1.2 | Under The Hazy Winter Sky | ✓

17 | all about him

Me

I got an offer to be a costume director...

Saina
Cool! But can you do that with your job? Is there some rule...?

Me
I quit my job...

Saina
Then go for it! 
Did Ved offer you the job?

Me
Yeah
You know?

Saina
He told Gaurav and Gaurav told me :)

Me
How is the baby, by the way?

Saina
He's not letting us sleep :)

Me
My condolences...

Saina
*teary eyed emoji*
He's such a cutie though. I've taken at least a hundred pics just today.

Me
Is your phone's gallery doing okay?

Saina
My storage is full :)

Me
:)
Send me a few pics. It'll help me recharge

Saina

'kay.
But what are you going to do about the offer?
You planning on taking it?

Me
I don't know...
Film costumes...they aren't something I'm super interested in...

Saina
Hm...
Why don't you try it out though?
It's just one project

Me
Yeah...

Saina
Okay, he's crying again. I gotta go. See ya!

Me
Haha, good luck, bye!

Maya had made up her mind. 

She had already made up her mind, even before texting Saina. Now, she was sure. She was going to take up the offer.

She hadn't exactly received other offers from other companies, in any case.

It was a good opportunity too, to boost up her resume and credentials. Practically, everyone in the nation knew Ved Agarwal, the handsome, young director. So, did everyone in the fashion industry. Her working with him would, indeed, carry some weight in her resume.

Maya let out a soft breath. She put down her phone and stared at the screen. It was a movie paused.

12 Days In Bundok.

She re-visited the movie every year.

Something about it held magic, despite the melancholic ending. 'To make a sequel even better than this...', Maya thought. 'That would be a super hard task.'

She pulled out her phone and clicked on a bookmarked article, she had been reading and re-reading.

Ved Agarwal, not just Jayant Agarwal's son but a prolific director who has surpassed his father.

Having only released 5 films in his 10-year career, he has shot to heights even beyond the genius Jayant Agarwal.

His first film taking on more of the nostalgic, youthful romance with tinges of melancholy that Jayant is known for, had him thrusted into the spotlight. You may say that some of the spot light may be because of his father.

But his second film shattered any such doubts about his talent. It was a martial arts movie about a young man looking to win a world championship in Karate and his significant other who is equally ambitious in her pursuit for photography. They eventually break up, figuring that their lives and goals wouldn't align. 

This movie was a blockbuster hit, one of the few films that lived up to it's expectations if not exceeded it. The cinematography, screenplay and costumes were fantastic. The actors weren't known to the audience. Yet, it beat predictable movies by superstars with a large fanbase.

Ved only had one direction to proceed, from here on and that was higher. After nearly a year's break, he released a movie with the duration of half an hour on all OTT platforms.

It was an animated one about a girl and her aunt, who's secretly a witch. It's a short film about a girl, who has big dreams and her aunt, who's dying. 

One of the most famous movie quotes of all times originated from this movie - "Life is a puzzle that you have to keep solving until the very end."

Maya re-read this line over and over. Why was there traces of them in every film of his?

His fourth film was one about two lovers of movies. This one was a break from his melancholic streak. It was upbeat and happy. The male lead was one who loved tragic movies while the female lead was one who loved everything happy. Many references were made to his father's films. It is considered a tribute to his father.

His latest film, 'A winter's dream' was yet another animated short film. It was about a man with unrequited love. His delusion-filled haze of having had a pretend relationship with the girl while grappling with the harsh reality of his rejection was the main subject of the film.

The latest film won multiple awards at many film festivals and national awards.

If all these achievements don't convince you of his genius, what will? :)

Maya stared at her screen. It was time she started doing the one thing she hadn't done for the past ten years - watch his movies. 

She was going to go on a movie marathon that night.

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