A small new year treat for my readers. Just imagine the characters coming to life and giving me (Harshitha Musle) an interview.
Harshi: Hello Amar. Thank you so much for having me here. Your house is magnificent.
Amar: Hi Harshitha. I'm glad you liked my house. Let me introduce my family. This beautiful girl is my wife, Vennela. This naughty guy is my cousin, Anirudh. This is my innocent sister-in-law, Shruthi--
Vennela (chuckling) : Innocent?
Anirudh: I think he meant insane, not innocent.
(Vennela and Anirudh high-five)
Shruthi: Look bava garu. Rudy is teasing me.
Amar: Don't mind him, Shruthi. He is just jealous.
Rishi: Hello! Someone introduce us too.
Raj: Let's introduce ourselves. Hi, I'm Raj the handsome, intelligent, courageous, valiant, magnificent and wisdom personified. And this is my twin, Rishi the common man.
Rishi: Bro, don't underestimate the power of a common man.
Harshi: Guys! Interviewer here. Let me start with the main character. So, Vennela--
Amar: Hey! How is she the main character? The title says Friendzoned husband, which is me. So, I am the main character.
Vennela: How did you become a husband? It's because I married you. How did you get friendzoned? It's because of me again. So, I am the main character.
Anirudh: Anna, vadina. Relax. You two are heart and soul of the story. Both are equally important. Harshi, you may continue.
Harshi: Thanks Rudy. So Vennela, what would you have done if Amar's proposal came to you under normal circumstances?
Vennela: Honestly speaking, if I had met him in a normal situation, I would have garlanded him and married him in the first meeting. He is so sweet. Who can resist him?
(Everyone applaud. Amar whistles merrily.)
Harshi: Amar, how did it feel being friendzoned?
Amar: Well, I felt very bad when she first told me we are just friends. But, I understood her situation. I was glad she at least agreed to give me a chance. If I had to annul our marriage, I would have been shattered. All I would like to say is, patience is a virtue every husband is supposed to have. Look at her. She fell for me in just three months. The fact that I am Amar Pratap, the charming, must have helped.
(Amar winks at Vennela. She gives him a warm smile.)
Harshi: What is the one thing you like about each other?
Vennela: It's a never ending list. But, if I have to pick one, then it is his gentleman nature. He is so honourable. He respects everyone and never misuses his power and position. I never saw him disrespect anyone. I think I need to stop. Or else, this interview will turn into 'Praising Amar' session.
Amar: I have a different take on this. I like her lips--
Vennela: Amar, no.
Amar: Hey! I'm not a pervert. All I want to say is, I like her lips when they speak my name. I like her nose when her breath fans my face. I like her eyes when they hold concern for me. I like her ears when they pay attention to every stupid thing I say. And the best thing about her is her name, which means moonlight. She brings light into her loved ones' lives.
Shruthi:Â Wow, you guys are made for each other.
Anirudh (whispering) :Â Shruthi, want to know what I like the most about you?
Vennela:Â I heard that.
(Anirudh blushes)
Harshi: Why is he blushing?
Raj:Â Everyone in the story blushes except me and Rishi.
Harshi: Okay. Tell me. Why are you guys so naughty? I heard that you are troublemakers.
Rishi: We just add color to the black and white family.
Raj: We add spice to their bland and tasteless lives.
Anirudh: They add chilli powder in makeup items too.
Shruthi: Don't forget salt in sweet dish.
Raj: Everyone has a naughty side to themselves. Few of them control it. Few others let it flow free. We belong to the second category.
Rishi: Mischief shouldn't be viewed as hurting someone. We don't hurt anyone on purpose. We just have fun and help others in our own way.
Harshi: I'm impressed. Now coming back to our couple, Vennela, this is a very personal question. Why did you doubt Amar when you know he would never cheat on you?
Vennela: It's because I got attached to him so much that I couldn't bear the thought of him being with someone else. Fear of losing him made me do that. I'm ashamed of my behavior.
Amar: And let's not forget the fact that I lied to her and broke my promise. It's not entirely her fault. I started it. If someone needs to be blamed, it is me.
(Amar and Vennela hold hands)
Harshi: Amar, you realized your mistake only after she met with the accident. What if the accident never happened? Would you have divorced her?
Amar: No. Never. Nein. I would never have done that. Not even in my dreams. I said those words because I was angry. I wanted to make her feel a fraction of the pain I felt when she accused me. You know me. Right? I would have gone on a long drive for an hour or two. After that, I would have thought from her perspective and apologized to her. I will never get separated from her. We are inseparable.
(Harshi claps her hands)
Harshi: Coming to the backbone of the story. Rudy, why are you so adorable? You are a brother everyone wants to have. #BrotherGoals
Shruthi (In a low voice) : Not just a good brother. A good partner too.
Anirudh: Did you say something?
Shruthi: Nothing. I said you're not more adorable than me.
Anirudh: Let the readers decide that. Coming to the question, it's just who I am. My Amar anna is the most important person in my life. I know it sounds cliche, my vadina is like my sister. I can do anything to see them happy. I am not just naughty and adorable. I'm witty too. At least wittier than this halfwit. (points at Shruthi)
Amar: Hey! Don't call her that.
Anirudh: Why do you always support her?
Amar: I always feel so protective about all these kids.
Vennela:Â Soooo sweeeet.
Rishi:Â Bava, don't call us kids.
Raj: If you call us kids then we may have to call you 'DAD'.
Harshi: Guys. Please. Let me ask the questions. Shruthi I have heard that Vennela is your favourite cousin.
Shruthi: No. She's is not my favourite cousin. She's not my cousin at all. She's my sister. I love her the most. That doesn't mean that I don't love Lasya akka. I love her equally. But, Lasya akka is always strict while Vennu akka is friendly and jovial. As a girl who is always pressurized by parents to get good grades, I found Vennu akka extremely supportive of my feelings. Akka can be fierce too. I am glad bava garu can handle her fierceness effectively.
(Amar and Shruthi high-five each other)
Shruthi: She is how a girl is supposed to be. Strong yet subtle. Intelligent yet down to earth. Beauty with brains. She cares about everyone. She is a perfect role model for me.
Harshi: That's very nice of you Shruthi. And I've heard that there is another soon to be couple in the story.
Rishi: You mean Lasya akka and Surya bava?
Raj: But they are not soon to be couple. They are married already.
Amar: See. This is why I call you kids. I know many things you don't know.
(Rishi-Raj give a confused look to each other.)
Vennela: You heard it right. The couple you are talking about are in initial stages of love. Right Anirudh?
Anirudh:Â What? Well, er, you see, I don't know. I don't know who it is.
(Amar and Vennela smile while Shruthi looks away blushing.)
Harshi: It was nice meeting you. It was super fun. I hope I am doing a great job in presenting your story to the readers.
Amar: Great job? What great job? You made me look like a coward in the storeroom. Why did you damage my image?
Vennela: You made me cry on my wedding day. I cried so much that my eyes looked swollen in the album.
Rishi: You made us look childish. Bava calls us kids because of you.
Raj: Rishi is right. You didn't do justice to our awesomeness.
Shruthi: You made me eat without brushing my teeth right in the first chapter. What would the readers think of me?
Anirudh: It's alright Harshi. I feel you are doing a great job. I don't have any complaints.
Harshi: Thanks Rudy. It's very ironic that your pet name is Rudy when you are not rude at all.
Anirudh: And it's very amazing that your pet name is Harshi, but you are not harsh at all.
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