Scene 1: Haldi Ho Toh Aisi*******
Malhotra Mansion – Late Morning
By mid-morning, the Malhotra mansion resembled a turmeric battlefield.
Buckets of haldi paste, bowls of rose petals, and baskets of marigolds lined the courtyard. Dhols echoed. Laughter bounced off every wall. And in the center of all the madness — sat Yuvraj Rajvansh — shirtless, annoyed, and completely yellow.
“Yugant,” he growled, glaring at his younger brother, “this is not how haldi is done.”
“Oh bhai,” Yugant grinned, wielding a massive sponge soaked in haldi like a weapon. “Yeh toh sirf trailer hai.”
Before Yuvraj could protest — splat! Haldi smeared across his face, neck, arms, and somehow even his perfectly set hair.
From the first-floor jharokha, Yukti burst into laughter, her bangles clinking as she clutched the railing.
And what a vision she was.
Dressed in a vibrant multicolored lehenga, each panel of the skirt crafted from rich patchwork — earthy greens, mustard yellows, hot pinks, and royal oranges, framed with a bold magenta scalloped border. Her sleeveless blouse sparkled with sequin work, and a flowy yellow net dupatta trailed dramatically over her shoulder, fluttering in the breeze like sunshine itself.
She looked like a painting — if that painting had a wicked sense of humor.
Manjri and Lakshmi stood beside her, applying haldi to Yukti’s glowing cheeks while exchanging knowing glances.
Yuvraj caught sight of her and froze.
Yukti raised an eyebrow. “You clean up nice, Rajvansh. Haldi yellow suits you.”
“You’re not even down here yet,” he shot back. “Come say that to my face.”
“I will,” she teased. “But you’ll regret it.”
Just then, Yugant leaned over and whispered something to Lakshmi… and disappeared inside.
Seconds later, he returned — dragging out a massive bright orange water gun, fully loaded with haldi paste.
Yuvraj sat up, alarmed. “Yeh kya hai?!”
“Haldi cannon!” Yugant declared proudly. “Rishton mein haldi ho ya paani... dho ke lagani chahiye!”
And before anyone could stop him — phussssshhhhhhh!
A direct spray of cold haldi smacked Yuvraj on the back.
“YUGANTTTTT!” Yuvraj roared, slipping on a marigold petal, chasing his brother across the courtyard like a deranged yellow ghost.
Petals flew. Dhols got louder. Someone started throwing rosewater from the balcony.
And up above, Yukti watched it all — laughing, radiant, and utterly, helplessly in love.
Scene 2: Mehendi Madness & A Scandalous Surprise************
Malhotra Mansion – Evening****
As the sun dipped lower, the Malhotra garden transformed into a lush mehendi paradise.
Fairy lights dangled from mango trees, soft sitar music floated in the background, and mehendi artists worked like magicians, tracing intricate patterns on eager palms.
At the center, seated on a swing adorned with marigolds and jasmine, was Yukti — glowing like a midsummer dream.
She wore a playful lemon yellow lehenga, dotted with tiny mirror embellishments that sparkled in the golden light. The blouse was a bold fuchsia pink, sleeveless and richly embroidered. A string of pearls with colorful tassels hugged her waist, and she was adorned in layers of floral and pearl jewellery — sun motifs on her ears, a maang tikka resting perfectly on her forehead, and dainty necklaces layered across her collarbone.
Her arms were midway through getting painted in deep, reddish-brown mehendi — the patterns intricate, romantic, and hiding a little secret.
“You want me to hide his name creatively?” the artist asked, dipping the cone.
“Very,” Yukti smirked. “Make it a challenge he has to pass.”
Behind a leafy hedge, Yuvraj and Yugant peeked like two boys up to no good.
“Let me guess,” Yuvraj muttered, suspicious. “You planned something.”
Yugant shrugged. “Mehendi, music, and masti. What could go wrong?”
Just then, one of Yukti’s cousins giggled and pointed. “Ooooh! Look where she’s hidden it!”
Yuvraj looked closely — and stopped breathing for a second.
Right along the curve of Yukti’s waist, nestled between the mehendi vines and the glittering tassels, was his name. Subtle. Intimate. Impossible to miss once seen.
Yugant choked on mocktail. “Bhai… tu toh literal bold move ban gaya.”
Yukti finally looked up from her hands and caught Yuvraj’s eyes.
“Find it yet?” she asked sweetly.
Yuvraj stepped out from behind the bush and replied, calm but intense, “Oh, I will. Personally.”
Her cheeks flushed, but her smile didn’t waver.
Game, set, match: Malhotra.
Scene 3: Cocktail Night – Lights, Beats & Liquid Courage******
Malhotra Mansion – Nightfall
By night, the Malhotra mansion had shapeshifted once more — into a chic, glittering cocktail lounge.
Crystal chandeliers hung from tree branches, casting romantic light on satin-draped tables. A live band played jazz-fusion renditions of Hindi classics. The open bar sparkled, bottles aligned like trophies. Food stalls boasted fusion delicacies from every corner of the globe.
And then she arrived.
Yukti.
She floated in like a comet — dressed in a dazzling silver sequinned gown that hugged every curve and shimmered with each movement. The gown featured a thigh-high slit, delicate off-shoulder straps, and beadwork so fine it looked like she was dipped in stardust. Around her neck sparkled a bold emerald necklace, the perfect contrast. In her hand, a silver glittery clutch.
Her hair was left long, sleek, and parted to one side — fierce, feminine, unforgettable.
Yuvraj, standing by the bar in a black tux with silver sequins along the shoulders, turned to see her… and forgot to breathe.
“You’re staring,” she whispered as she passed him.
“You’re meant to be stared at,” he replied without missing a beat.
On the lawn, Yugant, tipsy and glowing, grabbed the mic.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he slurred dramatically, “tonight, the Rajvansh dulha is about to do something outrageously un-Rajvansh.”
Yuvraj narrowed his eyes. “What’s he doing—”
Before he could move, the big screen lit up behind him.
A slideshow of baby Yuvraj began: him crying in a bathtub full of bubbles, another with talcum powder on his cheeks, and one where he was asleep hugging a stuffed banana.
The crowd howled.
Yukti nearly cried laughing. “Oh no… no no no…”
Yuvraj rolled his eyes — and took the mic.
“Yukti,” he said, voice steady but raw, “we’ve insulted each other, saved lives, survived haldi, mehendi, and now a public roast.”
The crowd chuckled.
“I never got to do this the right way. So tonight — I want to.”
He pulled out a tiny velvet box. Inside sparkled a diamond ring shaped like a falling star.
“I still don’t know what love is,” he admitted. “But if it feels anything like how I feel looking at you — fierce, blinding, impossible — then I’m already there.”
He knelt.
“Be my madness. My calm. My crime partner. Forever?”
Yukti blinked, shocked. Smiled. Then said:
“Only if you never delete the duck photo.”
Cheers exploded.
He slipped the ring on her finger.
And in that glittering, champagne-soaked night — a surgeon and a firecracker made a silent promise.
To be continued***********
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