CHAPTER 1
THIS STORY IS SET IN INDIA.
CHAPTER 1:
KISMAT MEETS KARTHIK
It is a bright sunny day and the city of Hyderabad(State of Andhra Pradesh,Southern part of India). There is a young woman standing on the 'Reddy Nagar Bus Stop' waiting for her bus to arrive along with many others; since 3 hours.
It had been a long and tedious wait but the bus just doesn't seem to show up. There she is standing in the hot scorching sun in the summer of Hyderabad, cursing her luck like majority of the people do.
Well, the bus seems to have arrived now and all the people gear up to fight for their life to get on this bus which goes to Hydercity. The battle will not be easy. But our poor protagonist does not realize this; not until now. The bus stops and all the people march in roaring. She tries to push herself in but to no effect but in turn rebounds and goes further back. The bus leaves. "I can't believe my luck!" looks like she is the only one in that crowd who is left behind. Now it is her and the lonely bus station in the traffic-packed road of Reddy nagar. "Who would come to my rescue, no one I guess" She puts her palm on her forehead, indicating frustration,"It is always the same I never get in time everywhere I go, it is the same old problem. I am sick of it." She is all disheartened then she decides on one thing. "I am going to walk my way to Hydercity." Her resolve is made. She began walking muttering to herself "I am already late by half an hour. If I don't get there early then I am the one to blame. Why did I sleep this late? And what's with the city's transportation? There are so many people living in the city but there are a very few modes of transportation. No local trains?! Mumbai(City, State of Maharashtra,western part of India) is a better place. I am already sick of this city. If it isn't for my carrier I'd never ever come to this city!" It is a long walk and when she took a look back..."What? I've only come this far? It might only be a few steps from the bus stand. And it is so difficult to walk in a sari..." And a few more steps further, "Ah! I can't walk any longer" she is almost about to faint. She sat down on the edge of the footpath she is walking on.
There appears a stylish black car(expensive ofcourse!). It stops right in front of her. "Hey, you need help?" comes a voice from the inside. The window of the car comes down. She looks up and quickly makes her way into the car, "can you take me to Hydercity?" she asks out loud with a lot of hope in her eyes. He is taken aback but with a staggering smile he says, "Okay, okay first you settle down. Even I'm going the same way... I'll drop you." He has a calm and composing voice, yet very overwhelming. She realizes that she is acting wild. So she calms down and adjusts herself to her seat. "By the way, I am Karthik, Karthik Reddy. What might your name be?" he says smiling.
"I am Kismat, Kismat Chauhan." she replies quietly.
"I see, you do not belong to this city, I guess."
"Yes, I am actually from Mumbai. And I am here to pursue my career."
"Oh! That's interesting! What do you want to be?"
"I want to be the greatest director of all times. I want to make films that will not only win critical acclaim but also appease to the masses." She said with determination.
"Ah, well I am..."
"That's why I came to Hyderabad from Mumbai. Because here the chances are more... more films are made here in the South India so it might be a great learning experience. Plus, I love the films made here. Although the story is always very bizarre but you have to accept the good, bad and the ugly of your work place right?"
"Right, well you see... I ..."
"But I don't know most of the directors or actors of the South Indian Film Industry... I only know about directors like Mani-sir and actors of the generation of Chiranjivi-sir you see. I don't know any of the actors of this generation..."
"Oh! I see."
"By the way what do you do?"
'At least she remembers that I am here too.' Karthik thinks. "I umm... work in a fi..." he cannot bring himself to say that to her. In the past there were girls who only wanted to be his friends just because he is the son of a famous actor and they knew he is going to be an actor himself. He is actually hurt by many selfish people. For the first time he met a girl who is not aware of his identity. He wants to be like a normal person for once.
"Oh! You work in a firm, is that a Pharmaceutical firm. Oh yes! There are a lot of pharmacy firms in Hydercity, right? You are going there. Do not worry the film city is nearby that area. Phew! I got a lift till my work place now Gautham-sir wouldn't be too upset. But what if he gets really mad at me and fires me? He will fire me right? I don't even know Telugu (Language spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh)." she continues her muttering. Those who know Kismat are aware that she has a habit of muttering when she is nervous. And today she really is, actually she is always as nervous as today. She is really scared of socializing and ends up behaving really weird.
Karthik sighed, "I don't think he will fire you for not knowing Telugu!"
"Actually I do, but only a little. You see I was in 4th grade when mom took me away from Hyderabad to Mumbai. Where I picked up Marathi(Language of the state Maharashtra) but forgot all Telugu."
"Uh... didn't anybody tell you that you are way too frank to be revealing all this to a person you met for the first time."
"Oh well. I do get a lot of remarks for me being this frank. But I can't help it. If I don't speak then I'll go mad. By the way what is your designation in your firm?"
'God! She has got so many questions to ask! I can't evade them all but is it okay to lie just to become a normal person?'
"Oye, what are you thinking?", Kismat asks
"Oye!? Your dialect is a bit weird. Do all Mumbaikars(People living in Mumbai, slang-term) speak this way?"
"Well ya, everybody. Mumbai is the coolest place to be. Once I've finished with my training here, I'll flee of to Mumbai. To my family."
"Why? Don't you like Hyderabad?", Karthik questions her, seems like he is protective of the place he belongs to.
"What should I say? It is very hot here, the transportation is worst and yes, my main problem is communication. They don't know Hindi(National language of India, spoken almost everywhere except for south India), I don't know Telugu. It is very difficult to communicate in English with them... besides you are the only person who talked to me since I arrived here. People are not friendly either."
"Well; it is not that bad a city either. Wait; how about it? I'll show you around."
"That'd be great! But not right now. Today is an important day"
"I know, I understand. Some other day alright."
They both smile looking at each other. And their destination finally arrives. It is already the film city."Okay, got to go..." she gets out of the car. Wave's good bye and closes the door... but her Saree(Well, how do i explain it, Google it! It is a type of clothing wore in India) seems to have stuck in.
"Oh dumb Saree..."
"What's the matter?" Karthik opens the window.
"It's my Saree. It is struck in the door. Please open the door for a second."
"Oh, it's alright" opens the door. "It seems that you have no experience of the Saree."
"Well this is my first time. I had to practice a lot before actually wearing it outside."
He smiles back and then the driver goes ahead while she begins searching for her location. The doors of the film city opens she felt like she is in heaven.
"G-6. That means ground floor; sixth section."
She then arrives at her destination the watch man asks for her id.
She is allowed to go in. there is the director on his seat. As if he is waiting for someone.
"Good afternoon sir" she is scared of him at the first sight.
"Yes, very good afternoon. But you were supposed to report at morning. What took you so long? And there better be a good reason for it. You must know that I am very strict and if you want to work with me you have to be punctual." the director is visibly mad at her. She is going through a nervous breakdown. Knowing that she is going to be sacked now and that nobody could stop this from happening.
"I hope you have a reason."
"yes sir, actually I did not get the bus and then I thought of walking my way here but then the sun is very, I mean it is very hot outside... and.."
"Oh please don't give me all this rubbish."
"She is right!" comes a voice from the back side; a person emerged from the shadows; it is her knight in shining armor. Karthik Reddy...
"Oh you are here?", Kathik says looking at Kismat.
"I'm sorry sir, but do you know her?" questions the director.
"Yes and I was the one who gave her lift to this place. She was going to faint in the hot sun. Any ways is the Pooja over with?" he is sounding like a man holding an important position here in the unit.
Kismat is just staring in awe that the person she met before is...
"By the way, who are you exactly?" she is still confused about his identity.
"I am sorry; I don't work in any firm. I am an actor and I am the lead in this movie." he is smiling looking at her.
"What?" Kismat is visibly shocked.
"You are an Actor! And you are essaying the role of the lead in this movie?" Kismat asks in disbelief.
"Why is it bad?", Karthik asks her.
"No, it's not bad at all. My question is why didn't you tell me before? Was I going to eat you?"
"Not that way, but I couldn't just bring myself to say that to you. I mean you were chatting non-stop and you did not give me a chance to speak. Then I thought that things were okay this way as we will never meet again. But... I guess I was wrong", here's Karthik trying his best to explain himself.
"So, you lie to every new girl you meet?", Kismat was angry, very angry, "Am I the only one feeling bad here?"
"Look, I am really sorry. And believe me you are the very first girl I lied to..." Karthik looks at Kismat who is giving him a Death-Stare now, "and you will be the last one, I promise"
When all attempts to pacify her goes in vain, Kismat gets a call from the director.
"Kismat Chauhan, would you please attend to your duties?", director roars.
"We will continue later...", Kismat runs off.
Poor Karthik does not know how to react to this situation. He saves her first and gets yelled at! He goes inside his vanity to get ready for the shoot and here Kismat is introduced to Gray Fernandes.
"Hey, I am Gray Fernandes. Call me Gray"
"Kismat Chauhan"
"Chauhan? From North India?"
"No, I am from Mumbai. And you are from, let me guess, Kerala(The southern most state of India, with a considerable christian population)"
"Well, no. I am from Tamil Nadu(neighbouring state of Kerala)."
"Oh! Can I ask you something? Please don't mind"
"Sure go ahead!"
"You don't look like a south Indian. Let alone that,you don't look like an Indian either!"
"Just because I am fair! That's racism."
"You are harsh Gray. I was just expressing my thoughts that's all!"
"I am not harsh. Even I was just expressing my views that's all!", Gray says with a smirk.
"So, a wannabe just like me huh?",Kismat asks.
"You can say that. But my goal is Hollywood. I don't picture myself here in India making masala movies for the narrow-minded audience", Gray says in a sarcastic tone.
"Here is one more harsh comment from Master Gray! Oops, I just sounded like some one", Kismat giggles.
"Enough jokes for today everyone. Let's get serious and complete the very first scene of the movie", director says.
They head towards the site. This is the first scene from the movie. The female lead's introduction! The director is explaining the extras the sequence when a voice is heard from the green room. It was Juvia Loxar, the lead actress of the film!
"What's up with her now?" the director is growing tired of her regular tantrums and star-like attitude. Juvia is just two films old. She is a Spanish model who came to India with dreams of making it big in Bollywood(The hindi film industry) and now she is doing a number of south films to get noticed.
"This is just not done; I can't go out in this state. Never!",she screams from her green room.
"What's with her attitude again? I don't know if there will be a single day when her tantrums would not be heard here?" Gray sounds irritated.
"Is she always like that?", Kismat asks him.
"Every single day. I was the assistant director in her last movie as well. I assisted Gautham sir in this movie hoping I won't see her face again. But she returns to haunt me again! She thinks she is some great star. Just because she is from another country she can't go on criticising India!"
Seeing Gray in dismay, Kismat analyses the situation.
"Maybe I can help..." Kismat says and moves towards the green room.
"May I help you ma'am?", Kismat is peeping through the door of the green room.
"Who are you?", asks Juvia.
"I am Kismat, the assistant director; I might have a solution to the problem. I really can help you ma'am. Just calm down and tell me your problem." she says making her sit down.
"This shade of eye shimmer does not suit me at all. I've told this man a hundred times but he just won't listen!"
"I guess maybe adding a brown stroke would do the trick!" picks up the brush to do some adjustments with her eye make-up.
"What! And how would you know; Hey..."
Before she could say anything else Kismat did her job...
"Here, I told you this would do the trick..."
"Wow",takes a look at herself in the mirror,"it really did work. You are a genius. What is your name again?"
"Kismat; Kismat Chauhan" she says with a grin.
Juvia finally leaves for the set. And the shoot finally begins!
"This is the introductory scene of the actress,"the director begins the dramatic explanations of the scene," The heroine comes from that street with two of her friends. She is in the middle and very beautiful than the other two."
And he goes on! Meanwhile Kismat has her share of doubts which needs to be cleared!
"Why should the heroine always have TWO friends and the heroine should be the centre of attention and the rest of the two like bees revolving around the flower?", Kismat asks Gray.
"I guess; it is the writer's brain after all! We cannot help it, can we?" Gray comes up with a logical explanation.
"No, it is just that the leading lady is always beautiful, and her friends are shown as the ugliest creation in the world."
"That is not true!"
"At least it is, in this case, it is."
"Stop getting agitated! It is just a movie", Gray tries to calm her down.
"You are right, Gray. I shouldn't bother, look at her, the way she is walking. It almost feels like catwalk. You are walking on the road and going to the college for god's sake!"
Kismat certainly did not like the introduction.
"Tell me; don't you like the story of this film?" Gray questions her during the break.
"Why? Did you write it?"
"No, just asking."
"I hate it! I'm just doing this film so that I can develop contacts and learn the technical aspects of film-making. Otherwise the story is flop and the casting is even dumber. Juvia is a good person but her temper is a bit... You know."
"Don't you like the lead actor? I thought he offered you lift this morning?"
"No hard feelings against him. I've never seen his work. But Juvia is kind of out-of-place! She does not look Indian at all. And her character is shown to be so dumb!"
They share a good laugh, and now time for scene 2. Kismat is already bored to death.
"Hey, Gray think of something to do! Something interesting; fast."
"Concentrate on your work; what else do you want to do?"
Their conversation is interrupted by a loud noise.
"What is this? You can't you even carry a cup of chai(Tea) properly?"
It is Karthik and he is screaming at a boy who worked for the local chai-walla(Tea stall owner).
"What happened sir?", she goes to him.
"Nothing, it's just these incompetent fellows they don't even know how to work. They spoiled my shirt! Now what am I supposed to wear for the shoot?"
He is sounding just like a proud, egoistic film star.
"I think there is a spare shirt in the green room sir. Just a moment; please come with me, sir."
The costume designer takes him in and Kismat gets annoyed.
"What an arrogant little puppy!" she thinks. Just because he is the son of a Big Superstar he thinks he is a big-shot too!
An idea strikes her mind!
"Please sir, have your seat. Here is your chai."
Kismat makes him seat and serves him tea.
"Why are you serving tea? Chotu(The little boy who was serving tea moments ago) is there to do that work."
She smiles at him sarcastically "Chotu is working continuously from yesterday and did not eat a single morsel of food since two days, sir. So he fainted just a few moments ago. Gray; I am sorry; I mean assistant director no. 1 took him to the hospital. I know nobody can live without chai! Whether chotu is living or dead." she stops smiling "so I am doing chotu's work instead!" smiles again and leaves serving others with a smile.
Karthik is staring at her with mixed feelings of wonder and guilt. Guilt that he yelled at a poor boy; who is starving since two days. Not that he knew. But even then a fault is a fault.
The director begins the next scene where the heroine is chased by a delinquent. And the hero has to come and save her! It is a hit scenario in the south film industry!
They are all set!
Karthik got up to go play his part in the scene. As he was walking his way to the set, everybody who saw Karthik began to burst into laughter. In turn they meet with Karthik's angry glare and reciprocated with a sorry.
And the all-famous scene began;
"I won't leave you now, where are you going my queen? Come to me I'll show you heaven" and the delinquent began to chase the heroine...
"Please, don't... leave me for god's sake...", Juvia was trying her best!
"If I leave you for god then what will I have for myself" said that mad man in all excitement and crudeness.
"Ah! I love this villain; I'm going to have him to play the negative lead in my movie." Kismat has a sense of excitement in her eyes.
"That's good! It seems that you are already deciding on the cast of your movie. But do you have a script in mind?", Gray burst her cloud bubble
"Well... yes... oh ya! I sure do! I guess!" she is all confused now! And seeing that look, Gray is all smiles.
"Why are you smiling so hard?"She questions him. Gray is forced to conclude his smile.
"Oh, don't worry it is nothing at all! Just ignore it." he begins rolling his eyes in all possible directions to escape this embarrassment.
"Don't sweat it! It is absolutely fine! Well I am thinking of having you as the main lead of my film. If ever I gave you such an offer, would you accept it?"
"Of course I would." Gray is more than happy to receive this offer!
It is Karthik turn to enter and save the damsel in distress. He enters as a superhero; and begins his dialogues, "don't worry, Megha(The name of the character played by Juvia). I am here to save you!"
He is interrupted by the villain's laughter.
"CUT!" shouts the director,
"What are you doing Kamal(Villan)? Please, this is a crucial scene and please concentrate will you?"
They start the scene all over again and this time the villain is able to hold on his laughter. He turns to the villain, "you people don't understand the language of words, right? Now prepare to die!"
Now it is Juvia's turn to laugh. Hearing her villain bursts in laughter too. Followed by Kismat and Gray. Karthik is very annoyed.
"I'll not shoot the entire sequence again I'm telling you sir!", Karthik says.
"Okay, Karthik relax. Let us see how did we shoot the sequence so far", the director consoles the poor guy.
He begins playing the recording and the unit bursts into giggles. They all were laughing their hearts out! So actually there is nothing wrong with Karthik, something is terribly wrong with his pants! There is a big blue spot of INK on his cream-colored pants!
Definitely it came from the place where he is seated. It takes no time for him to realize the master mind behind this prank!
It is Kismat, first she dropped the tea on him so that he would be compelled to go change his clothes and then in the mean while she put a drop of ink on the chair which spread on his pants to become this big!
"Thank you! Kismat." he sounds rather calm.
Kismat gets scared because he could burst out any moment. They share angry glares for a while then Karthik shouts " PACK-UP!"
And that is it for the day! So much for poor Kismat; she now has to face the wrath of the lead actor as well!
Impressum
Texte: Rajini Rao
Lektorat: Yogeshwari Rao
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 27.05.2013
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Widmung:
Well, I would like to dedicate this book to my sister - Yogeshwari Rao :P