This is the story of Jehangir and Riya.
Kaira calls her conscience; her brain, her ration.
What would happen if her conscience loses her control, what if, for once, she is able to live for herself and not for others?
Everyone knew what was going to...
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Since we finished shooting the movie, the producers (me included) decided to have a celebratory dinner at a resto-bar.
Everyone was celebrating the end of the project, with food and drinks. There were talks about what would happen next, would we ever join forces again with a new project, so many questions and not an answer in sight.
And me?
I was glad that the project was over. It took a long time to conceptualize, plan and then execute, so I now was reaping what I had sowed. All the hard work, energy and cohesion was necessary for this to happen.
So, why wasn't I happy?
Somewhere in my mind, I knew that this project was going to end, sooner rather than later but I still felt unfulfilled, like we could have gone deeper, but we didn't. Like the work we did was just an apology. And you know what else? Hollow. A feeling that was way too familiar to me.
Anyway, the job is done now, and now I must focus on what to do when I get back to New York.
Even though I was nursing a drink at the bar, showing that I was clearly busy and not interested, someone decides to sit next to me, and it's none other than .
"Can I sit here?"
"Raghuvendra, yes, have a seat."
He sat down on the bar stool next to me.
"So, how can I help you with?" I was not interested in talking to anyone, let alone him. However, sometimes, we must play with the cards that we have available. So, small talk it is.
He turns towards me.
"What are your plans after this?"
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I mean, now that this project is completed, you are not going to stay here, are you?"
"No, I am not. I might take a trip, though. Somewhere where I can get inspired for the next thing."
He inched closer.
"What about the American project?"
"What about it?"
"What can you tell me about it?"
"The only thing that I can really mention this to you specifically is that it's going to produce by me, solely as of now. And I am still working on creating a good team for my passion project."
"So, anyone you deem good is going to be in the team, right?"
"Yes..." I really don't like where this is going.
"What about me?"
"What about it?"
"Do you think that I am one of the key people that you need for your project?"
"I am sorry but no. I don't think you have what it takes to germinate a project which already an unconsidered subject. Then, I have been proven wrong a few times."
"So?"
"My gut very rarely gets it wrong, and I trust my gut. So, I am saying this to you since you asked, no I don't think I should include you in my team."
"What if I can get you to change your mind?"
"Raghuvendra, I am not going to change my mind about this. This is final."
"What if..."
"I said no. Are you this forthcoming to your seniors?"
"Not really, only the ones that I could show a great time."
"Raghuvendra, I suggest you don't proceed with what you are going to do, or else it's not going to end well."
"I'll take my chance."
Before he could touch me, I slapped him. Hard.
"I don't want to see you ever again. However, if I must see you again, I'll make sure you stay away from team. And one other thing, you are permanently removed from any of my projects."
"You can't do that!"
"I can and I will. Just watch me. And besides, whichever decision you were going to make on my project, you really think I wouldn't check up on my team? And the fact that you slept with the cinematographer, that's just..."
"That's none of your business!"
"It is my business when you act like you are the boss!"
You are trying to guess how I found out? I'll tell you. Ganju told me. And a bit of guess work.
"It is my business when you are hurting the people I work with, Raghuvendra! You need to stop, before it causes more problems in the future."
"Besides, a friend is coming from America for a project of mine. You just lost your privileges as a producer. Sorry executive producer and I'll talk to HR to have you removed. I don't want a creep working here."
He looked straight at me and looked like he was pondering about something.
"Is it Aahana?"
"Why do you want to know, hm?"
"She is my ex."
"I don't care. Unlike you, she is a professional and focuses on her work." Aahana is ex. That's going to get messy.
"Stop bothering me and my team, and maybe I'll rethink my decision."
So, to clear my headspace, I decided to step out of the restaurant and started humming a random tune.
It helped for a bit, but then I saw Kaira and her friends stepping out as well, but Kaira seemed a little restless, like she couldn't wait to leave the place.
She hadn't seen me, even though I was in her line of vision.
"What happened, Kaira? You look off."
"Off?"
"I don't know, you seem to look different from the last time we talked."
"I hope it's a good different."
"Do you really need to have my approval for that?"
"Not really."
"So, can you tell me what happened? Why are you leaving?"
"I brought my boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, here."
"Ex? And brought? As far I knew, your boyfriend owns this restaurant, right?"
"Yes, he does own this restaurant. I broke up with him."
"Can I ask why?"
"I felt like I was stuck in that relationship."
"In what sense? Like you weren't moving forward or is there something else that is bothering you?"
"Look, I am exhausted, and the others need to go home and crash. Talk to you later?"
"Okay, take care of yourself."
After a while, I went home and straight to bed. But my sleep was gone, and the memories kept replaying in my mind.
