Precap: Suman takes Shravan at the hospital to encourage him by showing the spirit of the injured soldiers.
Morning
Suman and dadu is doing there morning walk. Suddenly Shravan greets them from a side and pass them. He turns at Suman for once before moving ahead. Both of them smiles at each other. Dadu snorts.
Dadu: Show off.
After morning walk, Suman and Shravan both come face to face at the sports club. They stretch and warms up. Both of them gives each other attitude look and takes places in the badminton court opposite each other. They start their game. At the start Shravan keeps losing. Suman encourages him to keep going. They keeps on with their practice everyday. One day Shravan after losing, angrily leaves his racket and leaves from the sport club. Suman gets worried for him. She comes at Malhotra house. Shravan is sitting in his bed angrily. Suman enters his room after knocking. Shravan doesn’t look at her.
Shravan: Why are you here Sumo? Just give up on me already. I can’t do anything alright. If I try in the sports festival I will make everyone lose because of me. I’m just so pathetic.
Suman comes and stands in front of him. He looks down.
Suman: Enough, you can’t say anything bad about my buddy.
Shravan still looks down at the ground.
Suman: Shravan, look at me. You don’t have any problems in your legs. This is about something else. What is keeping you down?
Shravan slowly looks up at her. Suman bends and comes face to face to him.
Suman: What’s wrong Shravan? Won’t you tell me?
Suman turns and looks at Shravan’s trophies. Shravan too looks at that way.
Suman: Where is that Shravan? Who won those prizes? The one you proudly boasted to me about?
Shravan speaks in a broken voice.
Shravan: He got lost.
Shravan stands up and goes to the shelf, he takes a trophy in his hands.
Shravan: He doesn’t exist anymore. He got lost in parents expectations, in crowd of text book studies.
Shravan slowly caresses the trophy and the others in the shelf and smiles. He keeps talking looking at the trophies.
Shravan: You know Sumo, my dream was not always to go to the USA. There was a time when I just wanted to play. When I was in fifth grade I saw everyone playing badminton in the winter, no one wanted to play anything else with me. So I went to mom and kept bugging her until she bought me a racket. It took me some time to get the hang of it but once I got used to the game no one could defeat me. I started playing in tournaments, wining trophies, everyone was praising me. Mom and Dad was proud of me. It feels like a dream now, a good dream. I know it’s nothing like you guys plans of joining the army to serve the country but I had dreamt of becoming a professional player and be my country’s pride, playing international matches, wining golds.
Suman: Then what happened?
Both of them are now talking in Shravan’s balcony, sitting on the railing. Shravan’s laughs sarcastically hearing Suman’s question.
Shravan: What happened, junior level national competition and school exam got scheduled around the same time that’s what happened. Papa said, “Right now is the time to study, you can play later. And what will happen by playing anyways.” And so I packed all my dreams and throwed it in the trash and sat down in the study table.
Suman: You didn’t play again after exam?
Shravan: Never.
Suman: But why?
Shravan: Cause I realized in my dad’s eyes being a professional player is not an option for future career. I know papa is a bit strick and I am a bit scared of him. But he is kind hearted, he have always given me whatever I wished, never made me feel shorted for anything. So whenever I do something I can do it confidently cause I know I will have my dad’s support. But that day when I realized how he thinks of my great dream, I couldn’t muster up the courage to tell my wish. I guess for me papa’s approval have become very important, he gives it in everything that it has become my source of confidence. When he didn’t said no for one thing, I couldn’t find my confidence anymore to go on. I just let it go like that. And soon thought of a new future plan of going abroad which he approved.
Suman: But you wanted to play so badly.
Shravan: You know Sumo I was actually angry for a few days, even my exam got bad because of it. I was angry at papa for thinking like that, I was angry at mummy for not understanding what I want. I was angry at myself for not mustering up the courage to tell what I want. I was even angry at people’s mentality to always prioritising text book studies over everything. But then I calmed down and accepted the reality. Dad said I should quit badminton, I quit for forever.
Suman: Not for forever. Cause if it was like that then you would not have still kept those trophies before your eyes like that. You still play like crazy.
Shravan: Sumo, if you think by praising me you can make me play then forget it. And accept the fact that I am an idiot who leaves everything in the mid way.
Suman: Never. The Shravan Malhotra I know always goes on till the end. You never let any of your friends give up, I won’t let give up. Today at afternoon, we will play again.
Shravan: Come on Sumo.
Suman: No excuses, we will play in our lawn and you will see you can play again.
Suman smiles, Shravan looks on worriedly.
Tiwari house
In the afternoon everyone from both families and Bunty have gathered outside in the Tiwari house. Suman and Shravan is standing a bit far away, there is a badminton court made for them.
Shravan: Sumo you said we will play one match. What with the audience?
Shravan: Come on, they are just watching. What’s the problem. Shall we start?
Shravan nods. They takes position and starts playing. Shravan makes the first score, except for dadu everyone claps. Suman scores the next point, everyone claps. Suman keeps scoring continuously a few more points. Shravan starts to get depressed again.
Dadu: I can write it down, he will lose miserably to Suman.
Ramesh: Our Suman is one in a million.
Shravan hears their criticism and keeps playing with a dull face.
Devraj: Don’t misunderstand my putter sir. He was champion in all India badminton competition.
Vijay: Yes, Suman had told me so.
Shravan lost another point as he stops hearing Devraj. Dadu laughs.
Devraj: No worry beta keep going on.
Shravan smiles.
Shravan: Yes papa. You keep watching how I change the game.
Shravan serves and this time Shravan scores. Everyone claps (except dadu). Seeing Shravan’s change Suman smiles. They start playing. Both keep scoring, Shravan’s points keep rising but in the end Suman wins the round. They start again. Bunty and Kanchan talks among them.
Kanchan: See, Suman will win.
Bunty: Miss Kanchachina, clearly you have no idea how good of a player my Shravan mia is. Your Suman will disappear in the air and you won’t even realize.
They started quarling among them about who will win. Beena scolds Kanchan and makes them stop. Shravan and Suman both keeps scoring but ultimately Shravan wins both the round, hence he wins the match. Everyone stands up, claps, dadu is upset only. Bunty gets over excited and whistles but Avni slaps him in the head and makes him stop. Suman and Shravan shakes hand.
Shravan: Thanks Sumo, today you reminded me why I started playing badminton in the first place.
Suman: Why?
Shravan: Just for fun. I enjoy playing it. I may still not have my old dreams of becoming a player. But I won’t let go of badminton again, I will treasure it as my favorite hobby.
Devraj: Come on Shravan putter, you have made me happy today.
Both Shravan and Suman smiles and goes towards their dad and hugs them.
Vijay: You played well Suman. I’m proud of you.
Suman: Thanks papa.
Shravan: Papa, did you saw that shot I did.
Devraj: Yes we all did. Next we will have a father son match.
Kanchan: How about both the father teaming up with their kids? I mean bade papa and Suman in one team and uncle and Shravan in one team.
Devraj: This sounds good too. We should do it sometime.
Vijay: Shravan, congratulations. You played good.
Shravan: Thank you uncle.
Vijay: I remember our challenge. You have defeated Suman, I will grant any one wish you make.
Devraj: Shravan, you did a challenge with Cornell?
Shravan: Papa, I was just…
Vijay: Don’t sweat it Devraj. So Shravan what do you wish.
Dadu: You should ask for advice, it will help your life.
Devraj: He is saying the truth Shravan.
Kanchan: No dadu, bade papa can give advice on free. Shravan you should ask bade papa to make you some special dish. He always makes the great dish.
Kavita: For real, bhai sab. Then even we would like to taste.
Devraj: Of course.
Bunty pulls Shravan and whispers in his ears.
Bunty: This is your chance Mia, ask for permission to make Suman your girlfriend. Ask for her hand, ask it ask it.
Shravan: Shhh.
Vijay: All that is fine, but the one to decide should be Shravan. Shravan have you decided? You can take your time, you don’t have to say anything right now.
Shravan: No uncle I have decided what I wish.
Shravan looks at Suman, she is looking at him curiously.
Vijay: Really, what is it?
Shravan: I want you to coach me in badminton, for the upcoming sports festival in our school.
Vijay looks at Shravan with a impressed look.
Shravan: That day when I played with you at the cantonment I had realized then that you play really well. And since the last few days when I played with Suman, I realized you teach very well too. That’s why Suman plays well too. Will you teach me too uncle?
Vijay smiles.
Vijay: Why not. After all I promised you.
Shravan exclaims in joy. Everyone laughs. Then they started chatting among each other.
Bunty: Mia you had so good chance to ask for Suman’s hand, why didn’t you do it?
Shravan keeps his hand over Bunty’s shoulder and start pressuring.
Shravan: Really, and after that when my papa, that daddu and Sumo herself will try to kill me right there, would you have save me?
Bunty: Fine fine, I understand, let me go.
Shravan lets him go. Bunty stretches to check if his shoulder is fine.
Shravan looks at Suman, Suman was talking to Kanchan. She too looks at him. Both their eyes meet. Suman smiles at him. Shravan smiles back and leans on Bunty. For suddenly leaning on him Bunty couldn’t handle the weight and almost falls losing balance. Seeing that Kanchan and Suman laughs, Shravan beats Bunty.
From next day Shravan starts taking training from Vijay, Suman stays his partner all the time. He plays with his friends the different games too at the school and watches over others practices. Finally the time came for the sports festival.
Next: Sport festival starts.
1 Comment
Nice update