UPDATE 7
(SEMI MEGA)
...Lekin uske chehre par ek kathor vyakti ke jazbaat ka pardah abhi bhi tha. Usne apne haath se Ananya ke haath ko dheere se chhoda aur ek kadam peeche hatega. Uski awaaz me thandak thi, lekin uske shabdon ke peeche ek dard ka samundar chhupa tha.
"Ananya, jo insaan tumhare samne khada hai, woh tumhara bhai nahi hai. Woh shayad kabhi tha... lekin ab nahi," Dev ne kaha. Uski awaaz me ek ajeeb si begaangi thi, jaise usne apne jazbaat aur rishtey sab kuch khud ke andar dafn kar diya ho.
Ananya ne aankhon me aansuon ke saath uski taraf dekha aur kaha, "Aap jaise bhi ho, mere liye hamesha mere bhai rahoge. Aap apne aap ko jo bhi samjho, mujhe farak nahi padta. Par main aapko iss andhere me doobne nahi dungi."
Dev ne ek lamha ke liye uski taraf dekha, lekin phir bina kuch kahe apna axe uthaya aur hospital ke bahar ki taraf chal pada. Har kadam ke saath, uska dard aur uska mission aur gehra hota ja raha tha. Ananya peeche khadi thi, uske chehre par umeed aur dard ka ek sangam tha.
Jab Dev hospital ke gate ke kareeb pahucha, usne ek pal ke liye ruk kar peeche dekha. Uski aankhein ab bhi thandi aur kathor thi, lekin unme ek chhoti si chamak thi, jo uske andar ab bhi ek insani pehlu hone ka saboot de rahi thi. Usne dheere se kaha, "Main wapas nahi aa paau par tum mere picche yha se aage nhi aana ."
Ananya usse rokna chahti thi, lekin uske shabdon me jo pyaar tha, woh Ananya ke andar ek ajeeb sa sukoon chhod gaya.
Hospital ke darwaze ke bahar ek nayi jung Dev ka intezaar kar rahi thi. Lekin andar,
Ananya ka dil ek hi dua kar raha tha—ki ek din uska bhai apne asli roop me wapas aaye,par agar yehi dev ka asali roop hua toh....
Jung dono taraf kahi shareer ki toh kahi man ke vicharo ki
Dev ek baar phir usko dekhkar kehta hai, "Bas, Bhagwan se kehna mujhe aaj maut naa de."
Yeh kehkar uski aankhon mein ek alag si bechaini aur jazba dikhayi deta hai, jaise woh kisi bade faisle ke kareeb ho. Uske andar ek ladaai chal rahi thi—ek taraf uska vishwaas aur doosri taraf uski takleefein.
Dev vapas mud kar apne sir ko niche karke chalna shuru kar deta hai. Uski chaal mein ek ajeeb si thakaan aur junoon dono dikhta hai. Har kadam ke saath uska gussa aur uska dard aur gehra hota ja raha tha. Uske aas-paas aane wale log dar ke maare peechhe hatte, lekin kuch log jo usse takkar lene ki himmat karte, unka anjaam sirf maut hoti.
Ek aadmi samne aata hai aur chhupkar us par vaar karne ki koshish karta hai, lekin Dev bina palke jhapkaye apne hathiyar se uski gardan kaat deta hai. Uska chehra bilkul thanda hai, jaise maut uske liye ab ek aam baat ho.
Tabhi peeche se ek aur aadmi uski taraf goli chalata hai. Dev lightning speed se palta aur goli ko hawa mein hi kaat diya, uske hathiyar se nikli chamak ne sabko hila diya. Lekin ek aur goli uske seene ko cheerte hue nikal gayi. Khoon uski body ko bheegota raha, lekin Dev ke chehre par ek muscle bhi nahi hila.
Aur tabhi teesri goli uske kandhe ko choom kar nikal gayi, lekin Dev ne ek baar bhi rukne ka naam nahi liya. Har vaar ka jawab woh apne hathiyar se deta raha—kabhi kisi ki gardan kaat deta, toh kabhi unke hathiyar tod deta. Jaise woh ek insaan nahi, ek zinda aag ka gola ban chuka ho.
Log use rokne ki har koshish karte, lekin har baar woh aur zyada brutal aur unstoppable ban jaata. Ek goli uske pair ko chhu gayi, lekin usne bas ek nazar neeche dekhi aur fir apna safar jaari rakha, jaise uska dard uske liye maayne hi nahi rakhta.
Uska har kadam, har ek goli, aur har ek vaar dikhata hai ki Dev ab ek insaan se zyada ek 'walking flame' ban chuka hai. Jo bhi uske raaste mein aata hai, woh sirf ek hi cheez paata hai—vinash.
Udhar, ek national news channel par yeh sab live telecast ho raha tha. Camera ka focus Dev ke har ek kadam, har ek vaar aur uske chehre ki thandak par tha. Har angle se woh ek walking disaster lag raha tha.
Anchor ne shaky voice mein commentary shuru ki:
"Dekhiye, doston, yeh insaan... ya shayad insaan kehna galat hoga. Yeh bedardi se logo ko kaat raha hai, jaise maut uske liye ek khel ho. Aap dekh rahe hai, yeh aadmi chal aise raha hai jaise koi murda insaan ho—ek zombie. Lekin, uske moves... woh kisi trained shadow killer ke moves lagte hain. Itna tez, itna precise! Jaise yeh kisi aur duniya ka ho!"
Screen par ek clip repeat hoti hai jisme Dev hawa mein aayi goli ko kaat deta hai, aur anchor ka shabdon mein shak aur dar aur zyada badh jata hai:
"Yeh toh insani samajh se pare hai. Kya yeh koi insaan ho sakta hai? Kya yeh kisi gang ka shaati assassin hai? Ya phir yeh maut ka ek naya roop hai, jo bas vinash karne aaya hai?"
Tabhi ek aur angle se Dev ka footage dikhaya jaata hai, jisme uska seena khoon se bhar gaya hai, lekin uski aankhon mein koi dard nahi, sirf ek anjaan sa junoon hai. Anchor ki awaaz ekdum se low ho jaati hai, jaise usse khud pata nahi ki woh kya bol raha hai:
"Jo bhi ho, yeh aadmi ya toh apni maut se beparwah hai, ya fir yeh ek walking flame ban gaya hai—vinash ka ek zinda roop."
Udhar news studio mein ek aur anchor shock mein kehta hai, "Yeh aadmi kaun hai? Yeh sab kyun kar raha hai? Aur sabse badi baat, yeh itni goliya kha kar ab tak kaise zinda hai?"
Dev ka image TV screen par dikhayi de raha tha. Uska sir niche, khoon se lehrata, shabnam ke jaise tapak raha tha. Uska ek haath talwaar tha, jo laashon ke beech se usne uthaya tha. Dusra haath apne zakhmon par laga kar, woh chal raha tha, par uski chaal mein ek ajeeb si baat thi – jaise woh maut ke saath dance kar raha ho, har kadam par ek purani kahani ke anjaam ki taraf badh raha ho.
Anchor ka commentary ab aur bhi intense ho gaya tha, jaise woh duniya ko batana chahta ho ki ab kuch hamesha ke liye badal chuka tha.
Anchor: "Dekhiye yeh aadmi... ya shayad insaan kehna galat hoga. Yeh ek jeeta-jagta maut ka saaya hai. Har kadam par laashon ka pahad chhodta ja raha hai. Police aur commando forces ne ise surround kar liya hai, lekin... ab tak ispar kisi ki goli ka asar kyun nahi ho raha? Yeh koi insaan hai ya koi bhoot?"
Screen par ek aur shocking clip chalti hai jisme Dev ek saath chaar aadmiyon ke hathon se gun kheenchn kar, unhi ki goli un par chala deta hai. Har goli ke baad, woh bas ek thodi si muskurahat deta hai, jaise yeh sab uske liye koi game ho.
Dev ki aankhon mein ek ajeeb si chaahat thi, jaise woh jaan-boojhkar mar raha ho. Goli uske sharir ko cheer kar nikal rahi thi, lekin woh thoda bhi nahi jhuka. Woh dheere-dheere apne raste par badhta gaya, ek khule compound ki taraf jahan log use dekh rahe the – kuch dar ke, kuch hairaan, aur kuch uski khaufnaak tasveer ko apne cameras mein capture kar rahe the.
Woh compound jahan Dev ja raha tha, uske aas-paas log chhup kar dekh rahe the. Aaj woh ek aise insaan ka roop tha jo insaaniyat ko bhool chuka tha, ek shadow killer ban gaya tha.
Udhar news channel ke niche ek cafe me unka ek news journalist baate karte hue logo se esp
Ek corner mein, ek maa apne chhote bache ko apni god mein uthaye, aansuon se apna chehra chhupane ki koshish kar rahi thi. Uski aankhon mein ek khauf tha, jo Dev ki presence se aur zyada gehra hota ja raha tha. Uske chehre par dard tha, aur woh bas chup chaap apne bache ko sambhal rahi thi.
Maa (rohte hue): "Bhagwaan, yeh kaisa pralay ka devta bheja hai aapne? Yeh aadmi nahi, ek paagal jaanwar hai! Yeh insaan kab se apni insaniyat bhool gaya, aur bas maut ka chehra lekar zinda hai!"
Woh maa apne bache ko tight pakad rahi thi, jaise har pal mein woh dar uske paas aa jaayega.
Tabhi ek journalist uske paas aata hai, apna camera set karta hua aur usse kuch sawaal karne lagta hai. Journalist ka chehra serious tha, aur uski awaaz mein ek strange curiosity thi.
Journalist (with a professional tone): "Par ma'am, jo log maare gaye hain, woh sab blacklisted terrorists the. Aapko nahi lagta, shayad yeh kisi secret mission ka hissa ho?"
Maa ka chehra ab gussa se laal ho gaya, aur woh journalist ke haath ko zor se jhatak deti hai. Uski aankhon mein ek asli maa ka dar tha, jo apne bache ki safety ko lekar chintit thi.
Maa (gusse se): "Mission? Yeh koi mission nahi, khud maut ka safar hai. Yeh aadmi har insaniyat ko chhupakar sirf maut ka dar phaila raha hai! Yeh kuch bhi nahi, ek jakhmi jaanwar hai jo apne dard ko duniya ko dikhane ka waqt dhoond raha hai!"
Journalist bechain tha, usne kuch aur puchna chaaha, lekin maa ne usse rukne ko kaha. Maa ki aankhon mein ek dar tha jo pure shahar ko mehsoos ho raha tha.
TV screen par ab ek aur clip chal rahi thi, jahan Dev ek highway par ek dimaag se kaafi zyada disturbed insaan ki tarah chal raha tha. Uski chaal kuch ajeeb thi, ek perfect shadow dance jaisa – woh apni maut ke saath bhangra kar raha tha, jaise woh maut ko apne saath le aaye, aur koi isse rok nahi sakta.
Dev (chlate hue ek cameraman ke pass pahuch gaya ):
"Kehte hain na... maut sirf ek paheli hai, par jab insaan apne aap ko kho deta hai, tab woh paheli khud apne haath mein aa jaati hai. Main wahi paheli hoon, jo tum sabko samajhna mushkil hoga..."
Uske muh se nikle yeh shabdon ne logo ko aur bhi zyada hairaan kar diya. Uski baat thi, lekin uski aankhon mein ek aise shaanti thi, jo dar aur maut ka ek naya chehra thi.
Usi waqt kuch log beech mein bol padte hain, jo TV dekh rahe the, unki awaaz sunayi deti hai.
A Voice from the Crowd: "Aap logon ka dimag kharab hai! Aisi news telecast nahi honi chahiye! Yeh kya dikhate ho? Bacchon par kya asar hoga? Yeh sab dekhkar toh unka dimaag bhi khatam ho jayega!"
Journalist (ghusse mein aati hai, camera ko thoda aur apne paas kheench kar, apni awaaz badhati hai): "Dimag khatam? Aapko lagta hai hum sirf entertainment ke liye yeh dikhate hain? Yeh ek real story hai, ek living nightmare hai, jo humare aas-paas ho raha hai! Haan, yeh dar hai, lekin yeh sachai hai! Aap jitna chhupana chahe, sachayi ko log dekhte hi hain! Humare kaam ka mool mantra yeh hai ki sachai dikhai jaaye, chahe uska asar kuch ho ya na ho!"
Crowd mein ek aur awaaz aati hai: "Lekin yeh sab dekhne se toh log bas zyada dar mein chale jayenge! Aapko sochna hoga, kis tarah se isey dikhana zaroori hai! Yeh sab aise hi nahi chal sakta!"
Journalist (apne kaam ko puri tarah se justify karte hue): "Agar aapko lagta hai ki is sach ko band kar dena sahi hai, toh aap galat soch rahe hain! Humari duty hai logo tak sach pahuchana, chahe woh kitni bhi kathin ho! Aur yeh kathin sach aaj humare samne hai."
Screen par Dev ki image dubara dikhayi jaati hai, aur woh dheere-dheere apne raaste par badhta ja raha hai.
Journalist (directly into the camera): "Aaj hum sirf Dev ke bare mein nahi, uss insaan ke bare mein baat kar rahe hain, jo insaan ki seemaon se bahar nikal kar kuch aur ban gaya hai. Yeh dikhana zaroori hai, kyunki yeh humein samajhna zaroori hai. Yeh na sirf uski kahani hai, yeh humare samaj ki kahani hai, jo hum sabko apne andar dekhni hogi."
A Voice from the Crowd (with doubt and curiosity):
"Aise dialogue sun ke, aapko nahi lagta baache isko cool samajh ke hero maan lenge? Jo shayad terrorists ko maar ke burayi ka ant kar raha ho. Aur kaun hai Dev? Aap log naam jaan gaye, bus... aur kuch jaan paaye?"
Journalist (ghusse mein aati hai, camera ko thoda aur apne paas kheench kar, apni awaaz badhati hai):
"Dev kaun hai, yeh jaana toh humara bhi makasad hai. Par yeh jo log mar rahe hain, unko dekh ke yeh bhi soch sakte hain ki baache ko yeh samajhna chahiye ki bure kaam ka bura ant hota hai! Jo bhi ho, iske actions ke peechhe ek sach hai, aur hum sabko uss sach ko samajhna hoga!"
Dev Addresses the Public from the Telecast Studio
Telecast Studio
Scene phir se telecast studio mein switch hoti hai. Dev, camera ko apne haath mein pakde hue, bilkul confident stance mein khada hai. Uski awaaz mein thandi, khaufnaak shanti hai, jaise har lafz ko woh jaan-bujh ke chhupa kar bol raha ho. Studio ke lights flicker karte hain, jo uske tense moments ko reflect karte hain. Camera uske chehre par zoom karta hai, jaise har shabd ko capture karne ki kosis ki ja rahi ho.
Dev (camera ko firmly pakad ke, seedha lens mein dekhta hua):
"Toh mere aache aache deshwaisyo aur mere sabhi dost, bhai, bandhuo... mera naam Dev hai. Bus etna yaad rakhna, aur itna hi pata karne ki kosis bhi karna. Agar iss se aage tumhe kuch pata chale, toh... ho toh usko apne dimag ke andar rakh ke mar jaana, warna main uss dimag ko..." (Thoda ruk kar, uski aankhon mein intense gussa aur bhayankar tezi hai, jaise woh ek dam se kuch khaufnaak dikhane wala ho, jaise hi apne haath se ek laal axe nikaalta hai)
"...ess se kaat kaat ke naali mein baha dunga."
Camera zooms in on the axe, jo light mein chamak raha hai. Pura studio mein silent tension fail jaati hai.
Dev (ab apne voice ko aur bhi zyada sharp aur threatening banaata hai, reporter ki taraf dekhta hua):
"Ae reporter, tujhe agar pata hai hospital ke andar meri kon hai, uska ek sabd bhi bataya naa toh... baad mein mat kehna mard jaat kutta hai, falana, dhimka... samjha?"
Camera cuts between Dev's emotionless face and the shocked, uneasy faces of the reporters aur crowd ke log. Tension har taraf fail jaata hai, jaise Dev ka har lafz ek dard ki chhavi ke jaise unke dimaag mein ghoom raha ho.
Dev (ek finality ke saath, jaise har word ka ek last warning ho, uski awaaz mein wo dar aur threat hai jo kisi ke dil mein ghanti ki tarah ghoom jaye):
"Agar kisi ne mujhse baat karne ki koshish ki... toh yeh bata dena... tumhare dimag ko main yeh axe se kaat dunga, aur iss duniya se tumhari yaad bhi mita dunga."
Dev (axe ko dheere se neeche giraata hai, par camera ko nahi chhodta). Uski aankhon ka stare ab bhi lens ko dekhta hai. Studio mein bilkul khaamoshi chhaj jaati hai, jaise uski har baat, har threat, sabke dil mein ek ghera dar chhod gayi ho.