The Call Back

Fluorescent lights buzz. Two plastic chairs. A water dispenser. Poster-covered walls. Cramped, cheerful, painfully awkward.

SAMEER (26), slightly too-formal blazer, headshot folder clutch kiye baitha hai. POOJA (25), casual jeans, oversized headphones, clipboard in hand, desk ke paas khadi hai.

Sameer tries to look calm. Fails.

Hi. Main Sameer.

Haan. Form pe likha hai.

Sameer smiles like that was a compliment.

Right. Of course. I’m… very prepared.

Nice.

Naam do baar kyun likha hai?

Pooja turns the clipboard toward him. Sameer sees his audition form.

Woh... creative emphasis ke liye.

Same name, different spelling, dono galat.

Ambiguity.

Correction fluid bhi ambiguity tha?

Sameer freezes.

Method acting.

Form bharna method acting hota hai?

Industry mein… sab hota hai.

Pooja puts on a deadpan stare.

Great. Silence act kar sakte ho?

Absolutely.

Pooja checks her watch. Then stares at him.

A long, awkward silence.

Sameer tries to hold it. His foot taps. His stomach GROWLS.

Impressive.

Thank you.

Pet ne bhi performance di.

Sameer coughs, embarrassed.

Main usually audition se pehle light nahi khata.

Aur usually audition se pehle itna bolte ho?

Nahi. Bas jab main relaxed hota hoon.

Acha.

Toh abhi kya ho?

Main? Main toh… zen hoon.

Pooja looks at his jittery hands, straightened folder, stiff posture.

Zen ka blazer version.

Sameer laughs despite himself.

Dekho, main bas yeh chahta tha ki aapko lage I’m easy to work with.

Abhi tak lage ho?

Honestly?

Nahi.

Pooja nods, like this is the first honest thing he’s said.

Good.

She flips the clipboard, points to the last page.

Read this.

Sameer takes the form, squints.

“IF YOU CAN KEEP A NORMAL CONVERSATION FOR FIVE MINUTES, YOU MAY PROCEED.”

Yeh audition tha?

Screening.

For a role?

For a human being.

Sameer is stunned.

Toh main...

Abhi tak pass ho rahe ho.

Sameer exhales, half relieved, half offended.

Main samjha tha main impress kar raha hoon.

Tum impress karne ki koshish kar rahe the.

Woh alag cheez hai.

Beat.

Sameer decides to stop performing.

Theek hai. Sach bolta hoon.

Main nervous tha.

Mujhe laga agar main cool dikhaun, toh chance better ho jayega.

Pooja softens, just a little.

Chance toh tab bhi tha.

Bas tumne usko monologue bana diya.

Sameer laughs.

Pooja takes off her oversized headphones and hangs them around her neck.

Okay. Final question.

Please, normal ho.

Too late.

Tum actually kaise ho?

Sameer thinks. Then shrugs.

Thoda awkward.

Thoda overprepared.

Aur thoda... genuinely acha banna chahta hoon.

Pooja nods, satisfied.

That’s usable.

She writes on the clipboard, tears off a slip, hands it to him.

Callback ke liye aana.

Sameer brightens instantly.

Seriously?

Haan.

Aur is baar blazer kam formal.

Aur naam ek hi spelling mein.

Sameer grins.

I can do that.

Dekhte hain.

Sameer stands, gathers his folder. He heads toward the exit, then turns back, trying one last cool line.

Main usually aisa nahi hota.

Pooja doesn’t look up.

Haan, pata hai.

Isi liye toh tumhe call back kiya.

Sameer freezes, then laughs at himself as he exits.

Pooja smiles, shakes her head, and marks the clipboard.

THE END.