2 March 2009
Santo is beckoned on the stage and she walks unsurely towards it . All eyes are on her, especially DM's .. she gingerly takes to the stage and closes her eyes and recites the Gayatri mantra before uttering a word, taking everyone by surprise. Bapuji, watching on his tv at home, claps for Santo and so does everyone else in the hall. Santo says that her grandfather always tells her to take God's name before starting any good task on hand.
"I would just like to say that if the malik is happy, so are all of us .."
DM I sort of relieved that her speech is over. Saumil Bhai takes over and asks DM to come up on the stage – DM is seated on the stage and he is dressed with a traditional white turban. Santo is then asked to present the award to DM .. she walks with the award and gives it to DM who takes it from her , gives a little nod and then smiles for the shutterbugs..
DM is invited for his speech .. and this is what he says –
"Thank you ..I have won many a award before .. but the happiness of winning this one is unprecedented. I have never been as happy as today while receiving an award .. and I am sure that the same level of happiness is shared by my sadu-bhai- Virat Sanghvi , is it not, Virat? Many a force has tried to keep me away from getting this award but I have proved them all wrong .. proved that DM shares a unique relationship with victory.."
"Anyways , leaving that aside, I would like to dedicate this award to my wife.."
Everyone is shocked at his statement – esp Virat, Surekha, Moti-ben and Hiten.. Hiten is furious at hearing his words.. DM continues –
"And she is not only my wife – a daughter, a sister , a mother .. and my dearest friend.. someone who has been with me through thick and thin .. I dedicate this award to my wife .. Subhadra .. this is for you Subhadra .Thank you all again …"
Everyone is stunned after hearing DM's speech .. Hiten storms out of the venue..and no one knows how to react to the speech… suddenly Santo starts clapping for her husband and then everyone follows suit. DM looks at Santo and she looks at him timidly, still clapping her hands…after the clapping ceases, journalists hound DM and click pictures of his with the award. DM goes ahead and Pinakin goes towards Santo with the award..
Some ladies from the elite section who are invited to the party are gossiping about Santo's speech and how she referred to DM as malik even though they are now married. They think something is wrong between them. Just then Virat, who is eavesdropping on them, jumps into the conversation and hints that his Santo 'bhabhi' is not getting her rights as a wife in the DM mansion .. a journalist passing them is suddenly interested in this inside info and asks Virat if this is really possible ..Virat slyly hands him some money and hints towads him asking Santo himself about the truth ..the journalist smiles and walks towards Santo ..
As Santo and Pinakin are descending the stage, the journalists hound Santo and tell her that they want an interview of hers – they ask her where and how she met DM and all about her marriage – overwhelmed, Santo is unable to say something .. because of so many people, she is about to say something when DM puts his hand on the mike and stands in front of her, covering her from the journalist – he picks up the business card of a journalist – "Dushant Goradia ..that's a nice name …so what is the matter? You want to ask me something … an interview? Go on..I will answer the questions .."
The journalists tell DM that they want answers, but from his wife .. they ask her how she ended up marrying DM and how they met for the first time ..showing some quick presence of mind, Santo tells them that she used to go to the factory with her nanaji sometimes and that is where she saw DM for the first time ..
DM takes the cue and tells them that he first saw her at the fair .. where she was buying bangles .. Santo takes over and tells them that it was at the fair, that she had given him the prasad .. and the kindness with which he had taken it from her .. DM continues and tells them that after that, it was all God's blessing and because of him , they are in front of them as husband-wife ..
Somewhere, DM is very happy that Santo handled the situation but does not show it.. .Santo on the other hand .. follows DM out of the hall – now that the journalists do not have any questions left ..
DM is asleep in the car and Santo is on the backseat ..they are going towards the mansion through the road that goes through the village and suddenly the driver slams the brake and DM is jerked out of his sleep – they are shocked to find out that a woman had jumped in front of their car purposely ..
DM : Lady , are you mad? Cant you walk properly? You could have got killed!
Another woman comes and tells DM that the lady's husband abuses her physically and that is why she is always wishing that she gets killed .. and that is the reason why she jumped in front of his car. DM is shocked . Santo recognizes the hurt woman as Laxmi kaki.. DM tells the woman to take the lady to the hospital as she is bleeding.. Santo tells him that there is no hospital nearby .. she goes to the woman and tells her to take Laxmi to her house where Khemi will put some herbs on so that it will heal .. DM looks on.. as Santo is retreating back to the car, he stops her and tells her to follow her .. DM asks some men from the village to get Laxmi's husband to him ..
DM and Santo go to Santo's house where Khemi is treating Laxmi and Nanaji is out , getting the physician to cure Laxmi .. DM is pacing up and down the house – Mongi, excited to see her sister back- tells her that she is looking very pretty and compliments her on her saree – Santo gestures her to keep quiet .. Khemi calls Mongi and Santo beside her on the cot..
The men from the village get Laxmi's husband to DM –
DM: You beat your wife, is it true?
M: This is my private matter, Malik ..
DM : Don't forget that you live in Dharampur .. and everything that happens here is MY matter… so tell me – why do you beat her?
M: The same cribbing for money –sometimes for things to buy sometimes for the kids.. from where do I get the money? That is why I get angry and ..
DM : And you beat her up? Listen to me .. if you are low on money – work overtime at the factory – but never resort to such methods to take undue advantage of being a man.. to show that you are a man .. understand?
Just then , Khemi notices the bruise on Santo's hand and asks her what happened. Santo lies that she hurt herself as the car came to a halt suddenly. DM feels guilty from within ..the man is about to apologize to DM but DM stops him and asks him to apologise to his wife.. which he does .. As the man apologizes to his wife, DM looks at Santo – feeling very guilty within .. not really able to match her gaze ..in the irony of the situation..
DM and Santo reach home. DM meets Baa and Bapuji and they bless him ..he shows the award to M-ben who is very happy and so is Kadambari … Kadambari tells him that she is sad that he had to get the award from her(Santo) .. DM is irritated and walks up to his room ..
M-ben gestures to Santo telling her to remove the clothes and jewelery and bring it back to her. Santo leaves…and gives the clothes and jewelry to M-ben..M-ben calls for Champakali asking for salted water to wash the ornaments..
DM reaches his room and puts his award near Subhadra's portrait ..
DM: There you go Subhadra – one more award for you ..I am very happy today Subhadra but today something bad happened with me .. when that girl came down the stairs wearing your clothes and jewels, I could not stand it .. and ended up grabbing her hand so hard that I ended up hurting her .. the poor thing .. I should not have done it .. you were always right - my anger is very bad .. I know .. and I am trying to control it .. anyways I will talk to you later..
DM proceeds to take a bath ..
While washing the ornaments, M-ben notices that one earring is missing ..and she thinks Santo has stolen it ..she storms to her room and wakes her up , asking where the earring is and accusing her of stealing. Santo is shocked!
Preview :
M-ben reaches Santo's house and tells the servants to search for the earring in the house.. she calls Santo a thief and tells it to her Nanaji who denies the whole thing ..
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