CHAPTER – 6

  

It was holi. All Indians were in white dresses at the Indian club to celebrate holi. Viren, Anjali and Kushi were already members of the club and this year Arnav and Lavanya too joined. There was colours, water guns, colour tank, bhang, thandai....everything a Holi day consist of. Even in Canada they have created a small India inside the lawn of the club. Kushi was a bit late. She walked into the lawn after parking her car searching for Anjali. She saw Anjali and Viren at a corner, already under the influence of bhang. She walked towards them.

Kushi: Anji, already started eh?

Anjali (intoxicated, so behaving tipsy and childish): Kushiiiiii.....you are late.

Kushi: Yeah, good for me. If you were in your senses you would have again started with the bhang thing.

Anjali: And who says I won’t now? Yeh lo, pee le.

Anjali was forwarding a glass of bhang for Kushi which Kushi resisted. Viren though had bhang was a bit more in control and was trying to hold Anjali.

Viren: It’s ok Anju. Leave her if she doesn’t want to drink.

Anjali: Arrey aise kaise. Holi hai.

Viren: Yeah holi hai. So colour her.

Anjali (grinning): Even better.

She patted colour on to Kushi’s face who smiled. Of course it is a day of colours and Kushi loved to play with colours. Kushi applied some on Anjali and Viren too wishing them a Happy Holi.

Kushi: Happy Holi guys!!! Waise, where is Arnav?

Anjali (pointing to her left): Here he comes.

Arnav walks in with arms around Lavanya’s waist. Lavanya looks quite drunk and not in sense while Arnav is calm and focused but splashed with colours.

Arnav: Hi Doctor. Aren’t you a bit early?

Kushi(rolling her eyes): Happy Holi Arnav.

Arnav: Happy Holi Doctor. Where is your bhang? Haven’t started yet?

Anjali (complaining like a kid): Kushi never drinks bhang chotte. It is restricted in her family.

Lavanya: But now you are not with your family. So you can do the prohibited things chori chori chup ke chupke. (She winked at Kushi in nasha)

Anjali: Haan, I always tell her that.

Kushi: It’s not just because of family, I hate its taste.

Arnav: How do you know, have you drunk it before?

Kushi (perplexed): Huh, no...I mean I know I will hate its taste.

Anjali: But you try once naa.

Viren: Anjali, don;t force her if she doesn’t want.

Arnav: Yeah Di. If she doesn’t want why are you forcing. It’s each one’s choice.

Anjali: But what holi without a little bhang?

Arnav: Diii....stop; you overdo it. Wait doctor, I will get some thandaai for you. You have that na?

Kushi (smiling in relief seeing Arnav helped her): Yes Arnav.

Arnav went away to get thandaai for her, while Anjali pouted getting back in Viren’s arms. Lavanya went with some other guy who pulled her into a dance while Kushi waited for Arnav to come. Arnav came back with two glasses. When Kushi extended her hand to take one glass Arnav stopped her.

Arnav: No, that one is bhang. Take this right glass.

Kushi nodded and took the right glass. Arnav sat with his glass beside her. Kushi began drinking.

Kushi (moaning lightly): Mmmm....this thandaai is really tasty.

Arnav (smirking): I knew you will like it.

Kushi smiled in return and drank the whole glass in one go.

Arnav: Want more?

Kushi nodded. Arnav went and got two more glasses for her. Kushi drank them too sitting and chatting with them. Viren was busy getting snaps of the celebration; he was fond of photography. Anjali was acting funny and Kushi began giggling seeing her antics with Arnav. But soon her giggling changed to full throated laughter and hiccups in between. Anjali looked at her confused.

Anjali: Kushiiiii....what happended to youuu???

Kushi (giggling): What happened to me?

Anjali: Lagtha haiii...You had bhang!

Kushi (shocked): WHAT THE

Anjali looked at her chotte and seeing the smirk on his face she started laughing falling into Viren’s arms again. Viren too couldn’t resist seeing the expression on Kushi’s face. Arnav now walking a bit tipsy got up and hugged his sister.

Arnav: What holi without a little bhang?! Right Dii????

Anjali (laughing and giving him a hi-five): Right chotteeee!!!!!

All of them broke into laughter seeing that Arnav fooled Kushi into drinking bhang. Kushi saw red and walked away from there while they laughed behind her.

Kushi (now away from them and standing beside a stand with drinks): How dare he?! How dare he make me drink bhang?!

Saying that she took a glass from the table and drank; again and again.....

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Song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WtRNGubWGA

[Most of the single shots of Ranbir and Deepika is perfect in this song sequence. The cinematographer has done an excellent job. So I’m mostly depending on the choreography and cinematography of this song; it matches so well with our situation. So imagine this song with Arnav and Kushi’s face, for all the single shots mainly].

Music

People yell Holi hai and throws colour in the air. The colour fumes settle down revealing a completely drunk and fully coloured Kushi playing with laughter and colours.

Itna mazaa kyun aa raha hai

Tune hawa mein bhaang milaya

Think of Kushi singing in complete pleasure and in a drunken stupor just like Deepika

Music

Anjali half surprised and half laughing in her drunken state, without hesitating comes toward Kushi, leaving an open mouthed Viren and Arnav; and sings and dances along with her.

Itna mazaa kyun aa raha hai
Tune hawa mein bhaang milaya

Kushi cups Anjali’s face and asks her had she mixed intoxication in the air

Dugna nasha kyun ho raha hai
Aankhon se meetha tune khilaya

Kushi and Anjali sing together while Viren smiles and keeps clicking his camera. Arnav is seen smirking at his sister and her friend and then he finishes throws the glass of bhang in his hand and throws it away.

Ho teri malmal ki kurti gulabi ho gayi
Manchali chaal kaisa nawaabi ho gayi

Arnav joins the fun and starts dancing.

Toh balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari
Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi
Haan jeans pehan ke jo tune mara thumka
Toh lattu padosan ki bhaabhi ho gayi

He reaches Kushi and Anjali and they start to dance together with thumkas and takatak moves.

Haan balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari
Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi
Haan jeans pehan ke jo tune mara thumka
Toh lattu padosan ki bhaabhi ho gayi

Long shots of the whole group dancing; (as in the song, shots are superb). Closer shots of these three dancing and enjoying; Viren shakes his head laughing seeing his crazy family.

Music

All people are lost in the fun of the moment. Viren was clicking away when Anjali attacked him with a water gun. He is trying hard to save his favourite Nikon from his drunken wife. Kushi and Arnav laugh seeing them. But suddenly Arnav feels splatter of colour liquid on him and turns to see Kushi with a wide grin on face and a water gun in hand. He snatches it out of her and the tables get turned.

Teri kalaayi hai haathon mein aayi hai..
Maine maroda toh lagti malaayi hai

He held her hand and twisted it behind her back and held her close flirting through the lyrics

Mehenga pade ga yeh chaska malaayi ka
Upwaas karne mein teri bhalaayi hai

Kushi got out of his hold and flirted back through the lyrics pushing him back and acting along

Music

Same shots as in the song

Ho bindiya teri maahtaabi ho gayi
Dil ke armaano mein behisaabi ho gayi

He takes the colour and puts a bindi on her forehead and sings rounding her and then turning her in his arms. He tries to hug her and she pushes him laughing.

Toh balam pichkaari jo tune mujhe maari
Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi
Haan jeans pehan ke Jo tune maara thumka
Toh lattu padosan ki bhaabhi ho gayi..(2)

Same shots as in the song – shot angles and choreography same as in the song. Kushi walks ahead while Arnav follows her dancing behind her and then they dance together.

Music

All of them jump into the water. Arnav swims through it and reaches Anjali. He saw Kushi was not with Anjali and turned to locate her. He saw Kushi dancing with water.

Arnav: Oh my God! I was not wrong in calling her sexy!!!

Anjali laughed and punched his hand. Kushi is dancing with full passion and enjoying herself.

Hey kyun no vaccancy ki hothon pe gaali hai
Jabke tera dil ka kamra toh khali hai

(Kamra toh khali hai] Mujhko pata hai re kya chahta hai tu
Boli bajan teri neeyat kawaali hai

Arnav reaches near Kushi and sings and dances with her. He is almost flirting with her and Kushi plays along. She lures him towards her with fancy words and towards the last line she dumps him in the water and moves out of it.

Zulmi yeh hazir jawaabi ho gayi
Tu toh har taaley ki aaj chaabi ho gayi

He comes out of the water and they dance together under the hot sun.

Toh balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari
Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi
Haan jeans pehan ke jo tune mara thumka
Toh lattu padosan ki bhaabhi ho gayi

They face each other and hit their head with each other before running forward to the stands on their sides where colours are kept. They start spreading it in the air and finally onto themselves. When done they start dancing again with full energy, covered in the colours completely.

Balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari
Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi
Haan jeans pehan ke jo tune mara thumka
Toh lattu padosan ki bhaabhi ho gayi

He lifts Kushi in his arms and twirls around singing while others cheer around him. They laugh while he keeps twirling her.

Haan bole re zamana kharaabi ho gayi
Haan bole re zamana kharzabi ho gayi

All are rejoicing and having fun. We have long and close up shots of everyone enjoying the holi. Anjali seem to have lost energy and is walking towards Viren who has finished with his camera and waiting for her. Arnav and Kushi continue dancing with abandon till the end of the party. But at last they stop and look at each other like in the song Ranbir and Deepika does. This is one of the most memorable days of their life.

                                                   ************

Arnav and Kushi were now sitting on the grass; in Anjali’s garden. They were back home. Since Kushi and Arnav were very much under the influence of bhang, Viren brought them home too and made sure all had the remedy to relieve the hangover. He then took Anjali upstairs who was very tired and sleepy. So that left Arnav and Kushi who were now out of the hangover.

Kushi was indeed angry and embarrassed when she came to her senses. But then Viren showed her some photos he had taken that day during the celebrations. Kushi was amazed seeing her photos. She looked so happy and carefree, like there was no worry in her life, as if she was a free bird. She was adorned in so many colours thoroughly, as if her life was filled with different colours. There were some snaps where she was throttling Arnav’s neck or doing booty dance with Anjali or doing sexy thumpkas with Lavanya. She could see that she indeed had a good time. She felt happy; this is the first time she is having so much fun on holi. She was smiling lost in thoughts.

Arnav: Why do you pretend to be someone else always?

Kushi: What?

Arnav: You know what I mean. You never tasted bhang before but you wanted to have it. But you kept resisting pretending that you did not want it. Why so?

Kushi (taking a deep breath and eyeing the dark sky above them): I always wanted to have bhang, but like I said it was restricted in our family celebrations. When I came here, during holi initially I wanted to have bhang. But then...when I thought about my family... (Looking at him)...I felt like I’m cheating them. I mean...they let me come here, so far from home because they trusted me. I didn’t want to break their trust... (with an innocent look in her eyes)....I feel guilty now.

Arnav (smiling): Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault. You were tricked into it. Hereafter I won’t do it. So take that guilt off your mind and relax.

Kushi smiled hesitantly and both sat in silence for a few seconds.

Kushi (her eyes looking confused): Why is it that some things which we want to do so much seem wrong in our family’s eyes? Are we wrong in having such wishes or is it our family that is wrong because they can’t look out of the box?

Arnav (rubbing the back of his neck): It depends. First of all I don’t understand these notions of ‘right ‘and ‘wrong’. They are relative. See to answer your question, when you want to do something that your heart desires, its ‘right’ for you but maybe your family members might have a different choice and that will be their ‘right’; so who is actually right and wrong? I don’t think anyone can answer that. Everyone have their own ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ if you want to compartmentalize into these two terms.

Kushi (nodding thoughtfully): So you mean to say that there is no real ‘right’ and ‘wrong’; it is just differences of opinion.

Arnav: What I mean to say is yes, there are no ‘real’ right and wrong. It is all in our heart. When you heart is happy when you take some decisions, then that is ‘right ‘and when your heart feels heavy or guilty despite your decision being logical or proven right, then it is actually ‘wrong’. My point is one should simply listen to our heart. Our heart is the best guide for our life. Don’t do things that you regret and don’t let your heart regret that you didn’t do some things; just follow the silent murmurs of your heart and live life.

Kushi nodded.

Arnav: Is your heart regretting this day of your life?

Kushi: No

Arnav: Then think karna chod dho.

Kushi (grinning): Actually I always wanted to get drunk and see what happens.

Arnav: Really? What I know is Kushi Singh Raichand is allergic to drinks!

Kushi: mm...She is; Kushi Singh Raichand is diabetic to all good things in life. But ‘real Kushi’....loves mixed spices in life.

She winked at him.

Arnav (whistling): ohooo....so Kushi Singh Raichand is a mock tail but ‘the real Kushi’is a cocktail!!

Kushi laughed at that, while Arnav stared at her laughing face with strange expressions in his eyes. He could hear some strange sound from within...dhak..dhak...dhak..dhak...