Sapno Ka Shaher

35. Small Accomplishments

There must be at least twenty people in the room Sameer was sitting in. It was the set of a living room of a house. When he counted, he found that fifteen of them were the crew members, some of them were camera technicians, some lightmen, some assistant directors, some hair and makeup artists, spot boys and others. And then there was one director, one cinematographer and two other artists.

Instructions were given constantly to some or the other person. All the big equipment was being arranged and settled, while the director and the cinematographer were discussing the camera angles. He had a script in his hand, which he had learnt by now. He was given a make-up room that was shared by three other artists. He hadn't seen any of them on the television, so he figured they too must be newcomers just like him. They preferred to stay in the room till the call time but Sameer chose to be on the set after his lines were done.

After all, it was his first day of the shoot of a tv serial and he was supremely excited.

In the morning, he stood in front of the wall fixed mirror after bathing, drying his wet hair with the towel. He had resumed his jogging and exercise a few days back and he had seen that happiness reflecting on Naina's face.

He threw the towel on the table and saw Naina approaching towards him. Had it been any other day, Naina would have surely scolded him for the act, but today he was getting a royal treatment from her. She stood behind him and wrapping her arms around his flat stomach, she kissed his shoulder blades. He saw a mixt of joy and a slight disappointment on her face through the mirror, and he knew the reason behind it.

He smiled at her, "ready Madam?"

"Nahi," a cute reply came from Naina, followed by tightening her hold on him.

He tittered at her cuteness, "kyu? Office nahi jaana?"

"Nahiii..." She pouted. "Yeh kya tareeka hai matlab... aaj tumhare shoot ka pehla din hai, aur ghar se bahar pehle mai jaa rahi hu... yeh kaunsa 2 baje ka call time hota hai?"

Sameer laughed again, "Arey, bataya toh tha tumhe shifts ke baare me... Ek subah 7 se 2 baje tak hoti hai aur dusri 2 se 9 baje tak..."

Naina only twisted her mouth and Sameer turned to her. He had seen her all excited and jumping in joy and humming songs gleefully since he had broken the news of his selection. Her chirpy mood itself had worked as a fuel for him that vanished most of the gloom on his face. But when he revealed his call time, her excitement had dropped slightly given that she wouldn't witness him leave for the shoot, to feed him dahi-cheeni right before he left and to give him the loving kiss as per his demand.

He pulled her to himself by grabbing her waist. "Ab muskuraogi bhi nahi?"

Naina chuckled and dropped her fake anger, "aise kaise nahi muskuraungi? Aaj toh bahot khush hu mai... all the best hero..." She kissed his cheeks one by one.

Sameer returned the smile to her but then pursed his lips and turned his gaze down. He snorted, "Kaha film ka hero banne ke sapne dekhe the humne Naina... phir serial ka hero... aur aaj ek chhotasa role kar raha hu mai..."

Naina sighed, "Sameer, aaj chhota role karne se tum aage jakar hero nahi ban paoge, yeh kaha likha hai? Tum bass iss mauke ka poora fayda uthao..."

"Faayda? Matlab?"

"Sameer, hum aisa maankar chalte hai ki acting class me tumne jo sikha woh sirf tayyari thi... ek tarah se demo tha woh.. Lekin aaj waha tumhe practically sab dekhne ko milega... toh chaaro taraf se jo bhi aayega, saara knowledge bator lo... kisi bhi prakar ka gyaan nuksaan-karak thodi na hota hai..."