1 hour Inside the Room…

 

The reception was held in a well-decorated convention hall in Vijayawada. Lights were glowing, flower decorations filled the stage, and the hall buzzed with guests greeting each other. Both families had planned everything grandly, Though loans were taken, their happiness showed in every corner. Pooja and Praneeth were standing on the stage, smiling for photos and accepting greetings. The photographers kept clicking nonstop, and the long queue of guests moved slowly. For both families, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Their only children were getting married — Praneeth stood on the stage, neatly dressed in a cream sherwani, 

greeting guests with folded hands. He belonged to a conservative family known for their values. A software engineer working in Hyderabad, he was well-settled and considered a perfect match. Beside him stood Pooja, wearing a deep maroon saree and heavy gold jewelry. A school teacher by profession, she came from a simple background. Her parents were emotional, smiling proudly every time someone said, “Pooja chala andamga undhi.” She responded with shy smiles, adjusting her bangles. She didn’t speak much, but stood gracefully beside her new husband. Just as the next group of relatives walked up the stage, 

a bald woman in a blue saree came forward with a wide smile. She was a distant aunt from Pooja’s maternal side, known for doing gundu as part of some temple vow. As she leaned in to bless them, Pooja’s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes sparkled slightly. Something inside her stirred deeply. Without turning her face fully, she glanced sideways at Praneeth, eager to catch his reaction. To her shock, he gave a small funny smirk clearly amused. A cold panic rose in her chest. What if he laughs at me later? What if he never accepts it? What if everything crashes now itself? Her throat dried. Without waiting, she softly said,

 “Praneeth… Randi, just one minute… please.” He looked confused. Their sudden exit made a few guests whisper, “Yem ayyindhi? Why are they going inside now?” But no one knew, not even Pooja, that this was the start of the storm. As Pooja and Praneeth walked toward the small private room next to the stage. both their parents noticed and stepped forward. “Yenduku ra ippudu? Guests are still coming,” Praneeth’s mother asked But neither he nor Pooja responded properly. “Just a small talk aunty, we’ll be back,” Pooja said, forcing a smile. There was a weird urgency in her voice. 

As they both stepped inside, and Pooja locked the door from inside. Praneeth sat on the cot, confused and tired. He thought to himself, What is this now? In the middle of the reception? He felt a little anxious. They had spoken during engagement. Everything seemed fine. Why now? What’s there that couldn’t wait till tomorrow? Pooja came closer, and stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. “I’m going to say something weird, Praneeth… but ade nijam,” she began. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were intense. “I have a head shave fetish. A strong one. I’m obsessed with gundu. I can’t imagine my life without it.” Praneeth blinked.

 He didn’t understand at first. “Yenti? What do you mean?” he asked, slowly sitting up straight. “I mean… I get pleasure only through head shave.  Even in intimacy… I need gundu. Otherwise, I feel incomplete,” she said, without looking away. The words hit him hard. Praneeth just stared at her, This was not the wife I imagined. This is not the life I dreamed of. His heartbeat picked up. He had built up expectations all this time but she turned out to be out of those all “I… I don’t know what to say, Maybe we can talk about this later. But… okay. If it means that much to you, I’ll shave your head once. On our honeymoon maybe… but only once.” Pooja’s face fell.

“Once ah? No… no Praneeth. You didn’t get it. I don’t want to get gundu just one time. I have dreamed about this since childhood. Every 3 to 6 months. Forever.” Praneeth looked up slowly. “You’re serious?” he asked, his voice rising a little. “Pooja, this is madness. I thought you were a decent, normal ammayi. What are you even saying? What kind of woman plans to be bald her whole life?” His tone was full of disbelief. Pooja’s lips tightened. “That’s why I told you now, before anything went further. I wanted you to know the real me.” But for Praneeth, it already felt like everything had gone too far. He looked at her like she was a stranger. 

Like someone he just met. Pooja crossed her arms and stared at Praneeth. “Now you tell me clearly… what’s your opinion about gundu? About me being bald?” Praneeth sighed and looked down for a second. “See, I don’t hate it. But I also don’t like it, especially not on my wife. I’ve imagined my life with you… walking beside me, managing office work, standing confidently in front of clients. I’m talking about you being a senior manager someday. And suddenly now you’re saying you’ll become gundu?” Pooja raised an eyebrow. “So what? A bald head will stop me from working?” “It’s not about that,” Praneeth said, his tone sharper now.

 “How do I introduce you to my friends, colleagues, relatives? What will they think?” Pooja laughed, almost mockingly. “So your problem is society. You care more about what they say than what your wife wants. Wah!” Trying to calm the mood, Pooja softened her tone. “Look, I’ll be how you want me to be. I’ll care for your parents, I’ll manage the house… I’m just asking you to accept this one thing.” Praneeth looked unconvinced. “I’ll even handle both sides, To your parents, I’ll say it’s my family tradition. To my parents, I’ll say it’s your family’s custom. You don’t need to lie to anyone.” She manipulated. Praneeth was frustrated. “

That’s not like that Pooja, I can take care of you like a queen. But gundu is too much. Bob cut is fine. You’ll still look good.” Pooja’s smile vanished. “But I don’t want bob cut, Praneeth. I want clean head shave. I’ve waited all my life.” “You’re being stubborn,” Praneeth snapped. “And you’re being controlling!” Pooja shot back. “Even if I marry you, I’ll somehow get gundu, I don’t care! I will even kill you if that’s what it takes. If I become a widow, then it’s custom to get my head shaved and stay gundu forever. Think about that.” “Have you lost your mind?” Praneeth stood up, stunned. “This is obsession!” “Yes,” she replied, calmly this time. “It is. 

And I won’t give it up. Not for you, not for anyone.” The room fell silent and heavy. The argument turned into a storm. Praneeth, who was trying to stay calm all this while, finally lost it. His eyes turned red in anger. “What nonsense is this, Pooja? Are you mad or what?” he shouted, grabbing her hand tightly. “You’re ruining my reputation… my name outside… my job!” he yelled and in a moment of rage, slapped her across the head. Pooja, shocked by his sudden violence, pushed him back and screamed, “So this is the real you, Praneeth? Behind all that decency… this is who you are?” 

She picked up the nearby comb and jabbed it straight into his face. “Why? gundulo problem enti?” she snapped. He stumbled back in pain. The room turned into a warzone — both hitting each other with anything they could reach. Pooja, bleeding from her forehead, ran to the wooden drawer and opened it. Her hands trembling, she pulled out the old antique pistol that had come with the dowry. “If you don’t let me shave my head… I’ll end this!” she shouted, holding it up. “Do what you want. You think I care? You want gundu? Go to hell, Pooja!” Praneeth shouted back. She raised the pistol towards herself.

“Then I’ll die… I don’t care anymore.” Seeing that, Praneeth, rushed forward, and grabbed the gun. “Give it here, i will only send you to Hell the ” he shouted, Both hands fought for control, jerking it back and forth — until suddenly, the gun fired. The loud blast echoed. The bullet tore through Pooja’s head and bounce back, slamming into Praneeth’s forehead. The room fell into silence. Their bodies collapsed to the ground, still locked in chaos. Their parents and guests who heard the gunshot banged on the door, shouting, panicking. After few minutes trying breaking it open, they rushed in — only to freeze. Two lifeless bodies, blood pooling beneath them. One moment of anger, one gun, and nothing remained. Both had died for their obsession — one for her gundu, one for his pride — and neither got what they wanted.