Pathways Back To Our Love
Prologue
Mumbai - July 22, 2016;
He took a few steps closer to her and held her hands in his, pressing his palms against her tiny ones in a reassuring gesture.
"You have no idea how much I've waited for this day... for this moment..." he said with a smile, trying hard to fight back his tears. "I've always believed somewhere in my heart that your feelings were never a show or a lie. I love you!"
"I love you too! I love you!" She said, and hugged him tight.
The silver screen of the cinema hall darkened gradually as the camera zoomed out at the last scene of the film, and the hall erupted into a tremendous bout of claps. Devank Malhotra, the producer and director of the film, felt his chest swell in pride as he witnessed the overwhelming reaction of the audience at the very first official screening of the film, and he turned to his present cast and crew to thank each and every one of them heartily.
"Radha and Raj, you guys did a remarkable job. I'm so proud and grateful to you two." Mr. Malhotra told his main leads with a wide smile. "And Radha, I've worked with Raj in previous projects too, so I knew he would do good this time as well. But you surprised us all with your passionate portrayal. Thank you for not disappointing me!" He added, and it made Radha elated that even her co-stars nodded in agreement.
A year or so ago, Mr. Malhotra has been passing by an audition and his attention was caught by the delicate yet strong voice that came through the hall's doors, and he went in to take a look. He stood at a far corner of the auditorium and studiously observed the girl who continued to inact an emotional scene at the stage.
That girl, Radha, wasn't selected that day because she was a newcomer who was yet to debut, but Mr. Malhotra couldn't thank his stars enough for the stupidity of the casting unit of the audition... for thanks to them not selecting her that day, he thought he had finally found the heroine of his next venture. And a gemstone of a heroine, at that. He had thought to himself with a contended smile. A gemstone that he was going to polish and shine himself.
"Now we should proceed and answer a few questions of the media reporters, shouldn't we?" Mr. Malhotra asked his team.
Radha agreed with a nod, the brightest of smiles adorning her lovely features. Today was a big day for her; the release day of her very first movie "Phir Se"- for over a year now, she had worked day and night for the success of this day, and it felt so fulfilling to see this moment come to life at last.
Her breakthrough in the cinema industry was the most anticipated event by the media and audiences alike, and she has gained a lot of attention and fan-following over the last months. But nothing could compare to the happiness and excitement she has experienced since that morning, for now was her actual moments of shine, and her real beginning.
Outside the cinema hall, throngs of the media reporters were waiting for the team of the movie to appear in order to get a good reportage about the event, some checking their cameras and microphones and others preparing their recorders and notebooks in the meantime. As soon as the important party appeared, everyone started to rush toward them to bombard them with questions first.
Radha was more than glad that the first questions to be asked were directed to Mr. Malhotra and to her senior co-stars, because even as she felt delighted at the positive attention, she didn't think it would have been possible for her to hide her nervousness had she been put in the spot light before anyone else. That also gave her a chance to first hand observe how one should carry oneself at such an occasion even more closely, she thought as she listened tentatively to her teams' answers.
"Miss Radha, your debut film "Phir Se" is the story of giving love second chances," one of the reporters asked Radha after a while, "So tell us what do you think has made you choose this story? And whether you believe in second chances for love?"
Radha was lost in her distant thoughts for a moment... she remembered the first time she had read the script, the attachment she instantly felt toward the story and its characters was incredulous. She recalled with a tender smile how she started to chock on her tears halfway through the script.
*******
Rhea ruffled her hair into a mess out of frustration; she had been sitting in a nearly empty office but for a meeting table and a TV set nearby since that morning, and for the last couple of hours she had made an attempt to look through some models' portfolios and decide on the best out of them... to no avail. The only thing she succeeded at thus far was to find a dozen extra flaws in each and every girl for some reason.
Pouting at her dissatisfaction, she looked up at her friend who was seated on the other side of the table... he was completely engrossed in adding sharp strokes of colour on a sketchpad. Rhea fixed her ruffled hair again as she thought of taking a break from her apparently exhausting task; I'll have a look at how things are progressing at the other end of matters, yes. She candidly told herself in her mind as she covered the distance between her seat and her friend's in silent steps.
Upon reaching her destination, Rhea peaked over her friend's shoulder and mouthed a soundless wow at the spectacular view. It was a sketch of a piece of an earring, one that illustrated a lovely combination of traditional and modern touches. A pearl cut in half adorned the post of the earring, and a golden half-moon with intricate designs cut through it hung underneath it. It was a simple design, yet the number of colours used to draw its shades and highlights, and all the little details made it look so majestic.
"This is brilliant LD! I'm saying this for the umpteenth time, but seriously... I never knew you can draw so well." Rhea exclaimed in excitement.
"I never knew I can draw so well either," LD smiled up at her, "Not until you installed that crazy idea into my head."
"Oh yes, I should be given special credits for presenting to the world the Shantidas of our time!" Rhea said while batting her lashes in pretentious pride, and they started laughing together.
"Anyway, what are you doing praising my work when you're supposed to finalize a model for our ad photo shoot?" LD asked.
"Well, I can't seem to decide on that. The more I look into those portfolios, the less impressed I am for some reason. These models... they're just... lacking something! They can't carry out our brand. That's what I feel." Rhea replied with a complaining undertone.
L&R was an idea that was too dear to them... an idea that Rhea and her friend has gone through a lot of hurdles to bring to life. Specially LD, he has done so much more of hard work than her - he even left his hometown and family for it. So some random model wearing their jewelry pieces for their very first advertising campaign wasn't satisfying.
"Are they that bad?" LD inquired, raising his eyebrows skeptically.
"No. In fact, they're good. And a couple of them have done some really impressive jobs previously. But... they just... didn't click with me." She answered blatantly, throwing her hands in the air, to which LD gaped at her with an ever more confused look. If they were good, then why didn't she pick one of them already?!
"Anyway," Rhea retreated her hands and rested them on her hips, "I was thinking of taking a little break and watching some TV. May I?"
LD nodded his head in agreement, "But remember Rhea, you have till tonight's time to decide on a model for us."
Rhea answered with a hurried thank you and a promise to finish her task by that night absentmindedly as she hurtled to the TV set, grabbed the remote controller, and seated herself in a chair she wheeled from the table to browse through channels in full comfort.
LD smiled to himself at how his best friend hasn't changed a bit since their school days; she was her childish self till now. And here he was thinking she was the one who have matured more out of them two! Well, but she is a completely different and reliable person when it comes to business. LD thought to himself in Rhea's defense, and went back to his sketch.
"LD, look! The latest Bollywood release." Rhea announced in merriment.
"You know I'm not into that sort of stuff anymore, Rhea." He replied without looking.
"Gosh, how boring have my cool and happening bestie become after all those years!" She exclaimed mischievously while making a funny face at him.
LD turned with a grin to give a fitting retort to her teasing remark, but something behind her ear made him freeze in his spot, his words never making it out of his mouth... and his grin slowly fading into nothingness.
Out of the crowd of faces on the TV screen, he had spotted her. Adorning a gorgeous pink and green saree, and the brightest of smiles on her face. It was a sight that would have made his heart dance in a rebellious tango behind his ribs had it been in the same state as over a year ago. Now, it only constricted in a mysterious pain...
Radha Pathak, the newest and most waited for female face of Bollywood, at the successful first screening of her debut film "Phir Se". Read the caption on the screen.
This wasn't the first time that LD had caught sight of her, he had been seeing her face on promotional posters of her film and on famous entertainment magazine covers ever since he came to Mumbai a few weeks ago - with that same dazzling smile.
This was the first time that he saw her on TV, however, and it bothered him how she still had the power to affect the smallest of his actions. Even when she wasn't present in the flesh in his surroundings! What bothered him more, though, was how genuinely happy and contented she appeared to be. He remembered first seeing her smiling pictures all around the town, and subconsciously deciding that these were just poses for the camera clicks.
But there she was; brimming with mesmerizing happiness in one of her most glorious moments, so it seemed. As if the few disturbing months of their shared history more than a year ago have never occurred in her life. LD didn't even get why he had expected to discover another reality upon arriving to Mumbai. And the undeniable feelings of disappointment only caused him to be more angry at himself at that moment.
"Miss Radha, your debut film "Phir Se" is the story of giving love second chances... so tell us what do you think has made you choose this story? And whether you believe in second chances for love?" Came the question from a voice behind the cameras.
Giving love second chances? LD snorted inwardly at the silly question as he silently returned to his sketchpad. If only you knew this woman never gave love a chance to begin with!
"The reason why I chose this story... is because I relived the lives of the characters with their ups and downs... their feelings of love, lose and pain, from the very first time I read the script." Came Radha's answer after a few moments of silence. "And regarding your second question, I don't believe that we... flawed human beings, are ones to give love chances at all. So it is the other way round for me, we should be the ones waiting for love to give us a chance, and a second."
Even though LD had his back turned to the TV screen, he couldn't miss the moist and cracking tone with which Radha spoke. He closed his hands into white-knuckled fists as her words pierced through his already turmoiled heart like a hot slicing dagger. Shutting his eyes tight, LD sincerely hoped he doesn't cross roads with that woman ever again in his life.
Rhea listened to Radha's honest and heart-felt answer to the reporter's question in awe, she didn't think that she had possibly encountered an actress who was so sincere and real in an exchange with the media ever before in her lifetime as an ardent follower of everything Bollywood, and that too a newcomer. Radha Pathak, you're the real thing girl! Rhea thought with a wide smile.
What was more impressive, though, was the attention Miss Pathak has got herself from LD. Rhea mulled over how he had stopped bantering with her and focused on the screen for some time before returning to his work. And he claims to have grown out of his Bollywood craze by now..! there must be something special about this girl.
After a few more minutes of carefully thinking over the idea, Rhea came upon a clear decision. I think I've finally found us a good model, LD. She thought to herself with a satisfied grin.
Edited by Diaa - 8 years ago
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