FOOLS AND GENIUSES | ✓

CHAPTER 44

Kiara at the animal shelter above.

fika

(n.) a moment to slow down and appreciate the good things in life

The Shiva cast members and Rajamouli along with their teams and the production crew were just coming off two days of non-stop press junkets in Delhi. The promotional tour schedule– of which they were only halfway through, planned for a busy two weeks travelling through different states in India. Deepika and Karthi were slumped in their seats texting their respective spouses while Ram and Tarak dozed off. Bumping shoulders with Kiara to lighten the mood as their flight took off, Leon frowned at the lack of enthusiasm amongst the group and raised a brow at her as if to ask what had dampened the environment.

Leaning in towards him, she whispered, "I think they're missing their better halves."

Grabbing a handful of mini chocolate bars before passing the box on to everyone else, Kiara tossed one to each of her castmates as they slowly energised. Finishing off her Snickers bar, she smiled widely and turned to face Leon with her hands held out.

Raising one finger on each hand, she wiggled her brows at him, "Come on, Leo. You up for a game of Chopsticks?"

The nostalgia of playing this game with her washed over him as the corners of his lips turned up at the warm memories, "Why of course I am, love."

Throughout their relationship, Kiara and Leon had made it a tradition to use the game as a means for any decision-making. Majority of the time, the two were so competitive that they found themselves getting carried away with winning and consequently forgetting whatever decision they were attempting to make. Before they knew it, the flight had landed in Bangalore as the south India branch of their promotional tour commenced. 

Being a Keralite herself, travelling home to the south was always special. The public had unofficially titled her as 'the pride of Malayalees' so the excitement they elicited at her presence was no surprise. And thus began the final week of relentless interviews, endless promotional events, parading in one designer outfit after another and production or makeup staff bustling around frantically.

Eventually after the final week of their promotional tour, the core six Shiva cast members had been invited to complete a final interview in America on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon'. Having become somewhat of a global superstar, Kiara had unintentionally created way for more south Asian films to be promoted internationally. Nervously smoothing her hand over the sides of her shimmering silver cowl-neck midi dress, she carefully perched on a chair in the Green Room as she tried to still the slight shaking in her hands. This, being her first American talk show, was an incredibly nerve-wracking experience and she found herself unwittingly bouncing her leg.

Unfortunately Leon had fallen ill over the promotional tour while Ram wanted to be home while Upasana was pregnant. Karthi and Tarak, on the other hand, were both busy with their wives and kids and therefore also couldn't attend the interview but Jimmy was more than happy to accommodate the two remaining lead actors. He had gone to extra lengths to make sure they felt comfortable, taking the time to gather their favourite snacks and ask for any specific requests.

Casually reclining back in the seat beside Kiara, Deepika tenderly placed a hand over her knee in reassurance to prevent her anxious habit as they waited for Jimmy to introduce them. At the stage manager's signal, they linked arms and walked out onto set. Ever the gentleman, he made sure to obstruct the camera's view of the two women while Kiara quickly adjusted the dangerously high slit of her dress upon sitting. He grinned at them as they settled down into their seats and squinted at the stage lights.