Somewhere between...

Between the shelves of the books in the library,

Between the sharpest minds, and the arbitrary,

Between the professor’s experience and wisdom of a philosopher,

Between a few privileged closed doors and many a ubiquitous dossier,

Somewhere between the novice’s quest and the veteran’s adage

It lies between the intelligentsia and ignoramus, we call it KNOWLEDGE.

Between the insignificant banter and a few cups of coffee,

Between the first few steps and the most coveted trophy,

Between the brain’s rational clouded by the heart’s desire,

Between odes of intense literature and a galore of satire,

Somewhere between the bleeding heart and the epitomic dove,

It lies between the infatuation and stark reality, we call it LOVE.

Between the reams of a few statements from the bank,

Between the actual calling and the yearning for a rank,

Between the ropes of tug of war that the world often wins,

Between your persistence and the dark corridors of its sins,

Somewhere between what you are and what you could be,

It lies between compulsion, ambition and passion, we call it MONEY

Between closing your eyes and just before falling asleep,

Between the darkness and the shining light, the mind always seeks,  

Between the heart’s beats and the voids in your thoughts,

Between your envisioned plans and its unfolding lie these dots,

Somewhere between your existence and the way you could have lived,

It rests unsure whether to sleep or wake-up, we call it LIFE.

Destiny before Death

He ruled. Yes. He did. He came from humble beginnings to rise and shine like none before him. He was the heartthrob of the entire nation. The whole country awaited his movies with bated breath. The guys imitated him. The girls loved him. He was the king of romance. His princely face, suave personality and sharp intellect were an irresistible combination.

He was known to work very hard. In twenty years, he had earned enough and more for even, his grandchildren to live happily. Or so he thought.

His passion for cinema was unmatched. He lived to entertain people. Their smiles meant a lot to him. The undying passion, however, came with its own side-effects.

The biggest magnum opus

He wanted to make India’s biggest magnum opus, based on a legendary Indian mythological tale. He invested everything possible but still needed more money. He raised money from the banks, mortgaged his famous home and did everything possible to ensure that the movie would see the light of the day. And, it did.

It was three years of hard work and toil for his team and for him. However, what ensued after the day of the release was nothing short of a nightmare. The film tanked badly at the box office. It was a surprise for him, the trade pundits and the media. No one had anticipated Sahil Khanna’s film to flop so badly. The man who had given the country so many hits witnessed his worst failure. And being the producer, Sahil had invested much more than just his time and effort into it.

The Descend

In the stock markets, “plummet” is the word used to describe a sharp fall in stock price. In the case of Sahil as well, his fortunes, stardom and his equity plummeted in no time. To compound the problem, he now had debtors to pay. He had some friends in the industry and he had helped many of them in their initial days. However, he was very reluctant to ask for help.

The problems would not cease and soon he was helpless. Sahil had a strange habit. When he landed in the city, he used to spend long hours staring at the sea. Its vastness gave him calm, hope and a feeling of positivity. The sea had always calmed his inner fears. He decided to land up at the sea. As he was a huge star, he couldn’t go there during the day. He could only go during the night when there would be no one to recognize him and he could spend some time in peace.

It was 1 a.m. and he decided to leave. He sneaked through the backdoor of his palatial bungalow to avoid any chance of being spotted by the odd scribe that would have been lingering around his house. But before he sneaked out, he spent a good ten minutes looking at his son who was all set to step into the world of cinema. He had trained himself on acting, editing, script writing, diction and allied aspects at the world’s most prestigious institute. He was on a stringent diet and exercise regime to have a sculpted body. It was a hygiene factor for the current generation of actors.

He finally managed to reach the sea. He smoked, drank beer, and stared at the noisy sea amidst the calm night. The concerns he had were too many. He felt he was reaching a dead end. Weird thoughts started entering his stressed mind. He thought for a moment that if he jumps into the sea and ends his life, all his problems would also go with him. He thought by doing so, his son would be more determined to carry the legacy forward. He decided to climb up on one of the rocks from where he could directly jump into the sea. He stood there and closed his eyes. Sahil was sure there was no one around but he was wrong. As he stood on the rock and closed his eyes, Ankit Mehra stood a few feet away, in complete disbelief.

Natural Talent

Ankit was a natural talent. That is what people told him. He often wondered what natural talent meant. While people had their own interesting versions of what it meant, they unanimously believed that it meant a person with extra-ordinary talent with respect to a specific skill. Such is the level of talent that it often gives a feeling that the person has inherited this talent, or brought it with her/ him into this world.

Ankit’s talent was in writing. He was an incredibly good writer. He had absolutely no competition in the arena, whether it was writing essays in school or for his elocution competitions. He could conceptualize and put the most exquisite plays on paper, he could write the best short stories, he could weave magic through his poems.

Ankit knew very early in life what he wanted to do. He wanted to write scripts. He would spend long hours sitting idle and thinking about a great script. He needed no company to entertain himself. His thoughts could take him to an ocean of imagination and he was happy to swim in it and find the best pearls.

The Debate

Ankit was in the final year of his college life when he participated in the “All collegiate debate competition”. He single-handedly steered his college into the finals. In the finals, he demolished the opposition with his powerful thoughts and oratory excellence. Among the people congratulating him was a lady he had never seen before.

The Lady

Her hair was the first thing he noticed. It had a texture and shine that he had never seen before. It encapsulated a face which was unique as well. Her thin framed black spectacles were in sharp contrast to her milky white complexion. He stared at her eyes a bit too long before saying “Thank 

You”. In that extra little moment, he could sense that she had a deep desire to achieve something and make a name for herself. While Ankit was very careful and weighed his options thoroughly before taking decisions, he needed no such prudence to decide that she would be the girl he would spend his life with.

The Affair

Things moved fast for Ankit. He pursued the lady with élan. The relentless pursuit bore fruit and they started seeing each other. However, the lady always wanted to be a journalist. The best film and entertainment magazine in the country gave her an offer that was as good as any she had dreamt of. 

She gladly accepted.

While Ankit was offered a few jobs as a journalist, he did not take them up. He did not want to use his writing prowess and acumen to roam around and write sensational stories.

Soon, the couple had their differences. The lady, Neha, wanted Ankit to have a job and start earning. Ankit did not compromise on what he wanted. He was very sure that he wanted to write scripts for movies. He made many attempts to reach out to the influential people in the industry. Neha also helped him through her connects at the magazine. However, nothing worked.

Ankit had tried to reach out to Sahil’s office multiple times. He never got through the front gate though. Neha had been rejecting a lot of marriage proposals coming her way. She wanted Ankit to have a steady job so that she could tell her parents about him and they could get married.

However, the differences and arguments kept increasing. And the inevitable happened. They decided to part ways. A few days later, Ankit got a message from Neha. She told him that she was going to get engaged.

Devastation

Ankit had spent a good part of five years relentlessly pursuing his dream. Nothing worked in his favour whatsoever. He had reached the nadir of life and he was just thirty. His parents did not relate with his dream. His father stopped talking to him long ago. His mother did speak to him but she was also upset because many of her friend’s children, who were not as smart as her Ankit, were earning pretty well. Some of them were even married. The biggest regret that Ankit had though was that Neha was no more a part of his life. Neha was a superb girl. She was an inspiration. A small conversation with her, even on the phone, would charge him up and make him happy, even if it was the most disappointing day of his life. All his worries coupled with the news of Neha’s engagement were too much for him to bear.

Destined to meet

Ankit shared a similar liking for the sea as Sahil. On the same day as Sahil, Ankit had chosen to come to the same place at the same time. He saw a man standing a few feet away, sobbing. To his utter disbelief and excitement, it was Sahil Khanna. He was seeing Sahil Khanna weep.

Ankit thought he was dreaming. He got that doubt out by pinching himself. He thought it was a movie shoot. Then he realized that there was no camera or crew in sight. He was sure that it was Sahil Khanna- his all-time favourite hero.

Ankit wanted to shout his name but remained quiet. However, he saw something strange. Sahil was moving towards the edge of the rock he was standing on. Ankit knew very well that if he moved further, he would fall into the sea.

That is when it struck Ankit. He had been hearing in the news and reading in the tabloids about the recent plight of Sahil. Is he planning to commit suicide?

As his mind conjured an array of thoughts, he saw Sahil moving to the edge of the rock, weeping. Will he commit suicide? Should he run and stop him?

Chapter 2: 

On the edge of the rock, Sahil’s entire life flashed before him. He could clearly see the days of his struggle, the days of his stardom, his wife, his family members, the people he loved. He could hear chants of his name. He did not see the sea, he could only see a sea of his fans shouting aloud, waving to him, holding placards with his name.

And, suddenly he could see all of them going quiet, waving at him to not jump. He missed his parents badly at that point. He knew that whenever he was between the rock and a hard place (and literally he was), his mother could make it all fine for him by just ruffling his unruly hair. His father could do the same trick with a tap on his right shoulder. And as he thought of it, he felt someone tap his right shoulder.

The Meeting

Sahil was taken aback. He was sure that he wouldn’t need any security at that time of the day, rather night. He regained his composure before asking, “Who are you?”.

‘I am one among a billion that you aren’t seeing right there’, said Ankit, pointing to the sea. Sahil wondered how he could read his thoughts so well. Ankit continued.

‘I am one among those billion who would never want to see you cry, except on screen, I am one of those billion who would be devastated if you leave the world in this fashion, I am one among the billion who laughed with you when you did and cried with you when you did, I am one among the billion who think of you as an epitome of hope, aspiration, success, charm, intelligence and so many other things. I am one among the billion who think that you can always rise and shine no matter what obstacles come your way. I am one among the billion who believe you are an enigma who can conquer the toughest of peaks. I am one among the billion who will soon have to swallow a bitter pill of reality and forget all the dreams that you made us believe is achievable. I am one of the billion who have contributed a little bit to the aura of the phenomenon called Sahil Khanna. You owe me and many billion like me two steps back from where you are standing now.’

Sahil involuntarily moved two steps back. Ankit’s convincing oratory proved its power once again.

Tete-a-Tete

Sahil had always been good with people. He could strike a conversation with anyone. He thought it was some divine intervention that brought Ankit to him. He wanted to know more about Ankit. He started talking to him.

He soon discovered that Ankit was from Varanasi. He learnt that his father was a businessman and his mother was a housewife. Ankit had no siblings. His parents were mighty upset with him and his father wasn’t talking to him.

Sahil heard the entire story and said, ‘From what I know, one of the two things happen to such people. Either their passion destroys them or makes them one of the best. I am sure you are destined to be the best and you will’.

He asked Ankit how he managed to stay in Mumbai if he did not have a job nor a house. That is when Ankit explained his interest in the stock markets and how he played the markets and did freelance content creation jobs to stay afloat and make ends meet.

Sahil heard about Ankit’s struggle to meet film producers, directors, and actors with interest. He felt Ankit’s pain and could relate and empathize with him. And finally, Ankit started narrating his attempt to meet Sahil.

He told him about the try, the persuasion, the security guard giving him a whack and his vain attempt.

Sahil laughed. He seemed to have forgotten his woes for some time. He realized that Ankit was an awesome story teller.

‘So, tell me Ankit, what is the script that you have treasured with you for so long?’, asked Sahil.

Ankit did not speak for a few moments. Sahil understood the apprehension. He assured Ankit that he had enough connects in the film industry to ensure that his idea, if it were really good, would see the light of the day.

Ankit started speaking. For the next one hour, Sahil did not move an inch. He was completely engrossed in Ankit’s mesmerizing tale. Sahil laughed, he clapped his hands, he cried, he used cuss words, he clenched his teeth with rage, and as Ankit completed his story, Sahil jumped high and punched the air like a footballer who had scored a goal in the last few minutes to ensure his team’s victory.

“I will make this film. I will act in it. And, you will work with me. We are going to make the best movie India has even seen. I am sure about it.”, exclaimed Sahil.

Ankit couldn’t believe his ears. He looked towards the sky. ‘Was it a new dawn for me?’, he thought. The horizon was surely indicating that it was, and a very bright one at that.

Sahil told Ankit that he would have to head home before people could see him. He asked him to come to his home at 10 a.m. and that they would start work today. With that, he gave Ankit a warm hug, gave him his mobile number, and left for home.

Ankit could not believe what was happening. What had happened to him in the last few hours were unfathomable. This was what he wanted. This was what he had waited for – for five long years. It came to him at the most unusual place and the most unusual time in the most unusual manner.

Ankit had a habit of talking to himself. The only thing that his mind could tell him was a phrase from one of the most interesting movies he had seen called “Notting Hill”. The phrase did aptly sum up the experience. The phrase – “Surreal but Nice”.

Ankit checked the time. It was 6 a.m. He had to wait for four hours now. He was getting impatient. It was so ironical that the man who patiently waited for five years was finding it extremely difficult to wait for four hours.

He looked at his watch again. Every second seemed like an hour to him….

Chapter 3

Ankit booked a cab to head home. He reached home, took a shower, made a nice breakfast of bread and scrambled eggs for himself. He sat down and reflected on the unbelievable turn of events. He was wondering if it was all real or just a dream.

He wanted to share the joy with someone. The obvious name that came to his mind was Neha. He remembered his conversations with Neha. Ankit had once asked her about who she thought was the ideal husband. She promptly replied “Sahil Khanna”. For the next fifteen minutes, she just couldn’t stop talking about him. She said if Sahil Khanna would ask her to marry anyone, she would blindly marry that person.

Ankit knew if he told Neha about his encounter with Sahil, she would be over the moon and would cajole Ankit to get her to meet Sahil.

He thought he should call her. He picked up the phone. Her number was still in the list of favourites on his phone. He dialled her number and before it could ring, he disconnected it. He did this three more time before finally deciding against calling Neha.

He wanted to call his mother but he decided that it would be better to not disclose his encounter with Sahil Khanna to anyone at the moment.

Sahil’s house was around half an hour from his place if he hailed a cab. He still had an hour to go. He went into his room. There was a nice idol of Lord Ganesha on his table. He sat at his table and shared his joy with the Almighty. He thanked the lord profusely and then decided to leave the house.

He reached Sahil’s house at 9.30 a.m. – way ahead of time. He called Sahil and conveyed that he was standing right outside his house. Sahil instructed his security team to send Ankit in. Sahil’s house was a celebrated destination. You could always see a lot of people outside his house. He would wave at them from his terrace and that would make their day. Just before Ankit was allowed into the palatial bungalow, he was standing with the crowd. As he walked in, he could hear a lot of murmurs behind him. Many people wondered how Ankit, a common fan, like the many standing there was let in. Little did they know that Ankit was no common fan, he was a natural talent and an extra-ordinary one at that.

Inside Sahil’s house

Everyone dreams of their own house. There was a time in life when Ankit did it too. He had planned it in his head. His dream house would be a lavish one with a special room for creative pursuits.

Sahil’s house was more splendid than Ankit could even dream off. The grandeur of the rooms, the quality of the furniture, the chandeliers, the paintings that adorned the wall, the pictures of the family, all felt nothing short of brilliant. Ankit was sure that the man had very good taste.

As a zillion thoughts raced through his mind, he heard a person offer him tea/ coffee. Even the servant looked straight out of a five- star hotel.

An amazing looking digital clock showed 9.50 am on it. That’s when Sahil walked down the stairs, came to Ankit and shook his hand. He asked him to take a seat and sat opposite Ankit on a majestic couch. The servant came and asked Sahil if he would want tea or coffee. “My usual dose of caffeine, Kaka”, said Sahil with a smile. Kaka is what people call their uncles. The person serving coffee was only about ten years older than Sahil but he was happy with the way Sahil addressed him. Ankit had heard that superstar Sahil treated everyone very well. He wasn’t sure if it was just an image building PR exercise. Now, he started believing in the stories of Sahil’s humility.

As Kaka came back with the coffee, Sahil pointed towards a room to his right and said that Ankit and he would be there from 10 a.m. He said that they did not want to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. Kaka was quick to make the necessary arrangements and even laid out a few snacks and juice for them, in case the discussion would take more time.

The Planning

As the clock struck 10, Sahil and Ankit started their discussion. Ankit was impressed with Sahil’s punctuality and the fact that he started the meeting right at 10 a.m. They talked for about half an hour about the finer nuances of the script. So, the discussion veered to screenplay. “Who will write the screenplay?”, asked Ankit. “You will”, said Sahil. “No one else can do as much justice to it as you can”. “But I do not have any experience”, replied Sahil. “So, didn’t I when I landed in this city”, said Sahil and sealed the deal in Ankit’s favour.

The Casting:

Sahil wanted to see the dream through Ankit’s eyes. He started trusting Ankit’s vision. He asked him who he would want to cast as the lead actor. Ankit said, “Shayaan”. There was absolute silence for about 30 seconds. Then, Sahil spoke, “I think he is too raw. He is just finished his training in acting.”. 

To which Ankit replied, “I haven’t even done that. If you can trust me with your story and screenplay, can’t you trust your son with the lead role”. This time Ankit got the better of Sahil.

However, Sahil did not want to force his son onto a script because he liked it. He called for Shayaan to come in and requested Ankit to narrate the story once more. Shayaan jumped from his seat about ten times. He was a super energetic young man and lost count of the number of high-fives he gave Ankit and his dad by the time Ankit finished narrating the story.

“Would you like to play the lead role?”, asked Sahil. Shayaan replied in the affirmative and thanked his father for getting him the best Launchpad that he could think of.

They spent the next few hours finalizing the other areas and people who would handle the same. The most important question now was who would be the captain of the ship. Who would direct the movie?

Ankit said Sahil should take up the onus. Shayaan agreed. Sahil was apprehensive. But when two passionate youngsters decide to take up a cause, they rarely fail. Sahil would don the director’s hat. Sahil also wanted to produce the film though he did not know how.

The Budgeting:

Ankit was not just a mere storyteller. He was astute with finances and managing money. He played the stock market really well and made good money. All the practice came to good use in the next few days. They finalized the budget, locations, shooting schedules etc. They arrived at the conclusion that they have to ensure that the movie is ready for release within 8 months. Sahil could keep his debtors at bay by paying the interest for the next 8 months. That itself would be a lot of effort. It was decided that he would attend many more inauguration ceremonies, birthday parties and weddings if he had to and make money.

The shooting:

The shooting was going along smoothly. They had decided to use Sahil’s house to cut down on cost. They shot in and around the city to cut down on travel and logistics. Sahil had always been good to his team. They extended their whole-hearted support.

The financial crunch

When the shooting was half-way through, they ran out of cash. It was a crisis situation and there was no money to pay even the team’s wages. Ankit had anticipated this. He had been playing the stock market though he was very busy. He did some smart transactions and got in some money. Sahil’s team told Sahil that they won’t take any money till the time the film released. Ankit volunteered for the same. Sahil was moved. They somehow started the shoot and continued.

As luck would have it, Sahil got a brand endorsement. The brand wanted to cash in on the rates slashed by Sahil. Sahil had asked them to ensure that no one would get a whiff of his agreement with them. The brand happily agreed.

Smooth Sailing:

The team cruised along for the next four months, helping each other and ensuring that the project reached successful completion. Sahil and team watched the first rushes at his home. He had a theatre that could seat around 50 people right in his home. They were ecstatic when they saw the final product. It looked like a sure winner.

Ankit was the soul of the project and Sahil did acknowledge it. He barely had any sleep in the last eight to nine months. Sahil had not seen anyone who was as dedicated to his cause as Ankit.

The Trailer Launch:

Shayaan and Shanaya, the lead actress of the project, were to be launched through this film. The lead actress was going through a personal low and a not so amicable break-off with her ex-boyfriend. 

Ankit had done a splendid job of talking to her, cheering her up and ensuring that she delivered. As she saw the first rushes, she realized that she had done well and knew deep within that it had been possible only because of Ankit.

The trailer broke the internet. You tube clocked nearly 50 million views in a week and it seemed like a sure recipe for success.

The premiere:

If the advance booking of the film was any indicator, the film would definitely do well. However, the premiere on the night before the release would be the acid test. Sahil had invited the who’s who of the film industry. Veterans, contemporary stars, and talented directors adorned the screening. The media had a field day covering the entry of stars. Sahil welcomed all of them.

The premiere of the movie began once all were seated. After three hours, the look on their faces suggested that the film would do well. Everyone was happy with the product. Sahil Khanna received many congratulations. Almost everyone thought that Shayaan was marvellous. The fresh new pair – Shayaan and Shanaya also got the thumbs-up.

Post the premier, Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya were scheduled to address the media. Sahil had told Ankit that he would want Ankit to be there too. The media conference was to begin in fifteen minutes. Sahil and his ever courteous wife were seeing off the guests. “Where’s Ankit?”, Sahil asked his wife. She said she did not know.

The entire team began searching for Ankit but he was nowhere to be seen. Sahil couldn’t afford to skip the media conference so he sat to take questions. Just when the media conference was about to begin, his phone beeped. It was an SMS from Ankit. Sahil read the message, smiled and said, “Idiot”.

As he began to reply, the most impatient journalist threw the first question his way. Sahil kept his phone aside to do something he was very good at – fielding questions from the media.

Chapter 4:

The enthusiastic journalists posed one question after another. By the time, they wound up, it was well past midnight. The courteous Sahil ensured that he saw everyone off. He got one of his bodyguards to escort Shanaya to her house. His wife and son left in one of his cars.

Where it all began:

Once they all left, he checked Ankit’s message again. “Don’t worry about me. I am fine. You guys should go ahead with the media interaction. You will find me exactly where you find answers to life’s questions.”

Sahil got into his favourite car and told his security about his plans. He zoomed past the unusually deserted streets of Mumbai to the place which gave him peace, calm and a sense of positivity. Ankit was there – staring at the sea. He was extremely nervous. He apologised to Sahil and said that he wanted some time for himself far from the media and the glitterati. He also told him that he did not want to come in front of the media as the film had not even released.

“Do you think the film won’t do well?” Sahil asked him. He said that he was sure it would. He said he wanted this to be one of the most loved films of all times.

They recounted the entire making of the film, their toil, the struggles, the difference of opinion, the arguments, the cash crunch and everything related to the film. They had now reached a stage where they had given it their all and there was nothing more they could do.

After two hours of talking amidst the roar of the sea, Sahil profusely thanked Ankit for all the personal sacrifices he had made in seeing the film through. He told Ankit that the film would not have seen the light of the day without his efforts. He also apologised to Ankit for not having paid him for the last five months.

Sahil said, “Based on my little experience in acting and my gut feeling, I think this movie would be a huge success. I would surely make it up to you and my team. I am sure you won’t regret your association with me. But now you must sleep. Just forget about everything and sleep.”

Sahil then went home. Ankit sat there for some more time before heading home to sleep.

The Day of the release

It was Friday morning. It is a day when careers are made or destroyed. It is a day which transforms a commoner who appears on the silver screen into a star and changes her/ his life forever.

As the sun set on that day, two stars were born – Shayaan and Shanaya. The feeling of getting mobbed and having to be escorted by a set of guards was a very different yet nice experience for them.

More importantly, it also resurrected the career of a superstar – who had been written off by even the critics who admired him the most. Sahil Khanna was sure he had a winner. As a producer, he knew that he was going to make money.

The next one week

The next week was unbelievably good. Sahil had not seen superstardom of such mammoth proportions. He was loved in the film even though he wasn’t the main lead.

The film ran to packed houses. People wanted to watch the film again and again. It was the most trending topic on social media. People were breaking the internet with posts related to the movie.

Every news channel wanted to get the star cast together for interviews. Sahil’s office had a hard time fixing up his calendar and scheduling his appearances. Now, they had the added task of getting Sahil and Shayaan together with Shanaya. Most channels wanted to have all three of them together on their show.

Time to give back:

Sahil was a man of his word. He wanted to ensure that he took very good care of his team who made personal sacrifices and stood by him. Most importantly, he wanted to do something for Ankit.

The collection of the movie in the first week was so good that all of Sahil’s debt could now be cleared off anytime. While Sahil was laughing all the way to the bank, what gave him more fulfilment was the fact that he could now sleep peacefully and with a clear conscience. He would not have debts anymore and he could now go back to his only passion – making films and entertaining people.

That night, he talked to his wife while in bed. He told her that he wanted to do something for Ankit. He said he was contemplating gifting him the newest BMW car. He also told her that he wanted to pay him handsomely for the entire time and effort he spent towards making this film a success.

Sahil’s wife smiled. She told him, ‘Sahil, you are a very good man. Your intentions are noble and pure. However, you should also understand what would be a meaningful token of appreciation. I know Ankit well enough to tell you that he is not after materialistic things or luxuries of life. He values relationships more. I do not know of anyone who would take the risk that he did and the sacrifices that he made to resurrect your career and also enable our son to have the best ever debut in the Hindi film industry. If you would agree with me, I think you should find out if the girl he was involved with in college in married. If not, you should get them back together. If you can do that, you would be the real life “King of Romance”.

The Plan:

Sahil Khanna adored his wife. She was a calming effect on him and treated him like a normal human being and not a superstar. She knew him much before he became a superstar. She had the uncanny knack of taking his discussions to a very logical conclusion. She had done it yet again.

Sahil had enough contacts and connects to figure out what Neha was upto. Before sun rise the next day, he had every little detail he needed about Neha. He knew that she was doing very well for herself and had become an anchor at the most watched news channel in India. She was the host of the TV show called “Trending” which used to talk on the trending topics and invite relevant guests.

Sahil did not sleep much. He searched for Neha and found all he could about her. Neha was a beautiful girl and the way she hosted the show was remarkable. Sahil wasn’t surprised at all to read that her show was the most watched show in India.

Sahil checked with his team if they had been invited to “Trending”. That is when he got to know that Neha’s team had been chasing them for long and wanted to have Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya on the show. However, Ankit had decided to not take the stage in any of these events. He used to sit among the audience and allow the limelight to be shared by the rest.

Sahil asked his team to give a go-ahead for the “Trending” show the next day. When Neha’s team got to know of it, they were super excited. They knew that the TRPs would surge and the show would be superb. They wasted no time in putting up the promotions all over India.

The Show:

Sahil, Shayaan and Shanaya had great fun on the show. Neha was the best anchor they had seen. She did very well as she asked questions about the movie, she got the stars to show their signature dance moves and also got the audience to ask them questions. In the last leg, she spent a few minutes to tell the audience about the enigma that Sahil Khanna was, rather is. She told everyone that he is the man whom any girl would fall for. She confessed on national television to be a huge fan of Sahil Khanna. Behind the near-perfect journalist, Neha was also a normal girl and it was quite natural to be star struck.

The Million-Dollar Question

Neha told Sahil that almost all the girls and women in the audience would love to have him as their boyfriend or husband. This comment was received well with a huge round of applause, cheers and whistles.

She then asked,” Since you are taken, who do you think is great husband material and would come remotely close to you? Have you met any such person”?

The ever witty Sahil said, “If I point to that person, will you marry him?”

Amidst cheers from the crowd, Neha thought he was joking and told him that if he pointed out the man and told her that the man was as good as Sahil, she would marry him a million times.

Sahil then narrated the entire story right from the day when he met Ankit at the sea. His effective story-telling style got everyone to enquire about Ankit. This time Sahil had made a perfect plan. He ensured that Ankit would not be allowed to leave the venue.

While describing Ankit, Sahil said that there are very few people who will be as selfless as Ankit and who could do everything to ensure that things succeed. He kept going for a few minutes describing why Ankit would be the ideal partner for any girl. Then he called Ankit on stage.

Neha could not believe her eyes. The man who had played a major role backstage for making India’s top grossing blockbuster was none other than Ankit. She cursed herself for having seen Ankit Mehra’s name under Story, Screenplay and Dialogues but still not doing further research to establish if it was the Ankit she had known so closely. She also recollected that day in college where they had this discussion and she had told Ankit that she would marry anyone a million times if Sahil endorses the person. Back then in college, she had never imagined that there would be a day in life when Sahil would do exactly that. 

As Ankit walked on stage, the audience clapped, cheered, whistled. It was the first time in the history of Indian Television that a news channel which aired a prime time show became witness to the reunion of two lovers who deserved to be together for a lifetime.

“When you are done with your public display of affection, come and see me at my home”, said Sahil to Ankit. He winked at Neha and then left the place.

After the show and the related frenzy died down, Ankit asked Neha about her engagement. She said she did not go ahead with the engagement because she could not fathom life with anyone else, no matter how hard she tried. She said she decided to focus on her career and in the next few years, it became the focal point of her existence.

The Next Morning

When they met Sahil the next morning, Sahil asked his wife to hand over two set of keys to Neha. One was of a house not very far from his place in one of the costliest parts of the city. The second was the key to a brand new BMW.

Ankit had everything his colleagues from college aspired for with one masterstroke. That is probably the prize one gets for an unflinching belief in one’s passion and never ending energy to chase one’s dreams.

The Filmfare Awards

The Hindi film industry instituted the filmfare awards which is like the Oscar awards given in Hollywood. Sahil’s film had earned almost 1000 Crores and was still going strong.

Sahil’s movie swept almost all the awards. His son got the best debut – male award as well as the best –actor award (popular choice). Shanaya got the best debut –female award. Sahil’s wife won the best producer and he himself was adjudged the best director.

When best story, screenplay and dialogues were announced, everyone took notice of a new face. People believed he is a natural talent. Ankit still did not come to terms with the phrase “natural talent” but he went on stage and accepted the award.

When he came back, Neha held his hand and whispered in his ear, “I am proud of you”. Ankit replied, “In life as in stock markets, you have to pick potential winners, and invest not only your money but time and patience. That is the hallmark of a long term investor. Thank you for such a wonderful long term investor in my life and for believing that I am a potential multibagger.”

Very few tales, even in reel-life, have such a great ending. Ankit and Neha were surely destined to be together.

Eklavya

Mandar was welcomed into the hall with a thunderous applause. The noted writer had just won the Man Booker prize for his work “Eklavya”. Mandar, as humble as ever, came in with folded hands and bowed before the audience. It was an elite set – the alumnus of the university he had graduated from.

The alumni consisted of businessmen and celebrities from various walks of life. They were all proud of Mandar. The press had gathered generously as well. They had all come in for the felicitation ceremony arranged by the university for Mandar. The Vice- Chancellor (VC) of the university was also present.

The stage had a lectern with a microphone on one side. On the other side, it had a table and three chairs where the Vice-Chancellor and two other dignitaries were seated.   

The master of ceremonies (MC) called out for Mandar. He was to be felicitated by the VC. The VC put a shawl around Mandar in a customary act of felicitation that the audience was well accustomed to.  Mandar thanked the VC with folded hands and an endearing smile. The gesture was accompanied by an applause that the VC had never heard before. Being used to such ceremonies, the VC arrived at a conclusion that Mandar had quite a fan following among his readers.

The MC wasted no time in inviting Mandar to the lectern to address the audience. He walked to the lectern, looked at the audience and smiled. He thanked the VC for the felicitation. He thanked the audience for taking time out of their busy schedules to appreciate his work and be part of his felicitation.

The MC had asked him to talk a bit about the novel and about his life as a novelist. Mandar, the writer, knew how to keep the audience engaged. He sipped from the glass of water kept at the lectern. He seemed to be in no hurry. Slowly, he began speaking.

‘How many of you have read Eklavya?’ he asked. More than ninety percent of the audience raised their hands to signal an affirmative answer. He conveyed that he was glad. He then said, ‘I want to narrate something that is not a part of Eklavya but it is the genesis of the book.’ With that statement, he amplified the eagerness of the audience to a whole new level.

The story is about a man, his wife and his son. They were from the draught hit area of Vidarbha in Maharashtra. The man was a farmer, but was forced to find a new job or commit suicide as the weather gods weren’t by his side.

He moved to Mumbai and decided to find work here. As he was illiterate, he found work as a gardener of a school. His salary would barely make ends meet.

The literacy dream

Though he was an illiterate, the man knew the value of being educated. He knew how important a tool it was. He had dreams in his eyes for his three year old son. He wanted his son to be educated. He went to the principal one evening when no one was around. He told the principal of his desire to provide his child an opportunity to learn. He told the principal that he would work as hard as the principal wanted if it could enable his child to become literate.

The principal asked him to come along with his wife and child, the next day. When they walked in at the appointed time, the principal laid out books that the child would need to study in the coming year. He asked the man and his wife to read one of the books. Neither the man nor his wife was able to read a single word.

The principal said that it would be impossible for him to accommodate the man’s son because the class had children of literate parents and it would be difficult for the child to learn and for his staff to teach him. For the first time in life, the hardworking man realized that his child could have a future only if he would know to read and write English.

Like most poor people in the country, he and his wife accepted their fate and walked back to their small house in one corner of the garden in the school. The boy grew up for the next three years helping his father in his gardening chores. He always looked at children walking in and out of the school wearing smart uniforms. He wondered what they taught inside. If he ever got a book or even a page lying in the garden, he would make an attempt to go through it. However, he did not even know the English alphabets so it was literally Greek and Latin to him! However, a year later, the tide turned for him and how!

His seventh birthday

His excitement at getting hold of one such book was tremendous. It was seven in the morning. It was a Saturday so there was no school. He had time for himself till nine a.m.

He began going through the pages of the book. He admired the pictures but did not understand a word. This had become a ritual with him every Saturday. At seven in the morning, he would sit at a bench in the garden and go through all the reading material that he had accumulated through the week. He was fascinated with the way the alphabets were printed and neatly arranged.

A lady who used to go for a morning walk passed through the garden and noticed this boy. It had been the third week that she had seen this boy. This time, she couldn’t control the urge to talk to him. She went to him and asked his name. The boy told her all about his family, the fact that he was denied admission to school and also about his eagerness to learn. He asked the lady, very politely, if she would give him some books.

‘How will you read the books I give you? How will you understand what is written in them?’ she asked. The boy replied that he would keep reading and trying hard. He said he will practice hard till it all comes to him. She was impressed with his zeal.

‘Would you like to learn if I teach you?’ she asked. My parents do not know English and they may not have the money to pay you as well. She was saddened by his innocent impressionable mind’s notion that education is the right of children whose parents knew English.

She said she would teach him for free. She also told him that his parents needn’t know English. He asked her what she did for a living. She pointed to a four storeyed building and said she stays there. She said she taught children at her house and asked him to come in the afternoons to learn from her.

The boy was elated. It was the most wonderful birthday present he could have asked for, exactly on the day he turned seven. 

The Tutelage

While a lot of children his age went to school wearing smart uniforms, he could afford only one teacher. He revelled under her tutelage and religiously went to her for the next ten years. She was equally gracious and taught him everything she knew. She was a qualified English teacher. Not surprisingly, her love for literature rubbed off on the boy.

By the time he was nineteen; he could speak and write English as good as any child who went to the school which denied him admission.

Formal Education – A necessary evil

While she taught him almost everything that was required to excel, he still did not have any formal education. She knew that the boy was more intelligent than most people she knew. She urged him to somehow get a bachelor’s degree. She told him that formal education is a necessary evil. He rarely disagreed with her. He went ahead and got a bachelor’s degree in literature, followed by a master’s degree.

Then, Mandar paused. He took a sip of water from the glass placed on the lectern.

The first book

There was pin drop silence in the hall. The audience were eager to hear him speak further.

‘The boy’s name is Mandar’, he continued. There was an audible gasp, followed by a loud applause. He continued, ‘You all might have read my first book ‘The importance of English’. The rest of this boy’s life is about writing the two books that followed, the last one being ‘Eklavya’.

Mandar smiled again as the applause seemed to only grow louder.

Some questions

The MC shook Mandar’s hand and requested him to take a few questions from the audience. Then came question one, “Who was the lady who decided to teach you when you were aged seven”.

Mandar stepped aside from the lectern and shouted aloud. “Please come up, Ma’am”. A lady of about sixty walked up the stage. Her son helped her up the stage. Mandar touched her feet – a gesture of respect in India. He made way for her. She came to the lectern and received the applause with a fragile “Thank You”

After a set of questions which Mandar answered patiently, it was time for the last question.

The last question

A gentleman from the front row asked, “Mandar, who was the principal who denied you admission?”

Mandar replied, “It doesn’t really matter. He had his own reasons and his reasons were logical. I do not think we should blame him. However, I would appeal (he looked at the VC and the dignitaries) that all students, irrespective of their parents’ educational background and literacy levels, should be given an opportunity to learn. If I can become a writer, there are so many who could become doctors, engineers and scientists and lead us to a bright future. My request to all administrators in education is to ensure that all steps are taken to enable children to learn.

With those words, Mandar stepped back and the MC took over. The MC thanked Mandar and requested the VC to give his closing remarks.

Closing remarks

The VC was a little over sixty years old. He began by thanking everyone for taking time out. He, once again, congratulated and thanked Mandar. He said his closing remarks will have two parts – a confession and a pledge.

He got the complete attention of the audience with one line. He said he will do this in not more than three lines. He began, “The principal that Mandar talked about was no one else but me. I had to abide by the rules of the school management and the decision to not admit him was as per the rules. 

However, I want to apologise to Mandar on a personal level.”

 He said Mandar is a modern day Eklavya – one who can excel without the support of the best teachers or schools. He also congratulated Mandar’s teacher and told her that it was because of teachers like her that the profession is still the most noble and pious.

“I want to pledge my support in any which way possible to ensure that every student gets the education he rightly deserves.”

With that the VC walked away. By apologizing and admitting to what he had done decades ago, the VC once again proved that he was a man who always did the right thing, no matter how difficult it would be.

The Bull’s Eye

Parikshit was two days away from his 18^th birthday. His excitement was not just because he would soon be eligible to cast his vote and could legally drive around his father’s car. He was waiting for this day for a special reason.

For as long as he could remember, Parikshit and his family would go to his grandparents’ house on the eve of his birthday. Every year, unfailingly, Parikshit would celebrate his birthday with his grandparents. He loved his grandmother and her culinary skills amazed him to no end. She cooked the best food in the world! He loved to talk more to his grandfather though. His grandfather had immense knowledge and could talk on most things under the sun. His grandfather always made his birthday a special affair. After dinner on the eve of his birthday, his grandfather would take him to the terrace of their spacious bungalow. They both would sit and talk to each other into the wee hours of the morning. Parikshit loved the way his grandfather would take him into another world with his exemplary story telling skills. With the moon, stars and night sky as audience, Parikshit felt very special as he transcended into a different world of characters, events and action. How he wished the stories wouldn’t end! Grandfather ensured that the stories would convey a good message and inspire Parikshit. These stories had definitely shaped Parikshit’s personality and contributed to him becoming a very humble and nice boy. On his 17^th birthday, Parikshit asked his grandfather about the best story he knew. The generous as ever grandfather told him that the next story would be the most special. The story that grandfather would narrate to Parikshit on his 18^th birthday would be the most special!

Parikshit and family were driving towards his grandparents’ house and he couldn’t wait to get there. The curiosity of the special story was killing him. He somehow wanted to be there on the terrace with his grandfather. However, ‘time’ had decided to take its own sweet time.

After what seemed like eternity, Parikshit and his parents reached his grandparents’ house. They spent a few hours talking and laughing like any great family. Grandmother soon announced that it was dinner time. Parikshit could see all his favourite delicacies laid out on the table. He wanted to hog like a wolf but decided against it. He ate well (though not to his heart’s content). He wanted to be all ears when his grandfather would tell him the story. Sleep was the last thing on his mind.

The wait was finally over. Parikshit’s parents and his grandmother were off to sleep. He was where he wanted to be – with his grandfather on the terrace.  

It was a full moon day and the night sky was adorned with a lot of shining stars. Grandfather did not make him wait any longer. He began.

Terrible circumstances but a glimmer of hope           

  

Dharavi – a slum founded more than hundred years ago is today one of the largest slums in Asia. Its residents include people from all over India. They are from different regions and are followers of different religions. It exports leather goods to all parts of the world. There are many household industries in Dharavi which employs the slum residents. This story is about one such resident. His name was Arjun.

He did not know who his parents were. He did not even know who named him Arjun.

He worked in a small restaurant in Dharavi which used to serve tea to these household industry employees. These employees used to come to the restaurant for their breakfast, lunch and dinner. The huge population of the slum also comprised of a lot of children. Many of them were Arjun’s age. Unlike Arjun, most of them went to school.

Arjun was just eight years old and worked till five p.m. in the restaurant. The workers took a break from five to eight. They would then come back to cater to customers who would walk in for dinner and then they would wind up for the day.

The three hours from five to eight were very enjoyable. Arjun had the deepest desire to study but there was no one to either sponsor his education or take care of him. Not one to crib over his destiny, Arjun would spend time with these school children, often asking them about what they learnt and trying to gain as much knowledge as possible. During one of these evenings, Arjun decided to visit a nearby garden with four of these children. It was summer season and the garden had a mango tree. 

The garden was pretty deserted till six in the evening. People would often stay confined to their homes to save themselves from the scorching heat. Children, however, had no such concerns.

The mango tree had a lot of ripe mangoes and the children decided to throw stones and get the mangoes to fall to the ground. A smart child among them decided to turn this into a competition. He said that each one of the five children would get five chances to aim for the mangoes and the one who would get the maximum number of mangoes to fall would win. The smart child got carried away and in a moment of madness, he also declared that the winner would take home the mangoes that all the others had cumulatively succeeded in targeting.

Arjun’s turn came last. By then, two children had gone completely unsuccessful and two of them managed to get two mangoes to the ground successfully. The sadness of having missed was very relevant in the facial expressions of the first child. She wanted the mangoes desperately and Arjun had seen it in her eyes. While the two children who had a tie were wondering about how to deal with it, Arjun took his first shot and bang! The first mango fell to the ground with a thud.

The four children accompanying him couldn’t believe their eyes as Arjun managed two, three, four and five in very quick succession. The children reluctantly handed Arjun the other mangoes. He now had nine in all. However, he took only one and gave the children two mangoes each. His generosity, amidst victory, was cherished and the children became very good friends of his. The five children decided to walk back together into the slums. Their friendship was as thick as the bark of the mango tree they targeted. That night, after he reached home, Arjun couldn’t sleep. The girl’s eyes, which expressed disappointment so beautifully, were not letting him sleep. He wondered why. But he was too young to know. 

The mystery man!

Arjun’s immaculate targeting of the mangoes and his subsequent generosity had not gone unnoticed. A tall, well-built man was sitting in the garden a few meters away and watching the entire episode unfold in front of his eyes. The man, thought in his head, that the mango tree which bears the most fruit will have to bear the most stones hurled at it. He had often heard of such a mango tree being used as a metaphorical reference to very talented or skilled people. He has found one such mango tree. The mango tree was Arjun. The only doubt he had – would Arjun be able to bear the stones?

The next day – the destiny detour

For Arjun and his friends, this ritual continued. The next evening at the same time, Arjun and his friends came to the same tree, played the same game and ended up with the same result. Arjun never missed even once! He was as surprised as his friends. Soon, they started checking if Arjun could hit other targets. They placed a glass bottle a few metres away and asked Arjun to take a shot. He hurled a small stone and the clinking of the glass could be heard the very next moment. Arjun had become a superstar among his friends. They, again, walked back into the slums after their evening of fun.

Arjun worked diligently at the restaurant and after completing the jobs assigned to him, he left. It was nearly midnight when he started walking towards the small flat which he shared with his fellow workers at the restaurant. Unlike his colleagues, Arjun would not go home and sleep. He used to sit outside the house and read till the wee hours of the morning. He had managed to befriend the owner of a shop dealing with books and newspapers. Every evening after work, he used to visit this place to check if he could get a book to read. Most often, he returned with a book and newspapers of the day. The appetite for knowledge that Arjun possessed was unmatched. He had managed to learn to read and write, all by himself. He leveraged every opportunity that came his way to learn more.

He was reading the newspaper under the streetlight when he heard a vehicle come to a halt near him on the road. He looked up to see who it was. He had seen the shining white car for the very first time. From it stepped out a tall, well-built man. He came to Arjun, looked at him and asked him if he would like to study. Arjun was a bit terrified but the man made him feel comfortable. After a bit of scrutiny, Arjun decided to believe the stranger. He told the stranger that he would go with him the next day after intimating his colleagues, his employer and his friends. The stranger reluctantly agreed. He was confident he would take Arjun home the next evening.

The new life

Arjun was in a new house in two days. Life had taken a complete U-turn. His one room with five colleagues was replaced with a mansion with five bedrooms. He slept alone on a lavish bed. However, he felt cramped and suffocated. He could not experience the same feeling of freedom. He consoled himself that he would get used to it.

The next day, the man, Abdul Yusuf (known as Lala) came to his room. He told him that he had got a home tutor arranged to teach Arjun everything from english to mathematics to general knowledge. He told him about the timings, when the tutor would come and what he could do for the remaining part of the day. There was abundance all around. A lot of food, time, money. But Arjun felt deprived.

As he was getting used to his new life, Lala brought him a dart board. He told Arjun that he would love to play dart with him. And they did. Arjun hit the target at will. Little did he realize that Lala was trying to test if Arjun could indeed hit targets at will. He was now completely convinced.

With a big grin on his face, he hugged Arjun, wished him a good night and walked out of the room. Arjun was oblivious to Lala’s plans. However, he was fast getting comfortable with his new life. 

The rendezvous

Lala had planned a rendezvous with Arjun besides the swimming pool of his lavish bungalow. He had informed Arjun that they would have dinner together. As they had dinner, Lala told Arjun that he wanted him to listen intently. For the next fifteen minutes, only Lala talked. There was no one around.

Lala told Arjun about his job for the very first time. Lala told him that he was an undercover cop. He told him to keep the entire conversation a secret. Lala convinced him that he was assigned the task of wiping out the underworld and their increasing acts of violence. He told Arjun that he was required to be “undercover” so as to covertly understand the modus operandi of the underworld and formulate a plan to eliminate the dreaded gangsters.

Arjun could not understand why Lala was telling him all these things. Lala did not make him wait any longer. Lala told him that he had seen Arjun while he was busy targeting the ripe mangoes in the garden. He told Arjun that he saw a special talent in him. He said that Arjun would be trained in shooting with a gun.

Arjun’s face showed mixed emotions – one of complete displeasure and anger. But Lala was no pushover. He was a skilled negotiator. In the next fifteen minutes, he made Arjun believe that he should learn shooting with a gun to help the police force and make his nation proud. Arjun agreed, albeit reluctantly.

The first shootout

Arjun soon started getting trained and he actually started liking it. He was a unique talent and he did not even know it. Before he realized, Arjun was a well-trained sniper. A sniper is a marksman or qualified specialist who operates alone, in a pair, or with a sniper team to maintain close visual contact with the enemy and engage targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the detection capabilities of enemy personnel.

Arjun was by far the best sniper Lala had seen. He would set up his targets and then get Arjun to shoot them exactly at the intersection between their two eyebrows. Even Lala wondered how Arjun managed such levels of precision!

Arjun had shot about nine people in the last ten years. The deal with Lala was that Arjun would be allowed to study as much as possible. Every time Arjun shot a target, Lala would convince him that he had done a great job for the country. Many a times, Lala would tell him how he wished to announce to the world about the great work that Arjun was doing but he had to protect Arjun from the underworld.

Those Eyes- again!

The twenty one year old Arjun was having a relaxed weekend. He was standing at a beach. Looking at the sea gave him inner peace and a sense of calm. He loved staring at the waves for long hours.

While staring at the sea on one such occasion, his near meditation state was disrupted by a screeching voice of a girl. He turned left and saw the same disappointed eyes that had not let him sleep on that night a decade ago. He wondered what the reason for the disappointment was. There weren’t any mango trees around this time so it had to be something else.

The girl’s screech soon turned into desperate calls for help. A petty thief had run with her purse. Arjun took a pebble and threw it at the running thief. He ran behind him and got her purse. The thief managed to escape. He brought the purse back.

The girl thanked him. Her eyes now expressed the same emotion that it had a decade ago when he gave her those mangoes.

The eyes were still the same. The expression of disappointment was still the most beautiful one he had seen. He was feeling the same way he felt that night, a decade ago. But today, he understood what he was feeling. He wasn’t that young anymore.

They soon fell in love and decided to get married. Arjun decided to confide in Lala about his love. Lala gave him a patient hearing. What he said next was what shocked Lala. Arjun told Lala that he wanted to live a normal life, work and earn and start a family with his lady love.

Lala congratulated him and requested him to become a sniper one final time. Arjun agreed. Lala then hugged him and told him that he would personally get them married off. He said that he would meet the ‘lucky’ lady the next evening after Arjun finishes off his assignment. Lala told Arjun that he couldn’t wait to meet her.

Lala jokingly asked Arjun if he was sure he would hit the target bang on its head, now that he was in love. Arjun told that if he were in his senses and if he shot at the target, it would hit right between the eyebrows of the target.  Lala had successfully managed to scratch Arjun’s pride but Arjun was oblivious to Lala’s intentions yet.

The moment of Truth

The mode of operation had not changed in all these years. Arjun, the sniper, parked himself neatly on a concrete structure with his long range rifle. He was all set for the last shot to kill. He had promised himself that he would now lead a normal and happy life with the lady he loved.

Arjun had set his sight on the area where the target would reach in a few minutes as per Lala’s instructions. He could see two people walking towards it and he was all set. He was completely taken aback when he saw the first person to arrive there. It was Lala.

He slowly moved his eyes towards the person who came in to the area with Lala. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. The target that he had to hit was none other than his lady love. If he hits the target, he would kill his dreams of a happy life forever. If he misses, it would be the biggest hit on his pride and self-esteem. He had never faced such a predicament. A quagmire of such proportions is very rare. Did Lala know his lady love? Was he playing a game? Was Lala a devil? How could his lady love be of any threat to the country? This was, for him, his moment of truth, with a million questions unanswered. With a tear in his eye, he soon placed his fingers on the trigger and ….

Part 2:

He focused on the target. He felt a metallic orifice just above his right ear. He turned to look. He saw a lean man with intense eyes focused on him. From the uniform on him, Arjun could make out that he was a police officer. The next six words that the cop said turned Arjun’s life upside down.  “Javed Khan, Crime Branch”, the man told him. “Shoot Lala”, the next two words.

 From the way he looked, Javed seemed to have a good amount of experience. Arjun was still wondering why he would ask him to shoot Lala.

Javed spoke. And this time, it was a bit more than just “six words”.

We always knew that there was an expert sniper helping Lala. We could never find out. Today, we did. Lala is one of the smartest criminals around. While the world knows him as a businessman, he has many illegal businesses including smuggling and drugs. He believes in survival of the fittest in this business and has used you to cleanly eliminate threats to his business.

‘How can I believe you?’ Arjun asked the police officer.

I can shoot you now. I don’t need to talk to you. If a person is in a position to kill you in a second but still is talking about something that is a definite possibility, it would more often than not be the truth.

I don’t want you to believe me. You have two options here – shoot Lala or get shot. You choose.

Arjun was not a rookie having spent years with Lala. He had learnt some negotiation skills and was good at the art of cutting a deal.

‘If I shoot Lala, how do I know that you won’t shoot me,’ asked Arjun.

Javed was calm. He answered that he was a man of his words and he intended to save him. He said he knew about Arjun’s past and how Lala roped him in. He said there is no one here. My team is very close to where your girl and Lala are currently.

‘How do you know she is my girl’, asked a stunned Arjun.

If you don’t shoot within the next thirty seconds, Lala would think there is something wrong and move out. So, shoot now!

Arjun had never felt such an emotion. He did not know how to describe it. He aimed at the target and shot!

Lala collapsed. But the bullet never hit between his head. It hit his heart. Arjun conveyed his feelings without saying a word. Javed got what he wanted. Lala was gone.

The girl who he so dearly loved was shocked to see Lala collapse. In a second though, a few policemen arrived and escorted the girl out.

Parikshit was intrigued. He was living this story. He loved to be the central character and imagine the story as if it were his own. He had many questions. The grandfather knew his questions and he had all the answers.

The first question was about how Arjun’s lady love got there with Lala. It seems Lala had called her saying he was Arjun’s guardian and wanted to meet her in person as he was very happy for her and Arjun.

‘But why her?’ pondered Parikshit today. Arjun had the same question.

Javed told Arjun that Lala did not like him to have a relationship. ‘I am assuming, you might have told him that you want to get married to her. Lala wanted to eliminate her. He was confident that you would hit the target come what may! He knew that your self-esteem and pride are things you would never compromise with. He knew you would shoot your girl and eliminate his problem for him with your hands – the way you have been doing all these years.’

A teary eyed Arjun asked Javed, ‘Sir, I was always led to believe I was doing a great job for the country by Lala who always told me he was a cop.’ Over the years, Javed had mastered the art of looking into a person’s eyes and gauging if he was saying the truth or lying. With Arjun, he believed every word.

‘What happened to Arjun, was he not punished?’, asked Parikshit.

Javed was not only an honest man, he was also very intelligent. He knew that Arjun’s talent was rare and could be used for better things. Putting the youngster away behind bars for the sins he unintentionally committed was not going to do any good. He asked Arjun to go home and see him, without fail, the next day.

The Encounter Specialist

Arjun woke up to a newspaper article on Lala’s death. However, it was reported that the police found that someone had shot Lala. However, no weapons were found on the site and the killer was yet to be identified.

The next day, Javed met Arjun. He had come with a plan. He wanted Arjun to study, clear some basic exams and get recruited into the police force. For Javed, with his influence, this was not a difficult task to manage.

Arjun’s lady love had no clue of these events and Javed had clearly instructed Arjun to tell her that he would not be in this city for three years. Arjun reluctantly agreed.

Arjun met her on the day after he heard Javed’s plan. He wondered how he would explain the Lala story to her. She met him and started talking as if everything was normal. She did not bring up the Lala story during her discussion. Arjun was surprised. However, he was happy that he did not have to cook up a story.

Before his 25^th birthday, Arjun got to wear the cop’s uniform. Javed managed to pull a few strings to get Arjun to work under him. It had been three long years since that fateful day. Javed and Arjun seemed to have buried it within themselves. Javed seemed to be a man who would carry the incident with him to his grave.

In those three years, the Lala empire came crumbling down. All his men ran away for the city to save their lives.

Arjun got married to his lady love and started living the life he so desired. Over the years he had become Javed’s go to man. For Arjun, he could shoot at will irrespective of where the target was and whether the target was in rest or in motion. This rare quality got him to eliminate a lot of the dreaded gangsters over the years. He had become an encounter specialist – a quite popular one at that.

Javed ensured that he got the credit he deserved. He also encouraged Arjun to study further as he could see the insatiable appetite for knowledge.

The rise and rise of Arjun

He did not have a head start in life nor did he have great teenage years. His life till 22 years of age was rather forgettable. However, his talent in shooting and his quest for knowledge could help him rise. He only needed support and encouragement. There was no one better than Javed to provide the support.

He looked upto Javed. He had come to know that Javed was about twenty years older than him. Javed wanted him to appear for civil service exams and join the Indian Police Service (IPS), one of the three all India services of the government of India. He did appear for the exam and he cleared them as well. Before his thirtieth birthday, Arjun became an IPS officer.

In the next eight years, he garnered immense accolades. He was one of the most known and decorated police officers. He was different and led teams from the front. Even after becoming an IPS, he had shot a few dreaded criminal. He could still hit the target at will.

Javed was a proud man. On the day of his retirement, the police force had thrown a great party. Arjun was his biggest contribution to the police force. In spite of his busy schedule, Arjun made it a point to attend the event and gave a brilliant speech in honour of Javed. He expressed his gratitude. He told India would need many more people like Javed to ensure that people can unlock their true potential.

Arjun went on to spend three decades in the police force and set an example for the generations to follow with his exemplary service.

He retired a happy family man.

Back to Parikshit

Parikshit loved the story. He was convinced that it is a real life story. He wondered who Arjun was and asked his grandfather about it. He also made an intelligent guess. I am sure Arjun is a friend who worked with you in the police force.

Grandfather was silent. He gave a wry smile. He paused, like a master storyteller. The silence was killing Parikshit.

I will show you a few pictures of Arjun. Come with me. Parikshit wanted to run but he respected his grandfather’s age. He was more than seventy five years old and could not run like a youngster.

Grandfather walked towards a room in his huge house and took a key out of his pocket. With trembling hands, he opened a door. The room was beautiful. There were a lot of paintings, photographs and a cabinet full of trophies and medals.

Parikshit minutely observed each and every painting, photograph and also inspected the cabinet. After five minutes, a flabbergasted Parikshit spoke.

But this is you, Dadaji (grandfather). The grandfather smiled. They looked at each other. They could connect without uttering a word. And they did. Parikshit cried like a small child. He hugged his grandfather. They embraced till what seemed like eternity.

When logic started overpowering emotions, Parikshit asked his grandfather. ‘Dadaji, your name is Vijay Singh. How can you be Arjun?”

Vijay was what I was rechristened after the day I shot Lala. Javed said I should go by this name. He believed I had the power to conquer fears and come out victorious and the name ‘Vijay’ symbolized that.

Intelligent deductions

Parikshit was a very intelligent boy. He could connect things in his head and find patterns. He believed everything from nature to human beings exhibited patterns which revealed their true self.

‘Who named me Parikshit?’ asked Arjun to his grandfather.

‘I did,’ pat came the reply.

In the story of Mahabharata that you told me during my last birthday, who was Parikshit’s grandfather?

‘Arjun’, came the reply with a smile. Vijay’s face beamed with pride. His grandson was very intelligent.

So, who all from the family know about this story?

‘No one knows about it. Neither your grandmother, nor your parents.’ said the grandfather. I just told your grandmother that my real name is Vijay and I used to be called Arjun. I requested her to call me Vijay after I joined the force and she has referred to me by this name ever since.

‘Why did you choose to tell me’, asked Parikshit.

‘I knew of no one, other than Javed, who would carry this story to their grave. I immensely love my son and he immensely respects me. I am very happy with him. However, I never connected with him to the extent I did with you. I was never confident that he would be able to keep the secret. However, I have closely observed you from the time you were born and I am sure, you are the man who can carry the secret to his grave.’

‘Today, you are an adult. You are eighteen. The government thinks you can vote. People think you can drive. I think you have become a man who can stay true to his words, a man who can keep a secret.’

‘Can I pass on this story if I find another like me when I am as old as you?’, asked Parikshit.

Vijay laughed. He said you have inherited this story from me already. Now, I leave it to you and your rationale to decide what to do with it. I told you what I expect. I will be gone in a few years. I wanted to leave this treasure with someone I could trust the most. And that is you.’

A beaming Parikshit said, ‘Got it, Dadaji. This is the best birthday gift anyone can receive. I will cherish this all my life.’

Parikshit moved two steps behind. He stood in attention. He then lifted his hand to his head and saluted, like a police officer. Arjun (Vijay) was used to this gesture from his sub-ordinate officers. However, the gesture never touched the softest part of his heart ever.

Parikshit knew how to shoot and hit the target – just like Arjun.