The New Heroine - An OS

It had been eight months now since RK and Madhu had separated.

RK had forgiven Malik and decided not to press any charges, and RK had sent Madhu home by telling her that her debt had been paid a long time back. RK didn't want to send her away as he was beginning to get used to her, however, he just felt that he had put her through enough, he felt that she had repaid her debt to him by saving his life and taking care of him. So he took the first chance he got to send Madhu back home.

The separation wasn't easy. Though they didn't have a complete marriage, RK knew that Madhu considered herself as his wife. That's why RK went through the trouble of filing for divorce from his adhi adhuri biwi.

When Madhu had received the papers, she had been heart broken, but she felt as though she had no other choice than to sign them, and so she did.

Eight months had passed without RK and Madhu seeing each other face to face. They saw each other on news a few times, but never in person.

RK didn't know at the time of separation that Madhu was such a big part of his life. It was a couple months into the separation, when he received the signed divorce papers back, that he had felt something in his heart.

RK had actually gone back to his old ways: drinking, yelling at people, always in a bad mood. He accepted that he wasn't meant to be happy, and that everyone who plays an important part in his life will eventually leave him. He hadn't shot any films since the separation but he eventually decided it was time to go back into making films to get his mind off everything. Madhu on the other hand started keeping to herself and not conversing with anyone. She always sat in her room and thought about RK, day in, day out. Little did she know, that she was always on RK's mind too.

Madhu was sitting in her room when she received a phone call:

Madhu: Hello?

On the other end: We'd like for you to join the film industry Mrs. Kundra.

Madhu: Please call me Madhu...wait what?

On the other end: Yes, we've seen you on news many times. You're perfect to play this new lead role.

Madhu: Can I think about it?

On the other end: Take your time ma'am, we'll be waiting for an answer.

Madhu: Bye.

Madhu hung up the phone; she couldn't believe that she had just been asked to play a lead role in a film, so suddenly, so randomly, so unexpectedly. She had never acted before and wasn't sure if she'd be able to. She started thinking to herself "Hmm...I can dance, maybe I can act. I haven't been doing anything at home. My entire family is in the film industry...I can help my family with the money I make..." She continued to think for days.

A week later.

Madhu picked up her phone and redialed the number she had received a call from a week ago:

On the other end: Hello?

Madhu: Hi, I think I'm ready...I accept your offer to play the lead role.

On the other end: Oh, that's wonderful! Perfect timing! Please do come to set tomorrow, the first shooting will be taking place. Thank you so much ma'am.

Madhu: Please, call me Madhu...

On the other end: Okay Madhu, anyways, here's the address...

Madhu hung up the phone after writing down the address and everything. She was a bit anxious when she realized that the studio was the same as the one she had gotten stuck in with RK the night of the party.

Madhu got lost in thought again; she laid on her bed and remembered RK, then drifted into a deep sleep. She had a big day coming up for her.

The next morning.

At the RK mansion, RK was in a hurry to get ready:

RK: Bittuji! Where are my clothes?! I'm late for shoot! It's the first day. I haven't done a shot in so long. Hurry up Bittuji...I don't have all day!

Bittuji: Coming chief, coming!

At the studio.

RK reached the studio and walked in while paparazzi tried clicking many pictures of him. He crossed the bridge and sat at his piano. He looked at the bridge and remembered the day he first met Madhu. He got so lost in thought that he didn't even realize his name was being called. Bittuji shook him:

Bittuji: Chief, you have to go for hair, make up, and dressing.

RK: Yeah. Okay.

RK went to get ready. He came out wearing a black suit, similar to the one he had worn the first day he met Madhu. Everything seemed so similar. He was surprised when he found himself hoping that Madhu would walk over that bridge again. He shook his head and thought, "That's never going to happen RK." And then he turned to face Bittuji:

RK: Bittuji, who's playing opposite me?

Bittuji: Chief, I'm not sure, I tried finding out but no one would tell me. They said they were still waiting on an answer.

RK: Hmm, okay.

Madhu wore a long red dress, with her hair down in open curls. She looked like a heroine that belonged in the film industry. She began walking over the bridge. She looked around and stopped in her tracks on the middle of the bridge. She recognized the back of RK's head and her mouth opened slightly. "RK...?" She thought.

Bittuji looked behind RK and saw Madhu, his eyes got wide, and he kept his eyes on Madhu:

Bittuji: Chief...

RK looked at Bittuji and noticed his eyes looking behind RK's shoulder. RK slowly turned to face the bridge. There she stood. The girl that had been on his mind for the past eight months finally stood before him. It was exactly like the first time they had met, exactly. However, they shared a different relationship now, it wasn't the same.

He was awestruck by her beauty and he couldn't believe his eyes. Was that really Madhu? She looked so much like a heroine that RK was shocked. RK and Madhu locked eyes, for the first time in so long.

RK began slowly walking towards her while they kept their eyes locked. He reached her and just looked deep into her eyes.

Madhu was silent; she didn't know what to say. RK was silent; he didn't know what to say either. Finally he broke the silence:

RK: Biw...Madhu?

RK made sure to correct himself. She wasn't his biwi anymore.

Madhu didn't say anything, she just kept her eyes on him, still shocked that she's playing his opposite:

RK: What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like that?...How are you Madhu?

He was asking her questions and then finally asked her what had been on his mind for so long. He wanted to know how she was, how she was without him.

Madhu: I joined the film industry. This was probably a mistake. I can't play opposite you. If I had known...

Madhu turned around to walk away but RK grabbed her arm. They both felt goose bumps and felt their hearts racing. They hadn't felt each other's touch in so long that it almost felt foreign now. Madhu turned to face RK and he pulled her close:

RK: You're doing this film. You have no choice. I won't let you do a film with anyone else. It's me or it's nothing.

Madhu: Who are you to decide whom I do a film with?

RK didn't know what to say, he was silent, Madhu was about to pull away, and then he answered:

RK: Your ex.

Madhu went silent. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know that RK considered her an ex; she had thought he only thought of her as another ordinary girl again. She realized that he was giving their relationship a name:

Madhu: So? You're my ex. That gives you no rig..

RK: SHH. I said no. Me or nothing biwi. The choice is yours.

RK realized he just called her biwi, and Madhu (who had longed to hear that from his mouth again) just stared at him with her big brown eyes:

RK: Sorry, Madhuubaaala...aahaan.

Both of them were hit with the memory of their first meeting. Madhu looked down, smiled, and then began to tear up. She managed to control her emotions and looked back up at RK:

Madhu: Mr. Rishabh Kundra. I will not, I repeat, I will NOT do this film opposite you.

RK: Why Madhu? The first scene we're shooting is fantastic. Hand in hand, then we embrace on this bridge and Rahul expresses his feelings to you.

Madhu: Rahul?

RK: Didn't you read the script yet?

Madhu: I just got here, got hair and make up. I don't know what this film's about.

RK: Really? It's about two lovebirds, who both hate each other in the beginning but end up falling in love.

RK and Madhu locked eyes again. The film sounded so similar to their story...then Madhu broke the silence:

Madhu: That happens in every movie.

Madhu turned around again but RK (who still was holding her arm) pulled her close again. He moved his face right up to hers and looked her in her eyes:

RK: Me, or nothing. Are you scared?

RK knew that was the only way to stop her, he knew that she would not accept being called a coward. She looked at him and put on a face of confidence:

Madhu: Nothing scares me Mr. Rishabh Kundra. You should know that, after all, I've already lived with you.

RK, confused at first, finally realized that she was saying that a normal person would've been scared to live with him. He smirked and pulled away from Madhu. It worked. Madhu was back. Madhu walked past RK and yelled out:

Madhu: Where's my script?!

RK smiled. He turned to watch Madhu entering the film industry for the first time as a heroine. His heroine.