27-10-2025, 10:19 AM
Scene 5: The Promise
The fire in the mandap died down a little, but the tension in the hall was hotter than any flame. Jeevan looked at the two women sitting beside him. Preet was shaking, her face buried in her hands. Sukhmani was staring into the fire, her jaw
set, her eyes full of cold rage.
Jeevan: "Sukhmani, listen to me. I am giving you another chance in life. Your previous husband was an asshole. I promise you under this fire, to both of you, I will keep you happy." Sukhmani, meri baat suno. Main tumhein zindagi mein ek aur mauka de raha hoon. Tumhara pichla pati ek badtameez tha. Main tum dono se is aag ke saamne vaada karta hoon, main tumhein khush rakhunga.
Sukhmani slowly turned her head. Her eyes, which Jeevan had desired for so long, were like chips of ice.
Sukhmani: "Happy? You call this happiness? You call this a 'chance'? You have bought me, Jeevan. Like a man buys property. Don't pretend this is an act of kindness." Khush? Tum ise khushi kehte ho? Tum ise 'mauka' kehte ho? Tumne mujhe khareeda hai, Jeevan. Jaise ek aadmi zameen-jaydaad khareedta hai. Yeh dikhawa mat karo ki yeh koi meherbani hai.
Jeevan: "I saved your father from prison and disgrace. I saved your sister from marrying into a ruined family. And I saved you from a passionless, dead marriage. You will see my kindness soon enough. Tonight." Maine tumhare pitaji ko jail aur badnaami se bachaya. Maine tumhari behen ko ek barbaad parivar mein shaadi karne se bachaya. Aur maine tumhein ek bina junoon wali, mari hui shaadi se bachaya. Tum meri meherbani bahut jald dekhogi. Aaj raat.
Sardar Bhupinder Singh: (Voice trembling) "Jeevan... please... the guests..." Jeevan... kripya... mehmaan...
Jeevan: "The guests? The guests have just witnessed a great act of mercy! They should be celebrating. Now, it is time for the bidaai (farewell)." Mehmaan? Mehmaanon ne abhi-abhi ek bahut bada daya ka kaam dekha hai! Unhe toh jashn manana chahiye. Ab, [i]bidaai ka samay ho gaya hai.[/i]
Manjeet Kaur: "Bidaai? For... for both of them? Jeevan, you can't! What will we tell Rohan? What will society say?" Bidaai? Dono... dono ki? Jeevan, tum aisa nahi kar sakte! Hum Rohan ko kya kahenge? Samaaj kya kahega?
Jeevan: "Rohan? Tell him his wife has chosen her family's honor over him. And society? Society will talk for a few days, and then they will bow to my power. You have nothing to fear. I am protecting you." Rohan? Use bata do ki uski patni ne apne parivar ki izzat ko uske upar chuna hai. Aur samaaj? Samaaj kuch din baat karega, aur phir woh meri taakat ke aage jhuk jayega. Aapko darrne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main aapki raksha kar raha hoon.
Jeevan: (He stood up, pulling Preet to her feet) "Sukhmani. Stand up. You are my wife now. You leave with me." Sukhmani. Khadi ho jao. Tum ab meri patni ho. Tum mere saath chal rahi ho.
Sukhmani stood up slowly, her gaze sweeping over her weeping parents. She knew her old life was over, and this new, terrifying one was just beginning.
Sukhmani: "And if I refuse to walk?" Aur agar main chalne se mana kar doon toh?
Jeevan: "Then I will carry you. In front of everyone. Either way, you are coming home with me. The choice is yours." Toh main tumhein utha kar le jaaunga. Sabke saamne. Dono hi suraton mein, tum mere saath ghar aa rahi ho. Faisla tumhara hai.
The fire in the mandap died down a little, but the tension in the hall was hotter than any flame. Jeevan looked at the two women sitting beside him. Preet was shaking, her face buried in her hands. Sukhmani was staring into the fire, her jaw
set, her eyes full of cold rage.
Jeevan: "Sukhmani, listen to me. I am giving you another chance in life. Your previous husband was an asshole. I promise you under this fire, to both of you, I will keep you happy." Sukhmani, meri baat suno. Main tumhein zindagi mein ek aur mauka de raha hoon. Tumhara pichla pati ek badtameez tha. Main tum dono se is aag ke saamne vaada karta hoon, main tumhein khush rakhunga.
Sukhmani slowly turned her head. Her eyes, which Jeevan had desired for so long, were like chips of ice.
Sukhmani: "Happy? You call this happiness? You call this a 'chance'? You have bought me, Jeevan. Like a man buys property. Don't pretend this is an act of kindness." Khush? Tum ise khushi kehte ho? Tum ise 'mauka' kehte ho? Tumne mujhe khareeda hai, Jeevan. Jaise ek aadmi zameen-jaydaad khareedta hai. Yeh dikhawa mat karo ki yeh koi meherbani hai.
Jeevan: "I saved your father from prison and disgrace. I saved your sister from marrying into a ruined family. And I saved you from a passionless, dead marriage. You will see my kindness soon enough. Tonight." Maine tumhare pitaji ko jail aur badnaami se bachaya. Maine tumhari behen ko ek barbaad parivar mein shaadi karne se bachaya. Aur maine tumhein ek bina junoon wali, mari hui shaadi se bachaya. Tum meri meherbani bahut jald dekhogi. Aaj raat.
Sardar Bhupinder Singh: (Voice trembling) "Jeevan... please... the guests..." Jeevan... kripya... mehmaan...
Jeevan: "The guests? The guests have just witnessed a great act of mercy! They should be celebrating. Now, it is time for the bidaai (farewell)." Mehmaan? Mehmaanon ne abhi-abhi ek bahut bada daya ka kaam dekha hai! Unhe toh jashn manana chahiye. Ab, [i]bidaai ka samay ho gaya hai.[/i]
Manjeet Kaur: "Bidaai? For... for both of them? Jeevan, you can't! What will we tell Rohan? What will society say?" Bidaai? Dono... dono ki? Jeevan, tum aisa nahi kar sakte! Hum Rohan ko kya kahenge? Samaaj kya kahega?
Jeevan: "Rohan? Tell him his wife has chosen her family's honor over him. And society? Society will talk for a few days, and then they will bow to my power. You have nothing to fear. I am protecting you." Rohan? Use bata do ki uski patni ne apne parivar ki izzat ko uske upar chuna hai. Aur samaaj? Samaaj kuch din baat karega, aur phir woh meri taakat ke aage jhuk jayega. Aapko darrne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main aapki raksha kar raha hoon.
Jeevan: (He stood up, pulling Preet to her feet) "Sukhmani. Stand up. You are my wife now. You leave with me." Sukhmani. Khadi ho jao. Tum ab meri patni ho. Tum mere saath chal rahi ho.
Sukhmani stood up slowly, her gaze sweeping over her weeping parents. She knew her old life was over, and this new, terrifying one was just beginning.
Sukhmani: "And if I refuse to walk?" Aur agar main chalne se mana kar doon toh?
Jeevan: "Then I will carry you. In front of everyone. Either way, you are coming home with me. The choice is yours." Toh main tumhein utha kar le jaaunga. Sabke saamne. Dono hi suraton mein, tum mere saath ghar aa rahi ho. Faisla tumhara hai.
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