Disclaimer

This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the popular show cook with comali 2. The description of incidents in this story is fictional and entirely unrelated to the persons after whom the characters are named. The story is only an imaginary plot with my take on ashaangi. This is not to hurt anyone or affect their personal space. This is purely a fictional plot that is not recommended to connect with real-life incidents.

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3

Ashwin's heart ached and as if he could see her soul through her eyes he felt weak too. Those mixed emotions and confusions from her eyes traveled through his eyes to his heart.

He just leaned back on the couch and rested his head. He was staring at the wall next to the TV and closed his eyes. The tears left his eyes and traveled down his beard face weighing his body down towards the gravity and felt weak but his mind dint let him rest, it ran back in time where every problem in his life now, started. 

Year 2019.....

Ashwin was fiddling with his phone in his hand, lying on the couch in his living room. It was around 9 pm and what a day it was for him!

He was more than happy as he signed for his pilot film 'Kadhal ondru kanden' early that day. He found the script propitious and the casting also seems to be promising as they were in the media even before he stepped in and were quite popular celebrities. 

He also had the pressure to perform well but he knew he can put his best foot forward when it comes to acting because that was something natural for him.

The director was a close friend of Ashwin and was keen to rope in him for the film. He knew Ashwin's talent was not showcased or used completely in all his previous projects. He wanted to bring the best out of him and he had written the script having Ashwin in his mind as the lead role.

When the director narrated the story, he readily agreed as his character had the scope and he had the space to project multiple emotions and perform.

Ashwin wanted to make this day even more memorable. That's when he quickly typed a message that he was thinking about for the longest now.

"I Love you Maha! "

He closed his eyes wished for what he wanted and with a smile on his face he tapped on the send arrow. Ashwin finally proposed to her after waiting for the right time.

Maha saw the message and silence prevailed for a while. He knew she liked him too. It was kind of mutual and he wanted to take their relationship to the next step.

"Are you serious Ashwin? Nii epoyum pola edhum prank panala la?" Maha replied.

(Is this a prank?)

"oiii enna patha prank panra madhiri ah iruku? Na serious ah pesreyn. Shall I give you a call now?" he responded sitting up attentively on his couch.

(Do I sound like I'm pranking? I'm serious)

"Nono elarum irukanga naney aprom call panreyn.Enakum una romba pudikum Ashwin. Nii sollala na naney ennikadhu oru nal solirupeyn ana appa, amma,anna, ooru alunga lam nenacha bayama iruku. Konnuduvanga! Unakey teriyum.Un phone number kuda na save panama vechirukeyn"

(Nono I'm surrounded by my family members. I also like you Ashwin. If you hadn't proposed, at some point I would have. But all I'm worried about is my family. They would not spare me if they find out and you know that. I don't even keep your phone number saved to my contact.)

"Ama teriyum ana epdi una madhiri oru bold ana ponna na en life la miss panuveyn? Un vetula mattum ivalo strict ah ilati, this day would have been a memorable one in our life."

(Yea, I know, but how will I miss a bold girl like you in my life? Only if your family hadn't been this strict this day would have been a memorable one in our life)

Mahalakshmi is a software engineer. She is from a very conservative family from a small village near his hometown, where people still believed in caste system and Love was a BIG NONO! They would not think before doing anything to securing their tradition and morals that they believe in. 

She was working at an IT company in Mumbai, living with her not-so-strict relatives. It was a big struggle to move to Mumbai and they finally gave in when she said she will stay with her relatives and agreed on marrying a guy who they choose in the future. She made a fake promise only to get away from that place and hoped things would change. Yes, such things still prevail!

Maha was doing engineering at KCT when Ashwin was going to graduate MBA at PSG. They have met a couple of times during college cultural programs.

It started as a casual senior-junior friendship, notes exchanges, and rare chats on Facebook, as that was the best way of communication back in those days and WhatsApp was just gaining popularity. 

Their friendship gradually bloomed into something beyond that over the years. Soon when he was trying for a chance into media, Maha was half-heartedly helping him out, giving him moral support and also sometimes financial support which Ashwin would reluctantly accept when he had no other choice and when he dint want to trouble his family members. He is not a person who would ask for help from people, especially when it comes to money.

Her parents being this strict won't accept any guy even as a friend that's why Ashwin's number was also not saved in her phone.She didn't want to demotivate him but she also dint want him to get into media as she knows she would propose to him at some point and the media would be another add-on problem to tackle. 

She was 100 percent sure that her family would disapprove of a guy from a film background! But she really hoped Ashwin would convince them in the future.

"Maha I have signed for 'Kadhal ondru kanden' this is no less than a film, I know this will be a breakthrough to get into the cinema."

"I felt this was the right time to ask you. Industry kulla ponum (I have to enter the industry). let me do 3 4 films....Let me get settled."

"Na romba silent ana alu unakey teriyum, enna pathi tappa ezhudha media ku onumey irukadhu."

 (I'm the quiet type, you know that the media would not get any content from me for gossip.)

"Nii romba yosikadha.Un family kita na settle ana aprom pesreyn.Seriya?"  Ashwin assured Maha.

(don't think much. I'll talk to your parents and make them agree. Okay?)

She wanted him to have a simple life. Her future felt too complicated with the media coming into his life. She didn't want it, to be frank. 

"I trust you Ashwin" Maha put a simple reply for his assuring statements.

"I love you too! Will call you tomorrow from office. This day is truly a memorable one Ashwin." Setting aside her nightmares she really loves him for the man he is.

"I'm happy for you Ashwin", She said half-heartedly which Ashwin dint realise at that time.

Her message got a smile on Ashwin's lips.

When the entire world was dark for him, she was his light. She was his only support system to whom he could share anything without being judged. Being an introvert he could feel comfortable with very few people in which Maha was his first. He trusted her without knowing what she felt when he was running around to mark a place for himself in the industry.

She also wanted to take the next step in their relationship, but more than that she feared thinking about her family and to what extent they can go to get her out of this.

------------

Soon after that Ashwin moved out for his shooting. He was busy shooting indoor and outdoor for his pilot film and ad shoots.

He had a gut feel that this short film would take him to places. Though it was filmed by a group of debutants it never felt so. The fresh technical team gave a fresh spirit to the film.

As expected the short film was a hit and he started getting calls from big production houses. The music track especially the song 'Kanna Veesi'  played an important in the film that caught eveyones attention and was trending.He felt like he has achieved what he wanted through this project.

Ashwin called up Maha and excitedly informed about the calls he received. Maha on the other end totally dint wanted to hear any of that. Even though she was happy for him and his success, she just wanted a simple life! 

She doesn't want to give up on Ashwin and she dare not ask him to give up his dreams of becoming a hero for her as she knew that was more important to him than anything in his life.

Soon he realized that he was just approached for support roles and character artist roles in the films that he dreamt of acting as a hero. He could not accept it. He felt defeated. Cinema and media have again and again destroyed him, put him down, and defeated him. People mocked him for being this useless guy he was. 

"Cinema kara nai!" those words from his relatives and close circle kept ringing in his ears.

On top of this Maha and his family members especially his mom asked him to come back to his hometown and start a business of his own or join a job.

He was surprised to see Maha was not supportive as she knew about his struggles more than his parents or anyone for that matter. He just convinced himself that she was concern about him and his mental health more than his career as she used that as a trump card to try to change his mind sometimes. 

From her point of view, she was not wrong, she was a simple girl wanting a simple life.

This was not the first time he felt defeated and weak, but this somehow felt like a dead end. Just to keep up his commitment he finished off his shoots for all the small roles he signed in and was packing up to go back. 

His heart was not happy about doing this but his mind said it will be fine just go on! Maha was more than happy with his decision and was looking forward for settling in life.

Ashwin also wanted love, Family, marriage, children, car, money, and "home" as any other man would want at his age. He felt it was the right time to settle and he almost convinced himself that cinema was not for him.

While he was almost done packing, he got a call from a known production house person. He had dilemma whether to pick up or not. He decided to put the phone on silent and kept it aside. He thought it would be for some serial role or maybe some guest appearance as usual.

A piece of loud but soothing music played from the same neighboring house disturbing his thoughts as he threw the phone on his bed 

This guy next door must be a music maniac or maybe not 😉

When he looked up, the window that was partially closed next to his bed flung open. A cold breeze carrying a comforting earthy smell after a slight shower brushed his face stirring emotions from his heart. The music and what he saw through the window made his eyes cloudy.

"Pal bhar Theher jaao

stop for a moment,

dil ye sambhal jaaye

let this heart get stable

kaise tumhe roka karoon

how should I stop you..

meri taraf aata

every sorrow coming towards me

har gham phisal jaaye

would slip away..

aankhon mein tumko bharoon,

I'll fill you in my eyes

bin bole baatein tumse karoon,

I'll talk to you without speaking,

gar tum saath ho,

ifyou are with me

agar tum saath ho..

if you are with me.."

And the song stopped right there. 

The song melted his heart.What he was Iridescent clouds, after a mild shower. It was like magic in the sky. A tear rolled down his cheeks felt warm.

It was as if a mother is trying to carry a baby and protect him from the world of pain, rejections, failures, dejection, betrayal and show him a beautiful beginning. The lyrics of the song calmed his screaming heart that has faced enough. 

It was like all his dreams and needs were going to come true. He felt like it was god's way of saying that this is the day and things happening from now are going to turn your life upside down, Go get it!

He believed in God, the only one who he trusted would bring a change in his life even during his worst of times.

He looked at the phone that he tossed on bed, picked it up and called back.

"Hii Priya! How are you? Just saw your call"......

Time for new beginnings! ✨

https://youtu.be/Nc1OL3iQ93Q

( At the saree store (Background Score) - Remo; Listen to this to get the state of mind of Ashwin)

*****

How was it? Good? Bad?

I know it doesn't have any ashaangi moments but it a much needed episode in the story.

Please don't kill me for bringing in Maha.You will know why she is in the plot as the story unfolds.

What is love without wait? What is love without mistakes? What is love without pain?

Hope.....Believe......Magic.....and most importantly manifest ✨💜

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