Part Twenty Seven: Khawboon Ke Parinday
Mumbai
Additiya's New Store: Fabric & Works
11:00 AM
"Hello?" Additiya answers his cell phone as he walks up to his new office, located on the top floor of his lavish store that was the talk of the town ever since the opening night.
"Additiya…Khanak kay Bahiyya?..." an unfamiliar, womanly voice questioned Additiya from the other side and his feet became glued to the ground.
"Jee…app kaun…aur Khanak ke baray mein…"
"Main Madhavi Khandelwal baat kar rahi ho Additiya…Shaantanu ki Mom…Khanak ki saas…" she answered politely, assuring him of her genteel nature and intention for contacting him.
"Aunty app kay call karnay ki vajah kahin meri unexpected visit toh nahi thi…I am really sorry…"
"Arrey nahi beta, tumhe sorry kehnay ki koi zaroorat nahi hain…actually tum yahaan ghar per aaye aur main ghar per nahi thi, lakin jo kuch tum yahaan se sunn kar gaye ho voh sirf adhoori baat hain…actually Khandelwaal parivaar ke mard kuch zaayda he hot-blooded hain when it comes down to everything….Sunil aur Akshay ki saari baatein Maa ne sunn li thi, voh ghar per thi, aur abhi bhi speaker phone se sunn rahi hain…"
"Oh…! Namaste Daadi Ji..."he greeted Daadi in a confused tone, not sure what this call is all about and how it will go down as he was still recovering from Akshay and Sunil's blow from last night.
"Jeete raho beta…! maafi toh mujhe maangni chaiyay Sunil aur Akshay ki taraf se…actually voh Shaantanu aur Khanak ki sachai nahi jaantay humari tarah…pehlay toh sirf Sunil ghussa tha, lakin abb Akshay bhi bahut ziddi hogaya hain...kehta hain Shaantanu ko uss ki koi parvah nahi…bara bahi hain na iss liye kafi dil dhuka uss ka jub Shaantanu bina kuch kahey, kuch bataye vhaan se chala gaya…sirf Madhavi jaanti thi…"
"Toh app loog jaantey hain ke Shaantanu aur Khanak kahaan hain…?"
"Haan Additiya…aur issi liye phone kiya hain..humaray saath Delhi chalo aur khud dekh lo…Shaantanu aur Khanak apni uss duniya mein kitne khush hain…meray betay ne tumse kiya har vaada nibhaya hain Additiya, Khanak se shaadi ki hain uss ne…"
"Aggar aisi baat thi toh phir voh Mumbai mein kyun nahi hain…? Uncle aur Akshay ko yeh sub kuch pata hona cahiyay…"
"Kaash voh yahaan hotey…Sunil ne Shaan ko as a singer toh accept kar liya tha, lakin voh ajj bhi Shaan kay talent per bharoosa nahi kar paaye hain…unhonay meray betay ke pyaar ko…Khanak ko aik galti declare kar kay apne mistrust aur insecurities ko hide karnay ki kohshish ki thi. Manali mein voh bilqual toot chukka tha…haar gaya tha Sunil ki baatein sunn kar… lakin phir bhi uss ne pyaar ka saath diya…Khanak ka saath…Daadi, meri, aur apni Bhabhi ki marzi aur blessing uss ke saath hameesha thi aur hain…Khanak toh humay ussi din pasand agayi thi jub hum pehli baar uss se millay thay…"
"Lakin Uncle or Akshay toh bahut bari misunderstanding mein hain iss sub situation ke barey mein…app unhay…"
"Nahi beta…Shaantanu ne humse jo vaada liya hain voh hum nahi tor saktey…voh Delhi mein apni pehli Album per kaam kar raha hain…Voh chahta hain ke uss ki ka kaabliyat aur telent Sunil kay samnay proof ban kar khud khara hojaaye…ussay yakeen hain ke voh apnay Dad kay saaray doubts khatam kar de ga, jis din voh apni manzil khud hasil kar le ga…He is out to build himself a life, aur tumhari choti behn uss ka sahara aur sub se bari strength hain…aur main Shaantanu se kiya hua vaada kabhi nahi tor sakti…"
Additiya takes a moment to allow everything to sink in as Madhavi and Daadi waited for his reaction on the other side of the line, they could understand that he needed time to process everything and so they were patient with him and didn't push or insist him on anything.
"Delhi mein voh dono theek toh hain na?" Additiya spoke up in a lighter tone, and Daadi and Madhavi smiled warmly upon hearing his voice.
"Haan…hum khud toh unn dono se contact mein nahi hain, per Shekhar…unn dono ka professor jinhay tum shayad Manali mein jaantey ho gay, he updates us weekly…jis company mein dono kaam kar rahay hain vhaan per uss kay kuch contacts hain…he tells us they have become Mr. & Mrs. Rockstar…! Bahut achi shape up ho rahi hain unn ki nayi Album…"
" Oh haan…! Sir Shekhar toh Chutki kay favorite thay…milla ho unn se aik do baar main bhi…"
"Haan…voh humaray family friend's mein se hain…he has been there for us more than he has for Shaantanu…"
"Acha toh phir Delhi chalo gay saath humaray…? Maa aur main Khanak kay liye uss ki pehli Sargi tayaar kar rahay hain…meri bari bahu Khusboo bhi saath chalay gi…humay Karwa Chaut se pehle vaapis aana hoga, kyunki Sunil aur Akshay ko bina baataye ja rahay hain…"
"Actually aunty main abhi immediately Delhi nahi jaa sakta…yahaan store ko abhi do din huye hain open kiye huye…lakin as soon as yahaan kay Assistant Manager ko duties sahi se samjha do, main vahaan zaroor jaaoga…Mumbai main unhi dono ki kahtir aaya tha aur abb Delhi bhi unhi ke liye jaaoga…app ke saath na sahi lakin bahut jaldi…"
"Haan bilqual…yeh bhi theek rahay ga…"
"App Chutki aur Shaantanu ko meray baarey abhi kuch nahi batayay ga…mera bhi aik vaada tha uss se jo mujhe nibhana hain…voh kamzoor na paray iss liye iss vaaday ko abhi tor nahi sakta…"
"Main samajh sakti hoon…hum unn dono ko kuch nahi batai gay…"
"Thank You Aunty…ajj app ne mujhay yeh sub bata kar mera dil halka kar diya…main toh bahut preshaan hogaya tha…apnay kiye huye faisloon per doubtful hogaya tha…"
"Nahi beta…Thank You toh hum kehna chahtay thay…aggar tum uss din Manali mein voh faisla nahi karte toh shayaad Shaantanu kabhi apni manzil ki taraf nahi bharta…tumne uss per bharoosa kar ke Khanak ka haath ussay diya aur Khanak he voh larki hain jo uss kay sapnoon ko haqeeqat ki shakal de sakti thi…voh kehtay hain na kay kuch faisle kismet karti hain, toh bus yeh faisla bhi kismet ne he kiya hain, sirf Shaantanu aur Khanak ki khatir…."
"Jee…app sahi keh rahi hain…"
"Acha beta apna khayaal rakhna…! aur hum phir phone karay gay tumhay Dehli se vaapis aakar…" Daadi assured him as she smiled and talked in to the speaker phone, Madhavi was sighing in relief now that everything was clear between Additiya and them.
"Jee zaroor…mujhe intezaar rahay ga…!"
Delhi
Purple Aquarium Studios
1:00 AM
Shaantanu has stepped out with Sharma to take care some new paperwork that came in this morning. It needed his signatures and notarization by the record label so that the nationwide distribution of the Album goes smoothly, and no illegal leaks are made before the official release. Khanak remains occupied in the Studio with her lyrics that she has been working on since last week. It's a duet song, but now it seems it has a lot of her part, while he only comes in towards the middle and then some more at the end. Her inspiration is acting like a broken light-blub that keeps switching on and off without any warning. One line would be perfect; the next would be total crap…that is according to her standards of course!
"Ugggh! Kya musibat hain…koi line sahi se nahi likhi jarahi…!" she complained while crumpling another paper ball and adding it the pile that surrounded her. She looks at it and makes a pouty, child-like face as if she had lost to someone who didn't even know how to play.
Shaantanu walks back in his Studio and finds her in the same pouty, defeated posture. The paper balls had new additions but everything else remained the same. He comes in quietly and could sense that she was upset due to her lyrics. She doesn't notice as she is sitting on the floor with her head buried in her knees, by the bean-bags and the small coffee table. He picks up some of the paper balls and trashes them; she senses movement but refuses to budge.
"Khanak… lyricist chor kar gaya tha…tum toh tree-killer ban gayi ho…!" he bends down next to her and smiles softly, knowing that she is peeking through the gap between her two elbows that rested on her knees.
"Hmm…"
"Arey…bus "Hmmm" se kaam chalana paray ga…mujhse baat nahi karogi kya?"
"Nahi…"
"Khanak…"
"Shaantanu…"
"Yes my dear Wifey!" something about the way she pronounces his name, it's extremely attractive, like a new melody every time he hears it.
"Mujhe "Wifey" he rehnay detay app….yeh lyricist ka kaam nahi hota mujh se…" her big brown and beautiful eyes are now looking in to his lighter ones, they are pleading just like her tone.
"Oh don't be so modest…! pehle teen gaanay jo abhi se itnay hit ho chukay hain kay mujhe illegal leaks aur Album ki Pre-Release protection per itni labi briefing milli hain kay kaan aur dimaag dono band ho chuke hain…"
"Sachi..?!" her head pops up from between her knees reflexively and he finally sees her pretty face. He smiles widely, nodding and assuring her that their dreams are shaping up in their reality, just as they had imagined them to.
"Haan…sachi…Sharma and the rest of the Studio staff cannot stop humming the dhun, aur tumhari lyrics sub mujhse baar baar pooch rahay thay jaise college mein hum exam ki proxies ka poochte thay…you should see what your lyrics have done to the staff Madame…Suhaani Di ko sub ko "calm down" karana para…" he laughs lightly and she scoots herself closer to him, leans on his shoulder while he plays with one of the paper balls with his left foot, he is also sitting next to her on the floor.
"Aur yeh gaana…? iss mein app toh jaise kahein ho he nahi…saari lines meri aarahi hain…" she brings up the reason for her pout and child-like whiny tone that he was tolerating.
"App shayad bhool rahi hain Ms.Lyricst…meri dhun app ke puray gaanay mein hogi…composition toh mera he hoga..lyrics meri zaayada ho ya tumharai ussay koi farq nahi parta…"
"Lakin Album toh app…"
"Not Again, Khanak…we have already gone over this…Album humarai hain…meri ya tumhari nahi…" He turns his head and looks down in his wife's eyes that were insanely huge when she looked up at him like she was at the moment. They reminded him of child-like innocence, the one that he could easily find in Sia's.
"Okay baba fine!...abb yeh app ka..I mean HUMARA Album jo hain ussa ka yeh vaala gaana experiment kar ke dehkay jo main kub se likh rahi hoon…app, main, aur app ka voh pehla pyaar jo vahaan stool ke pass mein intezaar kar raha hai…" She said tilting her heads away and pointing towards his guitar that was leaning next to the stool on the Studio's practice stage, he had left it there after the recording last night.
"Yeah…vaise tum duniya ki pehli bewi ho jo apni souten se itni khush ho…" He said getting up and then putting his hand forward to get her up as well.
"Kya karo, abb uss bejaan se lar bhi toh nahi sakti…lakin kabhi kabhi jub app uss ke saath itna saara waqt akele apni bahoon mein bitate hain toh mujhe bahut ghussa aata hain..!" she confessed as he pulled her up after she placed her delicate hand on his palm which was warm and wonderful to hold on to.
"Oooh…really now?!" He questions her mischievously in between his heart-felt laughter that she loved so much.
"Hmmm…" she agreed, still holding on to his hand as their fingers remained locked against each other.
"Bahoon mein toh tum bhi hoon abhi…jo chahe kar lo…" He whispered, pulling her closer, stealing glances of her plump flushed lips, but maintaining the conversation that their eyes were having.
"Aggar yeh gaana sahi gaya toh main apna reward khud he lay loongi…" she teased him, standing on her tip-toes and reaching for his lips but then withdrawing herself the moment she finished telling him her intentions in soft whispers.
They exchange the cutest smiles and knowing looks before he makes his way to his first love and she settles herself on the stool next to his. He tests the strings and tunes them a bit, she places the lyrics on the stand that stood in the middle and scoots herself forward towards the microphone. He pushes the "in session" button next to the door which illuminates the small red bulb on the Studio door and then rushes to her side, settles himself on his wooden stool…and they begin…
It starts with chord D going backwards to A, in succession he repeats twice and waits for her signal to tune it down as she begins vocalizing…
Ude khule aasaman mein
Khaabon ke parindey
Oodhay dil ki jaahan mein
Khaabon ke parindey
He repeats A-F & D, skipping C this, time so the guitar's acoustic matches up with the soft stretch she is giving to the opening stanza…watches her intently while playing; she looks serene…
Ohooo, kya pata, jaayenge kahan
Khule hain jo pal, kahe yeh nazar
Lagta hai ab hai jaage hum
Fikrein jo thi, peechhe reh gayi
Nikle unse aage hum
Hawa mein beh rahi hai zindagi
Yeh hum se keh rahi hai zindagi
Ohooo, ab toh, jo bhi ho so ho
His guitar picks up with her pitch as she fastens on the "khule hain.." to "aage hum" and then he brings the tune back with chords D and A towards the end of the second stanza after her stressed "ohooo" which is calm yet endearing and motivating.
Ude, khule aasaman mein khwabon ke parindey
Ude, dil ke jahaan main khwabon ke parindey
Ohooo, kya pata, jayenge kahaan
His fingers seem to automatically strike the chords that were the right fit for her vocals, he was playing effortlessly and for the first time during this session their eyes made contact and fetched the smiles back on their lips.
Kisi ne chhua toh yeh hua
Phirte hain mehake mehake hum
Khoyi hain kahin baatein nayi
Jab hain aise behake hum
Hua hai yun ke dil pighal gaye
Bas ek pal mein hum badal gayeee
Ohooo, ab toh, jo bhi ho so ho
She maintains her eye contact, even when he glances at the lyrics on the stand; he realizes he was the inspiration upon "chhua", "baatein", and pretty much the whole third stanza. The realization makes him smile even more brightly and she is now bobbing her head with his successive strumming, going from D to C, a pause at "ab toh", and then back to A.
She gives him the cue to his part by pointing at the stand and he nods his head, indicating that he is well aware of the approaching part that he needs to vocalize. He takes a quick glance at his lyrics as he strums without any vocalizing and then at the very next chord he syncs in with…
Roshini mili
Ab raah mein hai ik dilkashi si barsi...
Har khushii mili
Ab zindagi pe hai zindagi si barsi
Abb jeena hamne… seekhaa hai
She notices they way he stretches for just the right amount and only gives cautious stress to the syllables that required emphasis, he was such a natural and she had expected that. "Spot on!" she thought with a quiet smile, watching him take control of the chords again and giving her the cue for her approaching part.
Yaad hai kal, aaya tha woh pal
Jisme jaadoo aisa tha
Hum ho gaye… jaise naye
Woh pal jaane kaisa tha
Kahe yeh dil ke jaaun dil ki tu
Jahan bhi leke jaaye aarzoo…
It's his turn to bob his head to his own tunes and she does high, low, high, low series with the wordings and he loves the pattern as it matches with his soft and bold chords. She does this thing with her hand and her two fingers while slowing down for the end, he takes a mental picture of her actions before joining in for the soft-barely-audible vocalizing all through the end as she takes care of highs.
Ohooo, ab toh...
Jo bhi ho so ho
Jo bhi ho so ho
Ude, jo bhi ho so ho
Ude, jo bhi ho so ho-oo
…And the conclusion of the song has them equally excited. He places his first love down on its stand and she gets down from the wooden high chair to rush towards the one and only love of her life. His arms go around her and she can no longer feel the ground that she was standing on. He has lifted her good two to three inches above it and is spinning her in circles, making her go crazier than before. Their laughter echoes all around them and she takes visible note of the twinkle in his eyes, while he slows down and prepares for her landing back to the ground.
"Three equally GRAND songs Wifey! Logoon ko preshaani hojaye gi favorite choose karne mein…this was so goo.." He would have gone on to praise her some more, but she had already captured him under her lips.
She knew he would easily surrender like he did in the very next moment. She smiled in between their soft skin contact. Her hands went around his neck and she pushed herself on to him as he held her slender waist with his left hand only, his right remained lost in her thick locks that were slowly being untangled as he fiddled his way in.
😳
P.S: hope you liked it!..I love THIS SONG!! Will be getting Sia and Suhaaani in the next update...
Book Talk
Shiv Shakti
