“And the best child actor of the year goes to, Tamanna Suman, for her amazing performance in the daily soap ‘Teri Laadki Main’.” The announcement made the audience cheer for the little girl.
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Tamanna was spotted by a renowned casting director who was one of the distinguished guests at the Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony at her school. He thought she would be the perfect protagonist of his upcoming project, a drama on a little girl, and thus approached the principal Ms. Chabra with the proposal. Ms.Chabra wasted no time contacting her parents for the upcoming project. Tamanna’s father Neeraj was a bit hesitant to send his 9-year-old daughter to that glamorous world but her mother was extremely excited and determined to take the chance.
“Tamanna is so talented and she deserves to learn and explore her potential as an artist more. And don’t worry, I’ll always be with her during the shooting schedules and take care of the studies too”, said Mc Chabra, and Tamanna’s mother Tara didn’t want to let go of this opportunity at any cost.
Neeraj knew Tara had been an ardent follower of Page 3 people and was allured by their amazing lifestyle. The showbiz world has always fascinated her and with Tamanna being a part of it, Tara would have direct access to her dream place.
Tamanna’s school agreed to allow her to join the shoot and attend classes online. The production house had flexible shooting hours and a study room set up for Tamanna. ‘Teri ladki main’ is the story of a small girl and her father who tries hard to lead a smooth life after her mother passes away. That emotional story became an instant hit and topped the TRP chart real soon. Tamanna got her first paycheque after three months of the show going on air and her parents felt blessed that their little darling became a much-loved star in no time. The show got an extension and the shooting hours got longer too. Tara left no stone unturned to make the most out of Tamanna’s stardom and lots of brand promotions, interviews, and other events brought along a hefty amount in the form of paycheques. They could buy a new flat, a car and their lifestyle changed drastically. This is the third year since Tamanna started her career as a child artist and she was already a part in two blockbuster movies.
As Tamanna went up to the stage to receive her award, Tara and Neeraj seemed to be the happiest parents in the world. With tears of happiness in their eyes, big grins on their faces, and hands busy clapping for their little girl, all they had were gratitude and bigger dreams in their minds and hearts.
” So, our dear Tamanna, how are you feeling right now?” The host asked smilingly.
“I’m very grateful to everyone who showered so much love for me.” Tamanna sounded a little distracted.
“So tell me one thing, if God wants to fulfill one wish of yours, what will it be? A foreign trip, a movie with Salman Khan, or any other thing?”
“I’ll request God to grant me my old life. The life before I started my acting career.” She said calmly, yet the pain in her voice couldn’t be avoided.
Everyone was shocked. What could have transpired that this successful little girl wanted to give up on this beautiful life of hers.
“But, why so?” asked the host, surprisingly.
“Because I miss my school and my friends. I haven’t been able to meet them once since this series started. I miss playing in the park, going on school trips, and making projects with them. I miss sharing my lunchbox and attending birthday parties. I’m tired of being a celebrity!” Tamanna burst into tears.
The auditorium fell into an awkward silence. Tamanna slowly stepped down from the stage. Her sobbing sound was enough to pierce everyone’s heart. TV’s favourite grandma was sitting in the front row. She stood up from her chair and hugged Tamanna. Could she relate? Did she go through the same sadness and helplessness in her life too?
Tara and Neeraj were in utter shock and disbelief, at what just happened in front of their eyes, and the thousands of other people who were watching the award ceremony.
“You dismissed my opinions and kept insisting on building dynamic stardom for our little girl. We are ruining her childhood, Tara”, Neeraj sighed heavily.
For the first time, Tara did not snap back.
“I only wanted the best for my baby girl. She is already a star. I could not feel her suffering and blamed her for being lazy and stubborn whenever she threw tantrums during those early morning shoots. Everyone will judge me now and label me as a bad mother!” Tara burst into tears.
“But I should not think about what others think. My daughter’s happiness is all I seek”. Tara was confused and her thoughts were scattered. Lots of questions kept crossing her mind, for which she had no answers.
Tamanna came back to her seat and rested her head on Tara’s shoulder.
Tara kissed her twinkling star’s forehead and held her hand tightly. They looked at each other, their eyes moist but speaking a thousand words.
Will Tara agree to step back for her daughter? Will she allow the little girl to live her life the way she wants? Should she let Tamanna give up on her stardom and lead the life of an ordinary girl? What do you think readers? What possibilities do you see? What chances do we have?
By Anuja Lopa
Hailing from a small town, Nagaon in Assam, Anuja’s love for writing bloomed mostly during her college days. With two super energetic kids and a busy household by her side, she follows her passion for writing and singing without fail and it keeps her going with full zeal. Blogging, cooking, and lots of reading are her besties and she promises herself not to part ways with them ever, no matter what. She can be contacted at anuja.lopa@gmail.com
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