The Dholak Player
"Aliya plays dholak at Pakistani weddings—a tradition passed from her grandmother. When handsome wedding videographer Imran keeps filming her instead of the bride, she notices."
The Dholak Player
"Your camera should be on the bride."
Imran lowered his lens, caught. "The bride isn't the most interesting thing in frame."
Aliya's hands stilled on her dholak. "That's inappropriate."
"That's honest." He moved closer. "Your playing is extraordinary. The emotion you put into each beat—it's magnetic."
"It's tradition."
"It's art." His eyes held hers. "And you're an artist."
They kept crossing paths—the wedding circuit wasn't that big.
He'd film; she'd play. And somewhere between the dholkis and the rukhsatis, something shifted.
"Why videography?" she asked at the fifth wedding.
"To capture moments others miss." He watched her tune her drum. "Like the way your face lights up when you play."
"You've filmed that?"
"Many times." No shame in his voice. "You're my favorite footage."
The first kiss was behind a marquee—hidden from families, surrendered to feelings.
"This is unprofessional," Aliya gasped.
"We'll stop working the same weddings." He pulled her closer. "Problem solved."
His flat was filled with monitors—and footage of her she'd never seen.
"These are beautiful," she whispered.
"You're beautiful. I just pressed record."
He made love to her with the same attention he brought to filmmaking—capturing every response, adjusting every angle.
"Meri jaan," Imran breathed, moving inside her. "You're every highlight reel."
"Cheesy."
"Romantic." He grinned. "Let me film our story. The whole thing."
"We'll need to tell clients," Aliya said afterward.
"Or start our own company. Weddings, complete package—music and video." He pulled her close. "Build something together."
"That's very practical for a romantic moment."
"I'm multitasking." He kissed her forehead. "Say yes."
Khan & Ahmed Wedding Productions launched a year later—the most sought-after in the Midlands.
The wedding video of their own ceremony won awards.
Best beat she ever played was walking down the aisle.