The Hero (Nayak) (নায়ক)

The Hero

So, you're going?

Good. l'm glad you changed your mind.

After all, it's an official prize.

There's a prestige in getting it.

l don't give a damn for the prize.

l just want to get away from it all for a day.

ln a way, it's good l couldn't get on the plane.

lf you'd decided earlier, you could have got a whole coupe to yourself.

- Now, you'll have to share. - Makes no difference.

l'll just take some sleeping pills and sleep.

l won't even notice if anybody's there or not.

Shall l send a telegram so that they meet you?

Three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

A telegram won't get there. Better phone.

Call Sunil as well. 22464.

Oh hell! Even 180 is engaged.

What are they saying about the picture?

This is only the second week.

lt ought to be clear by now.

End of the month. People don't have a lot of money.

l never heard such things before. Why this time?

You tell me, what's so good in the film that will bring them in?

l'm in it. lsn't that enough?

Not enough, l'm afraid. Times have changed.

Nonsense! Bloody public!

Whimsical. Wipe 'em all out.

Bravo! And what would you eat then?

Boiled fish and rice from that place we used to go to.

That's very difficult, brother.

Even l need the best Darjeeling tea with my breakfast.

And l'm only a satellite.

Take a look at that last column, mark the bottom.

But how did this...?

- Have l kept you waiting? - Just five minutes.

Come.

- So you're going to Delhi? - Looks like it.

Very lucky. l might have missed you.

- Would you like anything besides tea? - No.

- Banana? - Only tea.

l bet Tarak Chatterjee's behind this. Time he was taught a lesson.

Ring up Phani and tell him l'm sorry. l have to go.

l'll be free on the 16th.

- And Fortune Films? - To hell with them.

No. l shall have to deal with them.

Now, sir, lets just finish my business.

What? A contract?

What does the almanac say? ls it a good day for contracts?

But my almanac says the opposite, Mr Hiralal.

The opposite? What almanac?

lt says, good for travel, bad for contracts.

You're joking.

- Do you read the paper? - Paper?

- Apart from the share market? - l haven't yet read today's.

- Then you don't know the news. - What news?

The night before last, at a certain club,

in a state of slight inebriation,

l administered correction to a certain gentleman.

- Correction...? - Meaning, the old one-two.

One two...?

- l beat him up, understand? - Oh, beat him up!

l understand.

The gentleman was being too clever by half.

Clever?

And he did that in front of some ladies.

Oh, my God!

You realise in the circumstances this couldn't be tolerated.

Of course not, of course not.

But that gentleman was not aware

that l have special aptitude for one particular role.

Yes.

And that role is of a pugilist.

Pugi...?

l mean, l gave him one.

Oh, good, good.

My aim was not too accurate in view of my condition.

But good enough to stop that gentleman from being clever.

Right, right. You did the right thing.

You did the right thing.

But, in spite of our best efforts to hush it up,

it came out today in two papers.

What does it matter, Mr Arindam?

Nothing much, Mr Hiralal,

except that l don't feel like signing any contracts today.

But it was all settled.

Not in the mood. Let it wait.

But l brought you an advance.

l'll be back on Wednesday. We'll discuss it then.

Please hold on. He's coming.

- Who is it? - Your heroine.

Yes?

- So, you're going to Delhi? - Yes.

- By train? - By train, yes.

- Shall I come to the station? - l'd rather you didn't.

- You've got it aII wrong, Arindam. - Probably not.

- But I can expIain everything. - lt won't be necessary.

- Why are you behaving Iike this? - lt's not without good reason.

What reason?

Tell me, Arindam. Please.

We can't go into that now. l have to go.

Will she want anything special?

lf you could arrange for some chicken stew...

Daddy, give me my book from your bag, please.

Surr. But don't strain your eyes too much with reading.

Will you have lunch in the compartment, Sir?

They'll take it here.

l'll go to the dining car.

ls Mr Bose travelling by this train?

- Mr Bose...? - Haren Bose.

Oh yes. He's in compartment D with his family.

You're still doubtful?

You never know. He may have changed his plans.

He's such a busy man...

- l'd be glad if he did. - What, Molly?

l don't like mixing work with holidays.

Do you know how much they spend on advertising?

Five lakhs per year.

Just one client like that and l'm made for life.

Arindam!

- Who? - Arindam Mukherjee!

lf the coupe is at all inconvenient, there's room in a four berth compartment.

Why inconvenient?

Well, your companion would be Mr Aghore Chatterjee.

My God, he wants to wipe out the whole film industry.

Oh, he's the one who writes for the Statesman?

Yes. He got a bit worried when he heard that you would be...

Let's go and see him, anyway.

Sir, this is Mr Chatterjee.

Hello.

So, you're the film star?

Yes, sir.

l never go to the cinema on principle.

l was taken there once, 20 years ago.

I saw How Green Was My Valley

But, that's a good picture!

But why blame us poor actors?

Do you drink?

Huh? Well yes, a little.

Yes. Film actors drink a lot.

That's because...

Are you going to drink on this journey?

Well, yes, it's my second nature.

Well then, l'm obliged to tell you that

the smell of alcohol gives me nausea.

Don't you worry, sir. l'm in another compartment.

l have heard of you, read your letters, so l just came to pay my respects.

- OK, bye, then. - Bye.

You've got a lower berth. Might be a little uncomfortable.

This is good. lt's all brand new.

- Mum! - Shh!

They should have some sense. Foisting him on us!

- What's so bad about it? - Didn't you read the news today?

Yes, but he's going to Delhi for the prize.

Scandalous!

Listen, just open this, will you?

Yeah! Yeah!

ln Delhi, l'll show you the Jama Masjid...

- And... - And, the Qutab Minar too.

lsn't there some boy or bearer to open it?

What? The screw cap?

God knows why they have to...

Shall l try?

All right, but...

Here you are.

lt's not so easy if your hands are sticky.

Yes, perspiration...

l want to congratulate you.

Me? For opening the screw cap?

No. For the prize you're going to Delhi for.

Oh. Thanks.

- What's the matter with her? - She's been feverish for a month now.

- She's a great fan of yours. - ls that so?

We haven't seen your new picture yet.

- Just as well. - Don't say that!

We never miss a film of yours.

This time she fell sick just as your film opened.

Do you film people have import export problems too?

Oh yes, like any other industry.

l've noticed that the Japanese film industry is growing rapidly.

America, of course, was always well ahead.

But, this time, l noticed a slump.

The studios are all idle.

Or else, turning out films for television.

lt made me feel sad.

Yes, very true. After all, we learnt our acting from them.

Don't mind my saying this, sir,

but we never learnt to care about quality.

Our motto seems to be,

"'Produce more and produce rubbish!"'

Yes.

That's why family planning is so important.

Oh my!

You publish this all on your own?

Not quite. There are two others helping me.

But the enthusiasm is all mine.

All written by women?

Look at all this l have to go through. There's no shortage of material.

Do you make a profit?

We could, with a few more advertisements.

You know a lot of people. Why don't you help her out?