PaNi – a story we wish were true – Part 65

Recap: Niti expresses her love to Parth but then regrets later. She starts feeling uncomfortable doing the scenes and therefore decides to quit the show.

Niti was sitting on a chair going through her script for the next scene when she overhead a conversation. Someone from the crew walked up to Parth and asked, “Hey Parth is it true ? Are you really quitting the show ? Why man ?”

Niti was left bewildered at the sudden shocking news. She could not believe her ears and therefore in order to cross check, she turned around to check whether it was actually Parth talking to that person about the matter. And it was him, Parth was actually quitting. Something suddenly struck her head and she rushed to the vanity. She pushed open the door and spoke up,

Niti: (angrily) Veebha !

Veebha who was sitting on a chair in front of the mirror touching up her make up suddenly looked up at her and the anger in Niti’s voice and eyes scared her.

Veebha: Hey ! What happened ?

Niti: Why did you tell Parth about my decision to quit the show ?

Veebha: What ? What are you talking about ? Why would I tell Parth any such thing ?

Niti: I know you have done that so stop pretending ! So that’s why you asked me to wait for a day before I talk to the production ?

Veebha: Wait a second ! Firstly I asked you to wait a for day because I wanted to talk to you face to face about it and make you want to change your decision. And secondly, why do you think I discussed this with Parth ?

Niti: He…he…I mean I just heard…that…he…he is quitting the show !

Veebha: What ? What’s wrong with the both of you ? Why are you taking these things so lightly ? Listen Niti I don’t know about him but first I need to talk to you. Please settle down.

They settle on the couch and Veebha continues,

Veebha: Look I know what you’re going through but this is not the way. You want to progress in your career right ? But this is not going to help ! You need to learn to fight such things. See I have an idea for you that would help you stay back on the show as well as perform. It’s not that difficult but you need to try it out with all your heart. I just don’t want you to give up so easily ! See, whatever is the problem that’s stopping you from performing is between you and Parth. So whenever you have to perform, don’t look at him as Parth with whom you have these issues. Look at him as the character Manik Malhotra. I know you might laugh at me that how is it even possible ?! But it is, only if you keep your heart strong enough ! To go with it you might want to go through some of our episodes from the show before you come to shoot so that once he is in front of you you’ll remember the character Manik and not Parth. Can you do that ?

Niti was confused and although she did feel like laughing out at veebha’s idea but when she thought about it and heard her out completely, she could actually relate to it. She knew it was going to be difficult but she did want to try it out. Veebha was right, she needed to fight back and she was going to do that !

Niti: But Veebha what about Parth ? He has already decided to quit !

Veebha: You don’t think about him. I’ll ask Ayaz to talk to him and maybe convince him as well. But you be strong at your end !

A few more days passed and Niti had started taking up Veebha’s advice. It wasn’t really easy but she was trying to cope up. Still, at times it did used to happen that she would just not be able to perform.

Parth’s decision to quit was final. Ayaz was back from his holiday and had tried to talk to him about it but it was all in vain. He had made up his mind and was not ready to listen to anyone. Niti did used to feel uncomfortable at times, doing the scenes with him but him leaving the show was something she did not want. She was herself staying away from him, but him going away farther was unbearable !

He was serving his notice period and just a month was left before he would be gone. And she would not see him again ever ! He would probably take up some film as he had numerous offers for that and then he would not belong to the television industry anymore. He would become the farthest star she could never reach. Such were the nightmares disturbing her as the time of his exit was nearing by. The change in the track was not finalised yet. They were not sure whether to change the actor and keep Manik in the show or maybe just kill his character since the audience might not accept anyone but him. Or maybe they would just have to wind up the show but that would be really unfair to the others. Parth was aware of the difficulties people were going through because of his decision but he was focused on just one person and that was Niti. He knew how difficult it had become for her to perform and he did not want her going through all that mess again and again. He just hoped maybe they could somehow manage to continue the show and Niti would get a platform to prove her talent.

Since Niti was still struggling with the performances, they had to shoot for longer hours to get a perfect shot. There was one such day when they had been shooting till late and since it was a “Manan” scene going on nobody except for Parth and Niti from the cast was present on set. It was just them, the director and a few crew men for the lights and camera.

Finally after so many retakes, the scene got completed. After announcing pack up the director called Niti aside to talk to her. Parth who was passing by, overheard the conversation and hid himself behind a pillar to listen to the whole conversation.

Director: Listen Niti, I don’t know what’s wrong between you and Parth that you’ve suddenly become so difficult with the scenes. And I get it, there must be something really big but honestly you need to get over it. It’s been quite some time now and I wanted to talk to you about it long back but I didn’t because I wanted you to make things right without me pointing it out. So whatever it is with him, please if you could keep it aside during the scenes and…

Niti: (interrupting in between) Sir there’s nothing like that. It’s just that…

Director: (interrupting) I’m not interested ! I don’t wanna know whether there is something or not, if yes, what is it ! I just want you to focus like you used to do before.

Parth feels really helpless at that condition of her. He kind of blames himself for all of it but then also believes he did nothing wrong in expressing his feelings. He was not afraid of revealing how much she meant to him to the entire world, but she was !

Both of them moved to their respective vanities, got changed and left. They stepped out of the vanities placed beside one another at the same time and their eyes met. Niti who was not on her stool and was herself in front of him then, looked up higher to look into his eyes. He too looked down at her with all the love he had in his heart and also the helplessness ! It had been a long tiresome day and both of them just wanted to burst into each others’ arms and stay there trying to let go of all the stress ! The eye contact for the few fraction of seconds brought back all their memories from the day they met at the common friends party and started hating each other till the time they fell in love. Time had flown by quite fast for them. And now they were at a point from where they did know where they wished to go but had no clue how to go about it. Soon, their vision started getting blur because of the tears starting to form in their eyes and they parted ways. They moved towards the car park where their cars had been parked together one beside the other.

Parth got into his car, placed his hands on the steering wheel, closed his eyes tight and bent his head low thinking about the smile from Niti’s face that had vanished because of him. He had wished to broaden that smile further but what happened had stolen it instead. He let out a sigh and spoke up her name “Niti !” in the most helpless tone. Niti who was still sitting in her car beside his, suddenly looked up and into his direction as if she heard him calling her out. She saw his face across her window and his and saw a lone year escape from the corner of his eye. He quickly wiped it off, started the car and drove off. She too gathered herself and started her car to leave. But the car did not start. She kept trying and trying but it won’t get started. Parth who had just reached the main gate, looked back from the rear view mirror wondering as to why had her car not been coming behind. He stopped right at the gate, and went back reverse a bit to find her car still parked at the same place.

Precap: Parth drive Niti home. What conversation would get initiated in the late emotional night ? Would Parth change his decision to quit the show ? Would Niti manage to convince him to stay back or would they end up going farther away ?

****

Sorry friends for the late update. As I said, studies !! I really want to write regularly but I’m just not able to do it ! Hopefully you’re still holding on to the story even though there is this time lag. Please bear with me for a month and then I won’t disappoint you.

Thank you !

Lots of love ❤️

Medhavi

#behappy

#spreadsmiles