Casa 50B on 146 Most links on Page 1) - Page 4

PART 4

Casa is a exclusive 200 home apartment, condominium, pent house project floated by Ajmera six months ago. Construction was occurring in full swing at Juhu. The site once used to be an aging Bollywood film financier's. He had died, leaving behind a messy will and some endowments. There were people crawling out of the woodwork claiming to be the guy, Shah's children

Ajmera had personally met with the Shah's lawyer to grab it all at the end at a price that was 60% of the current Mumbai real estate value

The homes under construction were expected to range from Rs. 5-25 crores a piece. ALL SOLD OUT! There were 100s of vendors Ajmera was working with, Modi Dastur was the architectural partner for the high end penthouses. 40 in all.

It looked like it might rain, or may be not'''. But may be it might''.. she got off the auto wondering, it was 8.30 and quite pleasant on the Monday morning. She carried her laptop and a bag with papers.

Ram was already waiting for her in the lobby, a extremely charming tall young man in his early 30s. "He could easily pass off for a movie star down South " she smiled as she walked up to him.

Ram: Good morning Ms Mistry-Vaishnav Early, as usual I see!

K: Yep! Big day! (smiles)

They start walking towards the elevator. Since the building houses over 100 hundred offices they have to line up at the elevator''.. they miss the first few flights and get on the third.

They didn't talk much to each other inside, there were people milling all around them, colognes and perfumes mixed mid way and tangoed around her nose, a little nerve on her right temple started dealing punches at the fragrances.

"Uh oh!" another head ache?" she wondered''..

25^th it is''' get off sign in at the front desk, a portly lady in a printed chiffon dress beams, and hands them the Visitor badge, the armed guard by the solid glass door examines their bags''''.walk purposefully towards Mr. Grover's cube, he is already up and ready waiting to escort them to the conference room.

The room was BIG and empty, Mr Grover hits the lights, shows Ram how the projector works''' there are two doors leading into it, they take the one farthest from the white board. Set up shop'''..

The following people start trickling in''.. the atmosphere is quite informal, hands shaken, hugs in some cases, pleasentaries exchanged, questions about breakfast, coffee asked and answered''' there is a massive spread at the other end of the room with various food and beverage options

Mr Ehsaan Ajmera, Mr. Arvind Dave (Project Head Casa), Ms. Suma Anand (Vice head) Ms Ketki Narula ( Chief-Constr Design) Mr Raoul Menezes ( Site planning director) Mr Shamim Huq (Director-Govt liaision) Mr Nachiket Apte ( Director Const Design) Mr Basil Lawrence ( Asst Director Const Design), and a handful of other second and third hierarchical level execs and mgrs

Basil: Missing my MAN

Nachiket: Who? You have many men (winks)

Basil doing a index finger point with both hands "You know Gujral"

Nachiket's face pales" Where the hell is Gujral?" (checks his watch, the 9 AM meeting has already slipped)

Mr Ajmera and Ketki were at a Mumbai Municipal Councillor's office about a demolition permit for a 100 year old Worli estate. The Councillor apparently only met "Babus" BEFORE his daily walk to Siddhi Vinayak.

Basil: So did we get the green on Worli?

Nachiket: Funny! (sarcastic)

Basil: What do u mean?

People are walking in chatting softly, grabbing bagels ormuffins, some just coffee or tea.

Menon and Khanak working the projector

Nachiket: Casa is in trouble too (checks his voice mid way when he realizes he is too close to Ram and Ram's ears are cocking up)

Basil: What?

Raoul walks by "Hey man! Did u speak with Shamim?"

Shamim enters just at that moment'''. Smiles at Basil''' hand shakes, nods, smiles exchange'''

Raoul: Your guys don't have a clue Shamim

Shamim:We like to keep it that way! (grins) Makes us deal as important as the Sena-ites we deal with (grimaces)

Nachiket: I don't want to know'''''

Shamim: Corporator guzar gaya, apna, Nandgavkar''. Some new guy is in town''.. Sriharshe

Nachiket: Shit!

Shamim: We may not be able to grab that postage stamp size lot on South West for the pool.

Nachiket just stares.

Nachiket: Who is the MLA? Nitin Ahir?

Shamim: Nahi, he is Colaba's, Prakash Apte is West Central

Shamim: Ehsaan and Prakash spoke to Eknath Gaikwad (South Central MP)last week''' he has promised to transfer the new Corporator'''. Out of sight (Grins smugly)

They all exchange a conspiratory laugh

There is a hush by the door, Khanak look s up, a tall darkish man in his early 40s almost 6 foot tall walks in, followed by a gorgeous looking woman in a skirt''..

Ram nudges her "Ajmera" he whispers

Khanak's palms start sweating''.. Ram holds her by the elbow and they walk towards the door

The guest of honor sees that, walks rapidly towards them instead and smiles warmly

Ehsaan: RAM! (shake hand, hug, nod all at the same time)

Ram: Hey Ehsaan, this is my project lead Khanak Mistry

Ehsaan smiles, grabs her hand in a very professional manner for a polite shake, smiles and nods

Ehsaan: Great to meet you Ms Mis'.

Khanak interrupts: Khanak will be great (smile)

Ehsaan: NICE NAME! What does it mean?

Khanak shakes her bare wrist "You know the sounds the bangles make?" (smiles)

Ehsaan :Wow! Beautiful

Ketki takes the lead, introduces Ram and Khanak to all and they take their seats.

Ram starts talking first, she navigates thru the slides, she is wearing cotton all over but feels the heat in the 15C room in her starched crisp white khadi kurta and a black and white kalamkari salwar. Hair untied, no jewelry, very lil make up''..

Ram talks for about 20 minutes reviewing the high level layout, floor plans, the windows, the views, the open verandahs, the terrace garden in some'''. Answers design, feasibility price-value, material, luxury level questions as he goes along'''

******************

Shaan runs into the heavy glass door as his phone starts ringing, the security guard grins at the everyday sight of this man walking into doors, he is dressed in navy trousers and white and navy striped shirt good as new black shoes''..

"Baal abhi bhi geele hain sahib ke" he thinks

Paula Salvador: Hey handsome! Late are you? (laughs)

Shaan: Oh no! I just love to test the particle physics theories I learnt at school from time to time (grins)

Walks over to her desk anxiously "So?"

Paula:So I told you, I am not free tonite, my husband is returning from Goa, how abt this weekend (winks)

Shaan smiles effortlessly " Never mind him, I will sneak in and out of your bedroom window" (to the FIFTY FIVE YEAR OLD WOMAN!)

Paula:Jao man, abhi, Ehsaan tumhe baut maarega

Shaan freezes in shock'''' "oh SHIT" "9 AM CASA MEETING?"

He checks his watch its past 9.45, starts sprinting, while Paula admires him run away'.. sighs and goes back to attend the various visitors seated on the plush leather couches on her left

********

Towards the end Ram hands Khanak the charge with "I will let Khanak talk about the interiors, we have a virtual tour of one home for you this morning, since there are 8 kinds we will go over the others in the next set of reviews"

Khanak clears her throat is extremely nervous '''.. "ummm'.. uhmm (clears her throat audibly again)

"good morning everybody"

There is a collective smile in an effort to ease her discomfort.

K:the home we have on display today. Clicks her pointer on screen the red light dances and stops at the front door'' a jazz ballad starts playing slowly in the background as the "virtual door" opens''..

There are audible oohs and aahs around the room

K: You could call it the hawa mahal of Juhu! (she smiles) pointing to the half dozen floor to ceiling French windows. Its all 3 D its all very real''. Almost very real

Amit ( Zonal Planning guy): What is the super area vs constructed Khanak?

Khanak:Super 4800 sq ft, cons: 4000 (looks at Ram, he nods in approval)

Ehsaan: Have you started talking with vendors

Khanak: We will starting next week, I am meeting with Godrej Interiors and Berger, to begin with'. Walks over to the refreshments table at the far end to grab a cup of water

Trails off as some one opens the door by the projection screen end and storms in almost''.

She stands by the refreshments table and continues talking, the guy that entered seems vaguely familiar, but she decides to not focus on it, he is staring the screen, does not look for the speaker.

Khanak notices a few people behind the man craning their necks to see the images, as she speaks ""but it's about enabling people to feel good. Good design produces a relaxed community. If we say education is important, we can demonstrate that by putting children in decent environments."

Irritated'.. stops her monolog''.

Khanak: "Will the gentleman by the door please step back and grab a chair? There are people behind you straining themselves to watch the presentation'''' adds a SARCASTIC "SIR" at the end

He turns around bemused'' only to'''..

Across the 40 foot room, two pairs of eyes clash'''. She is still trying to figure out where she saw him last

His heart does a THUD, and jump starts itself like a race horse and picks up speed.

"What seems like a white kurta, hair soft as silk'''. No jewelry again" he thinks :