Junoon | Obsession

13

It was a lovely, quiet Saturday morning, when suddenly the sound of music filled the air. The Malik household members all looked at each other with confusion, before stepping out to see what all the ruckus was about. Peering down below from the balcony, they found one of their neighbors dancing to the music, in absolute joy!

"Mr. Bhalla, you seem very overjoyed," another neighbor said, going up to the dancing man.

"That I am Gupta Saab, that I am! My daughter Rinki is getting married!"

Everyone was filled with joy by the news. All the families that lived within their colony were close to each other. So, if a member of a family was getting married, then it was as if a member of their own family was getting married. Madhubala and Trishna knew Rinki very well, having grown up together. She was about the same age as Trishna, but unlike Trishna, Rinki was quite satisfied as a junior artist. Whether she ever made it big time or not, it didn't really matter to her. She had simply followed in her late mother's footsteps, being a junior artist just like her so that in some ways her mother lived on in her craft.

The entire colony went up in swing, preparing for the marriage. Madhu and Trishna learned that Rinki's future husband was in fact her boyfriend of three years, who worked as a technician on film sets. Both Malik sisters were very happy for their friend, and they wanted her receptions to be a blast! The engagement had already been done when her father and her fiancée's family had finalized the wedding, so there would only be a small haldi event for each the groom and bride to be, the bride also having her mehndi event after her haldi. And then the wedding would be taking place the following day. The groom's haldi took place on Thursday, the entirety of the colony's people showing up for it. Rinki's haldi took place the following day, and Madhu, Trishna, as well as some of the other girls that lived in their chawl, planned a special surprise. With the help of some choreographers that live in their colony, they came up with a dance performance, surprising the dulhan to be. They planned to dance to some of her favorite songs, especially her most favorite, Nagada Sang Dhol.

While the celebrations went on at the colony, not far away at the studio, was none other than RK the Superstar himself. He had been meeting with another director about a film offer, but much to the director's dismay, RK just wasn't interested in his action film. In fact, he got up and walked out, Bittuji following him out as well, and the poor director chased after them.

"Please RK, it would mean so much if you would agree," the director pleaded.

"See Bittuji, this is why I don't like working with newcomer directors," RK said, as he glanced at his phone.

"Chief, his first film did so well," Bittuji said. "So, I thought-"

"Looks like he used all of his talent on that one film and it's a one hit wonder for this guy."

"Looks like it chief. It would've been such good press if you had helped a director to really make it into the industry, but I guess I hoped for too much," he sighed.

"And wasted my time..."

RK stopped, as did the others. He turned around, facing the pathetic director who looked terrified.

"...and you know how I feel about my time wasted," he said in a low voice.

"R-RK Sir, I-I'll come up with a better st-story," the director stuttered. "I-"

"Bittuji get this pathetic creature out of my sight! Never show me his sad face again."

RK turned back around to head to his car, ignoring the cries of the poor director, whom Bittuji was trying to handle. 

"RK!"

RK looked up to see Khanna Saab walking towards him.

"How are you RK?"