Her face in the moon
From Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge when Raj's father encourages his son to go get Simran. I really liked how their relationship was portrayed in the film and thought to write about it.
Dharamvir Malhotra was worried. His son Raj has changed since coming back from his Europe tour. He was usually the happy go lucky type, but now he was somewhat subdued and introspective. Raj's father wanted to know what happened. He took two cans of beer and went to the terrace where his son was playing his lute with a melancholy air while staring absently at the moon.
"Good evening… Beer?" He proposed as he sat beside him.
Raj shook his head in deny. There is really something different. His son was never the one to refuse a beer. Something was bothering him. Or more likely someone. Has his son fallen in love during his trip to Europe? He had had a number of flirts but nothing serious till now.
"What is the name of the girl?"
"Simram" Raj replied without thinking. Then realising he has betrayed himself, he stopped playing and said with a little laugh to cover his embarrassment "Who's name, Pops?"
"Of the one whose face you see in the moon."
Raj laughed "Come on Pops! I am not one of those who lose his head over a girl."
"Ah yes it's true!" replied his father. "The ones who has soft lips, the ones who has fine eyes…"
"Exactly!"
"Exactly!" But Dharamvir was obstinate and wanted the whole story. "Where does she live?"
"Who, Pops?"
"This Simran."
Raj smiled knowing he can't fool his father. "I don't know."
"What does she look like?"
His son's face took a dreamy expression and he had a little smile on his lips. "She is lovely."
"What is the problem then?"
Raj was brought back to the moment when Simran announced that she was engaged. "The problem is, Pops, that she is about to be married."
But Dharamvir didn't see the problem "What if you stopped that?"
Raj didn't take it seriously saying things were different at his father's time. He can' just elope with Simran like that. He had thought at a dozen ways to make Simran his own but can't find one satisfying.
Dharamvir smiled "Love is love, Raj. It can't be ruled."
Raj was however was discouraged and persuaded that Simran will marry someone else. Someone she never seen, that he disliked already, persuaded he will not make her happy as she deserved, as he wanted so much to know happiness and love with him.
"No Pops. It's too late now. She is promised to another."
Dharamvir hated to see his son so discouraged. He was usually so impulsive. "The bride is for the one who takes her. My son should not give up without a fight. One does not contemplate the moon, one try his hardest to get it. Go! And don't come back without your wife. Understood?" Hope and determination began to spread on Raj's face. "Right?" and Dharamvir squeezed his son's shoulder a little tighter. "Right?"
Raj's usual happy smile came back and he assented with determination. "Ok!"
"Ah!" said Dharamvir happy of his son's determination. "Come on!" and they both swallowed their can of beer in one sip. Raj went back to the house with a spring in his step.
"Good!" approved Dharamvir left to himself.
A while later, Dharamvir went to his son who has written the girl's adress. He concealed it when his father came.
"So tell me more about this Simran. You met her while you were in Europe?"
"Yes. She was there with her three friends. We first met when we were boarding the train heading to Paris. She has arrived late like me and was running to catch the train in time. I helped her get on it. She was not very impressed by my charm. Much more earnest than the other girls." He laughed and his father responded laughing too: "Ah the first girl not impressed by my son! She must be an extraordinary woman! I like her!"
"Yea. She is quite an unusual type of woman Pops. I am sure you will love her."
Raj then continued by telling his whole story. How she has taunted him of being a great pianist, their missing the train to Zurich and being obliged to sleep in a chalet along the way, her drunkenness, his bad joke about why she was wearing his shirt. He mentioned the charming picture she was when she was praying in the church like she was in a different world. Raj frowned when he told her announcement of being engaged, how he felt ridiculous and completely awkward when he finally admitted to her that he loved her.
The next morning, Raj arrived on his motorcycle. Before going to the house, he tucked his shirt in his trousers and checked his hair. But a neighbour gave the bad news that the whole family has gone to Punjab for the wedding. Raj was about to go back to his motorbike his shoulders slumping in defeat until he saw what Simran has left behind: The cow bell she has brought in Germany. He smiled when the memory came to his mind and took the bell. Simran has left this behind especially for him he was sure. No one but the two of them knew the importance of this object: They missed the train to Zurich and obliged to stick together although she was clearly not enjoying it at that moment. It was from this point that he has really started to have serious feelings for her.
"I'm coming Simran. I'm coming." He will not come back without her.
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