Shehnaaz is standing in her room’s balcony with a cup of green tea in her hand. She is quiet and has a peaceful smile on her face. She is lost in her thoughts. She walks in, sits on the study table, opens her diary and starts writing her heart out, “Kya karun main?? Yahi ek sawaal har samay mere dimaag mein ghoomta rehta hai… Aisa koi toh hoga jo sirf mere liye bana ho… Jo mujhe, mere sapno ko, mere talent ko dekhe na ki mere ghar ko, dad ke business ko, hamare paise ko, family reputation ko, meri beauty ko, mere saath milne vali property aur position ko dekhe… I am waiting because I won’t ever get married according to my dad’s wish… Dad saamne vale ka dil nahi balki uski reputation ko dekhte hain… Unko sirf apne business se matlab hai… Haan reputation important hai par insaan ki education, uske ethics, uski soch vo bhi important hai aur mujhe apne Mr. Perfect mein ye sab chahiye… Mujhe aaj tak kya mila life mein… Ye ghar jisme full time staff hai har cheez ke liye kyunki khud kaam karna toh family reputation ke against hai; haan par kisi se kaam lete rehna ye kehke ke we are paying them sahi hai, ye aalishan 5 star hotel jaisa room jiski chaar diwaaron mein main bandh chuki hoon… Har time mere aas paas security hoti hai… Chain se bahar tak nahi ja sakti… Papa ke liye college done, MA done toh phir job karne ki kya zaroorat hai… The epic dialogue, “Itne bade businessman ki beti ab job karegi… Tumhe agar kuch karna hi hai toh family business join karlo…” Kyun karlun?? Mujhe independent banna hai… I need freedom… I need a life of my own to live… I don’t want anyone to control me… I want to be enough for myself… A woman doesn’t need a man to protect her hamesha… Hum log apne liye enough hain ye koi samajhta kyun nahi hai… Papa ke liye toh bass unke nawabon ki shaan aur unke business mein success yahi doh cheezen important hain… Khair here starts another boring day in the life of Shehnaaz Gill kyunki bina bulave ke iss room ke bahar jao toh bas jaise saza hi hai… Har koi ek hi sawaal karta hai, “Toh phir shaadi ka kya socha hai… Itne ladke dekh chuki ho lekin haan ek bhi ladke ko nahi ki”... Arghhh.. Leave it… For me there is only one principle, “There is a long way to the top and the best is yet to come… Apne sapne toh main pure kar ke hi rahungi… Aaj tak sirf ek hi sapna dekha hai vo hai Journalist banna aur main vo pura kar ke hi rahungi… Hope should never die…”

She closed her diary, picked up her guitar, settled down on the couch near the window and started singing while playing the guitar….

~~”Koi ye batade, main hoon kahan….Koi toh batade, mera pata….Sahi hai ke nahi. Meri ye dagar…. Loon ke nahi main, apna ye safar...Dar lagta hai sapno se, karde na ye tabah...Dar lagta hai apno se, dede na ye dagah...Main chand hoon, ya daag hoon….Main raakh hoon ya aag hoon...Main boond hun ya hun leher...Main hoon sukoon ya hun kehar...Koi ye batade, main kaun hun...Kyun hoon main, kya hun main… Main kaun hun...Yakeen hai ke nahi khud pe mujhko kya… Hoon ke nahi main...Hai farak padta kya… Kiske kandhon pe roun ho jaye jo khata...Kisko raahon mein dhoondhun kho jaye jo pata...Main chand hun ya daag hun...Main rakh hun ya aag hun...Main boond hun ya hun leher...Main hun sukoon ya hun keher…”~~

Just then she had to stop as someone opened the door of her room harshly which made a loud sound… It was her sister Noor…. She entered with her hands folded against her chest and said, “Tu nahi sudhregi na Shehnaaz… Tujhe pata hai na aaj tereko iss time pe ladke ne dekhne aana tha aur tu gaana ga rahi hai roz ki tarah… Kitne ladke bhagane ka iraada hai… Pata hai kya bola uss Aadil ne…” Shehnaaz stood up, kept her guitar on place and said, “Noor mujhe uss ladke mein ya uski statements mein koi interest nahi hai… Maine uske baare mein search kiya tha… Another deal by Mr. Gill right…” Noor replied, “Yaar tu ye dad ke peeche kyun padi rehti hai hamesha…Life mein compromise karna padta hai aur tujhe toh har ek comfort mila hua hai…Princess ki tarah rehti hai aur kya chahiye tujhe…” She sternly replied, “Noor life mein bada ghar, paisa, family ka naam aur comfort hi sab nahi hota… Aur mere liye ye room mein koi comfort nahi hai… Jail hai ye mere liye jahan mere sapno pe restriction lagi hui hai… Aur kya kaha hoga uss ladke ne… Yahi na ke I don’t care about my dad’s reputation tabhi neeche nahi aayi aur yahan gaana ga rahi thi… Toh main bata dun that I do care for dad but my dream of becoming a journalist is my life…” Noor said with a harsh tone, “You are unpredictable Shehnaaz…. Itni bala ki khoobsurat hai, educated hai, gaana jaanti hai, cooking jaanti hai aur kya chahiye tujhe… Itna ameer husband mil raha tha jaane diya… Ameer toh ameer Adil kitna handsome tha yaar… Mere liye aise handsome ladko ke rishte aayen toh main toh jhat se accept karlun aur yahan teri kismat achi hai aur tujhe ussi kismat pe laatein maar maar ke usse bhagana hai…” Shehnaaz laughed and said, “Teri dictionary mein as usual ek ache ladke ki definition hai handsome and rich… Par meri dictionary mein shaadi tab tak nahi aayegi jab tak main udd na lun aur apne sapnon ko jee na lun… Life abhi dekhi hi kahan hai maine ke main shaadi bhi karlun ab…” Noor threw a cushion at her which she catched and said, “Cushion hi catch kar tu main chali ladka catch karne… I mean ladka taadne… Dad pata nahi kis se meeting kar rahe hain par jo bhi hai kya banda hai yaar… Tall, handsome and what personality...Tu soch bhi nahi sakti utna acha hai vo… And how can I forget?? Uske muscles are just fab… He’s so hot yaar…” Shehnaaz replied, “Haan bas ab tu yahi dekha kar ghar par reh ke pura din… Ye nahi ke kuch productive kar le…” Noor ran and said before leaving, “Mera productive toh yahi hai babes par tera pata nahi kab hoga… Dimaag ko chhod ke kabhi toh apne uss na cheez dil se bhi soch kar dekh…” She heard her and thought, “Vaise dekha jaye toh galat kya kaha Noor ne… Dil se sochun tab toh yahan se bhaag jaana chahiye mujhe… Chhod yaar Shehnaaz tera dimaag hi sahi hai… Arrey dimaag se yaad aaya iss Noor ne aaj tak toh kabhi kisi ladke ki itna interest lekar ke mujhe description nahi di… Hai kaun ye… Zara main bhi toh dekhun…”

She went out to see who it was… While walking her dupatta fell down… She was busy adjusting it while walking when she bumped into a 6ft tall well built handsome hunk… She said, “Dekh ke nahi chal sakte aap… And who are you??” He replied, “Dekh ke tum bhi nahi chal rahi thi… And tum mujhe nahi jaanti… Strange...Ya toh tum news follow nahi karti ya tum mein attitude koot koot ke bhara hua hai…”

To be continued…..

Who is the guy?? What will happen further in the story?? What new turn will Shehnaaz’s life take?? Will she listen to her heart to fulfil her dreams??