"I don't think we will meet, ever! You are just messing around." He texted, frustration evident from his text.
"I swear on my camera. This assignment came up last minute! I am so desperate to see you!
SERIOUSYL!." Proofreading wasn't her thing.
"Yo...
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"People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth when you can show yourself to them when you stand in front of them bare, and their response is 'You're safe with me' - that's intimacy." I again had to put the book down and take a deep breath while staring at the wall.
That was my third round of reading 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo'. I could easily claim that I knew the book by heart. But this line, this fucking line made me pause, always.
Telling somebody your truth and anticipating them to comprehend!? That's not easy. Not even in theory!
I wasn't looking for a serious, romantic relationship. I just started my career. I don't want anyone hindering that. Although whenever I look at my friend slash flatmate enjoying herself with the love of her life, I crave an understanding and love like that.
"Kshati, we are ready with the setup. Let's shoot?" The director called out.
"Five minutes!" I put the bookmark on the page, closed the book, and kept it in my bag carefully.
I walked behind my camera, the non-living love of my life. I read the scene again from the script while the director instructed everyone else.
"Sir! I have an idea. May I?" My voice literally echoed through the set. I managed to get all eyes on me. The assistant director was about to call 'action'- the clap was less than an inch away from the rest of the board when I interrupted.
"Kshati, how many times do I have to tell you to talk like a girl? Please try to be soft and quiet!" My aunt's word visited me. Her eyes used to be wide open while glaring at me. The seven-year-old me was scared of that stare, but now, the twenty-seven years old me would roll my eyes at her.
"Sorry!" I apologized.
"Idea?" The director asked. He was clearly annoyed.
"Instead of Mayak proposing to her on the terrace as a climax, I think it would be more appropriate if we show them doing something mundane and casual. Something like, uh, them dancing in their living room with the instrumental melody playing in the background." I saw everyone giving me disapproving looks. I glanced at the writer. She was throwing daggers at me through her gaze.
"I mean, we have shown the little things about this couple throughout the film, so why do we need to show the epic proposal now? It will harm their character arc." I cleared my throat as I backed my opinion. I know this was a huge change, but an extravagant proposal for the couple that celebrated the little, regular things of the relationship didn't fit well. The makers wanted to play safe with the climax by making it gigantic, but the real essence is in the regularity and basics, especially for this story.
"We can take the window shot, color palette of the sunset or moon rising and their shadows dancing while the credits roll out!" I tried to create an image in everyone's mind. Some of them seemed convinced, and some of them simply failed to visualize. But the director seemed impressed.
