Kabhi to nazar milao

Kaliyaan

A letter from the TV channel informed Naina that the casting for their show was complete and now they would start working on the costumes and designing. She was asked to come for a meeting where she could give suggestions regarding the look of actors and the set according to her story.

Sameer accompanied her to the office. A day long meeting helped the team to finally decide how to plan the look for each stage.

Since the festival season had started, the roads and markets were crowded. While riding back to the college, they were caught in a traffic jam.

As they waited, a little girl approached them, holding a small bunch of roses.

Holding out one to Sameer, she pleaded, "Bhaiya, ek phool le lo, didi ke liye."

Sameer was about to tell her not to say didi but seeing her sad eyes, he stopped.

"Le lo na bhaiya, didi ke jaisa hi sundar phool hai." She begged.

Naina stepped down and crouched in front of the girl, "Tum roz yahan phool bechti ho?"

She nodded.

"School nahi jaati?" She asked.

The girl shook her head sadly.

"Tumhare mummy papa kahan hai?" She enquired.

The girl turned and pointed to the small cluster of slums at the roadside.

Naina stood up and looked at Sameer. He nodded and started to move his bike to the side of the road.

They walked together with the girl to the tiny thatched shanty.

"Maaa", the girl said a little loudly.

A thin woman walked out. Seeing her daughter with strangers, she was alarmed.

Immediately, she folded her hands, "Kya hua madam? Isne koi galti ki kya? Main isko samjha dungi... aap maaf kar dijiye... choti bachi hai... police mein mat jana."

Naina and Sameer were surprised.

"Aisa kyon keh rahi hain aap? Hum police mein kyon jayenge?" Naina asked.

The lady was nervous, "Woh kabhi kabhi kuch log naraz ho jaate hain jab yeh phool lene ko kehti hai... toh police wale ko bol dete hain... woh aake marte hain."

Naina clutched Sameer's hand tightly, not able to imagine how someone could hit such a small child over something so trivial.

Sameer kept his other hand on Naina's, to comfort her and looked at the lady, "Aapse kuch sawal puch sakte hain."

She was now suspicious, "TV wale hain aap log? Woh hi aate hain sawal puchne aur photo kheechne."

"Nahi, TV wale nahi hain... hum toh yahan college mein padhte hain." He informed.

The lady nodded.

They asked her about her family and source of income, about her children and why they lived in these conditions.

They came to know she was originally from the neighbouring state and came here with her husband in search of a livelihood. Her husband did odd jobs around the city and her two children, both girls, sold flowers and cheap toys on the road. She herself worked in a building being constructed on the other side of the road. Since they could not afford it, her daughters did not go to school.

Knowing about the pitiable conditions of these people, Naina was disturbed.

They left a few minutes later, after buying all the flowers that the girl had, even the ones she had kept inside the small room.