Raman Raji

‘Excuse me?’

‘Have we met somewhere, Raman asked?

‘No, we haven’t but I know you.’

Raman was not surprised, after all, he was the great superstar, Raman. The entire country knows him. 

Little did Raman know that this night’s interaction will change something in his life for ever.

‘Sorry to make you wait, how can I help you?’

‘I am Sanjay Mehta.’, the man probably in his seventies continued.

‘I know it is awkward to ask a superstar for this kind of favour, but can you come with me to my home, Before the man could finish his sentence, Raman took his car keys and tapped on the old man’s shoulder.

‘Lets’ go, Sir.’

Raman started the car with his car keys.

He started driving, and Mr. Mehta was sitting beside him

‘Don’t you wish to know, why I want you to come with me?’

‘Generally, I can assume there must be someone in your family, who wishes to meet me! Isn’t it?’

Raman knew he had some fan.

‘No’, pat came the reply.

There was complete silence, as Raman continued driving and Mr. Mehta giving the  route direction.

As Raman drove and reached a big bungalow, Mr. Mehta asked Raman to start slowing down his car. 

‘Raji wanted to meet you, and she will always be…’

‘More than a fan!’, Raman blurted.

Raman stopped the car with a screech.

‘Twenty-five years and Raji, suddenly!’

Raman closed his eyes.

Gone was the era, a fandom, a mystery, a dream girl, and her sudden death.

A never-ending wait, a love which couldn’t reach the destination!

A quarter of a century ago, down the memory lane, Raman arrived in Mumbai from a small dusty town near Kanpur.

Queued up for several film auditions, he went to several film directors’ offices to try his luck.

Though he had full faith in himself and there was no dearth of talent in him, he was yet to get his opening.

Raman’s slippers needed attention as he walked miles every day!

Once when he visited Mumbai Film City, he got the first glance of Raji, the beautiful dream girl of the entire nation!

Raji was giving a passionate shot with Brijesh Kumar.

It was a coincidence. The uncontrollable fans were running crazy to have a glance of Raji, while her eyes were fixed at Raman, whom she was seeing for the first time among the gathered crowd.

She was unable to focus on her lines and the director called, ‘Pack up for the day.’

The crowd melted away. 

Raman was drinking tea at a tea stall; he was standing alone, dejected.

A lady came towards Raman, and said, ‘You came so late, I have been waiting for you so long!’

Her deep blue eyes were visible, as she lifted the veil of her burqa.

Yes, she was Raji!

Before she could say anything further, Raman’s friend came with an audition leaflet and Raji with slow steps left the place.

Raman was quite surprised, but he was left mesmerized.

Raman realized Raji was his childhood friend, whom he loved dearly. She belonged to a peasant family.

Once Raji’s mother needed some lifesaving medicines, which Raman stole from his father’s shop for her. Raman was caught and thrashed black and blue, but he remained tight-lipped.

Raji could not bear this and had left the place with her mother, leaving Raman a note, ‘Till we meet again.’

Raman Raji

The next day when Raman reached the film studio, he was feeling a strong heartbeat in him.

It started growing 💗💗

Raji was standing in front of him!

Raman was left dumbstruck. 

Raji came closer and said, ‘Isn’t it possible Raman this time, we both can leave together to some place far away from this world of glitters, where we both…’

Even before Raji could complete her sentence, a film crew member came running towards her and handed her an air ticket for Shimla, for her next movie shooting.

The crew member took away Raman from there, ‘Come…come fast the auditions are about to begin.’ 

The last thing Raman could see, Raji held her palm high up in the air as if she wanted to say something, but Raman was now taken to the audition room.

A soul connection. Boom!

Raman opens his eyes.

‘What is happening to me, why my heart is beating this fast once again? I Know Raji died in a plane crash, the entire nation knows!’ Raman’s head was spinning.

Mr. Mehta tapped on Raman’s shoulder, ‘Come Raman, come with me. We have reached.’

Raman came out of the car and started walking with Mr. Mehta.

Now, Raman is hearing his heart’s beating. It was loud.

They both entered the big house.

Raman is walking with Mr. Mehta towards a long staircase which was set next to a big sparkling chandelier in the big dark room.

He saw a girl in her teens coming towards him.

Raman can clearly see this girl had the same blue eyes that Raji had! 

This time she had an oxygen cylinder and a breathing pipe that was attached to her nostrils, which was evident that she was not in the best of health.

The girl had the best of emotions in her eyes which was looking deeply through Raman’s eyes. With a painful smile, she exclaimed, ‘Isn’t its possible Raman that this time, we both can leave together to some…’

Raman placed his hands on Raji’s face and continued… ‘Some place far away from this world of glitters, this time, and this birth where we will complete our lives together.’

Before Mr. Mehta could understand anything more, Raman holding the hand of Raji had moved towards the main door and went outdoors.

Mr. Mehta came running outside, he even went to the parking lot. He was surprised to find Raman’s car still parked, but both Raman and Mr. Mehta’s daughter were nowhere to be found.

The next day, a newspaper headline published,

‘National Superstar Raman : Nowhere to be Found!‘

Raman Raji

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