ANAM CARA || A MaNan Fanfiction

• Manik Malhotra •

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What had looked like a storm in making, finally ceased giving a magnificent view of the dawny Mumbai sky. Admiring the beauty of the fading purple, Manik stood in the empty lawns of the film city. His light blue tee went just too well with the now lightening sky while his whole look with a pair of slippers gracing his feet, he could easily be taken as a normal worker rather a superstar.

With the shooting slot being a bygone due to the intermittent showers, Manik was just waiting for his manager, Maddy to come back with some good news.

From the place where he was standing, he could see Maddy and the director along with the producer and the writer be in a fierce argument. Manik shook his head in utter dismay. He thought this was going to be an easy settlement for what they were up to was nothing but senseless patriarchy.

The disagreement was simple. Manik at no cost, will go against his morals and principles and what they wanted him to do was exactly that.

Maddy, after having a hefty argument with the makers came back to Manik, shaking his head, "They did not agree. They are saying that the female lead has no problem then why are we objecting".

The bizarreness of the statement reflected on both Maddy and Manik's face. "These morons", Manik snarled but it was soon replaced with a relief. The actress who was supposed to star beside him was one of the A listed actress. Manik had this hope that if he talks to her even she will voice her displeasure to the makers. He conveyed the same to Maddy who in turn questioned, "Sir are you sure she would have problem in doing this?".

The 'duh' face that Manik gave him made him shut up quickly. "Look Maddy if we don't even ask then how will we get to know?", Manik's policy were simple. Don't sit and think about the consequences. Get up, do it and then face the consequences. He lived by these, and Maddy knew it too. It was because of this that Maddy quietly followed him to the vanity of the actress.

Urvashi, was one of the most sought after actresses in the B-Town. Though she was almost ten years older to Manik, nearing her forties, she wanted to work with younger actors as her male counterparts. Most actors had problem with it but remained mum seeing her popularity. Backing out on a project which had her name attached to it was the biggest idiocy one could do. After Manik, it was she who had the most loyal fan base which made sure you're not emerging unscathed after refusing her. Embarrassment and Trolls would surely follow that person.

Manik entered Urvashi's vanity after her manager invited him inside. The way Manik shuffled before settling on the farthest corner of the sofa told how uncomfortable he was. His eyes wandered to the closed door, longing for Maddy to come inside who was stopped outside by the same manager. Not to forget, those weird looks that he had passed to Manik.

"You wanted to speak to me Manik?", asked Urvashi who was comfortably seated on the make chair, removing her make up with a wipe. The white tissue that had turned to the colour of her complexion, exactly told how many tons of make up she actually had on her face. That sight made Manik cringe internally.