show in India had bagged a place in the final STARLET RIVALS Everyone was buzzing and talking over each other I told you he would do it proclaimed Daadi my grandma She looked so proud you’d be forgiven for thinking that Chintu was her own grandson Ma you always say that no matter who wins my dad shot back I grabbed a corner of Priyanka’s T-shirt tugging her towards the door Let’s go to my room I whispered edging past Auntie Poonam who had started waving her arms around in an impression of Chintu’s winning dance What are we gonna do when the show’s over Priyanka asked as she planted herself on my bed She Lifted my new eyeshadow palette off my dresser and got to work on my eyelids She was great at makeup while I was terrible and she always insisted on giving me a makeover when she came to visit I love Dance Starz so much Chintu was just amazing I mean how is he so flexible Those back flips Priyanka wasn’t the only one who had been swept up in the talent show’s craze Even though this was the first season it seemed that there wasn’t a single family in India that wasn’t glued to their screens on Friday nights I had seen every episode Sometimes when I was in
my room alone I would pretend I was on the show I’d do the whole routine imagining someone was introducing me and then I’d dance and fantasize that the crowd was going wild for my performance TAKE ONE Priyanka continued to sweep the shimmery green eyeshadow across my lids taking a step back to check her work You know you should have entered Bela she said You could have been on your way to fame and riches I opened my eyes wide Keep them shut she scolded Are you crazy I asked Me Enter Dance Starz I mean yes I’m classically trained but these TV shows want that modern stunt kind of dancing I can’t even do a single back flip Priyanka laughed It’s a dance show not a circus She snapped the Little box of shimmer shut You’re a great dancer Bela I don’t know anyone as good as you I smiled She always championed me even though I was nowhere near as good as she thought I was Priyanka was the definition of BFF I walked over to the dressing table mirror to admire my new look Mmmm smells soooo good stated Priyanka closing her eyes and taking a deep whiff of the smell of freshly
cooked samosas wafting over from the kitchen STARLET RIVALS Bela Priyanka came Mom’s voice as if on cue Food is ready Here now Mom was always calling somebody in the household to come and eat It was funny how she used the same come-and-eat tone each time We walked into the kitchen which was a carnival of aromas and animated chatten Each auntie talked louder than the next as though the louder they spoke the greater the importance of their opinion The funny thing was that they weren’t even my real aunties I always wondered whether India was the only place where kids addressed every adult as auntie or uncle out of respect Come girls sit Mom said frowning a little when she noticed my eyeshadow She always told me I was too young for makeup but she was the one who had bought it for me as a treat for performing to her students the week before I’d danced to Tap To My Heartbeat the hit song of the year It was ridiculously catchy with its Hindi verses and English chorus against a disco beat Apart from being an outstanding dance teacher Mom was the best cook in our neighborhood People were always telling her to start a food business but with her full-time job as a teaching assistant while also running
weekend dance classes she just didn’t have the time Priyanka tucked in while I nabbed two of the smallest samosas I was known as a picky eater just like my sister Zara who came and parked herself in my lap TAKE ONE Zara do you have to I chided It was way too hot to have a sticky six-year-old in your lap Mom shot me a glance the glance that said She’s your younger sister You must look after her When I was your age I looked a(cid:2)er all 4000 of my younger siblings I whispered to Priyanka mimicking Mom’s voice Priyanka and I giggled while Zara slid off my lap and ran away We grabbed our plates walked through our narrow tiled hallway and went and sat on the front doorstep There was no respite from the heat outside but at least it felt less claustrophobic The near-hysterical chitter chatter of the aunties dimmed just a little I couldn’t blame Dad for going into his room and closing the door behind him Hey Bela said Rimpi Auntie Brinda’s eight-year old daughter and our next-door neighbor She was on her bike wearing a frilly pink party dress and somehow expertly gripping the pedals with her rubber flip-flops Did you see the end of the show she asked looking
