Celebrity Castaway | COMPLETE | MaNan Fiction

32| Manan Movie

A/N: Hello readers, this is a long, long, chapter alert & I already have goosebumps imagining your reaction to it :D

So, I have penned this chapter sitting in Ahmedabad, where I am visiting for work. This could be a long chapter because 1) I just couldn't shorten all this stuff that's happening 2) Without the kids I had some peaceful time to write :P

Okay, without further ado, please go ahead and read. We will chat in the end of the chapter!

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"How does this look? Fashionable enough?" Nandini murmured, looking at her own reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a shimmery bronze bodycon gown that went onto her ankles. She matched that with bronze stilettos & accessorised herself with a shiny back clutch. Her makeup was minimal and her hair was let loose, with soft curls reaching her shoulder. She was going to go before the press for the first time after the last fiasco. Today was the trailer launch of Dhruv's ongoing film 'Pehla Pehla Pyaar', which was starring Manik & Innaya. The same movie they had snatched from Aryamann, which pushed him to announce Nandini's debut in his movie. This was in many ways, the wheels of destiny motioning towards Nandini's devastation in the future..

"You look adorable Nandini.." Zubin replied, looking at her with warmth & adoration. Nandini smiled, breaking free from her thoughts.

"Mukti. What do you think?" Nandini turned towards her bedroom door, as Mukti walked in, furiously typing something on her phone. She glanced up at Nandini and stopped abruptly, while eyeing her head to toe.

"Zubin is right. You look adorable" Mukti replied.

"Thanks, Mukti." Nandini smiled.

"..but it wasn't a compliment, Nandini." Mukti spoke again as both Nandini & Zubin looked at each other & frowned.

Mukti moved forward and snatched her clutch out of Nandini's grip and motioned for her to take off her shoes, as she spoke. "You see Nandini, this is why actors need a stylist. Their lives depend on us. You think after putting on makeup & clothes for the media every day of their lives, actors don't have a good or a reasonable sense of dressing? Why do you think they still insist on stylists?"

"Why?" Zubin asked bewildered, scratching his head & Nandini looked clueless, while Mukti got onto the business of asking her to get out of her dress and go to the hairdresser in the next room, to rewash her hair and blow dry it.

"..but I am ready, Mukti!" Nandini whined.

Mukti looked at the two of them exasperated. This wasn't going to be an easy job! "Nandini you do look adorable in this get up, but you can't look adorable right now. You are not Manik's trophy wife or love interest anymore. You are not that cute girl who will smile before the papps and it will steal away the hearts of a million Manik fans! If you want the world to see you differently, you have to give them a different Nandini, right? It is showbiz babe, what you see, sells!"

"Meaning?" Nandini asked. She understood what Mukti said, but wasn't sure how her dressing would make a difference.

"Nandini, today when you go before the press, you are not a doting wife or a loving partner of Manik Malhotra. Today you are his adversary; today you are a mystery, the press should wonder what you're doing there, today marks your return in the Page 3 headlines, Nandini. Reporters will ask why you're here, Manik will be uncomfortable, you will be silent with a curiously alluring smile. Today the press will see an enigma in you, Nandini and we need to feed that fire, we need the hustle, we need the PR. It is only when the gossip mills start rolling around you, will the announcement of your acting debut give you the kind of lift that you need. So you see Nandini, you cannot look adorable anymore, my girl..but don't worry, your super stylist Mukti is here, the first official self appointed staff in your entourage, she will take care of the fashion." Mukti finished dramatically, with a bow & Nandini looked dazed.