Knotty Affairs Read online

  Everyone watched the movie in pin-drop silence when the screen played out an intense scuffle between Arjun and Imran over an exgirlfriend.

  Uttam shouted, ‘Oye, Rohit and Latesh, I can see you both on the screen now. You both fought over Apeksha in the same way, remember?’

  ‘SHUT UP! Uttam,’ Apeksha shouted. ‘One more word and you’ll get it from me!’

  The whole group burst out laughing, much to the annoyance of everyone else. Someone shushed them, commanding them to maintain silence.

  ZNMD, luckily, turned out to be an entertaining movie in which a group of three friends go on a road trip to Spain to have fun and end up discovering themselves. Most of the audience enjoyed the witty dialogues and beautiful cinematography.

  Aakash and Kashish had fun cracking silly jokes throughout the movie, and giggling at them. As the last song played and the credits rolled out, deeply inspired by the movie plot, Aakash and Uttam made a verbal pact to go on a road trip to Spain as their bachelor-party trip.

  As this gang of twenty-five friends walked down the lanes of Shivaji Park, excitedly discussing the movie and prancing around in youthful zeal, Aakash hurriedly hopped his way to the front to be with Kashish who was walking with her friends.

  ‘Hey, I know it’s getting late,’ said Aakash when he caught up with Kashish, ‘but would you consider taking a detour to Worli Seaface? It’s only ten minutes from here by cab. It has rained and the weather is magical today.’

  Kashish hesitated for a moment before answering. She looked at her friends a tad embarrassed. Everyone had stopped talking and seemed to await her response. Then they broke the silence by shouting boos and awws at both Aakash and Kashish.

  Barkha Gujral shouted from behind, ‘What the hell, Aakash! This is totally unfair ya. Why aren’t we invited, too? What say, guys?’

  Everyone agreed. Kashish, feeling a bit self-conscious, called up her dad to inform him that she would come home a little late.

  Apeksha pulled Aakash to one side and whispered in his ears, ‘So, do you like her?’

  C’mon Aakash, you are certainly not bothered by this leg-pulling and teasing business…I genuinely hope Kashish isn’t… Nothing is serious yet. I am not even as taken in as these people make me out to be. What if it turns serious in someone’s head?So what if it turns serious? I have never met a girl like her before with whom I feel so comfortable. Things should not turn out the way they did in second year when Shriya and I broke up.

  Dude, it was a long time ago, it would be better if I skip that experience in my mind.

  Aakash was pulled out of his whirlpool of thoughts when Uttam shook him violently by his shoulders, pretending to topple him over the edge of the parapet onto the rocks. He then said, ‘Our Aakash here is totally lost in his lovestruck thoughts. Someone please sense him out!’

  Aakash immediately upbraided his pals. ‘Guys, enough! You people are, in all probability, embarrassing someone!’

  The whole gang shouted, ‘Ooo-hooo!’ in unison.

  Ignoring the non-stop antics of his friends, Aakash looked across at Kashish who, as if reading Aakash’s mind, signalled to him that all was well.

  Barkha was trying to unfurl her umbrella to avoid the slight drizzle that had just started, when Aakash, looking at the sea, said, ‘Guys, don’t you think Mumbai rains carry heaven on earth? Just look around!’

  Harleen from the group agreed, ‘I just love the rains here!’

  Darshan, laughed out loudly and countered, ‘Hello, sir, what “heaven” are you talking about? Ever walked the streets of Mumbai in the rains? Seen the stinking filth lying all around?!’

  Saloni added, ‘A heaven definitely, but with traffic jams and road blocks galore!’

  Sunny chipped in, ‘Don’t forget railway breakdowns and laterunning trains.’

  Apeksha exclaimed with disgust, ‘Sitting in laboratories and lectures in damp pants. Yuck!’

  Barkha, now under her umbrella said, ‘Aakash, it’s hellish to step out in your heaven!’

  Aakash smiled and replied, ‘Consider them the hurdles to reach heaven!’

  Saying so, he got up and stretched his hands towards the sea, presenting to his friends the beauty of nature. Just then there was a loud roar of thunder, as though nature approved the gesture, and lightning lit up the dull sky, giving them a spectacular light-and-sound show. Foggy clouds descended over the sea, masking the sun. Aakash cupped his palms and slowly parted them, unveiling a distant dull rainbow spread across the sky.

  Aakash gazed at the vast sky and exclaimed, ‘See, magic!’

  Kashish who was standing right next to him, nodded her head, ‘Yep, it’s magic!’

  They caught a glimpse of the orange-red sun merging into the waters before the clouds again shielded it and drank in the stunning scene in silence. A few were not as taken in by this beauty, as they thought of their hellish rides home after leaving Seaface.

  After Aakash dropped Kashish and her friend Diya at Kashish’s home, Apeksha’s words echoed in his mind, ‘Do you like her?’ The chain of thoughts that had invaded his mind some time back returned to bother him again.

  Still deep in thought, Aakash took out his phone from his pocket and typed in a message: Hi! I need to discuss something important tonight. I need you to be home at around ten tonight!

  Searching through his phone book, he sent out the message to three of his best friends. He was bothered by the recent turn of events in his life and found himself in need of a chat.

  At a flat, on the eighth floor of Poonam Heights, located close to RK Studios in Chembur, three mobiles buzzed simultaneously.

  Aakash’s father, Ashwin Mehta, his wife Kinnari, and daughter Kinjal, engrossed in a homely chatter, looked at one another in surprise. All of them were puzzled when they read Aakash’s short, yet unusual, message to them.

  Chapter 3

  ASHWIN, KINNARI, AND Kinjal sat down in the living room with a bowl of ice cream. They listened to Aakash in stunned silence as he enumerated the incidents of the last fortnight. His eyes twinkled with excitement as he narrated to his parents and sister the details of how he met Dr Kashish Banerjee and all their subsequent interactions. Kinju, as Aakash fondly called her, smiled and asked questions every now and then. She knew her brother inside out, and was equally thrilled to hear Aakash talk about his latest love interest.

  Aakash considered himself lucky to be blessed with true friends in the form of his family. While he found it weird that his friends were so detached from their parents, he never missed a chance to share the smallest details of his life with his family, be it a major career decision or a high-school crush.

  ‘Dad, I feel this is more than just another crush. I feel very secure and free when I am with her.’

  ‘Aakash is in love… Aakash is in love!’ teased Kinjal, as she ate a spoonful of the half-melted ice cream.

  Aakash narrowed his eyes playfully and gestured her to stop. She nodded her head but not before blurting out, ‘Aakash is in love again!’

  ‘Papa, I know it’s too early to say it’s love, but this time it’s not the same as it was with Shriya.’

  Mr Mehta spoke after a long pause. But when he spoke, he surprised everyone in the room.

  ‘Anyone interested in having melted ice cream?’ he lifted his spoon and pointed the dripping ice cream to Aakash. He added, ‘It still tastes the same!’

  He smiled at the gaping Aakash and said, ‘Umm… Aakash, why is it that melted ice cream never appeals to anyone? We all want to have it frozen. Maybe it’s because that’s how we all have learnt to enjoy it, right?’ Mr Mehta pointed his spoon at the bowl of ice cream. Aakash looked confused; he didn’t know where the discussion was headed.

  ‘Well…your situation is similar, Aakash. Most youngsters want to enjoy the feelings as perceived by general standards. The friends pampered, they teased, they suggested a possibility; and here you are – you took the bait!’

  Aakash’s vehement protests were drowned by his
dad’s slightly raised voice, ‘Undoubtedly, I can see it in your eyes that you have grown really fond of Kashish in the past few weeks. I appreciate that you shared your feelings with us. We are more than happy to find you in love, but the course ahead needs to be charted out by you alone.’

  Kinnari said in her typical Gujarati accent, ‘Aakash beta, liking a girl of a different caste and religion does not have to translate to spending your life with her under the same roof. A Bengali girl…’

  Aakash cut her short, ‘Oh, c’mon, Mummy! Nobody in our generation believes in this age-old caste and religion considerations. Tuning in with your partner is all that makes sense these days. There are so many couples around us opting for inter-caste marriages, and I believe most of them are happy with their decision. My friend Suyog has been in love with Neha for the last four years. He is Maharashtrian and she is North Indian. Their parents have already given them a green signal and they will get married immediately after completing college. Mummy, your own friend Sudha Aunty, although a Gujarati, selected a Punjabi girl for her son, Vicky. She really liked her daughter’s best friend who happened to be a Punjabi and selected her for Vicky. Did she not put aside these petty caste and regional differences?’

  Kinnari listened patiently to Aakash, as he built an argument in his defence. She looked at her husband wistfully before continuing, ‘Aakash, I don’t deny the point you’re making. All I am saying is that you need to give it a careful second thought if you are planning to go ahead with this girl. Love, my dear, is mostly only about two people, while marriage is about two different families and lifestyles coming together.’

  Kinjal eagerly asked, ‘Aakash bhai, have you tried to find out whether Kashish, too, feels the same way about you?’

  Aakash was suddenly at a loss for words. He fumbled and answered, ‘Well, Kinju, I am sure that she likes me a lot.’

  He thought for a while before confessing, ‘But, I don’t know if she thinks of me as just a friend or something more than that.’

  Ashwin, who was about to make a move towards the kitchen to keep the empty bowls, turned to Aakash and winked, ‘Didn’t I tell you that it’s too early, my boy?’

  Before Aakash could speak, his mother added, ‘You just told us that she has a very strict father. Do you really think she will reciprocate your feelings, if her dad is not excited about the idea of you two being together?’

  Seeing Aakash’s spirits dampen a little bit, his dad, who had just returned to the living room from the kitchen, warmly put an arm round his shoulders and said, ‘Hey Aakash, I have a small task for you. Before you go to sleep today, just close your eyes and try picturing Kashish in this house. If you do find her here, don’t forget to tell me in the morning, okay?’

  He winked and left, leaving Aakash to his thoughts.

  Before Aakash lay down on his bed, Kinju came to him and, pinching his nose, whispered, ‘On the final day of our college cultural fest, Arijit Singh is going to perform live. Being in the cultural committee, I can arrange for two more passes…’

  Before switching off the lights, she smiled and added, ‘I’m sure you and Kashish wouldn’t want to miss it!’

  That night, Aakash closed his eyes and tried to picture Kashish in their house. In the darkness, he saw a dim light illuminating the dining table where he saw Kashish and his family sitting together at the table having a hearty meal. In another flash, he saw Kashish with his mother and sister, standing near the kitchen platform, sharing a light-hearted joke. Then he saw another bright light in the main hall. He thought he heard a loud round of applause as his relatives appreciated Kashish’s singing. He turned around in bed and pictured himself taking off Kashish’s spectacles and staring deep into her eyes.

  He opened his eyes and smiled to himself.

  He pricked his ears for any silent whispers warning him against Kashish, but he was greeted with a deafening silence. He got up and looked around to see if there were any dark shadows lurking in any corner, but he found none.

  Or did he? Before he drifted off to sleep, he felt a fleeting uncomfortable thought cross his mind.

  Aakash was really excited at the thought of his parents and Kashish getting along well. But before he could plan anything, he stumbled upon a chance to meet Kashish’s parents.

  At the Durga-Puja lunch at Kashish’s residence, Aakash and his friends, Uttam and Neel, helped themselves to another serving of aloo dum and luchi prepared by Indira Banerjee, Kashish’s mother. Just as Mrs Banerjee doled out an extra luchi in everyone’s plate, Uttam with his mouth full garbled, ‘Aunty…your aloo dum is delicious. I haven’t had such a yummy aloo dum ever.’

  Mrs Banerjee thanked him with a wide smile and joked, ‘Don’t ask me for the recipe. It’s top secret!’

  Everyone in the room laughed while Mrs Banerjee served some more aloo dum gravy on Aakash’s plate. He almost sprung up, stressing that he was too full to eat any more. Kashish’s father, Vishwas Banerjee, was enjoying discussing sports and politics with the young, budding dentists.

  As the dessert was served, the discussion veered towards the more serious topic of careers and future in dentistry. Mr Banerjee asked Aakash and his friends about their future plans. While Aakash spelled out his predictable plan of appearing for the Master’s entrance exams once before setting up his own clinic, Neel talked about giving the national board exams and pursuing further studies and dental practice in the US. Uttam, caught in the act of popping a rosogulla into his mouth, apologetically confessed that he might join his dad’s flourishing jewellery business and thus drop dentistry altogether.

  Mr Banerjee looked at him spitefully and then turned straight towards Aakash and asked, ‘Aakash, why aren’t you thinking about pursuing higher studies abroad? Why limit yourself over here? Don’t you boys feel that practicing dentistry in a congested city like Mumbai spells struggle? I am a bit aware of the scenario here because I have a few family friends whose sons and daughters are practicing in various suburbs. The fact is that there are, on an average, at least ten dentists practicing in every lane of Mumbai!’ He let out a guffaw before adding, ‘Plus the huge investments in running a practice may not always match up with the income generated from middle-class patients. It actually takes years to zone to the top level.’

  Mr Banerjee took a sip of water and paused momentarily. He seemed rather content with his little speech. Looking at Neel now, he continued, ‘My elder son, Abhishek, after his engineering, is currently pursuing an MS in the US. In fact, his university has tie-ups with reputed software companies. He just received “the best student” award in his university and has got an offer from one of the best companies in the software industry. If you have it in you, you will be rewarded well abroad. I have already advised Kashish to consider the option of pursuing dentistry in America.’

  Mr Banerjee’s declaration was met with a stony silence. Aakash gazed at Kashish who had drawn a blank on hearing her father’s words. Her facial expressions indicated that she was not in favour of leaving the country.

  Finally, Aakash broke the silence and mustering all his confidence addressed Mr Banerjee, ‘Uncle, you must be aware that, for us, Indian dentists, the prospect of studying as well as working abroad is always dicey. This is because our Indian degree in dentistry is not recognized abroad. And the same applies to non-Indian practitioners who are not licensed to practice in our land. It is a long and cumbersome procedure on both the sides to study and practice. In fact, even physiotherapy students are allowed to practice abroad only after years of observation and training.’

  This casual statement now paved way for another round of long discussion where Neel sided with Mr Banerjee, praising the benefits of dentistry abroad, while Aakash, along with Kashish and her friend Nupur, explained how difficult the road is for Indian dentists who wish to settle abroad.

  ‘Are you seriously thinking about researching various American universities once you are done with your internship? Your dad sounded pretty confident that you might like the c
onditions over there. Why exactly is he so keen on packing you off on a holiday at your brother’s place once you complete internship?’ Aakash asked Kashish anxiously as they waited at a bus stop near Kashish’s residence. Their friends had left a few minutes back and Aakash’s bus had not arrived as yet.

  ‘No ya…you know how it is with Dad. He now has a success tale to tell as Abhi bhaiyya is doing really well there. But, as you just said, dentistry outside India for Indian dentists has practically very limited scope. Had I been an engineering student, he would have packed my bags long back!’

  Aakash looked visibly relieved and this didn’t go unnoticed by Kashish. But before she could react, the loud honk of an approaching bus startled them. Aakash turned around just in time to find that his bus had arrived.

  He boarded the bus, looked out of the window, and smiled at Kashish.

  Before the bus left, he shouted out loudly, ‘Hey, Ms Banerjee, you look ravishing in that red sari!’

  The blush on Kashish’s face was unmistakable. He made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and pointed it in Kashish’s direction to signal that she looked great.

  The next few months proved to be a gruelling time for Aakash at his college. In spite of trying hard, he just managed to complete four cases of complete denture; and as Professor Kamat had said, Aakash was awarded an extension of fifteen days in the prosthodontics department. Aakash took occasional help from Kashish in completing dentures, yet he tried his best to improve his prosthetic work.

  Since these were the last few days of college, Aakash and his friends hung out a lot more on campus than usual. Everyone would gather in the canteen to either discuss future plans or spend time chatting and gossiping about the happenings in their department. A few had bought the PG seats, while others had their clinic premises waiting to be inaugurated.