INTIMACY CLINIC - The Conversations we AVOID

WEEK THREE: Sunday - Part 03

"Smart metaphor." Antara blurted out.

Everyone raised their hands. Charlie smiled and continued, "This phobia of talking about sex is also the reason why girls fear bringing up sex even in discussions with their partners. Somewhere it is established in their minds that their partners will think of them as a slut if they bring up sex in a conversation. Unfortunately, our society tends to connect sex with our character. The more you have sex or talk about sex, the fewer marks you get in your character test. And in this male-dominated society, what a girl desires the most, is to score full marks in that character exam. Because that's what is taught to every girl since childhood. To look decent in front of society."

"True," Antara said. Everyone turned to her. She continued, "Just because I work in Bollywood. Many in my hometown think I am a slut. According to them, everyone who works in the film industry sleeps with someone to get a job. Sorry. Not with someone. With a lot of them. Like I am working in Bollywood, not because singing is my passion. But because I wanna sell my body." The corners of her lips came closer, turning her lips into a mild pout. "Like I'm nothing but a glorified prostitute who poses as a singer in front of the society." Wrinkles showed up on her forehead when the corners of her eyebrows came closer. Her face fell as she continued, "Why should I only blame my hometown? People like them are spread all over the country. The people who don't even know me. Who I have never met. They test my character too. On their terms." She paused to take a breath before adding, "People don't see how hard it is to pull up a schedule of 24 hours straight for some song, then come home, get sleep for 2 hours, and again get ready to face the camera with a smile without showing a hint of tiredness." She looked at Charlie, "And you know what the worst part is?"

Charlie gazed at her silently. She continued, "I know, I shouldn't care what they think. I know they have no right to judge me. But still, I am always conscious about which contract to sign, which dress to wear, what to eat, which party to attend, whom to meet, where to meet, etc. Everything I do is decided not based on what I like but how people will see me."

She smiled, though not as gracefully as she always did, and continued, "Once, I met a director who wanted to sign me for a music album. We met in the hotel Oberoi. While coming out, a reporter saw us and took a photo. The next day, a headline said, famous singer Antara was seen coming out of Hotel Oberoi with director Sudesh Mohite. And the article talked about if something is going on between us. A few days later, director Sudesh announced my name for his upcoming music video."

She paused. Smiled again and said, "An article, the next day, raised a question; if director Sudesh offered me the album because we are having an affair or if I slept with him for the contract. What was the real reason behind me meeting him in Hotel Oberoi?"

The room was silent. The atmosphere was turning intense with each word Antara spoke. They were surprised to see the other side of Antara's life. For them, she was a celebrity. She was living a luxurious life with a place in a million hearts. For them, her life was a dream they could never live. They had heard or seen the articles about her or other celebrities. But none of them ever thought about how it must feel. They only read them as entertainment and loved to gossip about such articles. Today, they were witnessing that Antara is not just a star. She is also a human being. And such things affect her just like everyone else.

After a bit of pause, Antara continued, "I was trolled on social media after that article. Everyone had an opinion about me. No one cared to know what the truth was."

She kept looking at Charlie while narrating the story. Maybe she was hoping for him to say something. He, too, was thinking about the best possible words to reply, but nothing came to his mind. What Antara said was all true. It was a problem. But there was no solution to it; other than accepting it as a consequence of living the dream. It was wrong. It shouldn't happen to anyone. But what to do to stop it was beyond him. His lips were sealed. He kept looking at her, feeling sorry.