Page 8 of Okay Boss
Fact: She was here for a professional opportunity. Not as the sixteen-year-old who had watched his Film Companion interview eleven times and paused to analyse every answer.
Fact: She had opinions. Strong ones. His performance inRiver’s Edgehad been self-indulgent. InSafar, he had saved a weak script with sheer screen presence. He chose too many commercial roles that did not challenge him.
Fact: She would never voice those opinions unless asked.
And then there was the truth she would never admit even to herself.
Half of India lost balance around Vikram Khanna. She was not special enough to be immune.
She reached the wide marble steps leading up to the main entrance. The doors were tall, carved, heavy enough to belong in a palace.
She adjusted her glasses again, smoothed the front of her kurta, and ran her hand lightly over her braid to make sure no strands had escaped.
One deep breath.
Then she climbed the steps. Her hand had barely lifted to knock when one of the double doors opened from inside.
A woman in a simple, neatly pressed salwar kameez stood there. Her face was calm, observant, neither warm nor cold.
“Miss Mathur?” she asked gently.
Divya nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes. I’m here for the assistant position with Mr. Khanna.”
The woman stepped aside, gesturing her in. “Please come. I’m Lakshmi. Sir is finishing his workout.”
Divya stepped inside.
The air itself felt different. Cooler. Still. As if even dust particles here knew how to behave.
Lakshmi led her through the entrance hall. The house did not scream money. It carried the kind of wealth that had settled comfortably over decades.
Paintings framed in gold hung on walls so tall they reminded Divya of temple ceilings. A crystal chandelier caught the morning sun and scattered light across the room in sharp, dancing fragments.
She had never felt more aware of where she came from.
“Please sit,” Lakshmi said, gesturing toward a large living room that opened to the right. “Sir will come soon. Tea?”
“No, thank you,” Divya replied quickly, even though her throat felt painfully dry.
Lakshmi nodded once and disappeared silently.
Divya stood for a moment before approaching the sofa. Cream leather. Smooth. Untouched. It looked like something people admired but rarely used. She sat carefully on the edge, afraid she’d leave a mark.
Her bag suddenly seemed very old. The cracks at the corners stood out more. She placed it gently on the floor beside her feet, making sure it did not brush against the sofa.
She adjusted her glasses and looked around.
The walls were painted a shade of white that did not look like any white she had seen before. Soft. Expensive.
This one room was larger than her entire two-bedroom flat.
She folded her hands tightly in her lap to stop them from moving. Fifteen minutes passed. The wall clock ticked. She rehearsed answers in her head.
Why do you want this position?: Because it aligns with my academic training and offers practical exposure to celebrity management.
What are your weaknesses?: I can be overly detail-oriented.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: Working in media strategy for production houses.
