As the wedding celebrations continued, conversations naturally shifted from family news to careers and achievements.
Some relatives had already heard that Akshata had begun working as a professional model through an international agency.
Others noticed the confidence with which she carried herself, along with the elegant jewellery and clothes she wore for the wedding.
Not everyone reacted the same way.
A few relatives were genuinely happy for her.
Others were curious.
And a few were openly skeptical.
During one conversation, an elderly relative approached Nagaraju.
"I heard your daughter has entered the entertainment industry."
Nagaraju smiled politely.
"Yes. Along with her studies."
The man shook his head.
"Brother, forgive me for saying this, but the entertainment industry has a bad reputation."
"There are many stories about people struggling to survive in that world."
"As elders, shouldn't we guide our children away from such uncertainty?"
"We are middle-class people."
"We shouldn't let our children be distracted by the glitter of fame."
Nagaraju listened without interrupting.
Then he replied calmly,
"I appreciate your concern."
"But every profession has challenges."
"The important thing is not the profession itself."
"It's the values with which a person enters it."
"My daughter continues her education."
"Her career has never come before her studies."
"She travels only with family, works through a professional agency, and every assignment is discussed together."
"We haven't sent her into that profession blindly."
"We've taken each step carefully."
He smiled gently.
"I don't want fear to decide my daughter's future."
"I want preparation, discipline, and good values to guide her."
The elderly man nodded thoughtfully.
"I hope everything goes well for her."
"So do I," Nagaraju replied.
Elsewhere in the house, a similar conversation was taking place.
A group of women were discussing the modeling profession.
One of them said quietly,
"I don't think it's a suitable career for young girls."
"They have to wear different clothes, work with strangers, and many people help them get ready."
"It doesn't seem appropriate."
Akshata's mother had been listening quietly.
She smiled before answering.
"I understand why you might think that."
"But I have accompanied my daughter during her assignments."
"I've seen how professionally the work is organized."
"There are photographers, stylists, makeup artists, designers, coordinators, and many other professionals doing their respective jobs."
"They treat it as work, just as people in hospitals, schools, offices, or film sets perform their own responsibilities."
She continued,
"Modeling is a profession that requires discipline, preparation, confidence, and professionalism."
"Not everyone gets the opportunity."
"My daughter was fortunate to receive one, but she also works hard to deserve it."
She smiled warmly.
"Every profession has its own way of working."
"What matters most is whether a person performs that work with dignity, self-respect, and good values."
The room became quiet.
Some women nodded.
Others simply listened.
At that moment, Akshata walked in, unaware of the earlier conversation.
She was laughing with Pooja about something that had happened during one of the wedding games.
Watching her, her mother smiled to herself.
To everyone else, she was a young girl beginning an unusual career.
To her parents, she was still the same daughter—studious, disciplined, respectful, and determined to build her future without forgetting the values she had been raised with.
Before the wedding rituals began, relatives continued gathering in small groups, chatting about family, business, and life.
As Nagaraju's success became a common topic of discussion, a few people who had once ignored him when he struggled now began looking at him differently.
Some genuinely felt happy for him.
Some simply observed.
And a few saw an opportunity.
Not everyone approached Nagaraju with congratulations alone.
Success had a strange way of changing people's behaviour.
There were relatives who remembered the days when he had faced financial difficulties. At that time, some had quietly distanced themselves from him, unwilling to get involved in his problems.
Now, seeing his successful films and hearing about his growing production business, a few of those same people wanted to become close again.
Some hesitated to approach him, remembering how they had treated him in the past.
Others, however, walked up confidently as though nothing had ever happened.
One relative smiled broadly.
"Nagaraju, you're doing very well now."
"I'm thinking of starting something myself."
"If you could just help me financially, I'll settle everything later."
Nagaraju smiled politely.
"I truly hope you do well."
"But right now, most of my money is already committed to ongoing productions."
"Film production requires large investments, and every project carries its own risks."
"I'm sorry, but I won't be able to help financially."
The man looked disappointed but nodded.
A little later, another relative came with a different proposal.
"You don't have to give me money."
"I'll invest with you."
"Whatever business you're starting next, make me your partner."
"I know your luck is running strong."
Nagaraju smiled faintly.
"It isn't luck."
"It's years of planning, risk, and responsibility."
He continued calmly,
"I don't take partners simply because a project looks successful from the outside."
"Every film can either become a hit or a loss."
"I'm responsible not only for my own investment but also for everyone who works with me."
"I don't want anyone investing simply because they think success is guaranteed."
The relative tried to persuade him again.
"But if it's with you, I'm sure it'll make money."
Nagaraju shook his head politely.
"That's exactly why I cannot agree."
"You should invest only after understanding the business, not because you believe in someone else's fortune."
Later that afternoon, another man approached him.
Unlike the others, he spoke as though the decision had already been made.
"So... when are you making me a partner?"
Nagaraju looked at him quietly.
"A partner in what?"
"Your film company."
"We're relatives after all."
Nagaraju's expression became serious.
"When I was struggling, you never came to ask whether my family had enough to eat."
"You turned your back on me."
"Today you've come because you believe I've become successful."
He paused before continuing.
"My relationships are not business opportunities."
"And my business is not built on family pressure."
"I'm sorry, but the answer is no."
The man looked embarrassed.
Nagaraju folded his hands respectfully.
"Please don't misunderstand me."
"I prefer to keep family relationships separate from business."
After the man walked away, one of Nagaraju's close friends quietly asked,
"You were polite with some people... and quite firm with others."
Nagaraju smiled.
"Respect is always my first choice."
"But when someone mistakes kindness for weakness, sometimes a clear answer is the kindest answer."
He looked toward the wedding stage, where Akshata, Manu, and their cousins were laughing together.
"I've worked too hard to build this life."
"I won't risk it because someone suddenly remembers we're related."
With that, he smiled once again and returned to the wedding celebrations, leaving business discussions behind and choosing to enjoy the family gathering instead.