
"I'm doing an early pack-up today..have some severe headache that's why" she managed to say ,still not looking into my eyes while talking; something she would never do habitually. Indeed, rati was best at speaking with her eyes. She would always communicate with me through her eyes and I would naturally understand.
I saw her pick her handbag and cross pass me. I felt my heart pain .something was definitely wrong. "Rats" I got hold of her wrist before it was out of my reach "What did they say?" I asked directly. Rati's disturbing state could only be related to her earlier meeting with the production.
She loosened her hand free from my hold and said, without turning back "I'll see you tomorrow". Saying this she left the sets.
The rest of my day went terribly appalling. I was the least bothered with was going around me .All I cared was to know if rati was fine. And I needed to know what had happened! Sadly, I could not even enquire about her meeting. I wished I could, but it was a matter of professionalism. I called rati numerous times all throughout the evening till the night .She answered none of my calls and eventually set up her phone on voicemail. I would have gone to see her at her flat right after my shift, if only I was not invited to a very important family dinner.
The following morning, I reached the sets earlier than required. I did not find sleep the whole night .I was anticipating meeting rati on the sets. This time, I was determined to find out what was going on. She had to tell me. It was me, for god sake. How could she forget I was Arjun. Her special someone as she would describe me. And how the hell did she think I would ignore her miserable state. She was my someone special after all.
While I walked to my vanity room I spotted rati walking towards me. She was unaware of my presence and was appearing dreadfully gloomy. When she approached closer, I swiftly grabbed her and pulled her inside my room, locking the door and faced her with a demanding look.
"Will you care to tell me what happened rati?" I said
She was shocked to be pulled into my room so abruptly. She then looked up at me and grasped the words I threw at her.
"Please tell me, seeing you in such sate is killing me" I softly told her, gently reaching her shoulders.
She met my intense stare at her and slowly shut her eyes. Flows of tears suddenly ran down her face as she sighed "Nupur is no more Arjun. Nupur is death. It's the end for me"
The ground under me shook. So it is nupur , I erratically realized . Without wasting any single seconds, I took her in my arms as I allowed her to break down. I tightened the embrace, never wanting to loosen it. I let my male self-control aside and cried as I smoothed her hair, struggling to calm her.I didn't speak, she disnt say anything further. We just conveyed our emotions through silence.
Nupur was dead .Mayur were no more. Our two years of hard work for creating the magic of mayur was being insulted.
After what seemed like eternity, Rati bit by bit broke the hug and wiped her tears. She handled a smile at me, somehow telling me no to get discouraged by the news. I smiled back, supporting her strong spirits. I tenderly cupped her face, wiping the rest of tears with my thumbs, as I leaned to place a kiss on her forehead. I lingered my lips on her skin with every ounce of passion I had in me. Rati knew she had become a very special part of my life and I made sure to let her know yet another time.
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Paris -dedicated to Nishi and Mystic who had asked me for an ArTi OS
(Also read : latest update of "at last i understood love" https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/1404155/mayur-ff-at-last-i-understood-love-2-new-pg-86?pn=11)
Kumkum Bhagya
