Hii Guys..
I know retirement was announced but how can i let my favorite writer do that..But let me tell you guys..Neha was very very apprehensive about writing this theme and more so posting it here. Still i have taken the liberty and posting it here..but in all seriousness..if anyone has any objection to the theme or the story line..please let me know ..we would stop it right away..
Hope you guys like it and looking forward to your comments and opinions.
Part 1
Credit: Neha
Ram stepped back as a cyclist
zoomed through the puddle of water that had formed. He narrowly missed
having his clothes dirtied and more importantly his camera..He felt the
heavy equipment in his hand once again..he had to safe guard it more
than his life. If anything ever happened to it Rohan would not hesitate
to skin him alive..
He increased his pace as Rohan's face swimmed before
his eyes..Rohan Das..the erstwhile film maker...the current toast of
the industry..He had recently won the national award and literally had
the entire industry eating out from his hand..Although a task master Ram
enjoyed working for Rohan. He aspired to be like him one day..
Ram sighed again as he though of his dream..The film school in new
york...he was confident that once he got through he would do wonders and
that's the reason he was saving money..Many people in his life had
laughed away at his choice of a career especially his dad..What type of
career is this? He had asked him when he had announced his decision to
him..He still remembered his reaction perfectly that cold winter evening
so many years ago..He had not spoken to his dad since then neither had
his dad tried to get in touch with him..
Ram cleared his mind of the past events..Past was
past..that was done..and now he needed to look prove himself..After
years of struggling at least he had got a direction..Assisting Rohan Das
was no minor thing..In fact in the industry circles it was considered
to be a prestige issue..He felt sheepish when he recalled the first
encounter that he had with Rohan..He had been waiting to meet him the
whole day..to show him the documentary that he had done..
Ram had literally passed out outside the office gates standing in
the sun the whole day..When at last he had got the chance to meet him
his CD refused to play the documentary leaving him red faced..
I am Sorry..Ram had stammered mentally kicking himself for not checking everything...he had himself blew his chances...
Rohan
just glanced at him once thinking him to be like any other guy who had
made some documentary and considered it to be a master piece..
Can i get another chance Sir? Ram had gathered enough courage to ask him that. Rohan had studied him from head to toe..
What does a film mean to you? Rohan had asked him..
Film...film is a story sir..a canvas that we can
paint..with the colours of our own..create a different world ..Ram's
eyes shone in passion as he spoke about films..he was passionate about
writing stories..
Rohan scratched the fuzzle of beard that had grown under his chin...
Rohan: What do you do?
Ram: Sir i write stories..i want to be a
Rohan: I am not interested in what you want to become..
Rohan tossed the sheet of paper at Ram..
Rohan: I need an AD for my next film..study this call sheet and report to my office tomorrow sharp at 7...I don't like people who are late
Ram was dumbfounded for a while. He looked at the sheet and then at Rohan..
Ram: Does this mean..
Rohan rolled his eyes..
Rohan: Which part of my statement did you not understand?
Ram quickly grabbed his backpack that was lying there...
Ram: Thank you Sir...thank you so much..i will give you no opportunity to
Ram looked up to see an empty room..He smiled to himself and then walked
out..That day for the first time in many months or perhaps years he
treated himself to a full meal..
The ring of his
mobile broke his chain of thoughts..Rohan had assigned him an important
work and Ram wanted to excel in this..He looked at the number and took
the call.
Ram: Javed Bhai..where are you? I was waiting for your call
Javed: Ram Sir..i am here only..just reaching ji..You know Mumbai traffic always jam..Have you reached?
Ram: I ll reach in 5 minutes Javed Bhai..and you know i cannot enter that place without you..
Javed: Haan haan..i know..i am coming only..
Ram
cut the call and looked around..A small dingy lane stood before him as
if challenging him to take her..He again felt the nervousness creep upto
him..This was the last chance he had of turning back..once he crossed
this lane he knew he would be transported to another world altogether..A
world he was never a part of..A world which co - existed with the so
called civilized society..Rohan's next film was based on the
underworld..and the main character the gangster has an affair with a
prostitute..Given Rohan's penchant to shoot at real life situations, Ram
had been assigned to visit this area..do a Reece and report back to him.
Ram had shown false bravado in front of the entire unit but deep inside
he was nervous..He had never been to such places and he had heard
horrible stories about it..He let out a deep breath ...wishing Javed
Bhai would turn up soon..Javed Bhai was a scouter..Many production
houses used him to scout locations for their films..He had an impeccable
sense of the script and what location suited it. a quality which made
him indispensable ..Ram's thought again went to the project he wanted to
do. The documentary which will earn him a place in the most prestigious
film institute in the world..He had to submit it within 9 months and
for that he wanted a subject..A subject that would simply blow away
everyone..
Javed: There you are..
Ram
looked at Javed Bhai smiling at him..Javed Bhai was always dressed in
white.from top to bottom..It was as if his wardrobe was devoid of any
other colour..White kerchief completed his entire white look. Black
hair..gelled and slicked back and the gold plated rolex watch were the
only colours that stood out in the white ensemble..
Ram: Javed Bhai you are late..i have to report to the sets at 11 pm..
Javed put an arm over Ram's shoulder..
Javed:
Arey sirji..you will reach baba..i ll ensure that..Every thing is
fixed.we just go inside you explain everything and you start..He snapped
his fingers to indicate how fast it will be done..
Javed: You know what..you should try at becoming a hero..you have the looks..
Ram: I ll be the director Javed Bhai..I am more comfortable behind the camera..
Javed shrugged his shoulders...
Javed: Jaise you think fine...but mark my words you ll be a good director..
Ram smiled at that..he genuinely liked Javed Bhai..
Javed
Bhai led Ram through the narrow lane..It was filthy and smelt
awful..With difficulty both managed to reach the other side..The scene
that Ram saw had him stunned..It was a hustling bustling area which
looked normal..There was nothing to indicate that it was a red light
area..He looked around..women..men kids...all going about their daily
chores as if this was a normal area..
Javed Bhai sensed Ram's bewilderment..
Ram: Javed Bhai..this is ..are you sure we are
Javed:
This is the problem with people Ram..you think that every thing should
be just as in movies...Aisa nahi hota hai...this is as normal an area as
it can be..People stay here..
Ram looked sheepishly at him..
As
they walked ahead they were soon greeted by dingy buildings with
jarring lights on the outside..Women with loud make up stood at the
balcony as well as the entrances of these buildings..Everyone gave Ram a
seductive look..Ram looked down embarrassed.. There were a few men too..
Ram whispered to Javed
Ram: Javed Bhai there are men too..
Javed laughed at him..
Javed
: Sir ji..today this things are quite in the open..you get customers
here for both..and you will be surprised to know how much demand it is
for the males as well..And now toh..its very progressive right?
Ram: I only thought that you get women here..
Javed: There is nothing that you cannot get with money..paisa pheko tamasha dekho..
Javed suddenly turned to one such building..There was a strong henchman who looked sternly at him..
Javed: Amma se milna hai..Sharad sahab ne bheja hai..
The henchman nodded at him and went inside..
Ram: Geez..he is so menacing...
Javed: He is for exhorting money in case any one doesn't pay up...
As
they waited for Amma to appear..Ram looked around the room..It was a
small verandah type with a table and chair at one end..serving as a
reception counter..The walls were painted green which were loud enough
to almost poke in the eye..A rickety old fan went around in circles..so
slow as if it was just a picture of fan..Its worn out blades were
incapable of generating any wind ..still it dutifully completed its
journey...Ram observed that there were no chairs for anyone to sit
on..silly he thought of himself who would want to wait here..The people
who came in must be in a hurry to go to the women..
The curtain slipped aside and a plump figure walked in followed by the henchman who they had met earlier..
Ammaji
was a short plump women who had a round face..A big bindi adorned her
forehead..She was drapped in a saree and had a lot of jewellery on
her..Her mouth worked furiously as she tried to disintegrate the paan
she was chewing..She looked on at the duo..and walked to the chair and say down..The chair groaned under her weight leading to a creaking sound..
Javed nudged Ram to walk to over to where Ammaji was sitting..
Javed: Ammaji..myself Javed and this is Ram..
Ram folded his hands in a namaste and smiled a little..
Ammaji remained expressionless as she observed both of them..
Javed: Sharad sahab must have spoken to you..Baat ki hogi aapse..
There was a flicker of recognition on Ammaji's face..but she just nodded her head ..an indication that they should continue..
Javed: There is a film that is being made..Underworld wali..and the director wants to shoot here..Paisa waisa sab milega..
Ram
promptly pulled out his business card and kept it on the table..In
normal setting that card proclaiming him to be an assistant director
would have impressed but this was not a normal setting. Ammaji put her
hand down and fished out a jug. She spat out the paan..
Ammaji: Are you making fun of me? She glared at Ram..
Ram: No..no ..
Ammaji: Then ..you showing this to me..what will i do of this? Frame banake rakh lo?
The henchman behind her let out a snorty laugh..
Javed:
Ammaji..uska woh matlab nahi tha..did not mean it that way..Bacha
hai..doesn't know..Bas aap batao k is it ok if we shoot here?
Ammaji:
Look Javed bhai...this building is my everything..my girls my bread and
butter..i will not allow any thing to disrupt them..
Javed:
No no ammaji..there is no question of that...No disturbance..its just a
3 scene part..10 -15 days of shoot and nothing else..Think of it this
way..you will be famous among others and i can speak to Rohan Bhai..we
will get you also a role in the film..
Ammaji's eyes seemed to sparkle at that..
Ammaji: Role?
Javed: Aur nahi toh kya? What personality you have..screen presence se sabki waat laga doge..
Ammaji smiled at that..
Ammaji:
Thik hai..i agree to the shoot..but remember my words..any disturbance
and i ll throw you out and also i need the full payment in advance..
Javed:
Done hai Ammaji..bas let this boy have a look..Director sahab ko
location ka video dikhana padta hai..Let him take some pictures..
Ammaji: Santosh..take him..but remember chikne..no disturbing my girls..there are customers inside..
Ram: No Mrs. Ammaji..
Ammaji glared at him..
Ram: I mean Madam..
Ram
quickly came to the side of Santosh before he did any thing more
stupid..Santosh promptly took him inside..Ram switched on the camera as
he ascended on a small stair case that let upwards..
Ram
tried to capture all the footage..His eyes feel on a number of small
rooms.. he did not need to guess what was happening inside..He looked
around..there was no one there..once they had their customers the women
must be inside the room he thought..He looked around..the place was not
the cleanest of places..there was a mixed smell of alcohol in the
air..It was so dimly lit that Ram had difficulty focusing ahead.
Somebody
called Santosh and he promptly left leaving Ram all by himself..Now
alone he felt nervous about being here..The place gave him creeps..he
wondered why such places existed. He saw a small opening of a passage
and went there..It was a balcony sort of a thing..He stepped inside and
immediately felt relaxed as the fresh air made its way through his
nostrils..He thought about the women who worked there...Suddenly a water
drop fell on him..within no time he felt a steady drizzle coming down..
He
panicked as he quickly shut off the camera..He looked around but in the
darkness he could not find the way that he had come from..Rohan will
kill me if something happens to the camera..
He watched helplessly when suddenly out of no where a towel landed on him. He looked around..
Come up...
Ram looked in the direction of the voice..it came from a room above..He stood there just looking at the girl..
Come up..you will get wet and the camera also..
Ram: How do i come up?
The girl disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared..Ram looked on in confusion when someone grabbed him from his arms..
It was the same girl..
This way..come..
Ram blindly followed the girl..
Once inside the room..Ram quickly..pulled out the towel from the camera..The camera seemed to be safe.
Ram: Thanks..he turned around to find the girl staring at him..
She
had a pretty face..her free flowing hair a little wet from the
rain..Delicate and petite she had a smile on her face..Something in her
face held his attention..Her eyes were captivating..Even in the dim
light it was her eyes that did all the talking..
Ram: Thank you ..you saved my job..
The girl looked at him puzzled..
Ram pointed to the camera..
Ram: If any thing happened to this..i was dead..
The girl again smiled...
Ram extended his hand at her..
Ram: Hii..I am Ram Kapoor..i work as an assistant director...
The girl shook his hand warmly...
My name is Priya and she fell silent...
Ram
was about to ask further when he looked around..It was a small room
dimly lit and smelly. A lone window was tightly shut and secured by
curtains..A creaky bed with a bed sheet that was soiled..Then suddenly
the reality struck him...this girl worked here..She was one of the
women..
He quickly stepped back..
Ram: I need to go...and turned back..
Priya
looked at the door long after Ram had left...she did not know for what
reason she thought he would stay back and talk to her..So silly of
her...nobody wanted to be associated with the likes of them..Still her
mind conjured up the image of him..Ram Kapoor she thought..nice name..
To be continued..
Edited by shanaya1204 - 9 years ago