The Stars' Decree

The air in the Rao household had grown heavier since the day the astrologer had come. The old man, gray-bearded and hunched, had whispered warnings into the ear of Shankar Rao, the 55-year-old patriarch of the family. His health was declining, but it was not just age or time—it was something cosmic, something far more dangerous. The alignment of planets, the astrologer had said, demanded that Shankar marry someone under a particular star, or his life would be forfeit in a matter of months.

There had been no question of defiance. In their family, tradition and astrology held sacred importance. But the solution had been devastatingly specific. Shankar could not marry just any woman. No, the stars had decreed that only a man under the exact celestial alignment could serve as his wife.

It had seemed impossible until the astrologer pointed at their son-in-law, Anil. Anil, with his gentle demeanor, was married to Shankar's daughter, Priya. The shock of the revelation hit everyone like a storm, but it was Priya who, upon further consultation, realized that her husband's stars matched the astrological criteria. He was the one who could save her father.

But convincing Anil was another matter.

Scene 1: Convincing Anil

Priya had approached him first. In the dim light of their bedroom, she clutched his hands with trembling fingers.

"Anil... there's something I need to tell you."

He had listened, at first in disbelief, and then, as Priya's words became more frantic, in helpless silence. How could anyone believe that the solution to her father’s impending death was for him to... to become his wife?

"I'm a man!" Anil had protested, pacing the room as Priya watched him with tear-filled eyes.

"I know, Anil. But this isn’t about us. It’s about saving him. It’s for one year. One year, and then everything goes back to normal." She took a deep breath. "Think of what my father has done for us... for this family. Would you really let him die if you could prevent it?"

Anil’s resistance began to crumble under the weight of responsibility and love for his wife. He knew the gravity of their traditions, the way the family revered astrology and fate. His hesitation wasn't just about the act—it was the humiliation, the fundamental change in his identity. He would not only have to live with the shame of stepping into a woman's role but also face the eyes of their close-knit community.

Yet, Priya's pleading gaze was impossible to ignore.

"I'll do it," he finally whispered. "For you. For your father."