3: An Inkling, An Inception

A grey colored T-shirt, that fell loosely over her shoulders, as it narrowed to fit her waist, paired by cargo pants that gripped across the flat of her belly with a leather waist accessory, a thin line of her waist peeping out from below her shirt, her rough wavy hair let loose as the strands stood on either side of her cheekbones along with metallic chains, wrist bands and white sports shoes that completed her rugged look, as she stood leaning onto the dark blue taxi with her one leg arching up to rest on the tire, Khushi waited patiently her eyes glancing her wrist watch in regular intervals.

“Oh god! I’m sorry to keep you waiting….”

She looked to her side only to find herself being engulfed in a bear hug, before the tall Scottish man turned away from her hurriedly walking towards the back of the taxi. “Come on, I’m getting late...” he said holding the door open, as he popped his head out already settling inside the car.

Khushi rolled her eyes nonchalantly slipping on her glasses, before letting her coat slide down the roof of the car waving it off in a vigorous shrug, as she tugged herself inside the grayish-cement colored driver coat, putting on her cap, whilst sliding into the front of the car and taking the place behind the wheel. She twisted the key to ignite the engine, as the familiar mechanic sound filled her ears. The next moment saw the typical blue Scotland taxi driving away into the highway that joined Belhaven to Edinburgh, lead by the chauffeur herself.

“You seem not really mad for turning up late, I smell trouble..” Camron murmured, locking his eyes with that of the almond hazels of Khushi as he looked at her through the mirror ahead. Khushi looked up right into those very drowsy blue pools and shrugged casually.

“I happen to charge for waiting as well…” she answered shifting her attention back to the road ahead, her hands effortlessly working with the wheel.

“Half an hour? No freaking way Khushi! That’s not fair, what happened to-what are friends for?”

“And what happened to -Never take advantage of friends?”

“I hardly ever took advantage K, I’m the handsome customer service guy at the airport and you are the hot taxi driver who drives to and fro from the airport. I happen to hire your cab every day, how’s that even considered as taking advantage?”

“Oh the ever so generous Camron Maxwell! Getting a ride from your Chauffeur friend every day to the airport and making her wait every freaking day is taking advantage okay? If I don’t have to pick you up every morning, I would earn myself  two more trips easily!” Khushi huffed glaring at her friend from the mirror.

“If you don’t pick me up every day, there is a good chance that you end up driving alone baby; you should rather appreciate…..”

His blabber was interrupted with the sudden screeching halt of the taxi, as he looked around the deserted highway, the shady green grass fields running on either side of the broad road and ahead of him stood the long running, off-white cemented path.

“Oh no no no khushi! You are not really thinking of stopping the car here and abandoning me, are you?”

Khushi looked behind her seat, making her elbow to rest over the seat-head, before smiling at her friend whilst batting her eyes. “Flash news Cammy, the first part of your prediction just turned out true but you can still try and save yourself from the second part….”

“It’s getting late evil woman!”

“Don’t you think you should hurry up instead of sulking, common, apologize…”

“What?”

“APO-LO-GIZE….”

Camron sighed looking away for a moment, before meeting his eyes with that of Khushi’s teasing ones. He mocked a smile taking her hand into his, and looked at her, mentally rolling his eyes. “Khushi Gupta, I’m really sorry, please forgive me. I promise I will never win another argument with you….” he said bringing his sugary sweet voice.

“Wow! You have improved at this over the days Cammy, good job! You’re forgiven.” she rubbed the locks on his forehead before turning around and twisting the key to hit back the highway again, completely oblivious to the ghost of adulation sparked in Camron’s eyes, at her mere gesture.

**

He let his palm lay flat on the quarried slate table covered in baize, as he positioned the cue between his thumb and forefinger, before letting his other hand take the lead for the strike in his mind. He shifted on his leg making sure his leading leg is in line with the cue ball and the object ball, as he let his upper body bend and lean over the table while his mystic brown eyes flipped between his target and the cue-tip. As his narrowed gaze continued to aim the white ball with utmost concentration Arnav held his lips together and pushed against the bumper of the cue, to accomplish what can only be termed as one of his best soft strokes, the little rattling sound created by the bumping of balls echoing around even as the blue ball rolled popping right into the destined pocket.  

Aman walked across the table holding his own cue straight up, his gaze appreciating Arnav’s strike even as Arnav smirked at him, just when a soft knock on the door alerted the both of them. Aman nodded in acknowledgment as he made his way towards the door watching Arnav take his position for the consecutive strike.

“Mr.Mehtha?”

Arnav heard Aman say in surprise, as he let his fingers loosen his determined grip around the cue-stick whilst swerving his eyes up to that of the familiar man who entered the room.

“Hello Arnav”

Arnav straightened his back, as he arched his eye-brows while stretching his hand forward, for a friendly knowing hand-shake. “You never give up do you Mehtha?”

He heard the middle-aged, tall and strongly built director laugh out in that dismissing way, the grayish black thick beard standing out in his oval face as contrast to the dull coat that he was wearing. “What can I say? I might call myself passionate enough for the work I do?”

The rebuke hit Arnav in the right area where it should and from the way Rajiv Mehtha looked on intently keeping his steady gaze, it appeared like the impact was right on intended. Instead of giving the older creative person the satisfaction of the little jab, Arnav threw his head behind and laughed it off, rather dismissively.

“Oh Rajiv, I can see you have come a long way from the newbie wannabe director to a confident person over the years” Arnav walked along the long edge of the table placing back the cue-stick in its place, while standing beside Aman, dropping his long hand around his cousin’s shoulder. “Shouldn’t we take credit for this?” he spoke to Aman with his tongue in cheek causing Aman to let out a half suppressed smile.

“Definitely bhai, if it’s not for your rejection, we never know where the ace director would be otherwise”

“I agree sir, and despite being the ace director that I’m today, I still seem to have an offer for you. Now that would be something I should take credit for myself, don’t you think?”

Aman’s smirk died on his face, while Arnav continued to smile in his typical nonchalant way. Rajiv observed the two of them whilst walking towards them and smiled stopping by closely.

“Well, anyway, this would be my last visit offering you something. If what I have now still doesn’t interest you, I will not show up again, you have my word”

“Like I said, I’m loving your new found confidence, let’s hear you out then” Arnav announced rubbing his hands in mock enthusiasm.

**

“It’s a story about an upcoming Rockstar, who travels the world in search of his inspiration…”

“Uh, I know Rajiv, it’s a perfect blend of Rockstar and Ashiquee2 and with that splash of typical Imtiaz Ali’s travelling flavor. I have heard it before and you know I’m not quite interested in your aspect of creativity anyway, come to the point which you think might interest me this time around, will you?”

He spoke, not shifting his eyes from the long aquarium that stood on along the marble platform at one end of his office room. Sitting in his comfortable cushioned sofa, crossing his legs, Arnav watched the small pinkish white shark, which played along with the gold-fishes swaying its way towards the glass wall of the aquarium, fascinated with its own reflection as Arnav in turn found himself being fascinated with its curiosity.

Sensing silence around him even as his eyes refused to tear the glance away from the fishes, Arnav turned his head to look at Rajiv and smirked at his reaction less stance. He knew what he said was a blatant insult. Something he knew might not even be true. The best way to give back at someone is to compare their creativity to something else or rather type cast it as something usual despite what they think. He heard the script long before, when Rajiv was nothing but an upcoming director and he was a newly launched star-kid music director. His tunes back then were fresh, something innovative and he knew that was the reason he was offered this script back then. It was the time when he thought he had it in him to keep making new, innovative, refreshing music and hence he had rejected the offer to act. But the zeal he thought he had didn’t last for more than a couple of films, and later on he found himself rejecting the script more than a couple of times as and when Rajiv would turn up stating remuneration as his main reason.

“Twenty crores and a Jash Raj launch with all the attention and exposure that comes as a package with the production house, along with a three movie contract” Rajiv spoke without a pause finally managing to grab complete attention from the two other men in the room.

“Wow! That was some improvement I must agree Mehtha, isn’t that almost equal to what these big stars demand these days?”

“---it’s the actresses remuneration bhai, heroes demand even more” Aman answered for him.

“Ah, that’s alright Aman, let us be a little fair here” he said waving his hand at Aman, before shifting the position of his crossed leg from one side to another. “So Rajiv, make it 25, and get me the papers to sign the deal, like you said, this can really be our final discussion about this…”

“Looks like the legendry music director’s only son is finally considering the alternate career this time, easy, readily available career alternative…”

“Deal or no Rajiv?” Arnav resumed his no-nonsense tone and at that Rajiv had to come straight to his point.

“I’m afraid it’s you who might have to chose this time Arnav…”

“Straight to the point, you should have known I hate twisted sentences…”

“This movie will have you in the lead role and music by SS musicals-------”

“---quite obviously”

“—provided, you will do the music yourself, not any third person hired by you”

There was silence again in the room, as Arnav and Aman sat rooted to their seats while Rajiv, looked on at the two of them refraining the same amount of confidence.

“And it’s the Jash Raj we are dealing with and they would know if the plagiarism plays its role, in case you are planning to manipulate again”

That has caused Aman to get up from his place and charge at the director, holding both of his collar making him stand even as he glared his furious eyes directly at Rajiv.

“Aman relax..”

“No Bhai, the nerve of this guy to speak shit…”

“I’m sorry Mr.Loyal Friend, but you have to by now come in terms with this fact, this has become an open secret now…” Rajiv said standing captivated under Aman’s arms, with his both hands tugging to let his collar free.

“Let go Aman!” Arnav ordered.

“Bhai…”

“I said LET GO!”

Arnav walked towards the both of them just as Aman stepped away from the director causing the three of them to stand in a typical triangle.

“Think about it Arnav, you might buy tunes today or until a couple of years from now, but at some point or the other these young musicians will climb up the ladder and wouldn’t want to work under you. Soon this will be out in the open and you will no longer be able to deny anything, not that you are denying anything now and I’m sure you know all this.

If not a success, this sure will give you a biggest launch possible. An actor in real life is what you already are, that comes to you naturally so that shouldn’t be a problem. Plus if this turns out to be a success, you don’t have to do music ever again, for money”

Arnav didn’t understand why he was listening to such a long lecture, but he was and he knew Rajiv still have more to say. And so he just waited thoughtfully gathering it all.

“All you have to do in return is, make one original music album, fresh and innovative” Rajiv used his index finger explaining his point. “I’m sure you still have it in you, Arnav, somewhere deep down, you will only have to look for it…”

If it had to be one thing that would irk the nonchalant Arnav Singh Raizada is if someone gives him a piece of advice about his creative side, which he no longer knew if it still existed. More so, he would never even want to invade deeper into that side of him. And so Arnav’s jaw clenched with sudden rage as his hand turned into a fist even as his eyes narrowed angrily at Rajiv.

“No deal…” he simply stated taking not just Rajiv but even Aman by surprise.

“This could be your one golden opportunity….”

“---You already did a great job with your research in that aspect Rajiv and I’m sure you have heard my answer..”

“They will be ready to pay the 25 you wanted…” Arnav could see the initial confidence in Rajiv’s eyes coming down, and he continued to keep his gaze intact.

“You are doing pretty good for yourself Rajiv and teaming up with prestigious banner, not bad at all. But I still fail to understand your constant insistence…”

Rajiv let out a bitter snigger, as he turned away from Arnav and walked facing the aquarium. “For starters, I’m passionate about my vision Arnav, and unfortunately for me, this story, this vision has been only on papers for as long as five long years and yet the drug of this imagination hasn’t left my mind. More so, for me, for this story the imagination, the inspiration has all began only with a certain young 19 year old Arnav Singh Raizada, who entered the music industry like he had vowed to drain us all in his mesmerizing music. The impact, the passion in your eyes, the innovation you have brought along with you everything was so high Arnav, so high that I couldn’t help but to pen this story imagining you!

And here we are today, with me literally selling and bribing the one story that I still think is the best one I have ever penned, but there is this part of me that keeps telling me that this would remain the best one, only if you would be part of it. Is the irony of creative passion, I hope you would understand this some day…”

Rajiv turned around feeling like he had just completed reciting one of his long movie dialogues only to see the two other men in the room looking at him with almost the same kind of unreadable expression.  He cleared his throat shrugging off the desperation in his voice and walked, retrieving a half-folded paper from his jacket. He walked not looking at either of them and placed the contract page on the glass table ahead.

“Anyway, it is still your call Arnav. The terms of the contract are in the papers, give me a call if you decide to sign them, otherwise I will know your answer and like I said, this will be the last time you are seeing me in this regard…”

With that Rajiv Mehtha left Arnav’s office, without waiting for any kind of reaction to all that he said.