Serenity of rainforests of Riverdale is what Meghna has always enjoyed in her 23 years of life. Growing up in an unusually small town of Himachal, Meghna was still foreign to the ways of the world. Lack of friends of her age didn’t help her situation. It always has been just Meghna and her dad. Meghna didn’t know much about her mother because she passed away when Meghna was only 4 as she was suffering from a terminal disease, one thing she did knew that her father, Sameer never really liked to discuss about his life before Meghna was born, which she found really odd.
Growing up Meghna made learned to enjoy the beauty of solitude with herself her books and the serenity of Riverdale. What started Meghna’s love for stories was unclear because she didn’t get to experience a childhood were her parents read to her some nighttime fairytales. On Meghna’s 23 birthday it was decided by Sameer that it is finally time for Meghna to step out of things that pull her back and finally find her story in this world. Meghna always knew that books were her biggest friend and she was ready to make some new ones. The day Meghna boarded her train to Mumbai she knew that things were about to change and she is embarking upon the journey to find the biggest story of her life.
Mumbai was a scary place for Meghna, it felt as if the train has transported her in to another dimension, so vast yet small, eerily scary but extremely exciting. She felt closer to her story.
Meghna didn’t had much belonging so she decided to rent a small chali temporarily – chali no.5 was her new home. She quickly set her writing area in the corner of the room and was ready for her imagination to run through, but weirdly she didn’t knew where to start and what to write.
Lost in her thought Meghna failed to noticed 2 uninvited guests in her chali who not only without permission trespassed her property but were watching the tv.
Meghna was shocked to see the intruders but she couldn’t be angry or scared of them because they were 2 young kids.
“Who are you guys, and what are you doing inside my apartment?” Meghna asked.
“Didi I am Shiv and this is my brother Amar, we live here only, only you have a tv in your house in this whole chali so we decided to come watch it. We really want to watch this show ‘paanch din’ that telecasts a new story every 5 episodes,today is the start of new story in the show”, tallest of the two kids replied.
“Aren’t you guys a little too young to wander around alone ,and where are your parents ?” Meghna wanted to make sure the kids parents knew they were safe.
“Don’t worry didi Ma is downstairs and papa is at work, now Didi let us watch the show ,we don’t want to miss the beginning”, Amar replied.
Meghan was fine with kids watching tv as long as their parents were aware that they were at her house.
“Fine guys you can watch the show but don’t disturb me, I am in the process of writing a story”, Meghna said and quietly went to a corner to think about her book”
Next day...
Amar and Shiv were already at Meghna’s Chali by the time she came back from her part-time job at the coffee house. She did buy some left over muffins from job and offered them to Amar and Shiv.
“Didi we are never hungry and honestly don’t even know what muffins are so we would rather watch our show”, Amar said and went back to watching.
Meghna insisted them to try it but after kids rejected the food, she went to her corner to focus on her writing.
This continued for the next day, the kids came to her Chali, watched their show and went from there but not before promising Meghna to bring their parents to meet her the next time they come.
Day 4...
Weekend it was, much to relief of Meghna as she didn’t have to go her part time today and can solely focus on her story or as she thought. Ever since she has come to Mumbai for her future she though that new stories will find her way just like they did in Riverdale but here she was experiencing thing called Writer’s block .She knew she was near the story that would change a lot of things in her life but she was unable to find it. Staring at the blank space in front of her Meghna decided to take a few minutes off from her writing refresh her mind and then came back to it with a fresh perspective. It was already around 5:13 and Amar and shiv’s beloved show was rolling on the television but there was no sight of the twin at Meghan’s house. She was looking forward to meeting their parents and finally having someone adult to talk to other than her father, Sameer. But alas, seems like she had to wait a little longer to make new acquaintances.
‘paanch din’ was being telecasted on the tv and Meghna was curious as to why the kids were obsessed with this anthology ,so she decided to give it a watch thinking maybe it will help her in her creative imagination.
(Show recap starts….)
(5 din) Ahalya and her husband Vayu were barely making their ends meet because of their poverty but one thing that kept them going was their tremendous love and support for each other. They lived in a small ‘chali’ and because of their fluctuating income some days they had to go sleep empty stomach but even through all this they were happy. Why? Because at they end of the day they knew they only need to look after each other and don’t have the responsibility of looking after others. But fortunately or unfortunately Ahalya found out that she was expecting triplets,two boys and one girl. She didn’t know what emotions she was supposed to portray because on one hand she was happy and over joyed to finally became the mother she never had but on the other hand she was depressed because her future was uncertain because of their family’s poverty. But nevertheless, she knew she had to persevere through tough times and take care of her blessings. On the other hand, Vayu was clearly unhappy with their situation, he didn’t want Ahalya to work more harder than she was already doing. He loved his wife but he was hard time even acknowledging the kids. He started to spent more time at work or looking for work.
Few years later, Ahalya was at work while Vayu was at home looking after the kids who were as usual were lost in their world of fairytales, stories and dolls. Meena was playing with her doll when Ayan accidently stepped on it and caused it to get bent. Meena instantly started crying because she knew she cant ask her mom for a new one. Seeing the kids cry and make a fuss Vayu got angry and threw Meena’s doll out of the window. By the time Ahalya got home, she saw Meena’s little face full of tears looking out of the window and her brothers trying to calm her down. Ahalya and Vayu got into huge fight after that and Vayu started blaming Ahalya for all the miseries in his life. He blamed her for making their financial conditions even worse and when he was done he left for ‘work’.
Ahalya was heartbroken to see her loving husband turn into such a bitter human being. She didn’t know how to make things better. She waited for her husband to come back to home so she can talk their problems out but she was unaware that this was just the tip of the problems for her .
Few goons came to Ahalya’s chali to meet Vayu on the same day Vayu left the house. They informed Ahalya that her husband had taken large amount of loan from their boss over the years and hasn’t returned a single penny back .Ahalya was distorted to find out this she didn’t had the money or the resources to pay back the sum.
“We will again come back tomorrow and if you don’t pay us the money back then we will find a way to get our interest back”, the goons warned Ahalya looking evilly towards Meena.
Meghna had a lot of mixed thoughts about the show but she was excited to see the end episode.
Next day...
Meghna finished her chores on time and sat in front of the TV to watch the last episodes...
(last epidose of ‘paanch din’ starts rolling)
Ahalya was patiently waiting for her husband to return home but she was unaware of the fact that her husband has already eloped with his lover, Siya. Siya was the daughter of Vayu’s Boss and has loved Vayu since the moment she saw how hard working and dedicated he was towards his work. Siya didn’t knew of Vayu’s family and thought she could finally get a family of her own away from her cruel father.
Seeing that there was no way of her husband coming back, Ahalya who wanted to protect Meena from goons decided to jump of the window along with her kids to end the pain of betrayal and finally have the rest she needed.
Vayu and Siya on the other hand went to a small town of Riverdale away from their old life.
With a new identity. Soon after, they were blessed with a baby girl but unfortunately Siya’s happiness was short lived as she was diagnosed with terminal illness which didn’t allow her to see her daughter grow up.
“So no one actually got their happy ending, that’s so sad”, Meghna said when she heard a knock on the door.
Amar and Shiv were there.
“Didi sorry we couldn’t come yesterday, we were busy trying to find our sister’s doll”, Amar said.
“Also Didi we bought our mother with us, papa is at work”
Ahalya walks in the chali and greets Meghna, “Hello Meghna, I think we both know each other, and don’t worry with your help I will get my happy ending soon and maybe you’ll find your story too”.
NEXT DAY...
Sameer gets a call from Mumbai City Hospital.
“Sir your daughter Ms. Meghna was found dead at her chali this morning, it seems she suffered a major heart attack. I am sorry to inform you that she is no more, please come and collect her body”.