Thinking of You

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Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens.

Ashi's POV:

The highways of Mumbai bore very less traffic this evening but the small roads to the inner suburbs were crowded like hell. The shops were getting closed due to the time-limit of 7pm but people were still out. Some with masks, some without... I could see the glitters and hear the booms of fire-crackers. The taste of home-made barfi was lingering on my tongue and lighting on the houses, apartments and the lit diyas were just adding to the cultural vibes.

Diwali was finally here. A festival I always look forward to as I get time to spend with my family, especially Papa and Bhaiya. Even if we get just 1-2 days off from the shoot, that's still refreshing. I was done with the pooja at my home and now I was heading to Siddharth's home for the Diwali party. This was still a bit new to me. Till last year, Diwali for me was to get dressed in good clothes, be excited for the festival, clean up the house with my siblings and have a quality family time. Even if yudkbh was on, it was still the same. I had never gone out to someone's house for a Diwali party kinda thing. This was something I had seen only in the film industry as a kid. But Siddharth was surely giving me this experience.

Siddharth and I bonded really well in these four months and I was glad about it. He was always supportive towards me during the physical stunt sequences and it became easier for me to shoot. He also motivated me to stay fit and that push was really needed for someone like me who doesn't like to go to the gym. We had a good time on the sets, as all of us, I mean Smitaji, Rashool, Siddharth and I, developed good rapport with each other. Or I should say they all developed this good bond with me. After yudkbh, I thought I cannot create new bondings or new professional friends, but I was wronged by all these sweet people.

My birthday was celebrated on the set with enthusiasm. I was always appreciated by Smitaji whenever I delivered a good scene. She's such a sweet person. Rashool is such a fun loving person and he and Siddharth would always keep us entertained. Vikas, Praneet, Gulfamji and Aamir Sir, all were kind to me and supportive too. Things were going really well. The negative comments had gradually lessened too and I had anyways turned a complete blind eye to it. Season 3 commenced in September and I finally got the opportunity to create my own character, my own identity while portraying Kaali Chorni. This was something that belonged to me, that had no references and no comparison points. Viewers were slowly accepting me as Shehzadi Yasmine and they were ready to see me all decked up in a Kaali Chorni getup now, running over the buildings and talking to a parrot. Performing Kaali Chorni was challenging again. This time I had more freestyle stunts than just sword-fighting sequences. I was reluctant to take a body-double for the stunts, but at some points, I had to. And that's why I was working more rigorously on my scenes and my health.

Everything was going so well, until I decided to ruin my hair with a haircut. I just don't understand why I just kept nodding to that person when he was cutting my hair. Kashish too couldn't speak much that time and the result was hideous. I was looking for bangs, but it was just something else. I remember I had cried like a kid after returning home, put an insta story of that salon for ruining my hair, like a childish girl and was upset about it for days. Thankfully, none of my colleagues on the set made fun of my haircut. Sidhharth would tease me sometimes, but even that was within the limits. But what I felt worst about was the fact that just because of that stupid haircut, my make-up and hair time had surged up, which was totally unnecessary.

It was Siddharth's birthday and he had invited me for the party after the celebration on set. The party was held for only a close group amidst the covid resteictions, and I was skeptical whether to attend it or not, as I hardly knew his circle apart from his family. But upon his insistence, and given that Smitaji, Ashnoor and Forum would be there, I decided to go. And it really turned out to be so good for me. It was fun!! Connecting to new people never felt awkward to me. I always look for positive vibes from people, and wherever I get it, I tend to go towards it. And that party was one of those. We all danced together, without thinking who's dancing with whom, we sang songs, we clicked photos. I enjoyed every bit of it.