It had been a few days since Shivaay's impromptu "common man" experience at the Durga Puja pandal, and life had mostly returned to its usual rhythm at the Oberoi Mansion. Shivaay had managed to recover from the embarrassment of being mobbed by fans, and his ripped kurta had become just another funny story to tell... at least, to his family. Or so he thought.
Rudra, ever the mischief-maker, had been spending his day browsing through social media, scrolling through photos and videos of the Durga Puja celebrations. What caught his eye, however, was not just any pandal picture. No, he had stumbled upon Shivaay Singh Oberoi—his brother—caught in the middle of a complete pandal chaos, his kurta ripped and hanging off his body like it had survived an all-out tug-of-war.
Rudra blinked in disbelief, then his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. This was too good to be true. He had found his brother's moment of vulnerability, and he wasn't about to let it go to waste.
Pulling up his phone, Rudra started downloading every image and video he could find. He was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning as he plotted how he would break this to the family.
******
The evening was just beginning, and the Oberois were gathering for their usual family dinner. The food was being laid out, but Rudra wasn't interested in eating just yet. He had a different kind of entertainment planned for the evening.
He had spent hours compiling every picture, every video, every awkward moment from Shivaay's pandal experience. Rudra, with his usual cheeky grin, had already set up the projector and connected it to his phone. The family was chatting, not knowing what was coming their way.
Shivaay, oblivious to what Rudra was up to, sat at the head of the table, trying to appear as composed as always. But the twinkle in Rudra's eyes was hard to miss. The moment the family was settled and ready to dig in, Rudra stood up with a flourish.
"Alright, family," he announced. "Time for a special presentation tonight. You'll want to see this. Enjoy your dinner!"
He hit play on his phone, and the lights dimmed as the first image popped up on the wall.
The first image was a close-up shot of Shivaay, his kurta halfway ripped, as a fan tried to tug him into a selfie. His expression was a mixture of confusion, frustration, and embarrassment. The caption read: "The Common Man Experience – Shivaay Singh Oberoi, Normal Edition."
The room went silent for a moment. Then, BAM, the laughter erupted.
Anika choked on her drink as she looked at the screen, her face turning red. "Oh my god, Shivaay!" she burst out, unable to contain her laughter.
Shivaay's eyes narrowed as he tried to keep his cool. "Rudra, you didn't..."
But Rudra was already clicking through the photos like a man possessed. The next one was a slow-motion shot of Shivaay trying to pull his ripped kurta together as fans crowded around him. The image was followed by a zoom-in on Shivaay's face, looking like he had just realized his worst nightmare had come true.
Pinky, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard, leaned forward. "Aww, Shivaay beta! You're famous for your class and grace, and look at you now!" She couldn't stop giggling. "Are you sure you're my son? You're looking like a real aam aadmi from a Vasai local right now!"
Tej, who was usually reserved, tried to hide his smile behind his hand. "It's nice to see you in a... different light, Shivaay. You always present yourself as perfect, but this... well, this is refreshingly human."
Om, the ever-composed one, raised an eyebrow and said, "I didn't think I'd see the day when Shivaay Singh Oberoi would get mobbed by fans at a pandal. I thought you were supposed to be the 'VIP,' bhai?"
Rudra, however, was relentless. "Oh, wait, there's more!" He clicked to the next video, and the room fell silent again.
The video was of Shivaay standing in the middle of the pandal, surrounded by a throng of people, trying to keep his balance as his kurta fluttered like a flag in the wind. The moment the fabric ripped, there was an audible snap—and it was caught on camera.
The next frame showed Shivaay's expression—a mix of disbelief and horror—his chest exposed for the world to see.
"Isn't this just perfect?" Rudra said through his laughter. "The great Shivaay Singh Oberoi, his classy kurta turned into a rag in front of a mob of commoners."
Gauri wiped a tear from her eye, trying to hold back her laughter. "Shivaay Bhaiya, I don't know whether to be embarrassed for you or to feel sorry for your poor kurta. It looks like it got attacked by a gang of fans."
Shivaay let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, that's enough. It was just one mistake, alright? I didn't expect to get mobbed like that."
But Rudra wasn't done. "Oh, but it gets better!" He clicked to the next picture, and the family collectively groaned as Shivaay's awkward attempt to escape the mob was captured in the photo. His ripped kurta was hanging off his shoulder, his arm awkwardly raised as he tried to shield himself from the crowd.
"I don't think I've ever seen you this uncomfortable, Shivaay," Om commented, his usual calm demeanor giving way to an amused smile.
"Yeah, you look like you've never been so normal in your life," Rudra added, barely containing his laughter. "Like a man of the people!"
As the night wore on, the family continued to roast Shivaay with each new image or video. They made fun of his ripped kurta, his attempts to keep his dignity, and even his refusal to admit that he had been out of his element.
Even Anika, who was normally Shivaay's biggest supporter, couldn't help but join in on the fun. She teased him relentlessly, saying, "Maybe you should try this more often, Shivaay. You're kind of cute when you're... human."
Shivaay, who had been trying to maintain his cool, finally cracked a smile. "Alright, alright, you can all stop now. I get it. I've been thoroughly roasted."
Pinky leaned back, still laughing. "It's good for you, Shivaay! Everyone needs a little humbling every now and then. Even you!"
Shakti looked at his son, shaking his head with a smirk. "I think we can all agree, Shivaay, you need to stay away from public pandals from now on."
Finally, after what felt like hours of laughter, Rudra stopped the slideshow. Shivaay, despite the teasing, felt a sense of relief. He hadn't been truly humiliated—not by his family, at least. The Oberois, after all, were masters at finding humour in every situation. And in a way, this evening had been a reminder that no one could take themselves too seriously in this house.
Anika smiled at Shivaay, her eyes sparkling with affection. "You know, I think you handled it pretty well, despite everything. Most people would've been mortified."
Shivaay, who had spent the whole evening as the butt of jokes, gave her a wry smile. "I suppose I survived. But next year? Definitely sticking to the VIP section."
"Agreed," Anika laughed, "and next time, leave the common man act to Rudra."
Rudra, who had been quietly enjoying the roast from the sidelines, raised his glass. "To Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the common man, the kurta ripper, and the pandal legend!"
Everyone laughed, raising their glasses, and Shivaay could only shake his head, realizing that sometimes, it was the family that truly made every moment memorable—even the embarrassing ones.
