"Shot ready madam." Shubha was asked to take her position. She stood there and looked at Vikram. The scene required her to look into his eyes. 

"If you really are the princess of neighbouring kingdom, then answer this. Why shouldn't I tie you up and hand you over to your aunt? That will help me gain an ally" Vikram said his dialogue.

She looked into his eyes.  "I'm beginning to..." She forgot the dialogue. "What's the dialogue again?"

"Your dialogue is 'I am beginning to suspect you don't want to.' Simple." said Vikram.

A few minutes later they had second take. "I am beginning to think you..." She forgot again.

"It's okay. It happens" said Vikram. 

It continued for another four takes. Vikram was mildly surprised to see her struggling to utter a simple dialogue. "Any problem?"

"I think I am unable to memorize the dialogue" Shubha lied.

"Unable to memorize? Last week you spoke one and a half page long dialogue. You finished it in a single take." He couldn't understand what the problem was. "Take a break."

"What? No. I can do this."

"I think you need a break."

"No. Please. One more shot." She requested. 

He nodded. "You need touch up. The red paint looks dry." The makeup artists immediately worked on the injury on her forehead. She took her position after that.

"I am beginning to suspect you don't want to." She said quickly, without looking at him.

"Why so fast? Is anyone chasing you?" asked Vikram. The entire unit laughed. 

"I think I need a break." She went to have lunch. 

"What's the problem?" asked Pragathi.

"I am scared to work with him."

"What? You weren't scared earlier. What happened now?"

"I don't know"

"Shubha, something's bothering you. Come on. Say it. Maybe I could help." Pragathi offered.

"Because this scene requires me to show the character's fierce side. I have to look into his eyes. I may pretend that I am equally good. But the truth is, he is a brilliant actor and I have to work much harder to reach his standard." Shubha explained.

"I also faced this problem during my initial days as an actor. Those were the days when every actor on the sets looked more talented than me. It will fade away eventually."

"There is also something in the way this man stares at me. It disturbs my concentration." Shubha added.

"Strange. In my opinion the way you stare at him is also intimidating. I don't know how he manages to speak when you look at him like that. Maybe it doesn't affect him--"

"On the contrary, it does affect him." Vikram interrupted them. 

"It's rude to eavesdrop" said Shubha.

"It's even more rude to talk about a person behind his back." He settled down between the ladies.

"We weren't gossiping. I was explaining my problem" said Shubha, defensively.

"You know what's funny? You have a problem with me but you decide to hide it from me and tell everyone else despite knowing very well that I am ready to help you" said Vikram.

"Alright. I am sorry. Now please help me." Shubha avoided all pretense and asked him.

"As I was saying, every word and expression of my co-stars affects me. But I don't let that alter my performance. I don't get scared. Instead, I think of ways in which I can enhance mine as well as your character. The problem is you are viewing the characters as two different entities while I see it as a part of one story. Don't compete with your co-stars. Try to complete each other's performance by adding your own attributes to the scene." Vikram advised her. "A great actor doesn't dominate others but makes them look equally good."

Pragathi clapped her hands. "Very well said."

Shubha was stunned by his answer. What he said was true. Several times in the past, she compared her work with that of his. It never occurred to her that she doesn't need to overshadow him.

She finished her lunch quickly and looked at the script papers. She concentrated on his dialogues, trying to understand the scene from his perspective. Suddenly she found herself justifying his icy stares. 'This man has to look intimidating in this scene. How else will the audience know that he is not on my side?'

She finished lunch and went for touch up again. She was confident. When Vikram said his dialogue and smirked at her, she also gave him a beautiful smile and walked a few steps closer, looking into his eyes. "I am beginning to suspect you don't want to." 

The final outcome was better than what the unit expected. "I'm impressed. You are improvising scenes. I don't recollect asking you to walk towards me. But this is good."

"Beginning to view everything as a part of the story." Shubha smiled at him. Her respect for him increased. She observed that he wasn't a leader who walks ahead of everyone. He makes everyone walk along with him. She started admiring this quality of her 'Vikram sir'.

---***---

"Today?" Shubha asked Rukhsar. She was in Vikram's office, to attend a meeting with the costume designer. After the meeting she opened her locker and took out the script papers to read.

"Yes. I'm going out of town tomorrow. Let's meet and celebrate today" said Rukhsar.

"I don't want to celebrate--"

"No excuses. I want to meet you today. That's it." Rukhsar was adamant.

"Okay. I'll meet you this evening." She agreed.

"Subbu, I found your script papers scattered on the floor." Vikram approached.

"They weren't scattered. I put paperweight on them."

"You can't leave the papers lying around. Lock them away as soon as you are finished reading. Remember. You signed non-disclosure agreement. If these papers fall into wrong hands, everything will be ruined."

"Relax. I will take care from next time. By the way, I noticed something. Few scenes are different in my script papers from those of Dhwani's. A mistake, I guess."

Vikram gave a sheepish grin. "Actually, it's not a mistake. It is intentional. Artists tend to reveal the story even if they don't want to. So, to avoid this, the script will have few fake scenes that will not be included in the film."

She gasped. "Oh my Dumbledore!"

"This is a rule followed by many production houses. I, as a director, have no say in this. No one knows the correct version except the lead actors."

"And I am not one of them. Is that why I am being lied to?" Shubha was angry despite knowing that it's not his fault.

"No. They must have thought you can't maintain secrecy because you are a new comer." He felt bad. 

"It's okay. I understand. But there is this scene that bothers me. These two jump into a river and swim away."

"What's wrong?"

"They should drown."

"WHAT! You want them to die?" He asked incredulously.

"No. When they jump from that height, they drown for a few seconds initially." She explained. "It's simple physics."

"Who follows all these rules in films? Besides, under water scenes require lot of visual effects which may or may not look convincing." Vikram wasn't ready to change the scene. 

"I have an idea. From top view, let's show them drown after jumping. Let the audience keep anticipating what happens next. They emerge after few seconds. That way you don't have to add any visual effects." Shubha suggested.

Vikram looked at her with a smile on his face. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing. I like this idea." He was impressed. "I will discuss with them and propose this change." 

He continued staring at her.To her surprise, she seemed to like it. She shook her head. "Thank you. Actually there are many scenes in our films that don't follow the laws of physics at all. Of all the professions I had to choose, I chose the one that demands me to make fun of my previous profession." She started rambling, to divert his attention.

"Subbu, you are not breathing. Relax." He held her hand. "In the film industry we don't worry about physics and mathematics. The only thing we care about is chemistry between the leads."

"That's unimportant according to me."

"Come with me." He took her to a corner and made her look into a mirror. "What do you see?"

"Me and you." She replied.

"You know what I see? I see us. As a pair. We complement each other in terms of height, looks, expressions and body language. This is what matters here." He explained. "The pair doesn't need to look good together. But they need to look like they are each, one half of a whole."

"We tend to take few liberties that may not have logic. But you have to understand that films are different from real life. If we present it exactly the way it happens in real life no one will watch it." He added.

"You are right." She whispered, looking at their reflection. She liked their pairing. She then realized they were still holding hands. "How many meetings do you have?"

"It will take another hour. You don't have to stay for that. You may go home."

"I'll wait. My friend is coming to meet me in a nearby cafe." She didn't tell him the reason. "It will take an hour. I'll be back by the time you finish your meeting."

"Ask her to come here." He suggested.

"No. She won't feel comfortable." She refused.

"Okay. I will finish this meeting and pick you up from the cafe." He decided.

She left to meet her friend. "Happy birthday in advance!" said Rukhsar. She gave her a gift.

"Thank you. You didn't have to bring this." 

"Hello madam! I have a right to give gifts. Who knows what happens next year? You may not remember me. You will be busy celebrating with your superstar friends" Rukhsar giggled.

"Hey! You will be my best friend forever." 

"It's your birthday?" She heard a familiar voice. She turned around to see Naveen sitting by adjacent table.

"You are here? I didn't notice you. Tomorrow is my birthday."

"Okay. Great. Lets celebrate tomorrow."

"No Naveen. Please. Don't tell anyone. I don't like celebrating my birthday. It's just that my friend Rukhsar insisted." She pointed at Rukhsar, who was looking at Naveen without blinking.

"So, we are not friends? Only she is?" asked Naveen. "Rukhsar garu, please tell her to celebrate."

"Shubha I think he is right. You should celebrate. You will be 25 after all" said Rukhsar. She was his fan.

"No. Promise me. You won't tell anyone." Shubha made him promise.

He was disappointed. "Is she always like this? Never celebrates her birthday?" He asked Rukhsar.

"Sadly, yes." She answered.

"You must be very special to her if she accepts gifts from you." He started a conversation with her about Shubha which shifted to other topics after a while. When she asked for a picture, he gladly obliged.

"Try to make her celebrate Naveen garu" said Rukhsar, before leaving.

"Naveen, forget what she said. If you tell anyone I will never talk to you again" said Shubha.

"Why?"

"Because my birthday was never important to anyone. It has always been just another day to my family." She told him how her uncle never celebrated her birthday after her parents' death. He also shared his experiences which were similar to hers.

"Subbu, shall we go?" Vikram reached the cafe. "Naveen? Back to your favourite cafe? Any serious discussion going on?"

"Nothing. I met her friend and we talked for a while." Naveen lied despite wanting to tell the truth. She stood up and waved at Naveen.

She hid the gift in her bag.  Birthdays gave her nothing but disppointment. She learnt not to expect anything on that day. She knew the coming birthday won't be any different. Because no one really cared.

---***---

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