Ishqbaazi tumse hi!
A short Shivika story (and a little bit of Mahi) involving NKK (family name, bloodline and lineage) and my version of the current IB track.
………………Annika’s Hospital visit with the doctor (Apr 27th, 2017).
Dr. Goyal: Annika ji, here are your test results of the blood sample (Mahi) and hair sample (Shivaay) that you sent to us yesterday.
Annika looks at the result and then scrunching her nose, she asks frowningly: And what do these colourful rectangles mean?
Dr. Goyal: These two rectangles are the DNA map of the two samples. And you told me that the samples are from two different people right?
Annika nods yes in reply.
Dr. Goyal: The samples are so similar in their DNA patterns, that I can safely say that not only are the two people related by blood, but they are actually identical twins.
Annika shocked: Matlab judwa (You mean twins)! So… they… both…share..…the…same…. mother?
Dr. Goyal: Yes. Since they are identical twins, they have the same birth mother.
Annika dazedly thanks Dr. Goyal and exits the office. On the way home, in the auto, her super smart mind is furiously thinking…. How is it possible that Mahi and Shivaay have the same mother? If Mahi was Shivaay’s brother, then how did Pinky Aunty and Shakti Papaji (father) not know about this?
Does that mean that Shivaay is not their son? And that he was adopted and that’s why no one in the Oberoi Mansion (OM) knows about his twin brother? But Pinky aunty and dadi said in the Puja how their khaandan (lineage) history is important, and Shivaay was so disappointed when he found out about my adoption. So it cannot be possible that Shivaay is adopted? Hmm…..
Is Shivaay isn’t adopted, then does it mean that he is their biological son, but something happened when he and Mahi were born and Mahi got lost at the hospital. Oh bete ki (Oh my goodness)! Can a hospital create so much locha (turmoil) and lose a living breathing baby completely? And never report the lost baby to the birth parents? I will have to find out, kya raita phaila hai (what is going on here)?
Annika picks up her phone and calls Khannaji: Khannaji I have more work for you. I need you to find out about the hospital where Shivaay was born and give me their information.
………………………………………………………………
At the Oberoi Mansion (OM, Apr 28th 2017) she waits for Shivaay until midnight to talk to him about Mahi. But Shivaay avoids coming home early from work, since he doesn’t want to speak to her about Mr. Bajaj and the orphanage findings, until he has spoken to Mr. Bajaj personally.
In the morning too he leaves early in his excitement to meet Mr. Bajaj.
Mr. Bajaj’s revelation about Annika being a hungry destitute shakes him to the core. His hope of Annika coming from a respectable family is shattered.
He also recollects that Mr. Bajaj said that Annika had another little girl with her who was sent to the orphanage with her. He wonders: Who is this other girl? Did Annika and that other little girl run away from their homes as children? Is that other girl Annika’s sister? Did these two girls get lost in the city? His mind is racing with questions on the drive back home.
When he returns home. His heart melts when Annika starts scolding him about not eating in the morning. He hugs Annika, as he remembers the irony of Annika’s life, how there were days when Annika went hungry in her childhood- when she was sick at the orphanage, and also prior to that when she was found by Mr. Bajaj.
He envelops her in the warmest of bear hugs, and wants to hold her for eternity and protect her always. [Male version of O Janaa plays in the background]
Annika embraces him too, while wondering how to reveal Mahi’s identity to him? She breaks the hug and pulls him towards the kitchen and says: Let’s eat our lunch together in the kitchen.
She starts filling up a plate of food for him, cheerfully humming a song. Shivaay just keeps staring at her and thinking in admiration, how she can be this cheerful, caring and strong person after all the suffering she has gone through in her short life?
Shivaay stops her when she starts to fill up a second plate for herself. And says gently: let’s share our food today from the same plate just like the night of our injuries. Then he winks and says flirtingly: I want to feed you properly without us having to shout out in pain like that night. (Comedy music in the background).
Annika barely registers the wink, because she is distracted about Mahi and Shivaay’s identity.
Shivaay wonders, what happened to his sharmili (coy wife)? Why is she not becoming a Jhansi ki Rani (spirited fighter) because of the wink?
He feeds a spoonful of the paneer kofta and matar pulao to Annika, and she feeds him his favourite Caesar salad. He brushes off the thought about Annika’s odd behaviour, because he wants to discuss about the orphanage.
They both shout out at the same time-
S: Annika, I need to tell you something.
A: Shivaay, I need to tell you something.
S: You go first, ladies first.
Annika, being the stubborn one insists: Nahi pehle aap (No, you go first).
Shivaay: Annika, yesterday I went to the orphanage from where you were adopted and found something interesting there.
Annika gets upset and says angrily: Shivaay, why are you not letting go of your NKK obsession? I told you to not pursue my identity? I just want to be known as Annnika.. period! Why is NKK so important to you over me as a person?
S thinking, if I say anything else to her she will get angrier, so I better not tell her about Mr. Bajaj.
He stares sheepishly at Annika, because of the fool’s chase he had pursued yesterday and today. And feeling embarrassed about it he thinks that it would be best to wait for another day to discuss about her childhood journey.
Shivaay puts his right hand on Annika’s left cheek and rests his left hand on her shoulder: Annika, calm down my fire-cracker, don’t burst out on me like this. I am sorry if I upset you by bringing this topic up. And he says pleadingly, forgive my tactless words. I told you before, I do accept you as Annika. While you not having any NKK, bothers me because of our family’s lineage, but to me personally having just Annika in my life is more than enough.
He cups her chin and says: Why don’t we talk about what you needed to tell me?
Annika melting at Shivaay’s touch, tries to calm down her racing heartbeat, the anger at Shivaay having melted away with his touch. (O Jaana Female version plays).
Just as Annika haltingly starts to say: Shivaay… I …went to…
Shivaay’s phone rings. He excuses himself saying it’s my PA calling.
After a few mins he hangs up the call and says: I have to go back to work for some emergency meetings. Let’s talk in the evening about your thing.
He gives Annika a quick peck on her cheeks and lips (SSO music plays), and before she can react, he strides off to work.
O jaana plays in the background, as a bemused Annika touches her cheeks that are turning red with embarrassment.
………….Goodluck Chawl- (Apr 28th, 2017 afternoon)-
Annika goes to meet with Mahi, to find out what he knows about his birth. On the way to Mahi’s kholi (room), Annika gets a call from Khannaji: Ma’am according to sir’s birth records, he was born in Pehchaan (identity) Nursing Home in Punjab, and to find more information of that hospital, I will need more time. Annika, says ok and hangs up.
Annika knocks Mahi’s door in apprehension. Mahi opens the house and seeing Annika, he thinks: Yeh quoschen kumaari yahan phir se? (Why is this questioning women here again?) He tries to slam the door on Annika’s face. (Comedy music plays)
But our street-smart Annika is in full form, she puts her feet between the front-doors to prevent Mahi from closing the doors. She has her pepper spray can ready in her left hand. Seeing the spray can Mahi raises his hands to protect his eyes. And Annika quickly rushes inside.
She says with a raised eyebrow and sternly: Is this how you treat your own sister-in-law?
Mahi in shock, with his jaw dropping he says: How do you know this? How can you know this? No…no…no…don’t do my dimaag ka Gangaram (don’t boggle my mind like this?) Comedy music plays.
Annika motioning stop with her left hand: Wait! Wait question ki dukaan! (Wait you, questioning shop)! I will tell you the details. But first you have to tell me, when and how did you find out about you and Shivaay being brothers? You tell your story first, then only I will say anything. And looks at him sternly like a teacher scolding an irate student. And if you don’t answer, I will have to use my 2Rs pepper spray tactics to get an answer. (Comedy music….)
Mahi thinking worriedly if his ma and Ranveer were caught by the police, and if these 100 crore kholi (house) family were going to put him in jail too with them. He thinks that if they already know the truth about him and Shivaay, there is no harm is telling all he knows, maybe they will not jail him, if he helps out.
So he indicates Annika to sit on a chair. And says: Ok! Ok! Mrs. Patakha (firecracker) calm down! All I know is that I am my mother kamini’s and Shakti Singh Oberoi’s illegitimate son. And that Shivaay is my twin brother.
Annika is totally shocked, she grabs Mahi’s shirt collars doubting Mahi: What rubbish? How can this be true? Shakti Papaji is always so religious and sanskaari (cultured), it cannot be true. You cannot be the son of Shakti Papaji and that cheepdi (cheap woman) Kamini! You are lying!
Mahi flinches at Annika’s strong words, but ignores the insult to Kamini and says: Believe me it is true. He removes his collars gently from Annika’s grasp. Bhagwan kasam (God Promise)! I never knew my connection to Mr. Shakti Singh Oberoi, until after I went to OM as Shivaay. I had seen my parent’s older college day’s pictures in my childhood, but ma never told me my father’s name. All I knew before coming to OM was that Pinky mummay, uh…I mean Pinky mom, had taken my twin brother Shivaay from my mother after he was born. That’s why when ma told me to pose as Shivaay, I decided to do it, to take revenge on Pinky mummay.
I soon realised that Shakti papaji was the man I saw in the old pictures at home. And when I confronted my mom, she told me he was my father. Since childhood my ma always blamed Pinky mummay for all her troubles, and poisoned me about how an evil woman like her had separated my brother from me. But only now I have found out the truth that my ma resented the fact that Shakti Papaji never married her because of Pinky mummay. And she hated that she had to raise an illegitimate son for the rest of her life, because of Shakti papaji.
Annika glares at Mahi in disbelief and puts the pepper spray near Mahi’s eyes. You can’t be trusted, after all you tried to steal jewellery from the Oberois. Before she can hit spray, Mahi dodges her in Matrix fashion, and moves towards the cupboard, and says: Wait, I will show you the pictures and proof of our birth.
He brings out a small shoe box, and shows Annika pictures of Kamini and Shakti from 35 years back. He shows her the Pehchaan Nursing Home records that shows Kamini gave birth to twin baby boys on 1st May, 1984. Identifying features to distinguish the boys: One baby boy with hazel (kanji) eyes and the other baby boy with black eyes.
Annika remembers that Shivaay’s birthday is also in 3 days, May 1st, and that Khannaji had told her that Shivaay was born in Pehchaan Nursing Home. Annika thinks, yeh toh bahut bada raita phaila hai (the shit is going to hit the fan). I will have to ask Shakti Papaji about all this. And how do I talk to Shivaay about this? Shivaay’s and the Oberoi family’s whole world will be disrupted.
………………..
Oberoi Mansion (Apr 29th 2017) Morning:
Pinky wants to do the Puja again, and tells Shivaay to call Mr. Bajaj. She tells this to Shivaay in front of dadi, Ru, Prinku, Om, Saahil and Annika, who are busy making plans for Shivaay’s birthday party. Shivaay gets extremely mad at Pinky for bringing Mr. Bajaj and the Puja topic up again. He shatters his phone in anger.
Shivaay: Mom, I told you day before yesterday that we aren’t going to do the Kul- Gotra Puja (family lineage prayer). As Anika has said before, she doesn’t have any other name except her own. Her name can be put in our family records as just Annika. And as for your questions on what we shall tell our children about Annika’s parents. If Annika wants she should tell our children about their nana-nani Mr. and Mrs. Kulbhushan Chaturvedi, who gave Annika a kind and loving home after she was adopted. If you ask me they are her true parents, and I am grateful to them for taking care of her when she was the loneliest in life. (Shivaay’s eyes almost mist up as he says the last sentence).
He stares intensely into Annika’s eyes and tells Pinky: I am perfectly fine not knowing who her birth parents are, because Annika’s loving nature, sacrifices for me and love towards us all is more than enough for me to accept her in our family.
Pinky: But what shall we tell the world? And what about our social status. Our family’s goodwill will be ruined, if people find out about her past.
Shivaay holding Pinky’s shoulders: Mom the world will always find something negative to talk about, and make others feel ashamed of their lives, but it is up to us as human beings to make sure we do not let such things get in the way of creating a good life for ourselves.
Then moving slowly towards Annika: Ever since Annika has come into my life she has been a ray of sunshine, laughter, fun, pain and fights. But despite all the good and bad, the troubles and laughter that she has brought into my life, it is because of her that I feel truly alive and content with my life. She is my love and my junoon (passion). I exist because of her and I feel she exists because of me.
Pinky in denial shouts: No! You aren’t my Shivaay! What happened to the stoic person, whose only goal in life was to keep up our families name and lineage always shining bright in life? I will not and cannot have Annika stay in this house, and destroy the past glory of our family’s name.
She pleads to Annika: Annika, please don’t do this to our family and ruin our family’s name! You had promised me in the hospital when Shivaay was shot that you will leave, but you didn’t keep up that promise. Today you must keep that promise for Shivaay’s family’s sake and leave our family. I don’t want us to be tainted by your ganda khoon (impure bloodline).
Shivaay (SSO music in the background) in anger: Mom, bas bahut ho chukka (Stop you are crossing the limit!) If you insist on Annika’s leaving the house, then I will have to leave with her too. As I keep saying and showing to you, I will not and cannot imagine a life without Annika. She is the other half of my soul and even spending a day without her in my life is unimaginable.
Shivaay, takes hold of Annika’s hand. They get in an eye-lock (with O Jaana playing both male and female version). He hugs her in reassurance and in a tight embrace.
Shivaay takes Annika’s hand and moves to pick up Saahil in his arms and says: Mom, we are leaving right this minute. I respect you as my mom, but I cannot tolerate the disrespect to my wife.
Stops and looks at Pinky: And if pushed to choose between the two of you, I have to choose her. I am not making this choice lightly. The past few days, nothing has been troubling me more than your insistence on only looking at Annika’s NKK, and your choice of not looking at all the beautiful things Annika has brought into our lives. Numerous times she has saved our izzat (honour) by taking blame on herself, she has saved my life multiple times and prevented us from falling into other people’s evil schemes. How can you overlook all the Goodluck she brings into our lives?
Pinky starts crying in anger and pain. She can’t believe what is happening?
Dadi, Om, Ru and Prinku, all four move towards Shivaay, Saahil and Annika, who are walking out of OM.
Dadi says: Shivaay stop, you cannot leave OM without my consent. I am still the head of this family and you never asked me what I think about all this?
She takes hold of Annika’s hands and brings her towards Pinky and says gently to her: Pinky, don’t you remember the saas– bahu (mother-in-law—daughter-in-law) tussles that we had in the first few years when you were a new bride?
She looks at both Annika and Pinky: I am sure you two will figure each other’s place in Shivaay’s life eventually. Please realise this happens between all mother of sons and their wives. I want you two to take this tussle as part of living, and for now please try to forgive each other. I am sure time will help you all resolve this. It isn’t a matter that can be forgiven or forgotten in one instant. Annika, Shivaay Saahil, you all belong to this family and this house. And no one is leaving today. That is your dear dadi’s order.
Om, Ru and Prinku envelop Shivaay, Annika, Sahil and Dadi in a group hug and say, we all love Annika and Saahil, they are as much our family as our Shivaay Bhaiyaa. Everyone has tears in their eyes. They all shout together Dil Boley Oberoi!
Annika and Shivaay hug each other, while wiping each other’s tears. Saahil is lifted up by OmRuPrinku and they walk towards the kitchen for a dollop of ice-cream filled with toppings of sibling love. “Lafzon ka yeh rishta” plays.
PS: I want to keep writing more. But this is a long fan fic. So for now I am ending with the happy family montage. While Shivika revel in each other’s love in private, and share the Oberoi family love and bonding in public.
Fin. End.