Tiara Mukherjee is a struggling writer cum lyricist, though she has a running monthly income, thanks to her full-time job.
Shaurya Sharma is the face of Indian cricket. He is the Indian team captain and also an eligible bachelor whose fours and sixes on the field make girls go weak in the knees.
Both happen to meet on a flight to Zurich.
It is Tiara’s first-ever foreign trip, and she has saved more than enough money to earn her business class seat. As for Shaurya, it’s the fifth time he’s visiting Switzerland, his favourite holiday destination.
Shaurya and Tiara are seated next to each other. What’s surprising is that she is not awed by his presence at all.
She continues penning down something on her notepad and making rough sketches.
Soon, she discovers that Shaurya is busy observing what she’s doing.
In due course, a conversation begins.
“Looks like you’re writing a poem. Sorry, it just caught my eye,” said Shaurya.
At first a little shy and hesitant, Tiara replies, “Actually I am penning down some rap lyrics.”
“Wow! Rap! That sounds really cool!”
“No, it isn’t! Being a rebel in our society, especially for women, is not cool at all. My rap, ‘I Don’t Care’ has a message that may just have the power to change the status of women in our country.”
Tiara was opening up.
“It’s like –
I may be plus size, I may be dark, but I have an identity, I am not a man’s property…
And if he doesn’t like it, as a woman, I DON’T CARE!”
Shaurya was impressed.
“Wow! Really nice! Can you share a little more unless you want to keep it confidential?”
“I can reveal just 6 more lines, which more or less form the crux of the rap –
I am the change
I am the power
I am the rebel of today
I am strong
I am tough
Not a mere object of play…
Yup, that’s pretty much what my poetic rap is all about.”
Tiara was suddenly charged up and got emotional. Tears welled up her eyes.
A concerned Shaurya said – “Hey girl, are you okay? “
“Yeah, I am fine, no worries,” she said wiping away her tears.
“Enough about me! Tell me something about what’s going on in your life if you wish to?”
Shaurya smiled.
“You’re a great writer. Would really like it if you could write my biography in the future.”
“Haha, sure, why not? Who wouldn’t like to write the biography of a person who inspires the whole country?”
“No Ma’am, I don’t. It’s great that you want to share stories with the world and make it a better place with your words. You’re a changemaker, you’re a rebel, you are the true inspiration, not me!”
Both Tiara and Shaurya were different yet similar. This holiday was an escape for both.
For her, it was running away from monotony and pain. She had faced an endless number of rejections and ridicules for her appearance.
On the other hand, for Shaurya, the trip was an escape from reality and the limelight. He had not scored a century for around 6 months and had delivered a set of inconsistent performances.
Tiara had already become a motivation for Shaurya, who wanted to yell out to the media and his critics – “I am a human being, not a machine! It’s my life, I will live the way I want! If you don’t like it, sorry, I DON’T CARE!”
When they landed in Zurich, it didn’t make them Raj and Simran of DDLJ. Or did it?
What do you think?
– By Shinjini Banerjee
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