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The universe is made up of millions of people and who meets whom, when, where and why is determined by destiny.

I can’t remember when I first met Nishi Khanna but she was always around, at film parties, at film events, screenings, special lunches, exclusive exhibition and of course at the Hotel Holiday Inn, a favorite haunt of film folks.

Once I remember both of us pulling off the same suit off the shelf at a Lucknow exhibition in the hotel and she smiled at me and said, ‘All yours please carry on’.

Thirty years went by without us ever being formally introduced to each other and yet we always smiled, waved out at each other every time we crossed paths and which was rather frequently.

It was in the year 2014 I think we discovered that we were traveling to Goa by the same flight for different destination weddings and got down to discussing mundane topics like sangeet and mehendi and the number of clothes and accessories women need to carry for celebrations like these.

I had no intention of becoming a member of the club at that time but I asked her if membership to The Club was still available. Her husband Dinesh Khanna was quick to follow up on my request when we returned from the wedding and a few days later, I was invited at the club for coffee and conversation.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya