The air was filled with excitement as the mehendi and sangeet ceremony took place on the same day. The Kohli mansion had transformed into a dazzling spectacle—lights twinkling everywhere, the sweet fragrance of mehendi filling the air, and the soft beats of music playing in the background. The atmosphere was cheerful, but beneath the smiles, there was an undercurrent of tension.

https://youtu.be/jHNNMj5bNQw

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Na dhoop chune na chaaon

(How's this selfishness of yours

That you pick neither sun nor the shade)

Prachi sat in the center, surrounded by her cousins and friends, as the mehendi artist delicately worked on her hands. The intricate designs began to take shape, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Kisi thor tikke na paon

(How's this selfishness of yours

That your feet don't stay anywhere)

Prachi (to herself):

"Yeh mehendi, yeh rang... Ranbir ka naam. Mere dil mein har ek kaam uska hai... Par yeh shaadi toh... sab ki khushi ke liye(This mehendi, this color...Ranbir's name. Every work is his in my heart...but this marriage...is for everyone's happiness.)" 

Esha: Ab dekhiye aap ke Author ji aapke bhagya ka kya karenge(Now see what your Author ji will do to your destiny!)😏

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Na dhoop chune na chaaon

(How's this selfishness of yours

That you pick neither sun nor the shade)

The artist's brush paused for a moment and then continued with the intricate swirl of designs, spelling out Ranbir in her mehendi. Prachi looked at the mehendi on her palm, not seeing the name properly yet, a silent tear escaping her eye.

Esha: Apna koi aansu mat girana(Don't drop any tear of yours!)😭

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Kisi thor tikke na paon

(How's this selfishness of yours

That your feet don't stay anywhere)

Kunal (smiling, eyes gleaming with his usual arrogance):

"Yeh mehendi ka rang, Prachi. Tumhare haathon mein sab kuch aise hi khilta rahe... Bas thoda soch samajh ke apne faisle lo, kyunki main yeh shaadi apne tareeke se karne wala hoon(This is the color of mehendi, Prachi. Just think carefully before taking your decisions, because I am going to do this marriage in my own way.)"

Esha: Nirdeshak ne aapake liye jo yojana banai hai, woh bhi aapko nahi pata (You don't no what director has planned for you either!)😠

Ban liya apna paigambar

Tar liya tu saat samandar

(You tried being your own god

And crossed all seven seas)

Dhavani (softly, with a bittersweet smile):

"Prachi ne kabhi kisi ka kuch bura nahi kiya. Yeh shaadi uska haq hai. Aur Ranbir ka... yeh baat sabko samajhni chahiye(Prachi never did anything bad to anyone. This marriage is her right. And everyone should understand this about Ranbir.)" 

Esha: You deserve joy! 😘

Phir bhi sookha mann ke andar

Kyun reh gaya?

(But still your heart is dry

Why is it so?)

Kunal (laughs to himself):

"Tumhare liye toh yeh sab kuch hai, Dhavani. Par mujhe toh ek hi jeet chahiye. Prachi meri ho. Aur Ranbir toh bas ek distraction hai(It's everything to you, Dhavani. But I want only one victory. Prachi is mine. And Ranbir is just a distraction.)" 

Re kabira maan jaa

Re faqeera maan jaa

(O kabira believe me

O saint believe me)

Dhavani (looking away, silently wishing for Ranbir and Prachi's happiness):

"Dil ke raaste sabke liye alag hote hain, Kunal. Tum samajh nahi sakte(The paths of the heart are different for everyone, Kunal. You can't understand.)"

Esha: Let's go Dhavani!🔥

Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchaiyan

Re kabira maan jaa

(Come your shadows are calling you back

O kabira believe me)

The sangeet ceremony began, with music filling the air, creating an electric atmosphere. Family members and friends hit the dance floor, ready to celebrate the occasion. Prachi, dressed in a beautiful pink saree, nervously joined her cousins, while Ranbir, wearing a black sherwani, entered the room, his eyes scanning for Prachi.

Esha: Woh dekh raha hai ki uska pyaar kahaan hai(He is looking where his love is!)🥰

Re faqeera maan jaa

Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaiyan

(O saint believe me

You're so ruthless and unfaithful)

As the beats of the music got louder, Kunal took Prachi's hand and dragged her to the center of the floor for their first dance. The crowd cheered as they moved in sync. But Prachi, though she danced, couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She could sense that Kunal's eyes were too possessive, too controlling.

Tooti chaarpai wohi

Thandi purvai rasta dekhe

(That broken cot

That cool breeze awaits you)

Kunal lifts Prachi for a spin, holding her a bit too tightly. He spins her around, their faces inches apart. Prachi can feel the tension in the air, but she plays along, hiding her discomfort behind a smile.

Esha: How dare you! 😡

Doodhon ki malai wohi

Mitti ki suraahi rasta dekhe

(That milk cream

That earthen pot awaits you)

Kunal (whispering in her ear):

"Tum ho meri zindagi, Prachi. Tumhare bina kuch bhi adhoora hai(You are my life, Prachi. Nothing is incomplete without you.)"

 Tooti chaarpai wohi

Thandi purvai rasta dekhe

(That broken cot

That cool breeze awaits you)

Prachi (barely audible):

"Main yeh sab samajh rahi hoon, Kunal... Magar maine toh kabhi tumse kuch nahi kaha(I am understanding all this, Kunal... but I never said anything to you.)" 

Doodhon ki malai wohi

Mitti ki suraahi rasta dekhe

(That milk cream

That earthen pot awaits you)

The dance continues, their chemistry forced, as the crowd cheers. But Prachi's heart is elsewhere. She looks across the room, where Ranbir stands, his gaze locked with hers for a brief moment before he turns away.

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Lab namak rame na misri

(How's this selfishness of yours

Neither salt nor sugar fit on your tongue)

After the Kunal-Prachi dance, the spotlight shifted to Dhavani and Ranbir. Dhavani had a bittersweet smile on her face as she joined Ranbir on the dance floor, trying to mask her sadness.

Kaisi teri khudgarzi

Tujhe preet purani bisri

(How's this selfishness of yours

That you've forgotten old love)

Dhavani (softly):

"Ranbir... yeh jo sab ho raha hai, yeh... tum dono ka faisla hai. Main sirf tum dono ki khushi ki dua karti hoon(Ranbir... whatever is happening, this... is the decision of both of you. I only pray for the happiness of both of you.)" 

Esha: This girl is like the opposite of Kunal! 😇

Mast maula

Mast Kalander

(Hey carefree person

Hey happy person)

Ranbir, though his face was calm, was deeply conflicted. His mind was filled with thoughts of Prachi, but he knew he had to maintain the facade in front of Dhavani, for now.

Tu hawa ka ek bavandar

Bujh ke yun andar hi andar

(You are a storm of wind

You are depressed within yourself)

The music swirls around them, the chemistry between them undeniable but bittersweet. They dance gracefully, the crowd enjoying their moves, but the emotions behind the dance are heavy.

Kyun reh gaya?

(Why is it so?)

Ranbir (in his mind, while dancing with Dhavani):

"Tere saath mein yeh rishta sirf dosti ka tha. Par main usse pyaar karne laga hoon... Prachi... Tum mere saath nahi ho, phir bhi meri har ek saans mein tum ho(This relationship with you was only of friendship. But I have started loving her... Prachi... You are not with me, still you are in my every breath.)" 

Re kabira maan jaa

Re faqeera maan jaa

(O kabira believe me

O saint believe me)

Dhavani (thinking to herself while twirling):

"Ranbir, main jaanti hoon tumhare dil mein kaun hai. Tum Prachi se pyaar karte ho, aur main tum dono ke liye khush hoon(Ranbir, I know who is in your heart. You love Prachi, and I am happy for both of you.)" 

Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchaiyan

Re kabira maan jaa

(Come your shadows are calling you back

O kabira believe me)

They sway together, their steps flawless, but the unsaid words between them linger in the air. Dhavani holds onto Ranbir's hand tightly, trying to tell him everything through her gaze.

Re faqeera maan jaa

Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaiyan

(O saint believe me

You're so ruthless and unfaithful)

As the song ends, Prachi steps off the dance floor, and for a fleeting moment, Ranbir watches her, torn between his duty to Dhavani and his love for Prachi. He wishes he could just take Prachi away and tell her everything. He takes a deep breath, his resolve hardening.

Ranbir (to himself):

"Yeh shaadi bas ek daav hai. Sab kuch baad mein dikhayi dega. Prachi... tum mere saath rahoge, chahe kuch ho(This wedding is just a stake. Everything will be visible later. Prachi... you will stay with me, no matter what.)"

Prachi, meanwhile, is lost in her own world, trying to suppress the emotions building up inside her. She feels the weight of the situation more than ever.

The evening ends with everyone clapping and cheering for the dance performances, but Ranbir and Prachi's unspoken feelings simmer just below the surface. The night isn't over yet. Both of them are standing on the precipice of a future neither is fully prepared for.

Esha: Kal khel badal jayega(Tomorrow the game will change!)