The Dress Rehearsal

Ek khaali community hall. Ek taraf stage lights warm ho rahi hain. Dusty floor. Center mein ek SINGLE MIRROR. Door ke paas ek MUSIC SPEAKER. Silence mein echo.

REKHA (55), plain cotton sari mein, elegant posture ke saath, haath mein ANKLETS pakde khadi hai.

NISHA (32), western office wear mein, tired, GARMENT BAG aur WEDDING INVITATION liye andar aati hai. Forced smile.

Aayi? Ab finally rehearsal kar lete hain.

Maa, kal shaadi hai. Rehearsal ka time aaj hi mila tha kya?

Rekha ghunghroo zameen par rakhti hai.

Aaj hi mila tha, kyunki kal se tu kisi aur ki zindagi mein busy ho jayegi.

Main busy nahi ho jaungi. Bas... occupied.

Corporate language mein dukh bhi productive lagta hai?

Nisha thoda smile karti hai. Rekha speaker on karti hai. Soft classical instrumental music.

Bas teen steps. Entry, turn, aur final bow.

Maa, main shaadi kar rahi hoon ya stage performance de rahi hoon?

Aaj kal dono mein zyada farq nahi hota.

Nisha garment bag kholkar lehenga check karti hai.

Pair zameen pe rakho. Tu floor ko nahi, apne aap ko trust kar.

Mujhe trust karna aata hai, maa. Bas time nahi hai.

Time sabko kam hota hai. Farq sirf itna hai—koi usmein jeeta hai, koi usmein bhaagta hai.

Nisha music off kar deti hai. Hall mein khamoshi aur gehri.

Aapko lagta hai main shaadi se bhaag rahi hoon?

Main bas dekh rahi hoon tu khud se bhaag rahi hai ya nahi.

Main bas itna chahti hoon ki kal sab theek ho. No drama, no mistakes, no scene.

Rekha dheere se anklets pehenti hai.

Scene toh tumne pehle hi bana diya, beta. Tumne dance chhod diya, tabla chhod diya, aur ab keh rahi ho—sab practical tha.

Practical hi toh zindagi hai, maa. Aapke jaise sapne dekhke ghar nahi chalta.

Aur sapne chhodke?

Nisha chup. Mirror mein apna reflection dekhti hai.

Rekha uske paas aati hai, garment bag ka zipper band karti hai.

Main teri wedding dance guests ke liye nahi chahti thi.

Toh?

Main chahti thi ki ek baar tu mere saath woh step kare jo tu bachpan mein mere pallu pakad ke karti thi.

Bas ek baar. Taaki main tujhe aakhri baar apne saath dekh sakun, bina kisi deadline ke.

Nisha ki aankhen bhar aati hain.

Maa...

Aaja. One last rehearsal. Guests ke liye nahi.

Nisha uska haath pakad leti hai. Rekha speaker on karti hai.

Music resumes.

Dono dance karte hain—perfect nahi, par honest. Ek retired dancer aur ek exhausted daughter. Khaali hall mein sirf unki saans aur ghunghroo ki halki jhankar.

Final turn. Rekha Nisha ko mirror ke saamne rok deti hai. Dono ek dusre ko dekhte hain.

Silence.

Theek hai, maa.

Rekha bas uska haath squeeze karti hai.