My So-Called Bollywood Life(43)

“Oh. Okay, then.”

She went through three more movies before getting to Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. “We are watching this,” she said, anticipating his denial. “I don’t care what you say—we are going to sit through this entire movie. Why? Because Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan are actors who can teach even the worst critic a thing or two about on-screen chemistry. This movie is beautiful, except for Kareena Kapoor’s crying and melodrama scenes. If I have to argue with you through this entire movie, I will.”

    Dev sighed and held out his hand for the disc.

Winnie gave a victory cheer and plopped down on the couch. She was already reaching for the popcorn when Dev sat next to her after starting the movie.

“Wait, don’t do that yet. Here.” He opened the bag of M&M’s and sprinkled them over the popcorn.

“I was hoping that was what the M&M’s were for,” Winnie said. “You know, for our first official date, I’d say you hit it out of the park.”

“What are you talking about? This is our third date. We went to a carnival, then to a football game, and now we’re watching movies. For two movie fans, I’m surprised it took us this long to get here.”

Winnie started ticking the dates off on her fingers. “The carnival happened because Henry invited me, and you almost puked on the Ferris wheel—”

“Can we forget about that? Talk about the first-kiss part,” he said. “We did that, too.”

“The second date was a group thing.”

    “I gave you my sweatshirt, which you have not given back, by the way.”

She had no intention to, either, she thought as she ticked off a third finger. “And we watch movies together on Sundays at the film-club screenings.”

“That’s when you’re not avoiding me,” Dev said.

“What? I sat next to you for the last two screenings. And this Sunday, when we’re watching the one about escargots, I’ll even let you hold my hand. How about that?”

“I still say this is our third date and our first movie date.”

Winnie tossed a throw pillow at him. “Semantics.”

He caught it deftly and placed it at his side before handing her the popcorn and M&M’s. “Let’s do this,” he said.

She snuggled in to watch the opening scene with Jaya Bachchan playing mom to a growing boy. As the music played, Winnie let the magic take over. The setting, the acting, the dialogue. When a movie was made well, she could feel every emotion that the characters felt, and she was right there with them, hurting, crying, laughing, and yelling. At one point, Dev wrapped an arm around her shoulder and moved in closer.

“I’m glad you’re not a talker,” Dev said as Shah Rukh Khan’s character followed the heroine through a street festival. “I’m not a talker during movies.”

“Funny how you have to talk to mention that to me.”

He laughed. “You’ve seen this movie how many times?”

“Doesn’t matter. Every time I watch it, I discover—”

    “Something new.”

“Even when Raj and I were in the good parts of our relationship, he avoided rewatching. I’m glad you get that.”

She watched as Dev’s eyes narrowed. “Do me a favor and don’t compare me to that dipshit, okay?”

He faced the screen, putting distance between them.

“I’m not comparing. I’m just saying that the one person who I thought understood me the most didn’t get me at all.” She took a deep breath and added, “And the person who I least expected to understand me has been so awesome to me in such a short span of time.”

She saw the corner of Dev’s mouth curve even as he focused on the movie. Well, that wasn’t awkward at all, she thought. Seriously, what was she thinking to say something like that to Dev?

On-screen, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s characters were transposed to the beautiful desert in Egypt, where they sang and danced together. When Shah Rukh Khan kissed Kajol’s neck, Winnie sighed again. Because she was becoming engrossed in the love story, she was blindsided by the pillow that hit her on the side of the head.

“Hey!”

“I had to make sure you weren’t going to start screaming like a fangirl. Are you serious? You’re sighing over this stuff? For God’s sake, Winnie, they are dancing in Egypt. This doesn’t happen in real life!”

    “Of course it doesn’t happen in real life! That’s the whole point.”

Dev paused the movie. “This I have to hear. If it’s not supposed to mimic real life, then what’s the point?”

“When you watch a movie like Star Wars, is that supposed to mimic our reality?”

“No, that creates a different world, a different reality, but with emotions that audiences in this reality can relate to.”

“And that’s exactly what these kinds of Bollywood movies do,” Winnie said. “They create a separate reality in which singing and dancing become acceptable. And this,” she said, waving to the screen, “is the world of Bollywood romance at its finest.”

Dev shook his head. “Okay, well, can you please clue me in on your interpretation of the corny song-and-dance routine? Because I’m not exactly seeing what you are.”