Part 5
Credit : Neha
Kaustubh twisted the glass in his hand one more time..He still did not get it. How could he the hero die in the film? He gulped down the vodka in one shot..feeling a blazing trail of fire as it traveled through his throat..Nandan, his secretary looked at him waiting for him to explode..For 5 minutes there was complete silence in the room..Kaustubh finally turned around..
Kaustubh: How can i die? How can that be the script of the film?
Nandan: I tired to speak with him Sir..but he refused to speak..made me speak with his assistant..
Kaustubh: Has he forgotten i am financing the film?
Kaustubh threw the script away..
Kaustubh: Tell him i want the script changed..he bloody cannot take my money and make me die..I will not do a film where the heroine is the central character..And they have started workshops too..Why was i not required?
Nandan: Sir, i think we go should directly go their. The film will be shot there itself, real life location..
Kaustubh: That idiot has gone mad..Real life location..in a brothel? Who does that? I will not step into that place..
Your problem is this high handedness..some day it will take you down..
Kaustubh swung around to see his dad..Ranjeet Mehra..top politician..
Kaustubh: Dad, i will not work in this crap ..the hero dies..how can i Kaustubh Mehra..die in any film? My fans pay to see me on screen..alive and not die..
Ranjeet: Calm down Kaustubh..just calm down..this will not get you anywhere..You should have a strategy..
Kaustubh: Please dad, this is not politics..this one film might ruin my career..
Ranjeet: Or if you play the right moves this might be the best film of you career..Look son..politics is everywhere..you should plan this in such a way that the script changes as per your liking but in a non offensive way..Kill the enemy with a smile..that way they never know when they would be slaughtered..
Kaustubh looked at his dad as a smile crept on his lips..His dad could solve anything..Ranjeet took another glass and prepared a drink for himself..He led a very disciplined life and it was rare that he drank without an occasion.He skillfully prepared his drink and took the first sip savoring the taste .
Ranjeet: Where is the film being shot?
Nandan: Some Gulab Mahal in the red light area..
Ranjeet thought about that name as he put a second ice into his drink..Gulab Mahal was connected to him in more ways than one..
Cheers!! It was time to revive some old connections..he smiled as he thought to himself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priya tossed and turned in her bed unable to sleep. Her mind kept replaying the conversation between her and Amma. She had known Santosh for the longest time..shared her childhood with him, known his deepest secrets but marriage was a different scenario altogether. Friendship was one thing but didn't marriage require love? She finally gave up the struggle to try and sleep and got up. She tiptoed out of the room..Amma hated her loitering around in the nights..still Priya ventured in the corridor and stopped outside a room..Priya put her ear to the door straining to listen to the sounds inside..on getting no sound from inside she gently tapped on the door..
After a few minutes the door opened and Priya stepped in..
Priya looked at Mangal her closest friend..Mangal was not as fortunate as Priya and despite Amma giving her the option to get out of here she had stayed on..
Mangal: Priya, you should not be here..you know Amma does not like it when you meet us here..
Priya: I know but i had to talk to you..are you expecting someone tonight?
Mangal: I am done for today but i would suggest lets go to your room..
Priya nooded and both of them came to Priya's room.
Mangal sat on the bed while Priya paced around..
Mangal: Hmn..tell now..whats the matter?
Priya: Santosh...Amma wants me to marry Santosh..
Mangal: Finally..
Priya: What finally Mangal..i don't want to get married...
Mangal looked at Priya..in some ways she was envious of Priya ..Priya was lucky..
Mangal: What do you want to do then?
Priya: I have not thought about it.But i don't love Santosh..he is a friend but i don't love him..
Mangal: And according to you what is love? Priya there is no thing as love..atleast not in here..Santosh is a very good person and i am sure he loves you a lot..
Priya: Don't i have a choice?
Mangal: Yeah...we will give advertise in paper..wanted groom..girl stays in a brothel ..girl does not work here but stays here..and then..you think there would be proposals pouring from everywhere?
Mangal: Get real Priya..get real...No matter how much you try..everybody sees you in the same light as us..Santosh is your ticket to live your life with dignity.
Priya: I don't want to just get married to lead a better life..i want to love the person i marry..
Mangal: Love can happen after marriage too..and are there not enough examples of doomed love in front of you that you want to do it? Look at me..i fell in love..ran away from home to marry the person..what happened? Did i not end up here? I have a small kid Priya..who doesn't know where his father is..what his future his..Look at Amma..did she not suffer ? Love has always given us pain Priya..And Santosh loves you..he will keep you happy..give your kids a great future..what else do you need?
Mangal: Just because the film people are coming here don't steer away from reality..They sell dreams..ours is a living nightmare..
Mangal walked towards the window as the sun came up...
Mangal: You have a chance to illuminate your life Priya..don't get sucked into the darkness called as love..She glanced at Priya one more time before walking out from the room.
Priya sat on the bed thinking about what Mangal had said..was it that she was missing the obvious thing? Was really Santosh the right guy for her? She shrugged the thought aside..she will think about it later..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rohan watched as his unit started preparing for the first shoot. The two days of workshop had really done a lot of good to Riddhima..As the cameras were set Rohan felt a sense of nervousness he always felt at the first day of shoot..Ram came up to him..
Ram: Nervous?
Rohan: Yeah..i don't know why..i get these jitters..
Ram: Don't be nervous..everything is in place..we are on schedule..Riddhima is perfect..she has done a lot of hard work..
Rohan: You quite follow her..Rohan asked teasingly..
Ram: Rohan yaar i am trying to ease your tension and you...
Rohan: Chill yaar..by the way you still haven't told me about the documentary..What are you planning to do
Just then Priya walked across from them. Ram looked at her but she was too much lost in her thoughts...
Rohan: She seems to be a bright girl..
Ram: Yes she is..You know she doesn't work here..When i met here first i thought her to be one of the women working here..
Rohan: Not your fault Ram..our midset is tuned that way..
Ram: Rohan, can i suggest one thing?
Rohan: Yeah
Ram: Till the time we are shooting here, can we involve her in some sort of a thing? She has a sharp eye and can surely help us..
Rohan: But will Ammaji allow that?
Ram: Well i was hoping if you can convince her..
Rohan: Ram, i don't think that will serve us any purpose..we are here hardly for 15-20 days and
Ram: Rohan..you don't have to hire her..i know its just for 15-20 days ..but maybe this 15-20 days can make a small difference to her life?
Rohan: Alright..i ll speak to Ammaji but remember don't give her too many hopes..
Ram: Thanks..
Ram walked off in the direction of Priya..
Ram: Priya...
Priya turned around to find Ram smiling at her..She returned the smile..
Ram: Did you read the script?
Priya: Yes..its good
Ram: I co wrote it..
Priya: Ram, why does the heroine kill the gangster?
Ram: Because he betrays her..he uses her..
Priya: But what about her love for him? Did she not love him whole heartedly?
Ram: She did but he caused her pain..he promised her something and instead ..
Priya just gave a smile at Ram..
Ram: What? You did not like the end or you not agreeing with it?
Priya was about to offer her opinion when Santosh came in..
Santosh: Amma has called you both ..
Ram and Priya walked towards Amma's room..Rohan was already there..
Amma looked at Priya sternly..
Amma: You want to work with them?
Priya looked puzzled at Ram then at Rohan and back at Amma.
Priya: No Amma i have
Ram: Ammaji..its not Priya's fault..actually i only suggested if she could work with us..She is very bright ..we could use her help..
Santosh glared at Ram..He did not like these film people from the start. The only reason he refrained from meddling into it was Amma. But now these people wanted Priya to work with them..
Amma: Can i talk to you alone? She pointed at Ram..
Santosh: But Amma
Amma: Santosh..please let me handle this..
Santosh stepped back..and walked out of the room as did Rohan and Priya..
Amma: What interest you have in Priya?
Ram: Interest..no interest Ammaji..Priya is my friend and we can surely do with her help..
Amma: Look Ram, Priya's marriage has been fixed with Santosh..I don't want you to create any problems for her..
Ram took a while to absorb the news..
Ram: No Ammaji..trust me..she just looked very interested and happy around the film unit..I just thought that till the time we are here maybe she can help us and at the same time indulge herself ..
Amma thought for a while. She knew Priya would say yes to marry Santosh..she also knew that Priya was a different kind of girl..she believed in love and she did not love Santosh ..that much Amma knew..maybe this was a chance to let her live her life engrossed in some thing else. Something that will give her joy..
Amma: Alright..i will give her permission but you should take full responsibility of her..
Ram: I will Ammaji..Priya would totally be my responsibility..thanks thank you so much..
He turned to leave..
Amma: Ram..
Ram looked back..
Amma: Don't betray my trust..
Ram: I won't Ammaji..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priya: I still cannot believe you managed to convince Amma..
Ram laughed as he supervised the camera that was being mounted..
Ram: That's my charm..
Priya: When will the shooting begin?
Ram: If Riddhima arrives in time maybe withing 5 hours..
Priya: 5 hours?
Ram: Yep..she will have to put on make up..then rehearse her lines then the shoot starts..
Priya: Long process..i did not know so much work goes into making a film..
Ram: Its a tiring process but it feels magical when it translates into the big screen..The icing on the cake is if your work is appreciated too..
Priya : Don't worry..this film will be a hit..
Ram: Really?
Priya: Trust me..
Ram took the nearby camera and put it on roll..checking all the details..
Ram: But you obviously don't like the end...
Priya: Just my point of view..
Ram: May i know what is bothering you?
Priya: Why would the heroine kill the person who she loved?
Ram: Arey..i already told you that..Betrayal..causes people to do such things..When your everything is dependent on this one person and he betray's you..what would you do?
Priya: I ll not kill for sure...
Ram: Why don't you believe that betrayal is a strong feeling..enough to kill..
Priya: Because probably i have seen more betrayals here than anyone else and none of them have killed so far..
Ram: Betrayals?
Priya: Hmn..a lot of women fall in love only to be betrayed later..If what you say was true then a lot of murders would have taken place..
Killing is not the answer to betrayal..
Ram looked up at her .
Ram: But you would atleast hate that person..right?
Priya: Hate is too strong a word..
Ram: What? I don't believe this...are you from Mars?
Priya laughed..
Priya: No..i just belong to a different world..here love is the most expensive thing you can get..
Ram just looked on stunned in awe of the simplicity of her emotions..
To be Continued
