Vedha, "Enna potruku appadi???"

Amudha Valli, "nee Avan kooda padukure nu potruku?"

"Enna??????"

She snatched the paper from her mother and read the gossip. It was saying that there seemed to be a love blossoming between the star in the rise and the promising budding actress. It also talked about how they always laughed together and spent time together. To hint at their names, the gossip called him the actor 'victory' and the actress called the package of rig, sama, yajur and adharva.

She was irritated with the news. She had expected such gossip when she entered the industry. However that was too soon. She was yet to make a name for herself in the industry and moreover, there wasn't anything going on between them. They had mutual respect for each other and that was it.

Her anger soon turned towards her mother. She wanted to kill her mother for the way her mother reacted.

"Idhule enga naan avar kooda paduthen nu potruku??? Neeye yean en maanathe vaangure???"

"Adhule pottu dhaan theriyanuma??? Avan kooda per varudhu naale nee indha maari edho velai paathurukke nu dhaane artham?"

"Konjamachi arivu irukka maa unaku??? Avar en kooda velai seiyuravar. Avlo dhaan"

"Adhe eppavum gnabagam vechiko. Un Mela naan pala kanavu kottai katti vechiruken. Unaku appadi hero dhaan veanum na ippo nadikirare Mugilan. Nalla sivappa, azhaga. Avar kooda irundhuko.. adhe vittutu poiyum poiyum andha karuppan kooda. Avan enna kulamo gothramo... Avan nerathe (color) paatha theriyale.."

"Ammmmaaaaa.... Unnai naan kolla poren. Manushiya nee ellam??? Naan innoru ambalai kooda irukradhu prachanai illai... Avan enna jaadhi ngradhu dhaan unaku idikkudhu illa... Chi... Un vayithule naan eppadi vandhu pirandheno???"

"Enna de vaai neeludhu???

Nee evvalavu siluthu kittalum en kitte dhaan irukkanum... En ponnu dhaan nee"

Vedha didn't stand there to talk with her mother.

-----

Vedha reached the sets on time. But Vijay had arrived even before her. He was discussing something with the director.

All the eyes in the set were looking at them when she entered. She usually wished Vijay when she entered the sets. But she kept quiet that day. Even between the scenes, she didn't talk and he didn't bother to ask her.

When she was removing her makeup after the shoot, he entered the room. That was the only place, her mother didn't follow her and wasn't allowed.

Vijay, "Vedha, ungalku edhum prachanaiya en kooda???"

"Illa Viji sir. Adhu vandhu"

"Andha paper le vandha kisu kisu pathi yosikiringalo?"

She was shocked and looked at him in the eyes for the first time on that day.

"Adhellam oru vishayama??? Neenga ippo dhaan career eh thodanguringa... Indha maari sedhi varudhu na unmaiyileiye namma Jodi nalla irukku nu artham... Neenga edhaiyum perusa pottu kozhappikadhinga"

"Neenga soldradhu puriyudhu. Ana set le irukka ellarum endha neramum nammalaiye paakura Pola irukku", she replied.

Vijay answered calmly, "ennaiku paakale sollunga??? Ippo oru koodudhal aarvam. Unmaiyileiye ivanga nesikrangala nu??? Idhellam thooki pottutu poite irunga... Idhellam pottu kozhappi kitta namma thozhil dhaan baadhikum. Innum 1 maasam shooting irukku"

Vedha still looked sad.

Vedha, "Viji sir, naan soldradhe thappa eduthukadhinga"

"Sollunga"

She then told him the things that had happened in the morning. She initially wanted to exclude Mugilan's part. But something in her made her feel safe with him and she overshared again. Vijay seemed pensive for a moment.

Vedha, "Viji sir, kochikitingala? Enga ammaku padhil ah naan sorry kettukren.. naan dhaan arivu illama ellam olariten"

Vijay laughed for a second and she looked at him with confusion.

Vijay, "Vedha, naan nadikka poradhu unga kooda... Unga amma ennai enna nenaicha enna??? Namma uravu eppadi nu enaku theriyum. Ezhundhu velaiye paarunga"

He left with a smile. She was beyond astonished. He didn't even bat an eyelid to the news. He took it so easily. She thought how much insults he had faced in his life to become this tolerant?????

Their wedding scene was shot a few days later and he was the first man that had tied thaali to her. He was her first on-screen husband and she was his first on-screen wife. She really felt emotional with the scene but he didn't seem to bother. True professional after all, she thought. She blamed her age for feeling butterflies for these silly things. She reminded herself to act professional.

Per the scene, it was a forced marriage and she should shed some tears as her character was bold and adamant and not a cry baby. She shed only the amount of tears that were required for the scene and they finished the shot in a single take. However, only she was aware that she didn't use any glycerine that day. She wasn't emotional that she was getting married to him. She was emotional if she could really get married some day in her life. After her mother's conversation the other day, she truly felt that her mother would sell her to someone very soon. 

To avoid that situation, she wanted to continue acting with Vijay. But the offers weren't made in such a way. Even the cinemagoers loved different pairings every time. So she didn't appreciate that thought.

Their first film together got released in theatres. It became an instant hit. Their pairing was celebrated all over the state. Everyone was dying to see them together.

The claps erupted in theatres when he sang as he walked behind her...

"Un selai kaathil aada... En nenjum sendhaada..."

Vijay and Vedha again met for the success-meet of their movie. One and half months had passed in the meanwhile. She was dressed in pastel pink chudidhar and he was dressed in a full white shirt and pants. She had her long silky hair untied and his unruly silky hair was waving on his forehead.

As they sat next to each other, she wished him a good morning. He smiled and responded. That was when he noticed her thin figure.

Vijay, "Vedha enna aachi udambuku??? Romba ilaichita maari irukke"

Vedha, "onnum illa Viji sir"

Vijay, "sollunga enna aachi???"

Vedha, "ellarum nammale dhaan paakuranga"

Vijay, "appo sirichite sollunga paappom"

Vedha,"enaku innum oru maasathule semesters. Idhu varaikum nalla panniten. Indha semesters um nalla pannanum. Aana naan aduthu commit aaga pora padam shooting Ooty le. Indha month end kulla kelambanum. Eppadiyum exam Miss aayirum. Indha padam veandom nu sonna enga amma keka matranga. Adhanale dhaan sapdama irundhaal aachi..." She didn't finish her words...

"Exam dhaane eludhanum... Eludhikalam... Sapdama ellam irukka koodadhu inime.. okay???"

For some reason, she wanted to say "okay" and she did. She was however not able to tell him about all the things she was going through.

The pictures were clicked when they talked and the next day newspapers were filled with their pictures.

------

Raja, who was sitting with his Viji in the lawn, was talking about their next movie. He also noticed how his friend didn't mind his presence.

Raja, "Viji, apram theriyuma Vedha adutha padam Ganeshan koodavam. Indha maasa kadaisile Ooty porangalam"

"Hmmm"....

"Andha Ganeshan sariyana pombala porukki. Vedha innume agreement sign pannaleiyam adutha padathuku. Avanga amma ivale sign panna vekka paadu padrangalam. Yean sign panna mattra?? Avan thollai irukkumo???"

His friend didn't respond and Raja wasn't able to read his mind. He then noticed a car entering their gate.

Raja,"namma producer vandhutar pa. Ama. Ivar edhuku Inga varaar???"

Vijay,"Paappome. Enna solla varaar nu"

Vijay stood up when he saw the producer come near them.

Vijay, "sir neenga sollirundha naangale vandhu iruppome. Velai kodukravanga engale thedi varalama???"

Producer Murugan was happy with this actor. He had produced three films for Vijay which were super duper hits and brought him huge profits.

Murugan, "onnum illa Viji. Namma adutha padam indha month end le start pannalam nu irukken."

Vijay,"Nalladhu sir"

Murugan,"ellaraiyum select panniyachi. Aana heroine mattum yosanaiyai irukku. Srilatha podalam nu mudhal le yosichom. Ana un pona padathule avalukum unakum..."

Vijay nodded his head.

Murugan,"adhan un kitte kekalame nu... En manasule un pona pada heroine eh podalam nu thonudhu"

Raja, "yaar sir Vedha va?"

Murugan,"Ama Raja. Andha ponnu Viji pakkathule nalla irukka.. makkalkum pidichiruku"

Raja nodded his head and smiled in comical manner.

Vijay adjusted his voice and Raja became calm.

Vijay,"Sir neenga pala varushama thozhil le irukkavanga.. ungalku theriyadhadha? Enaku Vedha kooda nadikka sammadham. Nalla nadigai. Ungaluku enna thonudho adhe seinga."

He placed the news papers with their pictures in front of Murugan. The producer already knew how well they looked together. But the newspapers further confirmed his wish.

Vijay,"aana andha ponne commit pandradhule ungaluku sila kashtam varalam sir"

Murugan was shocked, "enna pa soldre??"

Vijay,"ippo dhaan Raja sollitu irundhan Ganeshan kooda padam commit pandra plan le irukkanga nu. Adhanale Konjam sambalam adhigama kudukka veandi varalam"

"Paravale Viji. Epdiyum Srilatha ve potrundha innum latchangal kooda dhaane kuduthuruppen. Indha ponnuke kuduppom. Pikkal pidungal illa nu Ranganum sonnar. Neeyum nalla ponnu nu soldre"

The producer then left the place.