Being together

This post is for https://housing.com/ #together

It was Esha's birthday. Like each year, I dialed her mobile number to wish her on her birthday. Irrespective of the fact that we could rarely meet after our tenure in the same job and being room mates, we remained good friends. Post two years of quitting job, she got married. I was still working in Delhi, trying to make something out of my career. We were physically apart but kept in touch throughout. We made sure to call each other at least on our birthday, if not at regular intervals.  It was 11:00 am and I thought to call her as I was not loaded by work that day.

I expected to hear a bubbly chirpy voice at the other end. The time that I spent with her brought a smile on my face. As the call got through, her number was not reachable. I was disappointed, wondering why she had switched her phone off. Leaving a message on social account was not an option, as she was not active on social media, and had discontinued her profile of late. After trying her number thrice,  I called on her hometown's land line.

"Hello?" the bubbly voice received the call.

“Happy birthday moti!” I wished her in excitement.

“Thanks SD! How did you know I am in Chandigarh?” (She often abbreviated by name to SD)

“Idiot! Your mobile is not reachable. I thought of calling your parents to give me alternate number of yours if any. 

Why is your phone off?” I scolded her with a concern in my voice.

“No, its not off rey! I have discontinued my Delhi number” she replied with a hint of melancholy in her voice.

“Why the hell? So who will update your number to me? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Things are not quite well at my end. I am going through a rough patch in my life sweety. Will tell you later.”

I had no idea what had happened, but I was concerned and worried for her. Why did she discontinue her Delhi number, why was she in Chandigarh, was there a problem in her marriage…thoughts wrung my head as I tossed on my bed that night. I felt guilty of not being to talk to my best friend for a long time. Amid my own struggle and work life balance, I had almost forgotten Esha. Post my broken love relationship, I was never myself. That night I kept thinking how life had made a joke of me. More I thought about my past relationship, more I felt hurt. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt that void within me again.

The next day at work, I was informed about an official visit to Chandigarh to one of our clients. I felt happy and was eager to visit Esha during that visit.

I bought a box of chocolates for her and headed for her house on Saturday afternoon. As I pressed the door bell, she opened it for me. We hugged each other. She rushed to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of watermelon smoothie and home-made cookies. I was touched. She had not forgotten my favorites. After a brief chit chat about job and family, I asked her about her marriage.

She smiled. “I knew this would come. Well SD, I have filed a divorce from my husband. The case is still pending.”

I ran a blank at her in shock. She was married one and a half years ago. What could have possibly gone wrong!

“This alliance was brought by one of our relatives who had woven lies to us. My family fell for it. I trusted my parents and got married, hoping for a good life ahead. But all that shines is not gold. The good looking guy had an extra marital affair. Plus, he had lied to us about his education, job & salary. Financial condition deteriorated. When I offered to help by working, his family refused. Big ego you see. They can die hungry, but will not allow the bahu to work. Things went terribly wrong when he started to return home drunk and physically tormented me. I kept mum and tried my best to save the marriage. When my parents came to know about it, they brought me back. They keep feeling guilty of not doing a background check that brought my life to a standstill.”

Esha’s words pierced into my heart. I was disturbed and angry at the same time. How dare could a man hit his wife? Why did he marry if he was into another relationship? My eyes welled up. It should have been my turn to hug her. But she came to me instead, and hugged me.

“Why are you crying silly? I am fine. See, I am out of a bad marriage. I was wrong when I stayed quiet. It’s worse to accept wrong more than doing it. Now I am free from his clutches. I will start working very soon,” she said with hopes in her eyes.

That moment I compared myself with Esha. She had braved the odds with maturity and is so much calm. I felt like a fool who was crying over a broken relationship of six months! I learnt a big lesson from Esha that day. 

Optimism is what I was missing in my life. How well did Esha put her broken pieces of life together deserved an applause. My meeting with her that day filled me with hopes, optimism and courage to move on. Her story helped me get over my broken relationship and I was my normal self. She gave me the strength and motivation to go on with optimism and look up.

(Image in the post is my copyright, clicked my me via Samsung mobile)

Together, a beautiful "We"

On the highs and lows together

I knew you when our friendship was so raw,

we shared the same skipping rope,

hung on to the same sea-saw.

The memories still brew fresh in my mind,

when we left others behind,

in our notorious pranks on our neighbors

and we loved our life's spicy juicy flavors!

Partners in crime scolded together

You stole money from your dad's wallet and bought ice creams for both of us,

which your parents came to know and created a lot of fuss,

I shared the scolding with you as we were partners in crime,

our bonding grew stronger which was never to sublime.

"Sisters"? our new teacher asked us on the first day to school,

"Yes" you replied with a smile on your face,

and since then in our lovely bonding,

ego had no space.

My mum made sure to buy anything double,

one for you, and  another for me,

because you and I together made a beautiful WE.

I smile when I look at the doll that you gave me on my 8th birthday,

I remember how I had treasured it,

never gave it to anybody to play.

secrets well guarded

Those little chits that we passed in our classroom,

fills me with nostalgia now, as I remember

how for our poor classwork we were reprimanded,

and how those secrets remained between us so well guarded.

Our late night conversation and gossip sessions,

together our homework and swimming lessons,

just brought out our best in us,

I had many friends, but none like you,

who made my life bright and beautiful too.

I cried when a kid pushed me on the playground,

You always lent me a shoulder

you pushed her on my behalf and turned the world around,

you lent me your shoulder when I cried,

and stayed there with me till my tears dried.

I grew dependent on you for almost everything,

including my mood swings and solution to my problems,

you patiently counselled me to be a calm person,

and so well handled all my tantrums.

No, I was not a spoiled child at all,

it was just that while growing up there was not a single day I did not see you,

it was you who understood my condition whatever I went through.

The thought of parting with you was a nightmare,

but someday that would happen, you were aware.

My heart skipped a beat, to know you will be far from me,

but you consoled me each second with your words

saying "Distance does not matter, together we still make a beautiful we"

Friends forever

We were inseparable since childhood,

till the day you left to a different city for higher studies,

we were torn physically apart,

yet the best buddies.

Poem dedicated to my childhood and best friend Namita, who is in Australia now, leading a happy married life. I love you Namita and feel blessed to have you as my best friend. Could not write more lines on you as my eyes just brimmed up,

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Dor- Movie review

Directed by - Nagesh Kukunoor

Story- Nagesh Kukunoor and Mir Ali Hussain; Music- Salim Sulaiman

Cast- Gul Panag, Ayesha Takia, Shreyas Talpade, Girish Karnad

 

Yeah, it’s quite late to review a movie in 2012 which was released way back in 2006. Though better late than never, I wonder why not I had watched the movie before. Dor, meaning a thread in Hindi, symbolizes connection in this film. Friendship, nuptials, enmity, love, and above all humanity are linked to each other with a DOR, which if pulled correctly can either bond people together or else drift them apart. DOR is a story of two women, brought up in different cultures and places, not known to each other, who get associated with the DOR of their fate, post an unfortunate accident.

Plot-

Zeenat (Gul) is an independent Muslim woman from Himachal Pradesh, who lives life on her own terms. She is open minded, head strong, confident and much aware of her rights. She marries her love interest Aamir (Rushad Rana) a day before he leaves for a job in Saudi.

Meera (Ayesha) is a traditional woman married to Shankar (Anirudh Jatkar) in a remote village of Rajasthan. She is bound by cultural restrictions and hence confines within the limits timidly, with her cheerful and lovable husband, with whom she finds solace and hope of freedom. Shankar too goes to Saudi for a job, taking the responsibility to play a good son and give his family a good life.

As months pass by, the men keep sending money to their families with a promise to return soon, when the unexpected news of Shankar’s death hits Mira’s debt burdened family. The worse, Aamir is accused to have murdered his roomie  Shankar and is sentenced to death penalty. The world falls apart for Meera forcing her to stay secluded in gloomy rooms and wear colorless attire of a widow. Zeenat is informed that according to the Saudi Law, Aamir could escape capital punishment penalty only if Shankar’s wife pardons him.

Zeenat, without a clue of Shankar’s residence, covers a difficult journey from Himachal to Rajasthan, to locate Meera and seek pardon for her husband. Unable to reveal her intention, Zeenat befriends Meera to win her confidence first. Meera starts liking her company and enjoys the break free from her prison each day for some time with Zeenat. Two women, poles apart, get connected by a frail DOR of friendship, show rays of hope to each other.

When the harsh truth uncovers, Meera despises Zeenat, turning down the latter’s pleas of pardon. Does she pardon her husband’s murderer? Does she choose revenge over somebody’s life? Watch the award winning movie DOR, showcasing an inner turmoil of a lady and the bewilderment of choosing between right and wrong, the outcome of which affects the others’ destiny.

Ayesha and Gul, are outstanding in their roles. Girish Karnad delivers an excellent performance in the character of Meera’s father-in-law. Shreyas Talpade adds humor to the script and the dull journey of Zeenat. Nagesh Kukunoor appears in a cameo effectively.

Salim Suliman’s music is commendable. The song “Ye Hausla” acts like a USP for the whole movie, actually extracting the worth of the story. The background score is marvelous, specially the folk “Kesariya Baalam.”

The story of the film is based on the original story written by T.A.Rasak. Sure, our hearts does not make room for others so easily but it seeks the presence of others, connecting to them in some or the other way. DOR depicts that connection magnificently; leaving you with welled up eyes and high on emotions.

I rate the movie 4 on 5.