EVERYTHING'S PERFECT!

3

BEDROOM – NIGHT

Neha lies in bed with her back to the door.

Aadi quietly slips into bed and wraps his arm around her from behind. He peeks into her face and settles down with a tighter hug.

AADI: (quietly) You should have seen the way she was looking at me.

Neha's face scrunches up a bit. Who's he talking about?

AADI: That lady, the fan I mean, the fan back at the ladies' room. She was looking at me as though I'd gone there to pick up someone for the night. (pauses) Or probably thought that the men's room was locked out and I wanted to use the ladies' room.

Neha's eyes dart back and forth as she ponders over the situation.

NEHA: Who goes to the ladies' room to pick up a chick for the night? That's ridiculous. People go to strip clubs and all for that.

AADI: Exactly! But that's the way she was ogling at me, you see? And it got so awkward with all that squealing at the top of her voice, getting more attention... making it worse than it already was. (pauses, sighs again) Seriously, this is what nightmares are like, getting caught in such an awkward place. It was so embarrassing.

Aadi relaxes a bit. Neha seems to be letting go of all the pent-up anger.

NEHA: There's nothing awkward about a ladies' washroom.

AADI: Just like there's nothing wrong with you being caught outside the men's room. It isn't the place. It's the situation. Try and put yourself in my shoes for a moment. You're a popular actress. You get caught outside the men's room. You've got guys all over you, asking you all sorts of things.

She cringes at the thought.

AADI: That was the situation I was in. I didn't know what to do. I was dying in embarrassment, and then... (pauses) ...I said stuff which I shouldn't have. It wasn't on purpose. It just happened, I wasn't really thinking.

Seeing him in discomfort calms her down. She breathes out the tension and places a consoling hand over his. Aadi rejoices within.

AADI: And then, the Instagram part... all what I wanted was for my fans to see my wife. I wanted them to get knocked out by how beautiful you are!

NEHA: Can I tell you something?

AADI: Sure.

NEHA: Quit movies.

Pin drop silence as her statement strikes him like a bolt of lightning.

AADI: What?

NEHA: Quit movies. Like quit acting in films.

AADI: But why?

NEHA: Because you need to.

AADI: But just tell me why!

NEHA: (barks at the ceiling) Because it's a pain in my ass. Our ass! Not the movies, but the whole goddamn package that comes with it! It's screwing up our lives.

AADI: It isn't screwing up anything! Our lives are so much better!

NEHA: Really? You're in your own fantasy world. I'm stuck in this limbo being miserable. And I've got (air quotes) 'fans' telling me how awful I look, like your mother in fact, and how brilliant it would be if you'd get hitched to Sanjana, like literally fuck her in bed.

AADI: Jesus. What're you even – just – stop!!! (tosses to the other edge of the bed) You know what? I'm an idiot for even trying to talk to you!

NEHA: Thanks for telling me that!!!

AADI: You're goddamn welcome! (pulls the sheets over his face, mutters) At which bloody hour did I feel like trying to sort things out?

NEHA: Have it your way! Don't quit. (shifts to the edge, far away from Aadi) And good luck with part 2 of your Instagram video!!

AADI: You know what? You win! I quit!!!

***