by Mahi Jay
‘Well, I liked her—at least she wasn’t afraid to act upon her desires,’ taunted Aadith, his wicked grin still in place.
Nina stiffened. Aadith seemed bent on using every opportunity he had to prick her defences.
‘Once bitten twice shy, remember. As far as I’m concerned only fools make the same mistake twice and I’m far from one,’ she said tautly.
The entry of the service attendant pushing the food cart into the room put an end to their conversation. When the food was set on the table Aadith dismissed the rest of his staff for their own breakfast. He pulled out a chair for Nina and as she stepped close to him to take her place at the table he inhaled the scent of her perfume, or perhaps the shampoo from her still-damp hair. It smelled light and flowery and entranced him.
Whether it was what either of them wanted or not, she drew his attention like no other, thought Aadith grimly.
‘Tell me about what’s planned for the evening,’ he invited, reaching across the table for the boiled eggs.
‘The couple with whom we are celebrating today are childhood sweethearts who come from humble backgrounds. We’ve arranged a fireworks show over the Howrah Bridge followed by a sumptuous rooftop dinner here at the hotel followed by the proposal. At which stage you will join them and deliver some gifts that have been chosen for both. A photo session for publicity purposes will be the tag end of it,’ elaborated Nina.
‘I assume all necessary permissions have been acquired for the fireworks show? A controversy at this point will be a total disaster,’ remarked Aadith.
‘Of course, we have it. I’m always prepared,’ she stated.
‘Are you? Well, that’s good to hear,’ said Aadith with a teasing smile. Nina caught the innuendo in his tone and coloured.
Aadith laughed out loud. It was so easy to rile her and she looked cute all worked up. Nina rolled her eyes at him, shook her head and continued, ‘The girl also happens to be a fan of yours which is why the guy wrote in.’
Aadith nodded his head as he retrieved the mobile phone ringing in his pocket. Glancing at the name flashing on the screen, he said, ‘Sorry, I need to get this.’
When Nina made a move to leave him to his call, he motioned her back with a wave of his hand and mouthed, ‘Stay, it’s just Daadhi.’
‘Hey, Daadhi! How is your leg? And don’t you dare tell me you are out of bed!’ he exclaimed. A rankled voice sounded at the other end.
‘Of course he did! Dad’s only making sure you’re following the doctor’s orders,’ pointed out Aadith. He listened patiently as his grandmother continued her litany of complaints against the rest of the household. Finally he stepped in to soothe her and said, ‘I know, but the more you rest your feet, the faster you’ll get back on them. Just get Fatima to play some Amitabh Bachchan movie for you.’ The voice at the other end seemed to perk up at that and then asked something excitedly.
Aadith caught her eye as he replied, ‘Yeah, I’ll tell her you said hello and bring her home to visit you soon. I promise.’ He smiled as he hung up.
‘Daadhi sends you her love and is thrilled that we are working together. She thinks that I should now look out for you in the big bad world of movies.’ He forestalled a stinging retort from her when he continued with a sardonic grin, ‘She doesn’t realise that you’re the one coming to my rescue.’
Nina appeared to want to say something cutting but she bit back her words. Instead she murmured, ‘Your gran was always wonderful to me. How is she?’
Aadith let out a long sigh and looked faintly worried as he replied, ‘As active as she was then, until she twisted her ankle a fortnight ago. The doctor wants her to stay off her feet, which is frustrating the heck out of her. The staff at home are going nuts simply getting her to rest.’
Nina thought about the woman who had been the closest thing she’d known to a grandparent. Her own grandparents had disowned her parents for marrying each other against their wishes, so she had never known them.
‘I can’t remember her being idle. Even if she was just watching the television she’d shell peas or knit or do something. I used to love listening to her stories about the olden days,’ recalled Nina with a fond smile on her face.
Aadith smiled back and admitted, ‘She loves reminiscing about those olden days and I know she’d love for you to visit her some time.’
Nina felt self-recrimination course through her. After that incident with Aadith she’d dared not visit his house for fear of running into him. She’d only ventured to say goodbye to his grandmother when they’d been leaving. Nina brightened at the chance to see her again and agreed quietly, ‘I think I’d enjoy it too.’
Finished with their meal, Aadith rang for the busboy to clear the table. Nina glanced at her watch and made a move to leave. ‘I should get going, so we’ll meet before dinner?’
Aadith felt an unexpected reluctance to let her leave. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had so completely piqued his interest. ‘I’m visiting some old friends of mine. You should come. You will definitely find them interesting.’
Nina knew she shouldn’t go cavorting around town with him for reasons other than business, but she felt a compelling urge to bask in his company a while longer. ‘Anybody I’d know?’ she asked with an enquiring look.
‘It is director Sajjid Chatterjee,’ said Aadith, naming one of the most celebrated directors in the history of Hindi cinema, who had retired a couple of years ago.
Nina beamed in delight at that and enthused, ‘I’ve read a few of his interviews and it would be a pleasure to meet him. Wasn’t he the director of your debut film?’
‘Yes, he was. As you probably already know, it is an industry where if you don’t have a godfather, or if your surname is neither Kapoor nor Khan, it is almost impossible to break into. But he believed in me and gave me a chance, for which I will always be indebted to him. Besides which, his wife Aaliyah is one of the most wonderful people I know and I love visiting them, which is why I love Kolkata,’ he explained.
Aadith thought back to the days he’d traipsed to studio after studio asking for a chance. Sajjid had given him that chance and there had been no looking back after that. The men and women who’d scorned and treated him as if he’d been invisible before had come running to him after his success. Fair-weather friends, he thought scornfully, were easy to come by and would leave at the merest hint of failure or trouble, which was why he never let anyone new into his inner circle. But true friends were rare to find and the Chatterjees were more than that for him.
Nina knew she wasn’t going to pass up the chance to look beyond his larger than life movie image. She wanted to see the person behind the persona. ‘I need a couple of hours to make sure all the arrangements for the evening are in place.’
‘Perfect, that gives me enough time to catch up with some pending work as well, so let’s meet in the lobby at eleven,’ suggested Aadith.
Nina nodded her assent and quickly made her way back to her room. She had less than two hours to get on top of everything, she noted as she flipped open her mobile to get things rolling. It was a bit of a mad scramble to accomplish it all, but she managed to get it all done, just in time to meet him.
Nina watched Aadith as he strode through the lobby towards her. There was the usual nudging and signalling among the guests to discreetly catch a glimpse of him. The more forward among them ventured to speak to him. The force of his charm hit her as she saw him smile, joke, pose for pictures and sign autographs effortlessly. If there was something that he was born to do it was entertain, she thought.
Soon they were making their way around to Salt Lake City, which housed some of the stately houses in Kolkata. The house they stopped at was a fifties’ style colonial one that still had an old-world charm about it.
‘Are you sure they won’t mind me tagging along?’ asked Nina, faintly apprehensive.
‘Not in the least. They love company and any friend of mine is always welcome there,’ declared Aadith confidently.
The door opened to reveal a wiry woman of around fifty years clad in a crisp cotton sari. Aadith captured her in a bear hug before she could utter a word. Her face was wreathed in a huge smile as she looked behind Aadith to welcome Nina warmly.
‘So are you ready to leave him yet?’ teased Aadith, casually draping an arm around Aaliyah’s shoulders.
‘Stop poaching. Go find a woman of your own,’ said a voice beyond the foyer. As Sajjid neared them he looked at Nina and remarked in mock irritation, ‘After all I did for him, look at how he repays me. By trying to steal my wife from right under my nose!’
The two men thumped each other on their backs as they made their way into the living room. It was a huge room that let in a lot of sunlight. The walls were adorned with big works of art. Some Nina recognised but most she didn’t, though they were all exquisite.
Aadith shared the current industry news and happenings with them and they in return shared hair raising stories about Aadith and also his struggles before he made a name for himself.
‘I still remember the brash young man who walked into my office for an audition. He had the nerve to tell me that my interpretation of the character’s possible reaction wasn’t right,’ said Sajjid proudly. ‘Not even my assistant directors would have dared to be so blunt, but this cocky boy was. I knew then he would go a long way.’
Aadith laughed. ‘I’d been to a hundred auditions by then and thought that a rank novice like me didn’t stand a chance at landing a part in your movie. I had nothing to lose,’ he said with a casual shrug.
Nina knew he was downplaying his struggle and how hard it had been to achieve success. She’d slogged for it herself. She knew Aadith would never have shared this with her by himself. He wasn’t one to share anything beyond the superficial so Nina was happy she’d learned that much more about him.
‘All the paintings in your house are absolutely unique and have a whimsical quality to them,’ remarked Nina as dessert was served.
‘That is because the painter herself possesses both those qualities in spades,’ replied Aadith, looking at Aaliyah.
Nina gasped in surprise as Aaliyah thanked them both for the compliment. ‘Would you like to see my studio?’ invited Aaliyah.
They left the men on their own and climbed the stairs that led to the studio. It was again a stunning room where one wall was dominated by massive arched windows that boasted a view of a beautiful garden amidst tall shady trees. As Nina walked around the room admiring the paintings that hung there Aaliyah ventured, ‘I’m glad Aadith found you. He deserves a lot of happiness and I can clearly see that you make him happy.’
Nina looked up with a start, ‘You … you’re mistaken … Aadith and I are not involved like that. We are just old friends.’
‘Ahh … the tried and tested “just-good-friends” line,’ exclaimed Aaliyah with a disbelieving snort. ‘I’ve never seen two people more into each other. You can’t take your eyes off him and he keeps stealing glances at you when he thinks no one is watching him!’
Nina laughed to cover her embarrassment at being caught ogling him. ‘Oh, no … it’s nothing more than polite interest. Besides which, we are merely working together.’
‘Well, if you say so,’ acquiesced Aaliyah reluctantly, ‘although I want to take the liberty of asking you not to mess with his feelings. Monica already did a number on him and is responsible for the wariness I see in his eyes now.’
‘Monica? I knew her back in Pune, before she started dating him. But wasn’t it Aadith who dumped her after he landed his first leading role in your husband’s movie?’ asked Nina, trying to recall what she’d heard about it then.
‘That was what the media reported, when in actual fact it was Monica who dropped him like a hot potato just before he got that role. She got tired of waiting for him to make it big so when the chance arose she swapped him for a richer, older producer. It completely blind-sided him and it took him a while to get over it. The only good thing to come out of the whole sorry affair was that he was spared from making the biggest mistake of his life. She was more interested in the high life he could give her, had he made it, than in him.’
‘I had no idea,’ said Nina in a stunned voice as she recalled Aadith alluding to Monica in less than flattering terms.
‘Well, it’s not common knowledge and certainly not something that Aadith would share with just anyone. He denies to himself that she ever meant anything much to him. The only reason I know is because he was signed on for his debut movie immediately after the breakup and I caught him at a rare low moment.’
Nina felt her heart clench.
‘But you’re good for him. I can see it in his smile,’ persisted Aaliyah.
A knock on the door saved Nina from answering. ‘When are you going to pose for me?’ demanded Aaliyah when the two men entered the room.
‘Right after you get your husband to sit for a complete portrait,’ quipped back Aadith to the sound of hearty laughter from Sajjid. It was a long standing joke in the family, explained Aaliyah. Her husband would sit for a portrait when there was a lull between movies, but before she could actually finish it he would get involved with a new movie and the portrait would have to be abandoned due to the absence of the subject!
Sajjid and Aadith had an easy rapport, while Aaliyah and he seemed to share a remarkable bond. Nina marvelled at the level of comfort inside this home she herself felt. Because Aadith had brought her, she felt they had accepted her as part of their inner circle without any reservations.
They bid their adieus to the Chatterjees after extracting their promise to visit them soon in Mumbai. Aaliyah kissed her warmly on both cheeks and whispered on an aside, ‘Don’t quit on him.’
Nina for lack of an appropriate answer, just nodded. The car soon left the stately old homes behind and sped into the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
‘I can’t believe they are such wonderful people. They don’t have any starry airs about them. I … I … really enjoyed meeting them both. Thank you for taking me,’ said Nina quietly.
Aadith picked her hand up and lightly squeezed it. Her eyes clashed with his and her pulse skittered. ‘Nina, they’re two of the few people I know with whom I can actually be myself. I wanted you to meet them.’
A wave of feeling surged inside her at his statement. She understood the depth of closeness Aadith shared with the Chatterjees and for him to have included her in it meant a lot to her. She who had always longed to belong somewhere, felt her heart swell with happiness.
Watching her eyes shine with happiness, Aadith felt a moment of disquiet. He did not want Nina to read more into the gesture than genuine friendship, thrown in with a boatload of lust. Surely she understood how the game worked—that he wasn’t looking for anything serious. She was older now, successful in her chosen field of business, a woman of the world, and surely unlikely to be inexperienced regarding affairs. He couldn’t be the only man who had spotted how gorgeous she was and wanted more from her than simply friendship. They made the rest of the drive in silence, him surprisingly perturbed and her still in a happy daze.
Nina chose an ankle-length flowing chiffon dress in mint green and added long sparkling earrings. She pulled her hair back into a loose chignon and headed out to meet the couple waiting in the lobby. Dinner had been arranged in the rooftop restaurant so she escorted them to the terrace.
The hotel located close to the banks of the Hooghly River afforded a spectacular view of Howrah Bridge and the city below. The terrace of the towering luxury hotel was exceedingly beautiful and the night air was cool and balmy. The scent of the jasmine flowers that covered the occasional canopy was intoxicating. A stunning infinity pool at one end of the terrace made the place seem surreal. Soft music under a starry night added to the magic.
Nina sat at one of the tables across from the couple with the photographer, who was discreetly taking pictures of the whole episode. She watched as they held hands throughout dinner. When the girl realised the
fireworks show was meant just for her she was astounded and moved to tears. Nina herself almost teared up when the boy’s proposal got a resounding yes.
At this cue Aadith joined the couple at the table. Nina kept her smile cool as she introduced him to the couple. Aadith was his usual charming self when they gushed over him as he heaped them with presents. As she was about to leave them to it and join the photographer once more at the other table Aadith caught her hand and signalled her to take the chair next to him. Nina didn’t think it would be appropriate to sit with them, so she stared at him mutinously without a word. He stared right back implacably. Short of making a fuss, she could do nothing about it, so she inclined her head regally. He drew out a chair for her to join them.
Aadith began encouraging the couple to take to the small dance floor.
‘Truthfully we don’t even know how to,’ confessed the boy shyly. Aadith leaned in and whispered something to the boy, which caused him to laugh heartily. Aadith turned to her and held his hand out. Nina groaned to herself. It had been hard enough sitting next to him pretending to be indifferent when all her senses were wildly aware of him, but to dance with him would be akin to torture.
‘Sorry, I don’t dance,’ she said bluntly.
Aadith smiled. ‘At the risk of repeating myself, I’m going to share with you what I just told him.’ He bent close to her ear and whispered, ‘Dancing is the best excuse anyone has to hold someone close.’
Nina’s breath came out on a strangled gasp. His breath was warm and teasing in her ear. Shivers ran down her spine and curled her toes.
Aadith took her unresisting hand and pulled her to the dance floor. There were already a few couples on the floor but she felt as if the entire room were watching them as they made their way there. Even if he hadn’t been a celebrity he would have captured people’s attention, she thought. There was a sheer animal magnetism about him.
What she failed to realise was that she was the perfect foil for him. Tall and slender in her floaty gown, she looked delicate and fragile. They made a striking pair and people could not help but stare at them.