Of maharanis, posters, tickling and crushes

Remember the game of word association from Zoya Akhtar’s movie “Zindagi na milegi dobara”? Where all 3 male actors ask each other to name the first word that comes to their mind when a particular word is spoken. I found it an interesting game. So I tried it on myself. The first word I tried was ‘game’ and guess what, the first associated word that comes to my mind is 'corporate politics'! I wondered how an exciting and interesting word like ‘game’ can mean something negative for me. What weird repercussions of working in a so-called fancy company! :D

So I decided to carry out an exercise on myself. I decided to remember all the wonderful, nostalgic and fun things from childhood that I have always associated with the word ‘game’. And who else can be better in this adventurous ride than my very own, very beloved, my best friend forever and ever, Risha. Risha and I have been together since school, when we were in the same class IV-B. She used to sit behind me and copy from my answer sheet in all examinations and then bribe me with her mother’s delicious chhole sandwich or jeera paratha. She used to argue with the teacher when the teacher tried to punish me without cause. She used to save a seat for me in the bus when I was late. She used to make sure she was my secret Santa on every Christmas.

Just remembering a few of these lovely gems from my childhood made me teary-eyes so I decided that I better call Risha up before I cry myself to a lump. Wonders of wonders, Risha and I have gone all over the place (in my case within India, in her case to US and back), and then finally settled down in Bangalore! There could have been nothing better than the day we met after almost eight years and just hugged and cried and hugged and cried at the Bengaluru international airport.

Anyway, this is what happened in the next few hours…

ON THE PHONE

Me: Rish.

Risha: What, nutcase?

Me: I’m writing a blog entry.

Risha: What’s new in that? You’re hopelessly addicted to blogging, I’ve always told you.

Me (ignoring her ploy at changing topic): So, Rish. I played a word association game with myself and started with the word game. And can you believe the associated word that came to my mind was politics.

Risha: That’s bizarre!

Me: Why? What’s the first word that comes to your mind?

Risha: Ummm, I’d day the maharani game that you and I used to play at your place on Saturdays.

Me: Rish. Get to my place right now

Risha: Okay.

IN MY LIVING ROOM

Risha: You know what I was thinking about on the way here? How you used to copy from my answer sheet in every single examination.

Me: Rish. Just shut up and have your tea and then I want us to jot down all the fun and fabulous things we have done together while growing up. (She loves the masala tea I make and I love the vanilla cakes that she always gets to accompany them.)

Risha: What is this new fever you have? And why are we doing this?

Me: Okay. There is this very cute thing that Dove is airing on TV these days, not sure if you have watched it?

Risha: Ummm, not exactly sure what you are talking of?

Me: Okay, watch this….

I loaded a recent video for her where Dove had taken the Guessing Game to the streets, and had some remarkable results!

Risha: Wow! Is this for real? What's this called?

Me: Ya, ya, totally real. It's called the Dove 'Guessing Game'. Wait, we can do this ourselves quickly because I have a dove bar right at home here!

IN THE BATHROOM (that we messed up in our clowning)

And we spent the next 10 minutes having a rollicking time with each other as usual. We washed on side of our respective faces with Dove beauty bar and then blindfolded the other person. Then we stroked each other (sometimes teasingly, sometimes seductively – all causing a lot of laughter) and guessed which side was which. We weren’t surprised when both of us guessed the cheek that was washed with Dove moisturizing beauty bar as it left our skin so soft, smooth and beautiful. (Dove Fresh Moisture Bar and Body Wash with 1/4 hydrating milk gives your skin just the right amount of moisture it needs in summer, while the uplifting scent of cucumber and green tea drenches you with refreshment!)

We were laughing so hard with all the tickling and teasing that we could just not take videos or pictures, plus our silly husbands were off having beer, so I will have to show you this video where two friends are doing pretty much the same thing with the same awesome results:

Risha (After the madness had subsided): I’m so impressed nutcase! So you’re writing a blog entry about this?

Me: Well, the results are so obvious that I don’t really need to write a blog about this for people to know. (We walked back to the living room)

BACK IN THE LIVING ROOM

Risha: But, there are lot of women out there who are harboring so many beauty myths! They spend a bomb at the salon each week in search for the perfect skin – if they knew that all it needs is a simple Dove beauty bar, they would thank you with wet kisses! (And then she fell off the sofa laughing)

Me: Very funny!

Risha: Okay, wet kisses was a joke, but I mean it.

Me: Okay, I can add some common beauty myths and the real facts against them. They will surely help a lot of women. Especially, “You need lots of different beauty products to really look good”. While, the real fact is that “Simple is better”. You really only need a few basic products to keep skin soft and glowing. Many products, like your Dove® Beauty Bar (which cleanses, nourishes and removes makeup), have multiple benefits so you can get more for less.

But, guess what, the best thing for me to do would be to just give my readers this fantastic link at the Dove website. You can find pretty much everything you need to know about skin at this link. The common myths which are busted so well, a great skin care regime and deceptively simple tips for a great skin! (I opened the website for Risha)

Risha: Yeah, fair enough. This link does make it all clear and simple. Look at this one…. Regular soap can be drying and leave a residue called soap scum on your skin. But, as long as you use a body wash or bar without tallow, both clean and moisturize equally well. Dove® does not contain tallow. It features a patented cleansing technology and ¼ moisturizing cream that leaves skin soft, smooth and soap-scum free.

Gosh! There is so much I need to learn from here! For starters, I’m not particular about washing my face each night before sleeping! (Risha started palpitating like a scared puppy at this point)

Me: Relax tiger. Its not too late, you can start now. And now lighten yourself up because we are going to be thinking of all the mischief we were up to as children!

Risha: Hahaha! Yeah, we were quite the partners in crime, weren’t we? (She cheered up now, thankfully)

Me: We were! So what do you want me to write about our Saturday maharani game, Rish? How I used to pamper you as my chhoti maharani and keep you in luxury, while I went around managing my kingdom? (I started making notes now)

Risha: Yeah right! Rather, how you bullied me like your sidekick and gave me an inconsequential role in managing the kingdom, which was basically to dress up and look pretty. (She got thinking..) Gosh! You were such a nag!

Me: No, I wasn’t. You were such a pushover.

Risha (pouring a glass of water on my head): Now, who’s a pushover?

Me (too stunned to react): Yo…. You…. You brat! (I jumped on her).

Risha (choked): Wai…. Wait… Very… important!

Me: What? (Relaxing my grip on her)

Risha: You don’t want to write about the other game we used to play whenever your cousin Arun was in town?

Me and Risha (together): Poster poster!!!

Me: Oh yes! How could we ever forget that!

Risha: Gosh! What disgusting drawings we made and then asked him to go sell them to the neighbors! Hahahaha! (both of us kept laughing for almost five minutes after this)

Me: Poor thing! He didn’t even realize how humiliating it was. (Thinking) But he did make 12 rupees once selling those drawings. Who would believe he is such a hot-shot merchant navy officer now!

Risha: (She couldn’t say anything because she was still laughing)

Me: Though, I know you had a crush on him later, ahem ahem...

Risha: What nonsense! Of course not! He was such a duffer. (Blushing despite being married for more than 5 years)

Me (saving her from the embarrassment): Hey, but Rishu, I bullied you only because it was just the two of us being the maharanis, I wouldn’t have done it in from of other people.

Risha: Ya, ya, I know. Your entire kingdom consisted of five cushions, one coffee table and that red table lamp.

Me: And my mom’s special embroidered curtains too. Don’t forget those!

We both started laughing again! This was turning out to be such a riot! Thanks Dove moisturizing beauty bar! You’re like this magical angel friend for all girls like me!

This prompted me to write this post! 

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