KIARA LAST PART

professor Madhusudan Verma ne jor se kaha “stop improvising, Riya! Ye script nahi hai!” jawab mai apni jaagh pe khade khade Riya bolti hai “script mein sach nahi likha, sir. aur mujhe sach hee bolna hai ” achanak wo flashback toota un awaazo se jo neeche dheere-dheere stage ke khisakne se aa rahi thi nisha dekhti hai ki , stage ke neeche ki farsh ki ek aur parat khul rahi thi. khud-ba-khud ek trap door khul chuka tha. usmein halki neeli rochani thi unnatural, jaise moonlight aur x-ray ka cross-fade…. Nisha ne ek aakhiri nazar mannequin par daali…jis ki aankhen ab use dekh rahi thi. haan, ab vo sirf mask nahin tha. vo aankhen palaken jhapaka rahi thi. Nisha ki saansen tez ho gayi. lekin ab peechhe mudana mumakin nahin tha kyunki wo mannequin dheere dheere Nisha ki taraf badhna shuru kar chuka tha darse cheekhte hue jahan wo dekhti hai ki Trapdoor ke neeche ek lamba corridor tha jiski deewaarein concrete ki nahin lakadi ki bani thi ,lekin un lakdiyon par likha hua tha kuchh… kisi ne naakhoon se nochakar. har kuchh doori par ek nai line likhi thi "maine bataya tha…" "kisi ne nahin suna…" "act 3 mera tha, lekin meri aawaaz kaat di gayi." " I waited." "2:17… 2:17… 2:17…" wo padhte padhte Nisha aage badh jaati hai Corridor ke aakhiri sire ke paas jahan par ek kamara tha chhota, band. lekin uske andar se audio recorder ki dheemi playback aawaaz aa rahi thi. Nisha ne dheere se darwaaza khola. kamare ke andar tripod par ek puraana camera tika tha. aur samne ek lakdi ki kursi. kursi par baithi thi ek ladki. safed kurta, gile baal, pili pad chuki skin… wo koi aur nahin wo Kiara thi. Lekin uski aankhein khaali thi. Pupils dilated, Lips neele pad chuke the, lekin vo ek hee vakya bol rahi thi . “laut aai hoon main… aur iss baar vo karke jaaungi jo pehle nahin kar paai…” yahi baat baar-baar. bina ruke. bina break ke. uske saamane rakhe camera ki red light ab bhi on thi. jaise koi abhi bhi record kar raha ho. Nisha ne aage badhakar uska kandha chhua aur usi pal… Kiara ne sar ghuma ke uski taraf dekha lekin uske chehare par koi emotion nahin tha. phir uski aawaaz badli. ye aawaaz kiara ki nahin thi. Riya ki thi. “you opened it, Nisha. ab tum stage pe aao.” kamare ki hawa mein jaise koi puraana sangeet basa hua tha maddham, dheema… lekin disturbingly out of tune…flashlight ki peeli kiranein ab bluish grey ho gayi thi, jaise vo bhi dar gayi ho. Kiara ki aankhein abhi bhi Nisha ko ghoor rahi thi lekin us stare mein na dosti thi, na pahachaan…usne bas itna hi bola “you opned it, Nisha… to ab tum stage pe aao…” aawaaz Riya ki thi ,lekin shareer… kiara ka. kiara ki ye halat dekh kar Nisha ki aankhon se aansu girne lage. “Kiara? kya tu mujhe sun sakti hai? please… tu wapas kaa ja…” par jawaab mein Kiara bas itana boli “kis Kiara ko dhundh rahi hai…” aur usi pal… samane rakha puraana camera khud se chaalu ho gaya. Tabhi camera ki light on ho jati hai aur aisa lagta hai jaise ab sab live record ho raha tha. kamare ke daahini deewaar khulne lagi jaise uske peechhe koi hidden rotating panel ho. is diwaar ke theek pichhe ek andheri tunnel dikhai de rahi thi,aur tabhi ek ek karke kuchh faint blue theatre lights on ho sati hain jaise koi puraana naatak shuru hone vaala ho backstage ready ho. Aur achanak udiymaan ho gaya wohi purana Theatre Stage lekin is baar audience seats mein log baithe the. bas unme se koi insaan nahin tha. har chehra dhundhala tha. Silhouettes, black voids, kuchh ki gardan tedhi thi, kuchh ke chehre ki jagah khaali oval chhed. sirf ek chehra saaf dikh raha tha professor Madhusudan Verma ka. uske boodhe, jhurriyon se bhare chehre pe uski pitch black aankhein alag hee nazar aa rahi thi. vo manch ke saamane pehali pankti mein baitha muskura raha tha. aur stage ke beech o beech pada tha usi script act iii ka puraana, phata hua panna . Nisha ne darate hue use uthaaya. us par sirf chaar line likhi thi: “Maya enters,She carries the truth,They laugh,But she doesn’t exit.”.” aur neeche ek naam tha: “role: Nish Kapoor” tabhi stage ki main lights on ho jaati hain. wahi old school spotlights aankhon ko chubhane vaali. tabhi peechhe se ek aawaaz goonjI Distorted,, alag-alag frequency mein tooti hui, jaise koi puraana record baar-baar rewind ho raha ho. “lights… sound… action.” aur bas…poora manch ek saath jeevit ho utha. spotlight jal uthi ek tez, safed roshani, jo seedhi Nisha ki aankhon par padi, jaise kisi ne uski aatma ka x-ray kiya ho, stage ke bhaari parade khud se khisakane lage ,lakadi ki pattiyon ke peechhe ki decades puraani dhul udkar hawa mein tairane lagi. Audience mein taaliyaan goonji — lekin vo taaliyaan insaanon ki nahin thi. unmen na dhvani thi, na jeevan bas ek machine jaisi dohraav…thandi, khokhali, aur bemaani. jaise kisi ne system mein applause ka loop daal diya ho. Nisha ki saansen ghutane lagi. uska kanth sookh gaya. palakon ki koron se pasina behne laga, aur jab usne aankhen poori kholi vo stage ke beech o beech khadi thi. akeli. uske theek peechhe… dhundh mein se ubharati ek aakrti. Kiara, safed kurta, gile baal, pili pad chuki tavcha aur aankhein fati hui thi… Nisha ne andar tak saans kheenchi. uski ungaliyaan kaanp rahi thi, lekin khud ko himmat dete hue usne bolana shuroo kiya. “main Nisha Kapoor hoon. Aaj main iss stage pe aai hoon to sirf or sirf isliye ki uss sach ko ujagar kar saku jisne kai baar bahar aane ki koshish ki par har baar use dafna diya gaya, khamosh kar diya gaya, Woh sach jo 27 saal se chhupaya ja raha tha.” Her breath shakes but her voice steadies. “1998 mein Riya Sen issi college mein theatre student thi. Honhaar thi, Bold thi, Aur usme sabse achchhi khoobi ye thi vo dil ki sachchi thi job hi karti thi dil se larti thi…Theatre karti thi lekin naatak nahi karti thi…sachchai mehsoos karti thi. Unhin dino college mein ek professor the Madhusudan Verma. Ji wahi Professor Verma jo auditions ke naam par ladkiyon ko late night rehearsals pe bulate the. Unka kehna tha ‘Theatre is about boldness, Rawness, Vulnerability” Par asli wajah ye thi ki unhe ladkiyon ke kapdon ke andar jhankna bahut achha lagta tha,Bhale hi ladki ko achha lage ya bura ya phir bahut bura, Professor Verma ko unke man ke dar bhaampane aate the aur phir uska fayada uthaate the.” unhone Riya aur uski best friend ko ek ‘special role’ ke liye bulaya… aur shameless harkatein karne lage ek hidden camera lagake bin bataye, Force kiya unko Threat diya. Aur ek din Riya ne us sab ka recording kar liya in sabooton ke sath usne professor aur usko support karne wale logon ke khilaf fir file karne ki koshish ki. lekin warden ne mana kar diya, management ne kaha Don't defame our college.’ Aur police ne Report to le par agale hee hafte file ‘missing’ ho gayi…“us raat, Riya ne decide kiya ki main stage par bolungi, publicly… Us annual play ‘Maya’ ke end mein uska scripted monologue kuchh aur tha…Riya ne saari sachchai ek schript ke taur pe batanai ki koshish ki… jo shuruaat me to logon ko theatre play ka hissa h ilgi par dheere dheere logon ke chehre sunn padne lage,Unhein Riya ka har aansu ki dabe hue sach ki taraf ishara kar raha tha isse pehle ki Riya sara sach bata pati stage ki Lights flicker hone lagti hain aur tabhi light chali jaati hai light ke jaate hee Smoke machines se dhuaa nikalne lagta hai….Sab sochte hain ki ye final effect hai,Lekin jab tak light wapas aati hai ,Riya stage se gayab thi….Stage khaali tha…Aur us din ke baad… uska naam file se mita diya gaya” Nisha now points to the empty front row. A faint shape Professor Verma’s shadow begins to fade in. “Woh Professor ka wahan se transfer kara diya gaya,Management ne Riya ko ‘unstable’ declare kar diya,Media ne ‘runaway case’ chhap diya,Lekin Riya kabhi woh absorb ho gayi thi, stage ne use nigal liya…ya lake ne?” she turns, facing the invisible lake…“kyuki college ke Kyuki college ke peechhe ki wo lake…jise hum picnic spot samajhte the…wo ek memory bank hai….Ek grief archive.” “Wahan woh sab ladkiyaan hain jo bolna chahti thi.. par jinko chup kara diya gaya,Jo lost nahi, erased ki gayi thi.” She slowly moves centerstage, stands tall. ….“Main exit nahi loongi,Yeh play kab ka shuru ho chuka hai,Par ab… Mian iska ant likh rahi hoon aur agar kisi ke dil dimaag me mujhe chup karane ka khyaal bhi aa raha hai to use yaad rahe ki “Truth doesn’t exit. It waits. Woh stage pe wapas aata hai… Har baar, Har act mein.” Nisha’s hands clench. Her voice breaks but grows stronger…. “2:17 AM wahi time tha jab 1998 mein Riya stage se gayab hui thi,Tab se har saal… usi waqt koi message jaata hai,Kisi ladki ko… Jo Riya ko apne jaisi lagti hai sach ke sath khadi hone wali.. “Is baar woh message mujhe aaya.” Spotlight dims,Only Nisha is lit now. “Main us lake ke paas gayi thi aur maine vahaan jo dekha vo bahut hee ajeeb tha. Us lake me sirf Riya nahi thi, uske saath Wahan 11 aur bhi ladkiyaan thi, aur sabme ek baat common thi sab ki sab mujhe khuli aankhon se dekh rahi thi aur kuchh keh rahi thi par awaaz nahin aa rahi thi sirf unke honth hil rahe the… Audience mein sannaata chha gaya. professor Verma ka chehara pighalane laga jaise black wax se bana ho, jo sach ki garmi se pighal raha ho. uske chehre se ek maans ka tukada gira…phir doosara…aur phir usaki kursi khaali ho gayi, ek jhatke se Nisha ne us camera ko dekha jo sab kuchh record kar raha tha… Tabhi jadwat awastha me khadi Kiara ki ungliyon ne harkat kari…uski ankhein wapas samanya hone lagi…usne halki si awaz lagayi ..Nishaaa…Nisha ne jaise hi use dekha to background me ankhon me aansu aur ek halki si muskan liye Riya use nazar aayi…. Lights off…Curtain falls…. Silence…But in the distance, a phone vibrates…Time: 2:17 AM