"Damn damn damn its so hectic" Sonakshi pressed the back of her neck which was paining now
"Happy Grand Finale" Jatin said and clicked a group selfie of all the finalists.
The finalists were waiting for their turn to be called on stage for knowing who are the Top 3.
"Rush now all 4 of you" A spot boy told them
The atmosphere was tensed. They stood there with baited breaths, hand in hand waiting for the results.
"The first contestant to make it to the top 3 is..."Karan began announcing the names "... Jeevika Chaudhary"
Party poppers blew on the stage as she welcomed the result
"The next is my personal favourite Sonakshi Bose" Nachiket said and Sona joined her hands in gratitude. She thanked god and her fans.
"Last but not the least ... Jatin Roy" The anchors chimed in unison
Tanvi hugged them, accepted the results graciously and joined the rest of the contestants.
Pahar ki choti par sab akele khade hote hai
"India be ready we are one act away from knowing who the finalist is" Nachiket said and the remaining 3 contestants rushed inside to change into their costumes for the final performance of season 1.
(Jatin:)
Meri rooh ka parinda phadphadaaye
Lekin sukoon ka jazeera mil na paaye
Ve ki karan ve ki karan
Ik baar ko tajalli toh dikha de
Jhoothi sahi magar tasalli toh dila de
Ve ki karan ve ki karan
Ranjhan de yaar Bulleya
Sun le pukaar Bulleya
Tu hi toh yaar Bulleya
Murshid mera, Murshid mera
Tera mukaam kamle
Sarhad ke paar Bulleya
Parvardigar Bulleya
Hafiz tera Murshid mera
Ranjhan de yaar Bulleya
Sunle pukaar Bulleya
Tu hi toh yaar Bulleya
Murshid mera Murshid mera
Tera mukaam kamle
Sarhad ke paar Bulleya
Parvardigar Bulleya
Hafiz tera Murshid mera..
(Jeevika:)
Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar
Ki teri saanse chalti jidhar
Rahungi bas wahi umrr bhar
Rahungi bas wahi umrr bhar haaye
Jitni haseen ye mulakatein hai
Unse bhi pyari teri baatein hai
Baaton mein teri jo kho jaate hai
Aaun na hosh mein main kabhi
Baahon mein hai teri zindagi haaye
Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar
Sonakshi was in a dilemma. She could see her family, her father in particular cheering for her. Jennifer's hopes were pinned on her but then Dev, he was more important to her than any victory and she wanted to clear things with him. She wanted to bring the bumpy ride of their relation to a final destination. So ditching the plan she told the trained musicians to not play anything because she sat on a rotating stool in the middle of the stage and played a violin, an instrument new to her but dear to Dev. She had learned to play it in a short time but she wasn't confident with it. Still she held the violin and hoped that her notes would call out to him and tell him that he could trust her. Go #No_filter in front of her.
Yaara…
Manzilein ruswa hain
Khoya hai raasta
Aaye le jaaye
Itni si ilteja
Ye meri zamaanat hai
Tu meri amaanat hai aa…
Mujhko iraade de
Kasamein de, waade de
Meri duaaon ke ishaaron ko sahaare de
Dil ko thikaane de naye bahaane de
Khabon ki barishon ko mausam ke paimane de
Apne karam ki kar adaayein
Kar de idhar bhi tu nigaahein
Sun raha hai naa tu
Ro rahi hun main
Sun raha hai naa tu
Kyun ro raha hun main (x2)
Yaara…
Waqt bhi thehara hai
Kaise kyun ye huaa
Kaash tu aise aaye
Jaise koi duaa
Tu rooh ki raahat hai
Tu meri ibaadat hai
Apne karam ki kar adaayein
Kar de idhar bhi tu nigaahein
Sun raha hai naa tu
Ro rahi hun main
Sun raha hai naa tu
Kyun ro raha hun main (x2)
She opened her eyes after the song when she heard another violin nearby. She turned around. Neha was playing the instrument behind her. Dry ice floated on the stage when Dev came and sat in front of Sonakshi. Both his knees on the floor
Tujhe yaad kar liya hai
Tujhe yaad kar liya hai
Aayat ki tarah
Kaayam tu ho gayi hai
Kaayam tu ho gayi hai
Rivayat ki tarah
Tujhe yaad kar liya hai
Marne talak rahegi
Marne talak rahegi
Tu aadat ki tarah
Tujhe yaad kar liya hai
O tujhe yaad kar liya hai
Aayat ki tarah
Ye teri aur meri
Mohabbat hayat hai
Har lamha isme jeena
Muqaddar ki baat hai
Kehti hai ishq duniya jise
Kehti hai ishq duniya jise
Meri jaan-e-mann
Iss ek lafz mein hi chhupi qaaynaat hai..
Mere dil ki raahaton ka tu
Zariya ban gayi hai
Teri ishq ki mere dil mein
Kayi Eid mann gayi hai
Tera zikr ho raha hai
Tera zikr ho raha hai
Ibaadat ki tarah
Tujhe yaad kar liya hai
O tujhe yaad kar liya hai
Aayat ki tarah
Hmm…
"I'm sorry and I love you" Dev said and Sona could only hug him between her tears. She could not speak anything because of the lump in her throat.
After the dargah incident Dev had met Neha and asked for forgiveness and asked one more chance to prove his worth. He swore he would never escape like he did earlier. He will, they will, face all storms together. He had another plan. He had swore to donate 10% of his earnings to worthy organisations that worked for acid attack victims. Neha eventually gave in. After all her anger was against the fact that her brother was not with her but now she was getting her family back. Why would she not accept his apology?
Dev was holding Sona in his arms. An arm of his was around her waist while their foreheads were still pressed against each other.
"My mom and dad are still in the crowd" Sonakshi said in a low tone and Dev left her instantly.
DevAkshi shippers were the happiest group of people on this planet!
"Now that was grand!!!" Karan came along with Nachiket.
"I would request the other 3 judges to please come up on the stage as we declare the results."
Sonakshi looked in her quarter. Her father was holding placards for her. He was shouting for her, as promised. The battle was won already. She was a better version of herself by the end of this journey.
"Whom do you think is the winner?" Mouni asked
There were mixed voices from everywhere, every quarter,every zone.
Sona in particular was looking into her quarter. Her father was screaming her name beyond the capacity of his lungs. Sourabh Da, Ele, Dadi and Asha were cheering for her too. The man holding her hand increased his grip. Dev was equally nervous but he looked at her and smiled. Neha who was still on the stage rubbed Sona's back to make her feel that she was there with her too.
Sonakshi never wanted to win. She just wanted to feel worthy. Her esteem was at an all time low when she gave her auditions and now she had gained so much from the show. Bijoy was proud of her, her family had supported her through thick and thin and the man standing next to her holding her hand was her actual trophy. She was content. She couldn't believe her luck. She was nothing but thankful to who ever was sitting up there writing her fate.
Mouni took the result card in her hand and read it she passed a sly smile.
"Ok ... So the second runner up is...."
Everyone present in the stadium bit their nails. Verma Sir's hand for the first time was not rotating on his belly but it was inside his mouth as he chewed his own nails.
"The second runner up is Jeevika Chaudhary... You get a cash prize of Rs. 10,00,000." Mouni announced.
Jeevika was given a big card board cut of the cheque with which she posed along with her small runner up trophy.
"The favourite Guru is..." Nachiket said. Now this award was an unnecessarily added feature by Mouni.
"Mohit Sir" Nachiket completed and who else could it be if the award was an added addition by Mouni
"And now India hold your heart beats because it is time to declare the winner" Mouni said. "I would request Lata tai to please do the honours for us"
Lata Mangeshkar was helped to climb the stage by some of the crew members.
"Haa toh bhaiyon aur beheno the winner is.." She said
Jatin and Sonakshi looked at each other. Jatin desperately wanted to win this one. Mouni had been unfair with him throughout. He wanted to show her how wrong she was. He too wanted to make it big in the industry and a win would be his first step
"The winner is ... Jatin Roy" Lata tai said without much fuss.
Jatin was down on his knees and he bowed down his head to the stage, to the viewers and also to the one who wrote his fate.
Dev side hugged Sonakshi thinking that she would be sad but no she was jumping and chirping as if she had won.
Jatin got up and hugged Sona. A tight bear hug. Among all the little blessings Sona had collected through this journey. She counted her friends specially Jatin and Tanvi as the most precious things recieved.
Sonakshi's fans were a little disappointed but then everyone has had their musical journey we saw ISS through the eyes of DevAkshi only that doesn't mean that the rest were less deserving.
The fire works again shot up as celebration mode was still on. The ex contestants came to congratulate Jatin.
"The 1st runner up will get a cash prize of Rs. 25,00,000" Nachiket said and Sona was presented her cheque along with her trophy.
"And the winner gets a chamchamati Datsun Ready Go! Along with a cash prize of Rs 50,00,000" Nachiket announced and Jatin's hands were full with the cheque and the trophy so he handed over the cardboard car keys to Barun to take care of and Barun started moving out with them.
"E chor ruk" Jatin stopped him and Barun came back laughing.
"I am the winning judge by the way" Mouni reminded everyone and she was congratulated too. As everyone stood posing for photographs in Sonakshi's quarters Bijoy was really upset.
"Our daughter made it to the finals. She is second among lakhs of people who auditioned. She came back and performed better than ever. Be proud of her" Asha told Bijoy
"I am proud of her" Bijoy made it clear.
Ele's phone rang and she picked it up.
Hello?Hello kaun?
Hello maidum
Babli
Jii maidum
Do you want to talk to Maa?
Na Baba ... I ... I love you
Elena was shocked
Tor ... Tor matha khorap hoye geche!
Bunty out of his nervousness spoke like Babli and till date he has not understood why his proposal was turned down so rudely.
Deva!! Deva!!
_____________________________________
"Yaha ho tum aur maine tumhe kaha kaha nahi dhundha" Dev said
Sonakshi had come to visit the beach which was behind their hotel. Dev was looking for her everywhere and finally he found her.
"Sit na" She ordered him
"On this sand?" He asked confused
"Nahi wait keep standing I'll build a road for you first to sit" She said
"Hasi nahi aayi" He remarked "You know I saw you with your dad and I was instantly reminded of the film daaku ki beti"
"Get lost" Sonakshi looked in the opposite direction. Dev sat beside her and took her hand in his. He drew circles over it with his thumb. She felt ticklish but still continued to look the other way. The twilight had illuminated the night. There was just enough light for the two to see each other's faces. The lights set up by the hotel management ended from where the sand began.
Sonakshi rested her head on his shoulder while he kept caressing her hair gently. The wind blew their hair and the sea seemed quiet and at ease enough.
"Ye raatein ye mausam nadi ka kinara ye chanchal hawa" Dev sang
"I have sung so much that I will not sing for the rest 1 week. I am tired" Sonakshi said and locked her fingers with Dev's
"Is there something you want to confess?" Sonakshi asked with her head still on his shoulder.
"I Love You" He said
"That I know. Tell me tell me tell me something I don't know something I don't know" She sang
"Now who's singing?" Dev asked her.
"I am. Do you have any problem with that?" She asked in a baby voice
"You know Sona. Since the time I saw you on marine drive that day I knew you were the one" Dev began confessing
"Keno? Tum jyotish ho?" Sona asked and then laughed at her own joke. She lifted her head and continued laughing.
"Let me finish." He kept his finger on her lips. Her lips quivered due to the sudden touch. "I thought that you were the perfect girl for me I thought that I should show only my qualities to you but the plastic peeled off and my not so admirable side came out in the open" Dev breathed a long one
"I read this somewhere" Sona began "That in a relationship you need to give space to your partners to protect their individualities but if you see your partner dying a million deaths each second stick around till he feels better. We need to accept each other the way we are. Its normal to have flaws, to commit sins but then we need to move on. Its easier to remove your clothes than remove the layers burdening your personality. Being the way we are, accepting each others flaws is what they call #No_filter"
"Who wrote this?" He asked
"My sister,Elena Bose" Sonakshi replied with pride
"She's a genius" Dev complimented her naturally.
"So, Mr Helmet Hero, Will you become #No_filter with me?" Sonakshi asked
"Is that even a proposal?" Dev laughed
"Say yes or no" She widened her eyes
"I'll try my level best."He said and looked at the vast sea stretched before them. He felt a strong past life connect with Goa.
"When you'll come after me proposing for marriage I'll also reply in this manner... I'll try my level best" She imitated him
Dev laughed at her facial expression when she mimiced.
"Total Obhodro you are ... Tumi eakdom impossible" And Sonakshi showered him with slaps on his back. Dev ran away and she ran behind him. The waves splashed their feets while they had their chor-police game.
Sona was still after him when he turned around and picked her up in his arms and twirled her around. She screamed like a baby. On much insistence and a promise of not beating him further Dev put her down on her feet.
They walked a little deeper inside in the sea.
There was absolute silence in the cool night. The only thing that could be heard was the sea waves and Sona could hear Dev's heart beat as she snuggled close to him. Her head on his chest, his arms protectively covered her,what else could they ask for. Sonakshi fitted into his body just like piece of jigsaw puzzle would do.
Till death do they part!