They say that love stories are made when the stars align. Everything falls into place and two hearts come together like pieces of puzzle.
But what if these two stars are on different skies. From where they can see each other, even cross each other's...
In the night, the Township was buzzing with anticipation and assumptions. Everyone had his or her own view of how Monami's entry into the factory will affect them.
"Maalik ne beti ko bheja hai to kuch soch kar hi bheja hoga" "Ye sab machine wala kaam, ye memsahab ko kahan samajh aayega" "Do din factory ki garmi mein khade hona padega, to wapas videsh chali jayengi" "Itni khoosoorat ladki bolegi to bina pagar ke bhi har baat manunga" "Kal ki aayi hui ladki , ab wo sikhayegi Humein kaam kaise karna hai" Multiple thoughts were floating around.
"Karan beta, Tum chup kyon ho?" An elderly worker asked. "Soch raha hoon chachaji, hawa ka rukh aaj badla sa hai. Ye toofan zyada waqt tikega to nahi bas kitna waqt rahe , kuch barbaad na kare. Bas wahi dekhna hai"
"Ye videsh se aayi ladki 2-4 din se zyada nahi rukegi. Bas Shaanti se ye din nikal jaayein."
............::::::.............
Next morning, as the morning shift started, Karan went round the factory floor to check machines were all functioning fine. There was a jam in one machine so he worked with the technician to get it work smoothly.
That's when Karan noticed that noise and saw her approaching from behind.
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Monami was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. But she drove him restless and Karan could not pin point the reason. They came face to face. Karan looked at Monami from top to bottom. Monami flinched.
"Madam Mahajan, ye floor kaafi time se repair nahi hua. Haalat kafi kharab hai. Aapki high heels yahan fit nahi hongi. Aur jab aap kahin aise jagah jayein jahan aap fit na hote ho, to accident ka khatra hota hai". Karan said to Monami.
"Aisa nahi hai. Kadam sahi ho aur soch samajh ke rakhein jaye to jagah kitni hi alag ho, kaam sahi hi hota hai." Monami retorted. "Aur floor repair ke liye factory ko wapis profit pe aana hoga. Ab main aa gayi hoon to jaldi hi wo bhi ho jayega."
Randhawa screamed at Karan. "Ae Karan, Maalkin se behes mat kar. Jaa unhe factory dikha. Kaunsi machine se kya hota hai, achche se bata."
"Maalkin kyun, naukari pe rakha hai humein. Mazdoor hain ghulaam nahi. Itni padhi-likhi hain, ye samajhti hongi. Aap chinta na kariye, hum ba-izzat ma'm ko factory tour de denge." Karan escorted Monami and took him around. He explained each machine and how it functions etc.
At one of the machines, the workers were looking at a malfunctioning section when Monami and Karan arrived. "Kya hua" Karan asked. "Phir se band ho gayi Karan bhaiya. Manohar aata hi hoga", the worker said. Karan told Monami (pichhle 3 saal mein ye machine 30 se zyada baar band ho chuki hai, aisi kayi machines hain jo 10 saal se zyada purani hain and har baar kharaab hone par parts sirf service hote hain, replace nahi. Aap ko profit badhana hai to ye bottleneck ko solve kijiye"
Monami said, "Tum mujhe mera kaam mat samjhao . Issue bata do main dekh loongi kya karna hai".
They waited for 5 minutes for the technician to arrive. "Itna time kyun lag raha hai? Technician kahan baithta hai?" Monami was losing patience.
"Subah se teen machines theek kar chuka hai, aasaan nahi hota. Shayad break pe hoga , aa jayega." Karan said and hinted a labourer to call Manohar. After waiting for 5 more minutes, Monami announced, "please tell the technician he has been fired. Lazy people have no place here" she turned around and saw that technician was running towards her. " Maafi maalkin 🙏🙏🙏" technician pleaded with folded hands. "Bathroom chala gaya tha, bas aa hi raha tha"
Monami screamed. "10 minute se to main khadi hoon yahaan. Ye machine kabse band hai. Waqt ki barbaadi matlab nuksaan and nuksaan ka matlab, ye factory band" She was fuming. "aap jaise log hi zimmedaar hain factory ke nuksaan mein hone ke."
Karan tried to support the technician who was shaking and was in tears. "Wo subah se kaam hi kar raha tha. Takriban 10 saal se yahan kaam kar raha hai. Aise aap kisi ko nahi nikaal sakti"
"Kyun nahi nikaal sakti?" Monami spoke in a loud voice. Many workers had gathered around them. "Ghulaami nahi karwa rahe aapse. Ye naukari hai. Matlab jo aapke shift timings hain, aapko uss samay floor pe reh ke lagataar kaam karna hai. Break ka time fix yaani tay kiya hua hai. Agar shift ke beech mein kahin jaana hai to backup person ka hona zaroori hai." Monami stared at Karan: "Kyon Mr. Worker union leader, sahi kaha ya yaha ke labour contracts mein kuch aur likha hai?" Karan was surprised Monami knew the workers contract in detail. But he wasn't going to back down. Workers interests were most important to him. He said "Baba aadam ke zamaane ke contracts hain. Aajkal ke kanoon ke hisaab se warning provision bhi hona chaahiye." He was staring back at Monami. He was almost challenging her. "10 saal puraane worker ka contract purana hoga na." Monami reasoned. The workers were stunned to see such an argument on the floor between the owner and the union leader. Manohar pleaded again. "Maalkin aap ek mauka de dijiye. Aap mujhe yahaan roz dekhengi to aap ko pata chal jayega ki main apne kaam se chori kabhi nahi karta." He fell on his knees "Maalkin mere chote bachche hain. Please daya kijiye" Karan lifted the technician. "Manohar tumhe apne haq ke liye iss tarah bheek....."
"Theek hai" Monami's voice boomed. "Pehli aur aakhri baar jaane de rahi hoon. Par main doosra mauka nahi deti. Jo yahan hain wo sunn lijiye aur baakiyon ko keh dijiyega. Aaj se, abhi se, iss factory mein kaamchori band. Kaam ke waqt aalsipan ya jagah par na hona, matlab naukri se haath dhona." Monami's voice echoed like a lioness' roar. She gave a hard stare to Karan "Baaki ka tour kal karenge" and walked off the floor.
Karan watched Monami from behind as she walked. Her figure may be feminine but the attitude was bossy like a man or at least Karan had not seen this attitude in a woman. He took a deep breath. The daggers were drawn. They both couldn't stand each other and Monami knew it too. Karan vowed to bring Monami's arrogance down. He wasn't losing to her and he realised he enjoyed this challenge. For once Karan wasn't regretting joining the factory. "This is going to be interesting.", he thought.
