The theater
The movie was meandering towards a predictable end - the aged hero bashing up the bad guys for what seemed like an eternity, the plump heroine moving out of the way of all the flying bodies – but Rahul’s mind was on other things right now. His heart was beating furiously, his teeth chewing on his lip in nervous tension. Jyothi was seated next to him, seemingly calm and involved in watching the inane movie. Rahul was rehearsing the speech he was going to make later that day in his mind. How would Jyothi react? Will she accept his proposal? She wasn’t the prettiest girl he had met, but Rahul was head over heels in love with her. He had been watching her from the corner of his eye all through the evening. Every single thing she did was so graceful - the way she brushed her hair aside ever so often, the soft flutter of her curvy eyelashes, the sweet smile that melted his heart every time. Given the chance, he would gladly marry Jyothi right there, in the middle of the disinterested populace seated inside. He noticed a young couple in the row up front. The girl was leaning her head ever so slightly on the guy’s shoulder, and her partner was leaning towards her just that little bit in acknowledgement of their mutual love and affection. That is pretty much as far physical intimacy can get in public when an Indian girl is involved, Rahul mused to himself. Their serene gesture of love centered in the raucous noise of a cinema theater made Rahul’s heart ache all the more. He imagined himself and Jyothi watching a movie like that. He rehearsed his speech again in his mind.
The heroine was crying on the hero’s shoulder now, and she had fallen in love with him finally after he beat up a few goons. What stupidity, thought Jyothi. How can someone fall in love so suddenly? Can’t they give a little more respect to the emotion called love when they make a movie? She caught a movement to her left and watched as Rahul clenched his teeth and bit his lip again. Why is he so nervous whenever he is with me? Hadn’t she made it clear enough to him that she was not interested in him? She hoped he would, someday, talk to her about his feelings towards her, and then she would be able to tell him frankly that though she liked him and regarded him highly, her heart lay elsewhere. To be precise, her heart was leaning towards her right, where Prakash was seated with a lazy frown on his face. He was always in a nonchalant mood. Nothing in life was serious to him. He would even come to work dressed casually, standing out among the software engineers dressed up in formal clothes. But no one seemed to complain, since he was among the brightest minds in the office. Prakash was among the few people she knew with whom she could have an intelligent conversation. But he was such a flirt, and he exhibited a persona that seemed amorous and unscrupulous at first glance, she thought. But she knew he was a nice and soft guy inside. When appa had died in an accident last year, Prakash had arranged for her travel and escorted her home without speaking a word. His composure and attitude gave her strength, and her admiration grew. But he was such a flirt. Will he ever realize that she was in love with him? The couple in front was in the middle of animated, though muted, conversation. They seemed to be so much in love with each other. How long does the magic last, she wondered.
Wow! Prakash was amazed. The heroine’s mother had stooped to pick up a baby, and the cleavage between her breasts showed through the thin veil of her sari. What an amazing view. This yesteryear actress always caused several physiochemical reactions inside his body, regardless of the fact that she was playing maternal roles these days. This one show of cleavage made up for the entire atrocious movie, and added to what happened during the interval, made the day for him. After picking up popcorn and drinks, he had noticed a sensuous but homely girl in the crowd waiting to place an order. He had maneuvered in the crowd to get in front of her and he had, as he passed her, given her upper body a rub with his elbow. She had turned immediately and glared at him, but he had slid past quickly as if he hadn’t done it on purpose, and merged into the crowd. Later, as he was getting back into the theater, he noticed that she had come with another guy, who looked like her husband. But, he thought, so what if she is married? What do I care? I’m cool! They were seated a few rows up in front of him, and his eyes and mind had been wandering in that direction all through the second half of the movie. What he would give up to sleep with her just once, he thought. In his mind, he hurled choice abuses at the lucky husband, and then settled into a dream where he let his imagination run wild.
Nikhil wanted to run out of the theater as soon as possible. He had never imagined that he would see her again. She had been his heartthrob years ago, and he still loved her. It didn’t matter that he was married to a sweet girl like Nithi. Seeing Jyothi again during the interval, thoughts and feelings considered long forgotten had been awakened again. He just wanted out right now, but Nithi wouldn’t budge. She wanted him to confront some guy who had bumped into her during the interval. These things happen in a crowd, why does she get so worked up about it, he thought. She even claimed the guy was sitting a few rows behind them and had been staring at them with a treacherous smile on his face all through, but he dared not take a look, as Jyothi was sitting somewhere in that area. He had made sure she did not see him, since talking to her would surely make him fall in love with her all over again.
The movie had ended. So had Nithi’s hopes about her husband. He was so spineless. In spite of her repeated complaints to him, he would not even take a look at the guy who had intentionally molested her during the break. It had been less than two weeks into her marriage, and she had learnt enough about Nikhil to despise him. He lived in a time warp, seemingly in love with some girl he had met in high school. He had admitted to Nithi that he had married her under parental pressure. And now he would not even stand up for her when some stranger attempted to molest her in public. He seemed detached, something occupying his mind, probably the girl from high school. What a coward, she thought, as they made their way out of the theater. Someone bumped into her from behind, and she exploded. She whirled around and slapped the person behind her smack in the face. Strangely, he was biting his lip and held a red rose in his hand, and suddenly she wasn’t sure if he was the one that bumped her this time. He seemed to be shocked at the unexpected assault. A girl was standing next to him, a mixture of disbelief and contempt evident on her face. She must have seen what really happened. Nithi looked around for Nikhil, but he was nowhere to be found. As she turned and walked away she saw the guy who had molested her during the break and probably now as well, sneaking through the doorway, skulking, the wry smile missing from his face.
Each of them returned from the theater that night, depressed, and alone.
The heroine was crying on the hero’s shoulder now, and she had fallen in love with him finally after he beat up a few goons. What stupidity, thought Jyothi. How can someone fall in love so suddenly? Can’t they give a little more respect to the emotion called love when they make a movie? She caught a movement to her left and watched as Rahul clenched his teeth and bit his lip again. Why is he so nervous whenever he is with me? Hadn’t she made it clear enough to him that she was not interested in him? She hoped he would, someday, talk to her about his feelings towards her, and then she would be able to tell him frankly that though she liked him and regarded him highly, her heart lay elsewhere. To be precise, her heart was leaning towards her right, where Prakash was seated with a lazy frown on his face. He was always in a nonchalant mood. Nothing in life was serious to him. He would even come to work dressed casually, standing out among the software engineers dressed up in formal clothes. But no one seemed to complain, since he was among the brightest minds in the office. Prakash was among the few people she knew with whom she could have an intelligent conversation. But he was such a flirt, and he exhibited a persona that seemed amorous and unscrupulous at first glance, she thought. But she knew he was a nice and soft guy inside. When appa had died in an accident last year, Prakash had arranged for her travel and escorted her home without speaking a word. His composure and attitude gave her strength, and her admiration grew. But he was such a flirt. Will he ever realize that she was in love with him? The couple in front was in the middle of animated, though muted, conversation. They seemed to be so much in love with each other. How long does the magic last, she wondered.
Wow! Prakash was amazed. The heroine’s mother had stooped to pick up a baby, and the cleavage between her breasts showed through the thin veil of her sari. What an amazing view. This yesteryear actress always caused several physiochemical reactions inside his body, regardless of the fact that she was playing maternal roles these days. This one show of cleavage made up for the entire atrocious movie, and added to what happened during the interval, made the day for him. After picking up popcorn and drinks, he had noticed a sensuous but homely girl in the crowd waiting to place an order. He had maneuvered in the crowd to get in front of her and he had, as he passed her, given her upper body a rub with his elbow. She had turned immediately and glared at him, but he had slid past quickly as if he hadn’t done it on purpose, and merged into the crowd. Later, as he was getting back into the theater, he noticed that she had come with another guy, who looked like her husband. But, he thought, so what if she is married? What do I care? I’m cool! They were seated a few rows up in front of him, and his eyes and mind had been wandering in that direction all through the second half of the movie. What he would give up to sleep with her just once, he thought. In his mind, he hurled choice abuses at the lucky husband, and then settled into a dream where he let his imagination run wild.
Nikhil wanted to run out of the theater as soon as possible. He had never imagined that he would see her again. She had been his heartthrob years ago, and he still loved her. It didn’t matter that he was married to a sweet girl like Nithi. Seeing Jyothi again during the interval, thoughts and feelings considered long forgotten had been awakened again. He just wanted out right now, but Nithi wouldn’t budge. She wanted him to confront some guy who had bumped into her during the interval. These things happen in a crowd, why does she get so worked up about it, he thought. She even claimed the guy was sitting a few rows behind them and had been staring at them with a treacherous smile on his face all through, but he dared not take a look, as Jyothi was sitting somewhere in that area. He had made sure she did not see him, since talking to her would surely make him fall in love with her all over again.
The movie had ended. So had Nithi’s hopes about her husband. He was so spineless. In spite of her repeated complaints to him, he would not even take a look at the guy who had intentionally molested her during the break. It had been less than two weeks into her marriage, and she had learnt enough about Nikhil to despise him. He lived in a time warp, seemingly in love with some girl he had met in high school. He had admitted to Nithi that he had married her under parental pressure. And now he would not even stand up for her when some stranger attempted to molest her in public. He seemed detached, something occupying his mind, probably the girl from high school. What a coward, she thought, as they made their way out of the theater. Someone bumped into her from behind, and she exploded. She whirled around and slapped the person behind her smack in the face. Strangely, he was biting his lip and held a red rose in his hand, and suddenly she wasn’t sure if he was the one that bumped her this time. He seemed to be shocked at the unexpected assault. A girl was standing next to him, a mixture of disbelief and contempt evident on her face. She must have seen what really happened. Nithi looked around for Nikhil, but he was nowhere to be found. As she turned and walked away she saw the guy who had molested her during the break and probably now as well, sneaking through the doorway, skulking, the wry smile missing from his face.
Each of them returned from the theater that night, depressed, and alone.
posted by bigsur at 11:51 PM
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