This is a work of fiction. It is inspired from the
well-known TV show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?
Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales
or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Presenting to you the one and only shot,
Didi Ki Saut
Sutradhar (Narrator): Welcome to the set of the TV serial 'Didi Ki Saut'. It's a pleasant day, as we begin to shoot our first episode of this show. It is the wedding of Payal Gupta... our heroine Khushi Kumari Gupta's sister. The scene is of a worrying Khushi dialing her soon to be brother-in-law's number. She is trying to reach him, to tell him that his parents have taken a dowry from them. Her babuji had to lease his mithai ki dukaan for it.
Khushi: You don't worry at all Jiji. I will speak to Jijaji. I am sure he does not know anything about this arrangement. I will myself go and meet him, and take these lease papers along with me. You don't worry at all.
Payal: Sniff! Sniff!
Sutradhar: Here babuji and amma discuss the impending doom that is set to fall upon their household. They wish to get their older daughter married off, without any hindrance. And the only thing that buaji has to say is...
Buaji: Hai re Nandkisor!
Sutradhar: Now we hastily move to another set. We are running on a tight schedule and are shooting random scenes, according to the availability of the actors. The actors are busy working on other serials, movies and hosting award shows simultaneously. This is a set where a ramp is constructed. The grand ambiance of a fashion show is created. Our hero Arnav Singh Raizada has to be seated in the audience looking intense. He has to convincingly portray the angry young man. Our heroine Khushi, who has traveled all the way from the other set, is just getting ready. The blaring lights come on, the assistants are alert, and the extras take their places.
Director: Sound, camera, take one and action!
Sutradhar: The music begins and the models start walking on the ramp one by one. Our absolutely nervous heroine is pushed onto the stage by someone when the hero looks up. She anxiously walks on the ramp almost reaching the spot marked for her to trip and land into the hero's arms. She is just about to fall when...
Anjali: Nahiii... Yeh shot nahi ho sakta!
Sutradhar: The camera pans on faces of different people showing a stunned expression. Our heroine forms a perfect 'O' with her mouth, and our hero dejectedly says...
Arnav: What the!
Anjali: Chotte, what the hell is happening here? So many scenes of the first episode are shot and nobody even bothered to tell me. The moment I read on India Forums that the shooting has begun I rushed to the mentioned location. India Forums is so reliable, I tell you.
Director: But Anjali, today we don't have a scene with you. In fact the first episode does not have you in it at all.
Sutradhar: The camera pans on Anjali thrice... Thishhh! Thishhh! Thishhh! (With sound effects that will be added later) We see a very teary Anjali... an overdose of glycerin has been applied into her eyes.
Anjali: Sniff! Sniff!! This is not done. You can't do this to me. It is against the contract. I am the main lead of this show. How can you have the first episode without me in it?
Khushi: Hey Devi Maiyya!! I thought I was the main lead. I did not know this was a love story of a brother and sister!
Arnav: What the!
Director: Anjali there must be a mistake. This show is a star-crossed love story between Arnav and Khushi. The Di will only be a part of the title, not the show.
Anjali: Sniff! Sniff!! Sniff! Sniff!! Uff, this glycerin... You can't do this to me. I went to so many mandirs, did so many vrats to grab this big role. Bulbul, the producer of this show had promised me the lead role. And I am here to demand it. I will call my Shyamji... he is a lawyer... he will sue you guys. Call Bulbul now!!
Sutradhar: Well, well, well! Now calling Bulbul was not such an easy task. She was busy with her other babies called Fizool Hai and Duryodhan. She would take her own sweet time to reach the set. So meanwhile, Anjali settled down in the mandir on the set... to pray that Bulbul supports her. Arnav got busy on his Bluetooth talking to Aman and finishing his meetings via conference calls and Khushi managed to finish all the jalebis called for dessert, all the chana & gol gappas that were meant as snacks for the crew. Suddenly we could hear loud noises coming towards the set. And that's how Bulbul entered with her Creative team.
Bulbul: So what seems to be the problem now? Why has this shooting been stalled? We are anyways behind schedule. Call Anjali immediately.
Sutradhar: An animated conversation happened between Anjali and Bulbul. Anjali is still crying due to the glycerin overdose. Bulbul absolutely understands her point of view, as she is the one who had written the earlier script. A script which had been rejected by almost all channels... including animal planet. As last resort she turns towards her writers for a solution.
Bulbul: Guys, what do you think can be done to sort this issue? We do not have a shot of Anjali in the first episode. Please add some screen space for her.
Writer 1: Bulbul maam, why don't we edit the scene like this? We will make Anjali walk the ramp and fall into ASR's arms.
Writer 2: I have a better idea maam... let's make Khushi walk the ramp and fall into Anjali's arms. It will be a big twist at the beginning of the story itself. People love dhamakedar twists.
Sutradhar: There was a murmur of approval by everyone around. Bulbul seemed to love the idea. She made a mental note of roping in this writer for Fizool Hai... the TRP's was surely dipping there. So as she instructed everyone about the last minute change in script, she also added her own point of view. She told the director how to direct the next few scenes for the first episode and with that, stormed out of the set. A happy Anjali took Arnav's position in the audience. And as for poor Arnav...
Anjali: I am so sorry for you Chotte, but this show's title itself says that I am going to be the lead... that too twice. Di-Di... you get it??
Arnav: What the!
Director: Sound, camera, take two and action!
Sutradhar: The music begins and the models start walking the ramp one by one. Our absolutely nervous side-heroine, is pushed onto the stage by someone when the main heroine looks up. She anxiously walks on the ramp almost reaching the spot marked, and falls into Anjali's arms. They look at each other with disgust being the patni and the woh... from pati, patni and woh! And the director okay's the shot without wasting too much time. He has to get back home and upload a few snaps on facebook na!
Soon we move to a different location, it's a helipad. A helicopter promptly lands and a swarm of journalists are seen, busy clicking pictures. The director pans this same shot from different angles for better impact. He adds a few glittering lights in the background as his trademark style. And in the next shot we see a pair of golden sandals. The camera pans above to show Anjali Shyam Jha walk out of the helicopter, wearing her always crisp saree. On the same day she is supposed to change 6 different sarees, as she is the main lead and Roopmilan is the main sponsor of the show. She is also decked up in heavy jewellery as the co-sponsor is Malabar Jewels. She continues to walk towards the camera, removing her goggles in style with one hand while the other hand carries her trademark, pooja ki thali. The dramatic background score that is added later for greater impact was made specifically for ASR's ruthlessness. But now it will be used for ASJ's devotion. As soon as Anjali signs the papers of an old mandir, she walks into the temple and rings the ghanta.
Director: And that's a wrap! Cut it!
Sutradhar: The crew cheer for this devotional, emotional, promotional episode. They know that it will be a sure shot hit. And they are not wrong. When the first episode was aired on Moon Minus Channel, it garnered a whopping 6.66 TRP's. Slowly and steadily the characters of Arnav, Khushi and Shyam were reduced to that of Laxmiji. And Akash and Payal were as good as Aman. But due to that, this show managed to run for 4 successful years, like almost all the other shows on Moon Minus Channel. One decision by Bulbul managed to change the fate of this beautiful show called 'Didi Ki Saut.' So tune in to Moon Minus Channel at 8.00pm, Mon-Fri.
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