The Proposal: Dil-e-Nadaan

Episode 8:
Scene: 1 The Awkward Encounter in a Cozy Restaurant

The restaurant buzzes with soft chatter and clinking cutlery. Sameer sits at a table near the window, nervously fidgeting with a spoon. His legs bounce under the table, and he occasionally glances at the entrance, waiting for Kamal. His mind races as he rehearses what to say.

Kamal enters, his sharp gaze scanning the restaurant until he spots Sameer. He walks over, a mix of curiosity and seriousness on his face.

Kamal: (sitting down)”Assalam-o-Alaikum, Sameer. Dekha, aaj phir tum waqt par aa gaye. Achi aadat hai.”
(Assalam-o-Alaikum, Sameer. I see you’re on time again. Good habit.)

Sameer: (standing up quickly, almost knocking his chair) “Wa-Waalaikumussalam, Kamal Uncle! Ji, shukriya. Uh, mera matlab hai, punctuality zaroori hai, na?”
(Wa-Waalaikumussalam, Kamal Uncle! Yes, thank you. Uh, I mean, punctuality is important, right?)

Kamal gives him a small smile, finding his nervousness amusing. Sameer sits back down, almost missing the chair, but manages to catch himself.

Kamal: “Toh, kaise ho? Relax ho jao, beta. Yeh bas ek casual meeting hai.”
(So, how are you? Relax, son. It’s just a casual meeting.)

Sameer: (laughing awkwardly) “Ji, casual. Bohot casual! Hahaha… ha…” (apne gala ko clear karte hue) “Main bilkul theek hoon, Kamal Uncle. Aap kaise hain?”
(Yes, casual. Very casual! Hahaha… ha… (clears his throat) I’m absolutely fine, Kamal Uncle. How are you?)

Kamal: “Alhamdulillah, main theek hoon. Toh batao, kaam kaise chal raha hai?”
(Alhamdulillah, I’m fine. So tell me, how’s work?)

Sameer: (relieved to have a topic) “Kaam accha chal raha hai, Kamal Uncle! Jaise maine last time bataya tha, main apni IT company mein paanch saal se kaam kar raha hoon. Hamara office Dubai mein bhi hai, toh wahan kaafi travel karna padta hai. Bohot garmi hoti hai wahan.”
(Work is going well, Kamal Uncle! As I mentioned last time, I’ve been with my IT company for five years now. Our office is in Dubai too, so I get to travel there occasionally. It’s very hot there.)

Kamal: (chuckling) “Haan, Dubai ki garmi toh mashhoor hai. Lekin achha hai ke tum apne career mein aage badh rahe ho. IT ek stable field hai.”
(Yes, Dubai is known for its heat. But it’s good to hear you’re doing well in your career. IT is a stable field.)

Sameer: (nodding enthusiastically) “Ji bilkul! Stability zaroori hai. Zindagi mein… stability honi chahiye. Aur… aur hard work bhi!”
(Yes, exactly! Stability is important. Life should have stability. And… and hard work too!)

Kamal raises an eyebrow, amused by Sameer’s attempt to sound profound.

Kamal: “Yeh sach hai. Stability aur hard work saath-saath chalti hain. Toh batao, kaam ke ilawa, tumhe kya pasand hai? Hobbies?”
(That’s true. Stability and hard work go hand in hand. So, what do you enjoy doing outside of work? Hobbies?)

Sameer: (stammering) “Hobbies? Ji, hobbies… uh… main cricket dekh leta hoon kabhi kabhi. Aur… cooking! Ji, mujhe cooking ka shauq hai.”
(Hobbies? Yes, hobbies… uh… I watch cricket sometimes. And… cooking! Yes, I have a passion for cooking.)

Kamal: (leaning forward, intrigued) “Cooking? Yeh toh interesting hai. Tum kya bana lete ho?”
(Cooking? That’s interesting. What do you cook?)

Sameer: (panicking slightly) “Uh… anda? Omelettes? Kabhi kabhi pasta bana leta hoon. Lekin, aap jaante hain, basics hi.”
(Uh… eggs? Omelettes? Sometimes I make pasta. But, you know, just the basics.)

Kamal laughs heartily, enjoying Sameer’s nervous honesty.

Sameer: (relieved) “Shukriya, Kamal Uncle. Aap kaafi friendly hain. Mujhe laga tha aap strict honge, lekin aap toh bilkul… mashaAllah!”
(Thank you, Kamal Uncle. You’re quite friendly. I thought you’d be strict, but you’re… mashaAllah!)

Kamal smiles, observing Sameer’s clumsy yet endearing demeanor. He decides to probe further.

Kamal: “Sameer, mujh se bilkul imaandari se batao. Tum meri beti se shaadi kyun karna chahte ho?”
(Sameer, tell me honestly. Why do you want to marry my daughter?)

Sameer freezes, his eyes widening like a deer caught in headlights. He hadn’t expected such a direct question.

Sameer: “Uh… uh… Kamal Uncle, woh… Anaya! Woh bohot… uh… woh ek acchi insaan hain, mujhe lagta hai. Matlab, jo suna hai unke baare mein, woh bohot acchi hain! Aur… aapka ghar bhi bohot accha hai. Matlab, family environment! Family values!”
(Uh… uh… Kamal Uncle, well… Anaya! She’s very… uh… a great person, I think. I mean, what I’ve heard about her, she’s amazing! And… your home is very nice. I mean, family environment! Family values!)

Kamal looks at him, half-surprised and half-entertained by the vague answer.

Kamal: (smirking) “Samajh gaya. Toh tum Anaya ke baare mein kya jaante ho?”
(I see. And do you know much about Anaya?)

Sameer: (nervously fidgeting with his napkin) “Ji… woh… woh zyada toh nahi, lekin jitna suna hai, woh kaafi hai. She’s… uh… amazing!”
(Yes… well… not much, but what I’ve heard, it’s enough. She’s… uh… amazing!)

Kamal: (leaning back, amused) “Amazing, huh? Khair, accha hai tumhein aisa lagta hai. Toh batao, tum aur Saad kaise dost bane?”
(Amazing, huh? Well, I’m glad you think so. Tell me, how did you and Saad become friends?)

Sameer: (perking up slightly) “Oh, Saad! Ji, woh meri university ka dost hai. Hum IT ke projects pe saath kaam karte the. Woh bohot accha insaan hai! Humari dosti purani hai.”
(Oh, Saad! Yes, he’s my university friend. We used to work together on IT projects. He’s a great guy! Our friendship is old.)

Kamal nods, noting Sameer’s comfort level increasing when talking about Saad.

Kamal: “Yeh achha hai. Waise, tumne kabhi Zayaan se milne ki koshish ki?”
(That’s good to know. By the way, have you ever met Zayaan?)

Sameer’s confidence wavers for a moment. He tries to keep his composure.

Sameer: “Uh… Zayaan? Ji, woh bhi Saad ke dost hain. Achhe insaan lagte hain.”
(Uh… Zayaan? Yes, he’s also a friend of Saad. Seems like a good person.)

Kamal’s eyes narrow slightly, sensing a hint of hesitation in Sameer’s tone. He files it away for later, deciding not to press further.

Kamal: “Accha, Sameer, yeh baatein bohot interesting thi. Dekhte hain cheezen kaise aage badhti hain.”
(Well, Sameer, it’s been interesting talking to you. Let’s see how things progress.)

Sameer: (standing up abruptly) “Ji, Kamal Uncle! Shukriya apna waqt dene ka. Aapka waqt bohot qeemti hai.”
(Yes, Kamal Uncle! Thank you so much for meeting me. Your time is very valuable.)

Kamal smiles, shaking his head slightly as he leaves. Sameer collapses back into his chair, exhaling loudly.

Sameer: (muttering to himself) “Yeh kya tha, yaar? Kamal Uncle toh… detective nikle!”
(What was that, man? Kamal Uncle turned out to be a detective!)

Scene 2 – Zayaan’s Confused Thoughts

Zayaan sits quietly in his house lawn, leaning back in a chair. The late afternoon breeze carries the faint scent of freshly watered plants. He gazes at the rows of flowers and shrubs, their leaves glistening from the water poured on them earlier. His eyes soften unknowingly, and his mind drifts to the morning encounter.

The image of that morning begins to resurface in his mind. Anaya’s face, as she watered the plants. The soft morning sunlight was falling on her face, and that light was making her face glow. There was a strange kind of radiance that made her face look even more beautiful.

Zayaan (thinking to himself):
“Us waqt… uska chehra chamak raha tha. Jaise woh dhoop us ke liye hi bani ho. Aur phir… woh lat.”
(At that moment… her face was glowing. As if the sunlight was meant just for her. And then… that strand of hair.)

He closes his eyes briefly, recalling the exact moment. A gentle breeze had caused a strand of her hair to fall onto her face. She kept trying to brush it away with her fingers, slightly annoyed yet graceful. The memory makes his heart flutter in a way he doesn’t understand.

Zayaan (murmuring to himself):
“Uski ek lat hawa ki wajah se uske chehre par gir rahi thi… mujhe kya hua tha? Kyun laga jaise mujhe woh hata deni chahiye?”
(That strand of her hair fell on her face because of the breeze… what happened to me? Why did I feel like I should move it away myself?)

He leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his thoughts spiraling deeper.

Zayaan (with a slight frown):
“Woh kya soch rahi hogi mere baare mein? Yeh sab ajeeb kyun lag raha hai? Us pal kuch tha… jo samajh nahi aaya.”
(What must she have thought about me? Why does all this feel so strange? There was something in that moment… something I couldn’t understand.)

He exhales, trying to shake off the memory, but his gaze lands on the swing in the corner of the lawn. The sight pulls him back into another memory, one from their childhood.

He remembers the sound of laughter, Anaya and him taking turns on the swing. Her laughter, carefree and full of joy, echoes in his mind. He sees the younger version of her, her braids swinging as she tried to push the swing higher, challenging him with playful taunts.

Zayaan (smiling faintly):
“Woh din… jab hum is jhoolay par khelte the. Anaya hamesha kehti thi, ‘Main tumse zyada upar jaungi, Zayaan!’ Aur phir… woh hamesha jeet jati thi.”
(Those days… when we played on this swing. Anaya would always say, ‘I’ll go higher than you, Zayaan!’ And then… she would always win.)

He leans back in his chair, staring at the swing, the smile fading slightly.

Zayaan (confused, thinking):
“Yeh sab yaad kyun aa raha hai mujhe? Main kyun subah ki us mulaqat aur bachpan ke woh din bar bar soch raha hoon? Yeh sab kya hai?”
(Why am I remembering all this? Why do I keep thinking about this morning’s meeting and those childhood days? What is all this?)

He runs a hand through his hair, visibly restless. The more he tries to make sense of his thoughts, the more tangled they feel.

Zayaan (murmuring):
“Mujhe kya ho raha hai? Main Anaya ke baare mein itna kyun soch raha hoon? Yeh ek ajeeb si feeling hai… par yeh hai kya?”
(What’s happening to me? Why am I thinking so much about Anaya? This is such a strange feeling… but what is it?)

The sound of birds chirping brings him back to the present. He glances at the swing one last time and shakes his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts, but deep down, he knows something is stirring inside him—something he’s not ready to name yet.

Scene 3: Kamal and Shahana’s Discussion

(Kamal is sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard, reading a newspaper. Shahana enters the bedroom, holding a cup of tea. She places the tea on the side table and sits on the edge of the bed, facing Kamal.)

Shahana: (curiously) “Aap Sameer se milne gaye the. Toh? Kya socha hai aapne is rishtay ke baare mein?”
(You went to meet Sameer. So? What have you thought about this proposal?)

Kamal: (folding the newspaper, thoughtful) “Ladka toh acha laga mujhe, kaafi shareef aur mehnati lagta hai. Lekin uski family… mujhe thoda confuse karti hai.”
(The boy seems good to me, quite decent and hardworking. But his family… they confuse me a bit.)

Shahana: (nodding) “Haan, woh log thode over-excited zarur lagte hain, lekin mujhe bure nahi lage. Bas khushi mein shayad control nahi kar paaye apni baat karne ka tareeqa.”
(Yes, they seemed a bit over-excited, but I didn’t find them bad. Maybe they just couldn’t control their enthusiasm out of happiness.)

Kamal: (thinking) “Hmmm, tum theekh keh rahi ho. Waise ladka mujhe waqayi pasand aya hai. Shareef aur grounded lagta hai.”
(Hmm, you’re right. Honestly, I do like the boy. He seems decent and grounded.)

Shahana: (encouragingly) “Toh agar aapko lagta hai ke ladka theek hai, toh baat aage badhate hain. Family se zyada tou humain Anaya ke liye ladka dekhna hai.”
(So if you think the boy is good, let’s move forward. More than the family, we need to focus on finding the right boy for Anaya.)

Kamal: (agreeing, but hesitant) “Haan, yeh baat sahi hai. Aur waise bhi, mujhe lagta hai ke Zayaan ka rishta consider karna ab pointless hai.”
(Yes, that’s true. And anyway, I think considering Zayaan’s proposal is pointless now.)

Shahana: (confused) “Aap aisa kyun keh rahe hain? Kya Zayaan se baat hui hai aapki?”
(Why are you saying that? Did you talk to Zayaan?)

Kamal: (nodding slowly) “Haan, kal baat hui thi usse. Uske lehje se mujhe laga ke woh Anaya se shaadi karna nahi chahta. Woh sirf usay apni dost samajhta hai, usse zyada kuch nahi.”
(Yes, I spoke to him yesterday. From his tone, I felt he doesn’t want to marry Anaya. He only sees her as a friend, nothing more.)

Shahana: (sighing, but understanding) “Yeh toh mujhe pehle se lagta tha, lekin phir bhi umeed thi ke shayad hum galat hain. Par agar Zayaan ka yeh faisla hai, toh humein usay force nahi karna chahiye.”
(I had a feeling about this earlier, but still, I hoped we might be wrong. But if this is Zayaan’s decision, we shouldn’t force him.)

Kamal: (leaning back against the headboard, thoughtful) “Bilkul. Lekin ab sawaal yeh hai ke Ami ko kaise manayenge? Woh toh bas Zayaan ka naam le le kar baat khatam karti hain.”
(Exactly. But the question now is, how will we convince Ami? She just keeps mentioning Zayaan and ends the conversation.)

Shahana: (placing a reassuring hand on his arm) “Aap unse baat karein. Unko calmly samjhayen ke Zayaan ki feelings Anaya ke liye sirf dosti tak seemit hain. Aur Sameer ka rishta dekhne layak hai.”
(You should talk to her. Explain to her calmly that Zayaan’s feelings for Anaya are limited to friendship. And Sameer’s proposal is worth considering.)

Kamal: (nodding, but cautious) “Theek hai, baat karunga. Lekin unko samjhana itna asaan nahi hoga. Unka dil toh Zayaan par laga hai.”
(Alright, I’ll talk to her. But convincing her won’t be easy. Her heart is set on Zayaan.)

Shahana: (smiling softly) “Aap koshish karein. Woh aapki baat samjhenge. Anaya ke liye yeh faisla zaruri hai.”
(You try. She’ll understand you. This decision is important for Anaya.)

Kamal: (smiling faintly) “Theek hai, koshish karta hoon. Dekhte hain, kya hota hai.”
(Alright, I’ll try. Let’s see what happens.)

(Shahana gets up to adjust the curtains while Kamal picks up his tea, mentally preparing himself for the upcoming discussion with his mother.)

Scene 4: Zayaan’s Bedroom – Late Night

(Zayaan is lying on his bed, the lights dimmed, staring at the ceiling. His phone buzzes. He picks it up reluctantly, answering the call.)

Zayaan: (irritated tone) “Kya hai? Is waqt call kyun ki hai?”
(What is it? Why are you calling at this hour?)

Saad: (mocking disbelief) “Oho, kya ho gaya tumhe? Itna gussa kyun? Ab hum tumhare dost hain, toh call toh karenge hi.”
(Oh, what’s wrong with you? Why so annoyed? We’re your friends, so of course we’ll call.)

Sameer: (jumping in) “Haan bhai, relax kar lo. Waise bhi yeh conference call hai. Tum sirf Saad se nahi, mujhse bhi baat kar rahe ho.”
(Yeah man, calm down. By the way, this is a conference call. You’re talking to both Saad and me.)

Zayaan: (groaning) “Tum dono ko baat karni thi toh ek doosre ko call kar lete. Mujhe kyun disturb kiya?”
(If you both wanted to talk, you could’ve called each other. Why disturb me?)

Saad: (teasing) “Oho, itna annoyed kyun ho? Kya ho gaya hai tumhare mood ko?”
(Oh, why are you so annoyed? What’s wrong with your mood?)

Zayaan: (sighing) “Kuch nahi, bas sone ki koshish kar raha tha.”
(Nothing, just trying to sleep.)

Saad: (shocked) “Sone ki koshish? Itni adventure chal rahi hai aur tum so rahe ho? Waah! Sameer, dekh lo, banda tumhe phasa ke khud aram kar raha hai.”
(Trying to sleep? So much adventure is going on, and you’re sleeping? Wow! Sameer, look at this guy; he’s left you to handle everything and is chilling.)

Sameer: (dramatically) “Haan bhai, Zayaan, tumhe pata hai aaj ki meeting mein mujhe aisa lag raha tha jaise border pe jang ladh raha hoon. Kamaal Uncle toh mujhe grilling machine lag rahe the.”
(Yeah man, Zayaan, you know, in today’s meeting, I felt like I was fighting a war on the border. Kamal Uncle was like a grilling machine.)

Zayaan: (exasperated) “Yaar, abhi mujhe kisi se baat nahi karni. tum dono dimagh mat khao.”
(Guys, I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. Don’t bother me.)

Saad: (seriously) “Kya ho gaya, bhai? Sab khairiyat toh hai?”
(What’s wrong, brother? Everything okay?)

(Unbeknownst to the three, Zayaan’s younger brother, Rayaan, is standing outside the slightly open door, hearing the loud conversation between them. His eyebrows raise in shock as he listens carefully.)

Zayaan: (hesitant, lost in thought) “Haan… sab theek hai. Bas… pata nahi… main chahte na chahte Anaya ke baare mein sochta rehta hoon.”
(Yeah… everything’s fine. Just… I don’t know… I keep thinking about Anaya, even when I don’t want to.)

(There’s a pause on the other end of the line as Saad and Sameer process what Zayaan just said. Then Saad suddenly bursts out laughing.)

Saad: (teasing) “Oye hoye! Yahaan toh Kuch Kuch Hota Hai chal raha hai! Kya baat hai, Zayaan sahab!”
(Oh wow! Looks like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is playing here! What’s going on, Mr. Zayaan?)

Sameer: (mocking) “Haye! Mujhe phasa ke tum khud Anaya ke saath… yeh toh cheating hai!”
(Oh! You set me up while you’re with Anaya… this is cheating!)

Saad: (laughing) “Dekh toh zara, Sameer! Tumne khama khai hi Kamaal Uncle ko impress karne mein itni mehnat ki, aur yahaan toh scene hi kuch aur on hai.”
(Just look at this, Sameer! You went through all that effort impressing Kamal Uncle for nothing, while here something entirely different is going on.)

Zayaan: (irritated) “Tum dono bhi na! Main abhi kisi ke saath nahi hoon, aur yeh jo tumhara imagination hai, uska koi ilaaj nahi.”
(You two are too much! I’m not with anyone, and your imagination has no cure.)

Saad: (grinning) “Haan, haan. Yeh toh wahi baat hai, kuch toh hai warna koi aise hi nahi badalta.”
(Yeah, right. This is exactly the case of “something’s up” because nobody changes like this for no reason.)

Sameer: (mocking tone) “Yaar, tumhara toh plan is shaadi ko taalna ka tha. Tabhi toh tumne mera rishta peda kiya. Warna main toh apni hone wali biwi ke saath khush tha! Aur ab tum Anaya ke khayalon mein gum ho. Yaar, kuch toh meri mehnat ka khayal kiya hota—Uncle Kamaal ko impress kiya maine!”
(Man, your whole plan was to delay this wedding. That’s why you created my rishta. Otherwise, I was happy with my future wife! And now you’re lost in thoughts of Anaya. At least consider my hard work—I went through all that effort to impress Uncle Kamal!)

(Rayaan’s eyes widen as he realizes the truth. He quietly steps away from the door, processing what he just heard—Sameer’s rishta was fake, a plan crafted by Zayaan and Saad.)

Zayaan: (frustrated) “Tum log bhi! Main abhi phone rakhta hoon. Dimagh kharab ho raha hai tumhare chakkar mein.”
(You guys are impossible! I’m hanging up now. You’re driving me crazy.)

Saad: (teasing) “Acha, acha. Lekin ek baat sun lo, bhai. Agar tumhare dil mein kuch hai, toh sach bol do. Hum madad karenge, bas yehi plan banate raho.”
(Alright, alright. But listen, brother. If you feel something, just admit it. We’ll help you; just keep coming up with these plans.)

(Zayaan hangs up in frustration and tosses his phone aside. He leans back on his pillow, exhaling deeply, trying to block out their teasing words. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Rayaan smirks to himself, armed with this new revelation.)