Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

2. Impossible Explanations

'That's the ideal meeting...once upon a time, only once, unexpectedly, then never again.'

~ Helen Oyeyemi

S

haheen P.O.V.

My nephew looked at me as he waited for me to start explaining the pictures he'd just seen. I'd always told Alia not to tell Raghu that those albums were off limits, that she shouldn't keep so many secrets from her son but that, if she wanted to, not to make it so obvious, knowing that Raghav had the same inquisitive nature we did. But of course, she didn't listen and now here I was, having to explain.

'Okay, so I guess the first thing I should tell you is that his name is Varun Dhawan.' I began, trying to send my mind back to 2010 when my sister had first met her best friend. 'He was your mum's best friend.'

'Was?' he asked. I nodded. 'What happened? How come I've never met him? Where is he now?'

'One thing at a time Raghu. Let me start at the beginning.' He gave me a sheepish smile when he realised he'd gotten ahead of himself and nodded. 'It starts in late 2010, when your mum landed her first film...'

Third Person P.O.V.

2010

To say that seventeen-year-old Alia Bhatt is nervous would be an understatement. Sat in the car outside of Dharma offices, she's on the verge of a minor panic attack. Her lifelong dream is so close to coming true, all she has to do is get her courage together and go inside for the look test for this film. The only problem is that the film is to be directed by Karan Johar and she's completely terrified of going inside.

She sits in the car for five minutes, ten, fifteen, trying to get her legs to move and her heart to stop racing.

As it hits twenty minutes, she decides she'll just have to get herself together and go in, else she'll lose the best opportunity she'll ever get. So she takes a deep breath and steps out of her car, making her feet move in the direction of the door.

Once she's made herself go inside and told the lady at the reception desk why she's there, she's led along corridors to a studio room. Inside, two boys are already in front of the camera, posing as they were instructed. She stands at the entrance to the room, completely in awe of everything around her, momentarily forgetting why she's even there until the director spots her. 'Alia, there you are!' he exclaims, making his way over. 'I was beginning to think you might not make it.'

'No I wouldn't miss this for the world. I just uh, was a little nervous.' she mumbles, receiving a knowing look in response.

'There's nothing to be nervous about.' the director assures. She doesn't quite believe him; the two boys in front of the camera are good looking to say the least and they pose with such ease that they must have done this a million times before. Catching Alia looking at her two co-stars, Karan laughs. 'They're just as new to this as you are.' he tells her, shocking her.

'Really?'

'Yes. All three of you are being launched with this film.' he explains, chuckling some more at the look of disbelief on her face.

'But, they look like... like they've done this a lot.' she mumbles, confused.

'Sid, the tall one, has. He was a model. Varun, well, I have it on good authority that he just likes to be in front of the camera.' the man informs her, smiling fondly at the two boys.