My Dear Reha,
My heart is beating faster than my thoughts as the imminence. of the date I wanted. to skip for a long time is making me restless and lonely. Only if I were the chooser….only if I could remove 11th March from my calendar….
It is difficult to stay and look calm for long. I am trying hard to keep myself busy in activities I love. It is going to be nine months since I last spoke to your Meethi Ma. It is going to be nine months since I heard her say, for the last time, ‘ Luck, I think I may not recover.’
Sometimes I want to howl at the top of my voice resting on the balcony of my room , looking deep into the empty sky and tell Him, ‘ O God! This is not done ! ‘ Sometimes I want to run away from the people I am surrounded with and walk eternally on a path of. nothingness. Despite my being busy and involved, there is a sense. of stillness somewhere that haunts me. Life is tough. Living is tougher.
It was not for nothing that I made movies with your Meethi Ma. At the back of my mind, I had this day in my mind when I would be all alone. I knew that She would not talk to me one day. I knew that. She wouldn’t be around and I won’t be able to hear Her anymore one day.
The stupid stories. I wrote were enacted and converted into movies. Despite Her illness and pain, She succumbed to my emotional blackmail and agreed to act with me at a time when no other family member was willing to work in my venture under my direction. You would laugh saying that mom had no option but to be on the side of her husband. Our first movie on Appu’s wedding was a hit. We crossed all the limits and made an adult movie too, a gift to your Luv Chhachu on his 60th birth anniversary. Instead of cards or messages, we had started making fun movies on the birthdays and anniversaries of our dear ones. The spade work would start much before the event. I remember both of us spending many Sundays , holidays or furloughs from the respective Banks sitting on our bed and rehearsing before the Window Movie Maker, reciting and re reciting our dialogues and laughing…..She was the final censor board and all in our family , near or distant, respected Her decision.She ensured that my all movies were politically correct. In fact I had the trump card with me.
Today, Whenever I see them on my laptop , I get lost in the past. She comes alive on the screen. It was fun working with Her on various projects like this and making a satire on some of my dearest family members. With Her as the main actor , everyone took it in the light spirit and enjoyed……
‘सुनो जी, शाम को घर जल्दी आ जाना ‘ ; ‘जी ममी, जी जी मम्मी ‘ ; ‘ डाक्टर चाची आई है,’ ; ‘ ओ मेरे जल सेनाधिकारी, ‘. : ‘ लव चालीसा ‘ ; ‘अलख निरंजन’ ; ‘रचना भगवान की ‘; the list goes on…
There will be private screening of these movies on 11th March back to back….for me.
Happy Marriage Anniversary…..
Love
Dad
