"This Vansh Singhania is no less than Karan either!" another girl whispered angrily. "He only listens for a second and says, 'Crap!' Just who does he think he is?"
"I heard he hates women," someone muttered.
The frustration in the room grew. Each rejected contestant left with nothing but anger towards the judges.
Finally, Mehendi's turn arrived.
---
Mehendi's Audition
She stepped into the audition room, her heart hammering in her chest. She took a deep breath and greeted everyone with a polite 'Good morning.'
The judges acknowledged her with a nod.
"Your name?" Vansh asked, not bothering to look up.
"Mehendi, sir."
"What is your opinion on music?" Vansh continued, his gaze still fixed on the file in front of him.
"Sir, music is life. If we want to express emotions, music is the best medium. Everything can be expressed through music."
Vansh finally looked up. "Like?"
Mehendi smiled. "The same music can convey different emotions. It all depends on how a person delivers it."
Karan smirked and nodded. "Then prove it. Sing a song in three different forms—Happy, Sad, and Flirtatious."
Mehendi gulped but nodded.
She started with a cheerful, lively version, her voice carrying joy. Then, she switched to a playful, teasing tone, making the words sound flirtatious. Finally, she poured pain into her voice, letting sadness seep into every note.
As she sang, Vansh looked up, intrigued. For a second, he felt as if he had seen her before. He shook his head, dismissing the thought.
When she finished, the room was silent for a moment. Then, Karan nodded. "Wait outside."
---
Final Selection
After several more rounds, the judges finally reached a decision. Out of all the contestants, four girls made it to the final stage.
A jugalbandi (musical battle) was held between them.
And finally… Mehendi was chosen as the lead singer for the upcoming film.
"Miss Mehendi, congratulations. You have been selected for our next anticipated film," Vansh announced. "You will be contacted soon to sign the contract."
"Thank you, sir," Mehendi said, barely containing her emotions.
"Leave your contact information," Karan added, smirking.
Mehendi quickly wrote down her number and handed it over.
"And congrats once again," Karan said, winking at her.
Mehendi's smile faltered for a second, but she quickly regained her composure. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to working with you."
As she walked out, she could hear the bitter voices of the rejected contestants.
"Tch, they only chose her because she played along with their dumb 'sing in three versions' demand."
"I bet it's because of her looks!"
"She probably knew someone on the inside."
Mehendi ignored the whispers and continued walking. She had won fairly, and she knew it.