Dil bada hai hamara…
Niharika: dekho Ram this is a list of guests for the wedding.
Sakunimama: Haan…Ram meine all the movie stars aur Shiv sena leaders ke naam bhi invite list me samil kardiya hai.
Ram: Movie stars…mei koi movie stars ko nahin janta…aur yeh political leaders…mere shadi mei?
Niharika smoothing her hair and purring: Please Ram what
nonsense. Tum bhul gayeh Natasha ek top dress designer hai…uske kitne
contracts hai…top movie producer ki saath…toh humne usse invite toh karna
parega. Plus Ram you are the most wanted
bachelor in Mumbai…socho…news media mein kitna hungama kar diya hai tumari shadi ne. Aur political relations toh maintain karna hai...after all business deals mei...hume unki zaroorat pare.
Ram silently: Pata hai tumne meri puri life broadcast kardi hai…laughting stock bana diya hai mere business circle mein.
Sakunimama: Ram who Vikrma ko bol dena…rooms, motorcars and security ka arrangement karle…koi garbar nahi honi…yeh hamari reputation ka mamla hai.
Ram his eyes glinting gives a piercing stare at mamaji: Mamaji…reputation meri hai…apki nahi. Aur mujhe maloom hai reputation kaise maintain kiya jaata hai…nahi ki muffat ki chamchas ko entertain karake.
Sakunimama's face turn bright red, his eyes takes on a mean glaze.
Niharika feeling the tension: Boys…please. Shadi hai hamari ghar mei…please…let us be nice to each other.
Ram stares at the list and then looks at Niharika: Maa…yeh list mei chacha, chachi, dadi, mausi aur mera mamaji ka naam nahi hai.
Niharika flutters her eyes and rubs her head: Oh mei kitni forgetful hoon. Sorry Ram dedo mujhe list mein nam likhdongi.
Ram hands her back the list: Koi zaroorat nahi…mein unko personally phone kardunga…acha lagega nah…after all family comes first. Aur maa…dadi do teen din may ajayegi…humari family ki bade hone ki naate unko yahaan hona hi chahiyeh…kyun mamaji…badi ki ashivaad toh hona chahiyeh nah….subh kamo mein.
Sakunimama nods his head, inside he is steaming at being insulted in front of his sister.
Just then Natasha and Kartik walk in, holding hands. Natasha runs up and hugs him.
"Bhaiya…how is wedding planning going? Aap bhabhi ko milne gayeh ya nahin? Listen bhaiya…shadi tumari akele ki nahi…bhabhi also…aur you must ask her what she would like."
Natasha then pulls Kartik close, "Dekho bhaiya…this is the list of guests that I want at my wedding."
Ram looks at the list, there are plenty of male names then female. He arches a brow, "Natasha…issme toh zyaada male friends ke naam hai."
Natasha flicks her hair back and blushes, "you know me nah bhai…meri boy friends zyaada hai…girls are so bitchy…sab kitne jealous hote hai…aur kitne toh backstabbers hai."
Ram rolls his eyes, he recognizes some of the names as that of boys that Natasha had dated in the past. What the hell does his sister keep in touch with some of these losers for…some them are lechers…looking to tag onto the Kapoor name.
XXX
"papa…coffee?" Priya asks her father who has been busy calling up venues to hold wedding while Shipra, her mother is busy making guest list.
Sudhir smiles, "Yes Priya…meri gala suka raha hai. Yeh managers bhi nah…kitne bad mannered hai…kuch business sense nahi hai."
Shipra looks over her reading glasses: Sudhir meine toh kaha…let me handle them. Tum bahut soft hoh. Unke saath toh thora jor se awaaz se baate karna hota hai."
Priya makes a face, remembering many embarassign scenes her mothers has created in the past: Maa…please let papa handle it. Nahin toh koi hume hall nahin dega.
Just then the phone rings, Sudhir: Priya dekho nah kaun hai.
Priya looks at the display…Ram Kapoor. She looks at her father: Ram Kapoor ka phone hai.
Sudhir smiles: Answer karo nah beta. Tere liye hoga.
Priya blushes: hello…Mein Priya bol rahi hoon. Kisse baat karni hai?
Ram chuckles,s he sounds a little shy: Tumse…coffee shop mei milogi?
Priya: Kyun…abhi meine coffee pee hain.
Ram: par maine toh nahin. Kuch baate karni…hai…shadi…planning.
Priya: Oh…ek minute pehle papa se poonch loon.
Ram…dear God…aise baat mein papa ki permission, toh suhaag night ki permission bhi papa se lene paregi?
Priya puts her hand over the phone: Papa…Mr Kapoor mujhe milna chahta hai…kuch wedding ki baat karni hai.
Sudhir grins and then makes a funny face: Priya…go…mujhe kyun poonch rahi hai…see Priya…mujhe maloom tha ke dil ka woh acha hai…meri Priya ko kya pasand hai...kya karna hai...kaise colours hone chahiyeh...very good.
Shipra wraps her arms around Priya: Oohh Priya...first date...kitna sweet man hai Mr Ram Kapoor. Ok Priya bhul na nahi...unko keh dena...mein unko jo farmayiesh ho sab mei puri karne ko taiyaar hoon.
Sudhir takes a big gulp of air, where will I get money to fulfill all yours and his demands?
Priya feels like laughing. Maa…aap unki farmayinsha puri kaise karegi. Yeh wedding ki arrangement mei aap
papa ko bankrupt toh nahi kardengi nah?
Priya is still staring at Sudhir, yes her papa would like to give her a big wedding, his heart was generous...dil toh bada hai...lekin...
Sudhir; Beta Mr Kapoor rah dekh raha hai…jaldi bata de tu usse milegi.
Priya in the phone: Haan toh Mr Kapoor…kahan milna hai.
Ram: who meri favourite coffee shop…jahaan hum mile the nah.
Priya: theek hai…half an hour lagega ane mei.
Ram: great…see you baby!
Priya gawks at the phone…yeh baby kisko keh raha hai…mei baby lagti hoon usse.
Ram's face turn red…what did he just say to Priya…baby…gosh he has to remember that he isn't talking to Vikram all the time…what must she be thinking…that I am in love with her.
XXX
Vikram rings Ram.
Ram: hello…ba…Vikram.
Vikram: Hello dulha. Aur aaj baby se Vikram ban gaya?
Ram: Yaar…have to…meine abhi Priya koh baby bol diya.
Vikram laughs: Great man…chalo at least Priya koh kuch sweet toh sunaya tune…warna…soch raha hoon…tujhe kissi romance tips ki school mei bej doon.
Ram sniggers: Vikram…tu aur Neha toh hoh phir aur kyun jaane ki zaroorat. Anyway I don't think I need any romantic tips. Waise who bahut practical hai…I don't think she cares for candlelight dinners and dancing.
Vikram: Oh boy! Kaise pata tujhe usse candlelight dinner nahi pasand. I know tujhe nahi pasand…haar kehta hai…kya kha raha hoon dikhaye nahi raha…yeh dim light mei kuch bhi de sakte hai…chicken hakka ki jagah…billi hakka.
Ram growls: Stop it idiot. I never said that…and if I did then, it was probably some cheap, unhealthy place…
Vikram: yeah right! Ok aaj Priya se baat huye yah nahi?
Ram smiles: Huye…abhi bhi meine usko coffee shop pe milna bulaya.
Vikram: Wow…coffee date. Kuch aur toh plan mei nahi haina…beside coffee…you know…beach pe jaana…aur long drive. Some koochi cooing.
Ram growls again: Vikram…date nahi hai. Sirf shadi ki kuch baate karni hai…mujhe baas make sure karna hai…wedding halls, number of guests…food etc.
Vikram now serious: Ram ek baat kahun…yeh shadi…tumari aur Priya ki hai…aur shadi larki ke mata aur pita ki kitne saaloh ki sapne hote hai…beti ki haath mein mehendi…yahaan dil ka mamla hota hai. Aur Ram…Priya ke family ek middle class family hai…tumare paas bahut paisa hai…unke paas thora. Toh yaad rakna ke woh logo ko aisa sharminda nah hona pare…tere demands se. Mere hisaab tujhe Priya ke dil mein kya hai…woh samajna zaroori hai. Apne dil mein kissi aur ki sapne saach hone ki tamanna banani paregi…koi five star hotel mei shadi nah hoh toh kya…haath choteh toh kya…dil hi bada hona hota hai.
Ram was mulling on…no AC…does Vikram realizes that he hates feeling like being baked in a oven…like tandoori chicken.
Ram: Ok yaar…mei yeh saab yaad rakunga…par Vikram..kam se kam AC hona zaroori hai…nahi meri tabiyaat bigar jaati hai.
Vikram: yeh baate mujse nahi kar…jaa teri coffee date pe…aur Priya ko batade teri khwaishein.
XXX
Priya arrives to see Ram looking at his watch.
Priya smiles: sorry…traffic…
Ram waves his hand: Its ok…it is just past 30 minutes. What will you have?
Priya: just regular coffee please.
Ram calls the waiter and orders 2 coffees and a plate of pasteries.
Ram to Priya: they make great cakes and pasteries here…you must try them.
Priya: you like sweet things…who din jab aap ladooo ko gur ke dekh rahi the…I thought you hated sweet.
Ram looking unfazed: Oh…I love sweet things…but I like to be sure where they are from…you nah…so many hands sometimes touch food.
Priya smiles into her hand: So kya baate karni thi?
Ram feeling in relaxed mood: lets have coffee first and then we will talk. By the way…do you like candle light dinners?
Priya kind of scratches her head: Pata nahin…kabhi nahi gayi candlelight dinner pe.
Ram's eyebrow shot up: Never…koi boyfriend never took you out for a candlelight dinner?
Priya puckered her face: Ek boyfriend tha…but he was poor student…so it was chowpatty and pani puri.
Ram laughed: chowpatty…people go on romantic date to chowpatty?
Priya flashed a smile: haan…what is wrong? Sabi ke paas paise toh nahi hoti nah…aur chowpatty ki maaza kuch aur hai…woh five star hotel or club mei nahi milti. To walk on the sand, much on spicy pani puri…to drink nariyal pani and eat cotton candy.
Ram: hmmm…mujhe ek din try karna parega…
Priya: haan…bolo toh mei bhi aati hoon tumari saath.
The waiter arrived with coffee and pastries. Priya watched as Ram dived into the pastry, munching away with sips of coffee. His face wore a smile as he savoured the pastry. Wow…how different he looks when he is not tense…wonder what he would look like out the dark suit and tie...May be in some khakhis and a t-shirt?
Ram watched as Priya looked lost in thought. He waved his hand. "Try one please…I don't want to pig out. As is Vikram has signed me up for boot camp...pata nahin...kyun woh meri piche para hai...I feel like murdering him when he calls me haathi.
Priya giggled and picked up a small strawberry tart, "chalo...I feel eat one...yeh calories meri hips pe jayengi." She bit into it. The melt in the mouth soft pastry and the sweet tart taste surprised her. It is good…she smiled at delicious buttery taste mixed with the sweet taste of the strawberries.
Ram ogled as he Priya picked up another one and ate it same slow pace...relishing the taste of the bites.
Half an hour later...with two cups of coffee drunk...a lone strawberry tart sat in the plate.
Ram's mouth salivated, Priya had eaten several pasteries, including his favourite tiny cream puffs. His fingers itched to reach out and stuff the tart into his mouth but Priya was also eyeing the tart and glancing at him with a funny look on her face.
Ram blurted out: ek aur pastries ki plate order kardoon?
Priya shook her head…she was feeling stuffed now: thank you but mera pet bhar gaya...aap yeh last one kha jayeh.
Ram shook his, remembered what Vikram said about having a big heart, he gave her a slow smile: No...it's ok...pushing the plate towards her...please be my guest.
Priya: are sure? Pasteries aapne mangwayeh aur zyaada mere pet me chali gaye.
Her comment had Ram throwing his head back and laughing, "mujhe Vikram ko kehna parega...mujhe acha lagta hai...aapko pasteries toh achi lagi...warna mei daar raha tha...shadi ki baad meri treat bandh hojayegi."
Priya couldn't help but join him in laughter, poor man...already worried if he will get to eat food after marriage. Just to bring their meeting to end, Priya picked up the tart and shoved it in her mouth. "Chalo...finished."
As Ram paid off the bill, Priya realized that Ram did not talk about whatever he wanted to. "Mr Kapoor…tum ne toh kaha that after coffee baate karengi…bhul gaye aap?
Ram shrugged: it wasn't important. Mujhe sirft janana tha how wedding planning was coming? Aap ko kuch help chahiyeh or suggestions…
Priya remembering her father's complaint about booking the hall: woh Papa is having problem getting a hall.
Ram: Hall...par Mumbai mei kitne sare hotel hai...aur wedding halls bhi...
Priya: yeh toh sahi...par papa kuch unki budget pe kuch book karna chahte hai.
Ram once again remembered his friend's words: aisa karte hai…mei tomorrow night ghar pe
ajayounga…aur aapke papa se baate bhi karlunga…theek hai?
Priya felt a fuzzy feeling inside of her that made her stare at Ram. Ram felt his ears getting warm from being shared at. Kyun aise mujhe dekh rahi hai yeh?
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