The First Day

From last week..

Madan and Premlatha led a life deprived of comfort for so long. So when Madan loses his job, their only hope was to take his beautiful wife to Bombay to act in movies. Their luck changes when they meet Chaman Bhai.

by A. W. L. Silva (Urdu Short Story written by the Urdu novelist Krishan Chandra)

"As long as Premlata is your wife she can never become a heroine" he said. "Why not?" Madan shouted and asked in anger.

"O.K., I will explain." Chaman Bhai threw his hand forward and shouted aloud: "You sucker, who wants to see your wife on the screen" From labourer to mill manager everybody wants to see an unmarried girl, a virgin, as their heroine."

"A virgin" "Yes a full virgin." "But now, how can my wife become a virgin, she is already married?" "Don't say that she is married. Say that she is a girl. Say that she is your sister." "To say that she is my sister?" Madan asked in confusion. "Yes, yes, your sister. Oh man who will come to your hut to check whether she is your sister or wife. You just tell the world that she is your sister and then see the result."

Chaman Bhai left their place after telling them this trick. But Premlata did not agree. She was adamant. At last Madan resorted to beating her.

After two three days' beating she had to accept the solution and thereafter she started calling him her brother in the offices of the film producers. One day Chaman Bhai introduced Madan to Chhagan Bhai, a film producer, who was one of his friends. Chhagan Bhai got down some photos of Premlatha from one of the studios.

Then he introduced Premlata to Mirza Izzat Beg, his director. Mirza Izzat Beg scrutinized her with sharp eyes, then he talked to her, and finally gave the approval for a screen test. The screen test was fixed to be taken after three days, and Premlata was given a scene to memorize for the screen test.

All the three days Chaman Bhai came to Madan's place in the evening to see them. They drank liquor together, and Chaman Bhai cheered them, and encouraged Premlata to face the screen test. On the third day Chaman Bhai told Madan: "If you listen to me don't go with Premlata when she goes to the screen test."

"Why shouldn't I go?" "Because if you are there Premlata cannot do free acting. She will feel shy and she may get excited. If she is excited she will fail the screen test." "How can she fail?" Madan shouted in anger, fuelled by intoxication.

"My wife is more beautiful than Naseem, Suchitra Sen and Madhu Bala. My wife is more beautiful than Elizabeth Taylor. My wife is a better actress than Nargis. My wife will not fail any screen test. My wife..." "You sucker she is your sister, not your wife."

Chaman Bhai threw his hand in anger, and growled. "Yes my sister." Madan agreed while finishing the glass. "I will do as you told me to do. O.K. brother, take my sister to the screen test and bring her back safe and sound." "Don't worry, I will take her to the screen test in my car, and I will bring her back also in my car."

Late after the midnight Premlata returned in the producer's car after the screen test, and she was wearing the saree that she had to wear for the screen test. Madan felt the smell of liquor in her mouth. He was mad with anger and shouted "You drank liquor?"

"Yes the scene was like that." "But the scene given to you earlier didn't have anything like that" "Mirza Izzat Beg changed the scene." "So you drank liquor. Only that, nothing else happened?" "Yes I drank liquor only." "Nothing else happened?" "No" Premlata replied.

"But you know, changing the original scene Mirza Izzat Beg put his hand around my waist." "What, He put his hand around your waist? What for?" Madan shouted in anger.

"To convince the action of the scene." Premlata replied. Madan cooled down. He said slowly: "He put his hand around your waist. He did not do any dirty thing after that" "No." Premlata replied, turning her face away from Madan.

"Tell me without hiding. Nothing else happened?" "During the scene the hero took me in his arms and tightened me to his body." "Why did that idiot do so?" Madan growled. "The scene was like that." Premlata replied. "O.K. the scene was like that."

Madan repeated to him self. "If the scene was like that, then there is nothing to worry. But tell me without hanky panky nothing happened beyond that?" "Yes , he only tightened me in his arms" she managed to utter these words out of fear and confusion.

Then she fell at once on the bedding and pressing her face against the pillow sobbed and cried.

"Shot is ready!" That was the voice of producer Chhagan Bhai. On hearing that Madan startled and stood up at once. When Chhagan Bhai saw Madan, he smiled and shook hands with him. He put his hand on Madan's shoulder affectionately and asked: "Where is Saroj Bala?" Chhagan Bhai had changed the new heroine's name from Premlata to Saroj Bala.

Before Madan could answer that question the new heroine herself came out of the dressing room and proceeded to the make-up room in a stately gait. Her new costume, new hair style and the meticulous make-up gave her such a ravishing and seductive look, that every one who saw her stood dumb founded.

For a few seconds Madan was looking at her flabbergasted as if he was not sure whether she was his wife Premlata. So was Chhagan Bhai too. He was gazing at her for a few seconds in astonishment; and he was fully convinced that his decision was correct.

Next moment Chhagan Bhai put his hand on his chest in a theatrical mood and uttered aloud: "The royal shot is ready. Please proceed to the set." The new heroine laughed cheerfully at this announcement, for the remark 'royal' referred to her beautiful and enchanting appearance.

On hearing her cheerful laugh Madan felt as if the crystalline glass pebbles of a gorgeous chandelier were clinging and chiming simultaneously in a royal banquet hall.

The new heroine proceeded to the set with Chhagan Bhai, with a charming smile all the way. Madan also went after them. When Madan saw Chhagan Bhai laughing and chatting with his wife he remembered the day how he was called to Chhagan Bhai's office a few days after the screen test.

That day Chhagan Bhai put his hand around Madan's waist and escorted him to the office room. It was air conditioned, and it was Chhagan Bhai's private room where all important business related decisions are taken.

When Madan entered the room he saw that Mirza Izzat Beg and Chaman Bhai were already seated inside.

"Today we are going to have a meeting of the Board of Directors" Chaman Bhai smiled and said. "Today we are going to buy a gold mine." "A gold mine?" Madan asked in amazement.

"Yes you also have a share, twenty five percent" said Chhagan Bhai. "The other partners are seated here in this office. I am Chhagan Bhai, this is my friend Chaman Bhai, and this is my director Mirza Izzat Beg.

Continued next week