A small beer bar with live singing…
The place is full of drunkards and noisy crowd….A single man is handling all the orders.
Customer: Joseph…kabse daroo maanga hai..saala table tak aaya hi nahi…
Joseph (old waiter): arre wait man…aadmi ek hoon magar haath toh sirf do hai naa..ek toh woh Stanley aaj aaya nahi…abhi main akeli jaan kya kya sambhaalega..
Customer 2: tu akela kidhar hai..bulaa naa teri right hand ko..kidhar hai woh apni…PURVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII….
A young girl having a spatula in hand and an apron above her dress steps out of the hotel kitchen.
Purvi: Kya hai uncle…2 min bina daroo ke nahi baith sakta kya? Main kitchen me busy hoon..
Customer: kyun? Aaj tera cook bhi nahi aaya kya?
Joseph: mera bad luck ich kharab hai…aaj Charlie(cook) bimaar hai…tabhi toh kitchen yeh bechaari sambhaal rahi hai..
Purvi (wiping sweat): 2 min papaa…bas yeh gravy utaar doon..phir main kitchen se baahar…aur inn bevdo ki seva me lag jaati hoon..
Joseph: tu kitna kuch karegi beta..Purvi rushes inside…
Customer: Joseph…aaj koi singer nahi hai kya? Mehfil me mazaa hi nahi aa raha hai..
Joseph: haan bulaata hoon..shayad tum log kuch der chupp rahoge..
Joseph (taking mike): friends….abhi time hai hamare naye kalaakar Atul ka….give it up people..
The crowd roars..A boy dressed in kurta-jeans takes the mike and places his guitar..he strums and starts a gazal type song..
The crowd gets restless…they hoot and boo him…
Customer: aeeeee…..gaane aaya hai ki rone….gaana gaaaa gaanaaa..
Customer: aeeee…main udhar aaon kya….abhi dikhaata hoon..gaana kisko bolte hai..
Purvi comes out of the kitchen and laughs gently at the ruckus being created. She picks up the empty glasses and goes about taking new orders..
Customer: aeeeee…koi naya gaana gaa..haan….Sikandar ka gaana gaa…
Purvi goes numb hearing this name. She stops in her tracks…
Customers (in group): Sikandar…Sikandar…Sikandar…Joseph looks at the unruly crowd.
Atul (scared): Sir…Joseph sir….kya karoon? A bottle comes flying near him…
Atul (scared voice in mike): Okay okay..ab main agla gaana aapke saamne pesh kar raha hoon…aaj kal ke famous singer Sikandar kaa…jinhone apni career ki shuruaat issi jagah se ki thi..
The crowd cheers….Joseph looks out for her. Purvi is standing right in the middle of the crowd….she is lost in time….slowly getting transported back to her past….just a year back..
Atul (singing): heyyyy..heyyyy..heyyyyy…ek saanjh ki saher jaise….ek phoolon ke shaher jaise…(my imagination)…
The crowd claps, hoots in appreciation….
Purvi holds the bar counter to support her weak knees. Joseph rushes to her side..
Joseph: Purviii….rona nahi…No Purvi…..tu nahi royegi…
Purvi looks at him and hugs him. She starts sobbing…the crowd is happy, they are yelling loudly..no one can hear her heartfelt sobs..
Joseph (angry, sad): Bhoool jaa usse…who tere laayak nahi hai….
Customer: Joseph….kya re….kab se beer bola hai..
Joseph (wiping tears): abhi Laata hai…1 min..he leaves Purvi. She looks away and wipes her tears…she rushes to the kitchen and in no time gets busy with her cooking…
Railway station
A young man gets off the train. He carries his most precious asset – his guitar and a small bag of clothes. He approaches the TC and asks about cheap motels nearby.
TC:
yahan se 15-20 min ki doori pe hai…thoda sambhalke jaana…raat ka time hai…yahan chor-uchakke bahut hai..
The young man picks his bag and looks at the name of station written in bold – Mumbai Central….
He remembers the last conversation he had with his parents. They were furious to know he wanted to make a career in music and was leaving house to try his luck in Mumbai..
Man (mind): I am sorry papa…maine aapka sapna poora nahi kiya..mujhe Engineer nahi banna tha…main singer banna chahta hoon…and I promise…ek din main banke dikhaaonga…aap khud poore Kanpur me sabko bolenge….main singer Kavin Khanna ka baap hoon…he takes a deep sigh and walks out of the station to the empty lanes in front..
Its past mid-night and the roads are deserted, except for some stray dogs. Kavin looks at the names of the closed shops and buildings, trying to figure out a place to stay.
Three drug addicts: babuuu..woh dekh…nayi chidiyaa…
Babu: shakal se toh struggler lagta hai..kuch nahi hoga iske paaas..
Drug addict: kuch nahi kaise…ek-do din ka toh guzzara ho hi jayega iske maal ke sahaare..
They all agree and quietly follow Kavin. At the turn of a dark alley, they pounce on him from behind. Kavin is startled and tries to scream for help. The three men snatch his bag, break his chain off and push him into a ditch. He climbs out and runs on the road looking for them and his luggage…he finds no one…
His clothes are all dirty. His lip is bleeding. He looks around but there is no one on the road..all shops are shut..
He walks for what feels like hours and can see a shop with one light on…'Joseph beer bar'…. The name glows in that road – a ray of hope for Kavin.
Kavin (mind): Beer bar….kya karoon…inse hi madat maang leta hoon..
He walks towards the small shanty like bar – the neon light gets switched off. An old man steps out and pulls the shutter down. Kavin runs towards him.
Kavin: excuse me…sir…aap meri zara madat karenge please..
Joseph: who are you?…peeche hato…..tu kahin koi charsi toh nahi naa…mere paas kuch bhi nahi hai..
Kavin: what? Charsi..nahi…no..no…sir..main..woh Kanpur se aaya hoon…raaste me kuch gundon ne mujhe maara aur mera samaaan chori kar liya….unhone mujhe uss gattar me giraa diyaa..aapke paas paani hai…
Joseph looks at the young man in front of him. He looks genuine. Joseph nods his head and opens the shop again. Kavin uses the bathroom to clean himself.
Kavin: Thank you sir..main chalta hoon..
Joseph: ehh..wait a minute man…yeh tumko lips pe aur haath pe lag gaya hai…patti lagana chahiye…
Kavin: pattti..sir…koi baat nahi..theekh ho jayegaa..
Joseph: kaise theekh hoyenga man..tum chalo mere saath..
Kavin (eyes down): nahi sir..woh mere paas….paise nahi hai..
Joseph (smile): paisa nahi chahiye..tum mere saath ghar chalo..wahan patti kar lena..phir chale jaana..chaloo..aaooo..naam kya hai tumhara?
Kavin: Ji..Kavin..Kavin Khanna..
Joseph: Nice name..I am Joseph D'Souza..
Joseph takes Kavin with him to his small house nearby. He knocks on the door. Purvi opens it.
Purvi: papaaa….itni deri kyun ho gayi..aur aapka mobile kahan hai?
Joseph: oh..mobile pocket me hai…..he looks at Kavin..aaooo..andar aaoo..
Purvi watches as a young man steps inside with her father.
Joseph: Purvii..meet Kavin…she is my daughter..say hello Purvi…
Purvi: hello..
Joseph: tu andar se zara woh plaster leke aana…iski thodi patti karni hai..
Joseph goes inside to change. Kavin waits on the sofa. Purvi steps in with a first aid box. He smile at her. She doesn't pay attention and goes about taking ointment in a cotton piece. She places it on the corner of his lips, wiping the blood.
Kavin: ouch…
Purvi: bas 2 min….
Kavin watches her face – she has big eyes that have no spark, there are slight dark circles under it..
Kavin: aapka naam kya hai?
Purvi (cleaning his wounds): Purvi..
Kavin (surprise): Uncle ka naam Joseph hai aur aapka Purvi…aap toh inhe papa bula rahi thi…christians me bhi Purvi naam rakhte hai kya?
Purvi doesn't reply but goes inside. Kavin waits for Joseph.
Joseph: ho gayi patti tumhari…
Kavin (getting up): ji bahut bahut Thank you..main chalta hoon..
Joseph: ek min…tum..tumhara saaman?
Kavin (sad): maine bataya tha naa..chori ho gaya..usme maine paise bhi rakhe the..aur mera phone bhi..
Joseph: ohh..toh tum kahan jaooge? Yahan koi hai kya tumhara koi sagaa waala?
Kavin: Mumbai me mera koi saga nahi hai…..Kanpur me gharwaalon se lad jhagadke aaye hai…ab waapas bhi nahi jaa sakta..
Joseph (taking pity): tum aaj raat ko yahan baahar verandah me so jaoo..kal chale jaana..
Kavin: Nahi uncle..main..iski koi zaroorat nahi..
Joseph: yeh Mumbai hai..tumhara Kanpur nahi…aate hi saaman ghum gaya naa…abhi aisa raat ko akela baahar jayega naa…tu bhi gayab ho jaayega..samjhaa…Purviiiiiiiiiiiiii…he calls….woh upar se ek takiya aur blanket leke aa..
Purvi comes with a blanket and pillow. Joseph asks her to put it in the verandah. She lays a bedsheet and arranges the pillow and blanket. Once she is done, she gets up to go. Kavin is standing right behind her.
Kavin (smile): Thank you..Good night…
Purvi bends her head down and leaves the place. Kavin lies down and looks at the stars for a long time before he falls asleep…
Purvi lies in her bed and shuts her eyes – the tears flow down again…
Why is Purvi so sad? Who is Sikander? whats his relation with Purvi? Who is Kavin?
Dear Friends - I am back with a KaVi story. Hope you guys like it..Keep reading and let me know your views on this..