Prem Kahaniyaan

6.

Zara walked into the set the next morning, her thoughts swirling. The previous day's conversation had been intense—too intense, perhaps. She was starting to see Arjun as more than just a subject for her documentary, and that realization unsettled her. She had to remain objective and professional. But something about Arjun's honesty, his vulnerability, had stirred something in her that she wasn’t prepared to face.

She was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice Arjun already sitting in the corner of the room, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Morning," he called out, his voice cutting through her reverie.

Zara blinked, startled. "Oh, hey. Morning."

"Lost in thought?" Arjun asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

Zara shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "Yeah, just... planning the shoot today. We’re diving into some heavier topics."

Arjun raised an eyebrow. "Heavier than yesterday?"

Zara smiled wryly. "I suppose we’ve already opened Pandora’s box."

Arjun leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "Pandora’s box, huh? I thought we were making a documentary, not writing Greek tragedies."

Zara laughed softly. "Sometimes they’re the same, especially in Bollywood."

Arjun shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee. "I guess you're right. The industry loves its drama."

Zara sat down across from him, her gaze sharp. "Speaking of drama, today I want to talk about the media's portrayal of you. How do you feel about constantly being under a microscope?"

Arjun rolled his eyes. "I hate it. I mean, who enjoys that kind of attention? Every move I make, every word I say—it’s twisted, taken out of context. It’s exhausting."

Zara nodded, her expression serious. "I’ve seen some of the headlines. ‘Arjun Veda Caught in Scandal’ or ‘Arjun Veda’s Secret Life Exposed.’ It must get tiring."

Arjun scoffed. "Tiring doesn’t even begin to cover it. Sometimes I just want to scream at them, you know? I want to tell them they don’t know me at all."

Zara leaned forward, her voice gentle. "But do you think that’s entirely their fault? You’ve been pretty guarded in your interviews, Arjun. You don’t let people in."

Arjun’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Why should I? Every time I open up, they twist my words. Make it sound like I’m some kind of villain. It’s safer to keep things to myself."

Zara tilted her head, her tone thoughtful. "But isn’t that part of the problem? The less you share, the more they speculate. They fill in the blanks with their own narrative."

Arjun stared at her for a moment, his frustration palpable. "So what? I’m supposed to lay my soul bare for the world? Just give them everything?"

Zara shook her head, her voice calm. "No, but there’s a middle ground. You don’t have to give them everything, but maybe you can show them enough to change the narrative. Let people see who you really are."

Arjun scoffed again, but this time there was less bite in his tone. "And who am I, Zara? The perfect son? The hero? Or maybe the flawed actor who takes on roles no one understands?"

Zara met his gaze evenly. "Maybe you’re all of those things. And maybe you’re none of them. The point is, you get to decide who you are, not the media."

Arjun leaned back, exhaling sharply. "Easier said than done."

There was a brief silence as Zara let his words hang in the air. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the constant push and pull between who he wanted to be and who the world thought he was.