Healing Hearts

3 - Audition Tape

~ Niyati pov

I reached the audition hall. For a small distance, it took a long time. But never mind, this is Mumbai, its traffic is as famous as vada pao.

The office in front of me is a tall building with an AR production logo on top. I was informed through social media that there are some projects for which this production company wants to hire newcomers. Or better said, Asha was informed and she told me to visit. I am not so good when it comes to social media. She handles all these things. She even contacted some casting directors but we haven't received any response from them yet.

As I enter the hall, I see a huge crowd before me. There are girls and guys of different age frame. Don't know which film exactly I am auditioning for or for which one is this croud. Asha ordered me to come here and show my face, saying I might catch some attention. But I will not say okay to anything without reading the script. After all, I come from theatre and for us, the script is the highlight.

I was confused who is the staff and who is here for an audition since no one is wearing any uniform. And everyone is in jeans and t-shirt.  No one really paid attention to me when I approached them, just gave me weird looks. Finally, I see a guy with an ID card hanging on his neck. I guess he works here.

- Excuse me - I approached him - I am here for an audition at 12 pm.

He gave me a weird look. He saw me from up and down and made a weird face. Well, I guess it's because I am the only one in the room wearing Indian.

- Everyone is here for the audition darling - he replied patting my shoulder, which I didn't like much. I don't know what it is but I am feeling uncomfortable in this space.

- Here, fill out this form and collect the script from there - he handed me a paper and pen and pointed towards the table.

I decided to focus on the audition and ignore all the unnecessary attention I was getting for my choice of outfit. I cannot help it, I love indian more than western.

I filled out the form and gave it to the table he pointed at. They gave me a small scene and told me prepare it. Only god knows when my audition time will come.

~ Author Pov

Aditya couldn't keep his curiosity to himself, he asked.

- Who is this girl?

- Which girl - Shanaya approached the window and asked.

- The girl in white Anarkali. Her duppata is creating light in the entire office.

- She is here for an audition must be some aspiring actress - She replied not paying much attention.

- You know what - said Arun as he also approached the window to see who is this girl who caught Aditya Khurrana's attention - get her audition done now. We'll watch it live from my cabin. - He instructed Shanaya and went to his cabin with Aditya and Suraj.

As instructed, Shanaya called the staff in the audition hall and asked them to move the girl in white anarkali to the audition room now. It was easy for the staff to recognise who she was talking about,  Niyati was the only one wearing a white anarkali.

The same guy who handed her the form guided her to the room.

~ Niyati pov

I didn't expect this. I am getting called for the audition within 30 minutes. Normally people wait for hours but here they called me too quickly.

As I was moving, people were giving me looks and whispering about me. I don't like this unnecessary attention. I feel uncomfortable. I want to leave as soon as possible. If it wasn't for Asha I would have never stepped into movies. It's good that they called me soon. I want to get done with this and leave as soon as possible.