Maheshmati ki asankhya praja target complete karne ke liye dhanyawaad.

Jai Maheshmati!

(Now you know what the title means :p)

Gyan ki baat: Just in case my non-Indian readers don't know ...there was this film called Bahubali from the South which created a maddening craze all over India the chapter has references of the film

PS- I call Sivagami as Ishwari of yester years😂😂

Target - 105 votes ... Silent readers gear up too I wont mind if the votes exceed the target

Dev's POV

There I saw her entering, as a wild card entry. She was rushing for her practice.

Do well Car Singer. Coz I won't be around to help you this time. The battle is all yours.

I was standing behind the glass wall of the first floor at Asha, peeping into the practice area for the wild cards. She looked up and our eyes met. I froze. I had my 'demons' to fight. I am not right for her. I don't appreciate what she did either. Distance is what I think of as a solution for now.

"Escaping again Mr Dixit?"

I can hear her voice ringing in my ears. She was still looking at me with eyes so empty that I couldn't get a single clue of what was going in her head.

I left. Well, at least physically I did.
____________________________________

Where is she? Where is she?

All the other contestants have taken their seats. Where is Sonakshi?

"Dev, would you mind sparing a minute? Prabhas (😁)  is already here and we should be kind enough and go welcome him" Mouni said.

I along with the judges moved out to meet Prabhas, a South Indian actor who has become the next 'sensation' all over India with his Bahubali series.   He had mentioned his interest about the show in an interview and Mouni being the 'great TRP fetcher' she is ... she called him up and pleaded him for the last one month to take time out for the shoot of ISS. Though he was initially not ready coz of his busy schedule but he later give into her demands.

I moved out of the hall to welcome Prabhas. My eyes not leaving the contestant's corner for a minute. It has been 4 days I haven't seen properly or heard from Sonakshi and I miss her terribly. She didn't call either. She must be hating me after knowing how I left Neha. Escaping again Mr Dixit? Her words still ring in my mind. I am so, so scared of facing her. I never wanted her to know about this. The fear of loosing her resurfaces in my mind these days again. I fought with Bunty and told him to resign from the Bose house too. I never wanted Sona to know this. I was irked with her earlier to make Neha go through all that again. She would have not in her wildest dreams thought that something of this magnitude can happen with Neha but then how could someone come up with a plan as stupid as hers and honestly I can lie to  everyone outside. Be the jovial Dixit I pretend to be but only I know that I am nothing but a bloody coward who couldn't help his sister while recovering. Sonakshi has cut open the wrong wounds and I just need some time alone that's it but I do love her now also. I just can't help being in love with her.

With these thoughts running in my mind. Mouni and I joined Jenny, Mohit ... And Sona. What was she doing here?

"Sonakshi is a big, big fan of Prabhas" Jenny said "So I thought it would be great if she comes to welcome him too"

I wore my facade of being cool and classy again while my insides hurt because of all that went wrong in my life and of the tiny fear of her leaving me after knowing what kind of a person I am. My inner voices cursed me for not being able to stand by Neha, the only one whom I can call family.

Gali gali teri lau chali
Jio re Bahubali

The speakers almost made me deaf for a second.

I noticed Sona wearing a short, black dress jumping and chirping seeing Prabhas entering the sets.

She fangirls him too? I thought I was the only one whom she fangirls.

Prabhas walked upto us and the camera man was all set to zoooom into his face. All of us welcomed him warmly and lastly it was Sona's turn to say hi to him.

" Jai Maheshmati ... I mean hi Bahubali I mean Pr.. Prabhas ... How's Maheshmati now? Happy that Bhallaldeva is gone?... Umm..  What am I saying... Sona Sona it was just a film just a film ... You are ...you are great as an actor."  She just blabbered while Prabhas smiled and laughed at her cute antics. He shook her hands and Sona's cheeks flushed while she held on to his hand with a firm grip.

Cheeks flushed? Kyu bhai? Why is she being so so... Happy? Ms Sonakshi Bose never star fantasizes as far as I know.

"Hello Hello Sona! I have been a genuine fan of yours I even voted for you but I guess Mr. Jatin Roy has so many followers. You are my favourite and I would love it if you win" He said and she squealed still holding on to his hand and pressing it harder.

Paani is going above my sar and if she doesn't control herself it will burst my head and come out like a fountain and the set of ISS will become Dixit Water Park.

I thought she is crazy and kiddish just in front of me. This side of hers was reserved for me ONLY. Cheater Singer!

She is behaving like the girl in that film 'Bewafa Haseena'

Gali gali teri lau chali
Jio re bahubali
Prano se badhkar humko hai tu pyara....
Sab gaayenge
Dohrayenge
Ab tera
Jai jai kara

Like seriously?  This time with the music playing I felt my heart stop. It was so loud. Everyone went inside and I caught up with Sona

"So? You didn't tell me you like Prabhas" I raised my brows

"Who doesn't?" She double raised her eyebrows.

"Bunty doesn't" I said in a tone as if I had given the smartest reply of all times.

"Yeah" She rolled her eyes of me.

"What will you sing today then? Maheshmati samrajyam sarvottam ajeyam?? Or or that one Maheshmati ka vanshaj hu jise kehte Bahubali ..."

"None ... I'll sing o o re raja viron ke veera bas teri hai devsena or I will improvise and make it Sona-sena... Weren't we on the stay away policy. You wanted space. So yeah if now I feel mushy around someone else, you shouldn't feel jealous."

I opened my mouth to say something.

"Cut it ... Uhh... I'll catch up you with you later Dev ... Dev Sir. See ya"

I narrowed my eyes at her and she just patted my cheeks and left.

And

Meri condition? Well ye to ab ho gayi hai shit coz

Dil me mere hai Dard e Dixit
Dard e Dixit
Dil me mere hai Dard e Dixit
Dard e Dixit Dard e Dixit

We moved inside the hall and there the entire audience became crazy hooting and shouting for him. Guys relax he is a human.

"See see his stardom." Sona poked my elbow.

"Whatever... Go take your seat" I ordered her. She gave me a wicked grin and left.

The lights around us turned saffron and the kids of super dancer started performing an act on 'Jay jaykara' from Bahubali 2 and Sona's face lit up man we have had an 'almost break up' girl be sad. Be sad. Thoda sa toh be sad.

After the super dancer kids made their way out of the stage. Jatin and Barun made their entry. We were having a parody of performances where these two would be singing Kaun Hai Woh, Kailash Kher's version of the Shiv Tandav Strotram. One good thing that this Bahubali has done is to bring people of the youngest generation a little closer to their actual culture.

As Jatin and Barun's voices echoed the stage I felt a strong gaze on me. I turned my head to check who it was. It was Sonakshi but she was drooling over Prabhas. I mean seriously? She is ignoring me for Prabhas. Damn isse accha I would have been KATAPPA and killed both the Bahubalis

Ek toh this girl doesn't see normal Hindi movies and when she does she stares the actors like this.

Tanvi and Rubina entered the stage and they began singing kanha so ja zara from the second part of the series and well my mind was playing only one track, after a long time, on loop:

Meri Sona wo neelam pari
Kar gayi kaisi ye gadbadi
Ab Prabhas ke gale padi hai
Dil ki dhadkan meri hai badhi
Mai aawara hu bechara
Lekin meri condition ab ho gayi hai shit
Dil me mere hai Dard-e-Dixit Dard-e-Dixit Dard-e-Dixit
Dard-e-Dixit Dard-e-Dixit.

"What a parody guys what a parody" Nachiket said.

"Aaj hai wild cards ki shaam" Karan began hosting "Today 2 of 4 eliminated contestants will be given a chance to make their way back to the biggest reality show on TV"

"Lekin Lekin there is a twist in the tale" Nachiket interrupted "There will be a battle round between our already present champions and these 2 challengers the top 4 scoring contestants will be able to make their place in the grand finale. Mind you only the scores matter"

"So India brace yourself to watch the deadlist Suron ki jang" Karan finished their rant.

Only scores matter! How will Jatin make it to the finale?

"To pehle stage pe bulate hai unhe jinki journey sabse zyaada charchit rahi" Karan said with a sly smile. "Dr. Sonakshi Bose from her auditions to being one of the best performers to her one wrong act and giving an amazing performance before she left she has been the talk of the town. Be it her exceptional tonal quality or her love life every aspect of hers has been discussed a lot everywhere."

"Please put your hands together for her as she fights back like a warrior." Nachiket said.

Who gave him these lines? What was the need of mentioning the scandal?

"Psst Dev don't frown I have written it." Mouni (who else could it be) owned up.

"TRP" I said and gave her a dirty look.

I picked up my phone to send Sonakshi a message like earlier days she needs me to boost her moral up. She must have been affected by the scandal being re-discussed. I looked at her but she looked as normal as she could be. She looked confident while the stage was being adjusted for her act. My lioness. I am proud of her.

And I realise she is fighting her battles ALONE.

Mouni had asked dancers to back up the acts now.

TRPs you see!

The intro music played. She looked nowhere but straight into my eyes. As if she only wanted me to hear her after 4 days. She didn't look worried she just seemed dying to convey her thoughts.

Teri hi boli bolungi mai
Teri hi bani gaungi mai
Tere ishq da chola pehen ke
Mai tujh me hi rang jaaungi
Tere ishq da chuda pehen ke
Mai tujh me hi saj jaaungi
Mai nachdi phiraa....
Ban than baliye ho...
Mai nachdi phira.....
Cham cham chaliye
Hoooo

She still feels for me despite knowing my shortcomings but how do I face her? I broke the eye contact that we shared while she sang the 'mukhda'. Her eyes didn't leave my frame though. How do I face her?

Kehti hai duniya
Mai hu baawariya
Sudh se gayi mai
Budh se gayi mai
Teri ho gayi mai
Par jag kya jaane?
Man ke fasane
Kho kar khudko
Paakar tujhko
Meri ho gayi maiii...

Teri nagri aa jaaungi mai
Teri najariya vaarungi mai
Tere ishq da chola pehen ke
Mai tujh me hi rang jaaungi
Tere ishq da chuda pehen ke
Mai tujh me hi saj jaaungi

Mai nachdi phira
Ban Than Baliye
Mai nachdi phira
Cham cham chaliye (*2)

Her song was answering my doubts but after what I did to Neha I can't face my own image in the mirror. Whenever I am alone my own thoughts haunt me. Then how can I stand in front of Sona who calls me her 'Helmet Hero' ? More than my anger it is my hesitation which is preventing me to make peace with her.

The show went on with my mechanical presence. I didn't realise when did the 4 performances, the judges comments, anchor's rants and Prabhas' tales of the Bahubali sets got over. The shoot wrapped up. I was there through the entire shooting schedule but only physically, my soul was cursing me for being the brother I was.

I felt like no hero but a turtle in its shell.

Spoiler- Sona helps Nachiket, Dev gets irked further, Small Party and some 'ghanti' fun

Note- I know Dev was a perfect brother in the TV series but then this is my fiction and the words are in my hand. I know my readers are a lovely set of people who won't nag unnecessarily but still the 'mauhaul' of wattpad hasn't been too encouraging recently.

I missed out on Ye Un Dino Ki Baat Hai's today's episode to give this update so please do press the star at the end and leave in your views through comments

And yes

Jai Maheshmati!