"Arre Sahu miyan, I was looking for you", startled by the call, Dinesh Sahu looked back to find Azim Bhai waving frantically for him. Catching up Azim narrated the matter "You remember Ezaz, son of Jamila Bia ? He has become arrangement assistant for the film studio, and was asking for a person in early fifties, short with a balding head. I immediately recalled you and suggested your name to him. There is a bit role in the shooting going on at old jail, and they will pay you for it".
Now this was god sent for Dinesh Sahu. God knows, he was in desperate need for money. Once a prosporous video shop owner, his fortunes had dwindled with the lost business of videos. He tried to revive his fortunes by shifting into CDs but the advancement of Internet killed even that market. Since the last five years he spent much more than he brought home, merely to exist.
Very few people knew that Dinesh was a promising actor in some other avatar. In the BSSS college acts and meets, he participated actively even outside the city; he was declared the best actor at Mood Purple at IIT Mumbai. Sitting in his video shop he would often dream of making it to the hallowed avenues of Bharat Bhawan. That was about eighteen years back. Now after so many years opportunity has knocked at his door again, and he will not let it go at any cost.
Dinesh turned up at the Jail hill promptly at eleven. Cutting across the vast crowd of onlookers and hangers on, he asked around for Ezaz, and finally finding him out at the biryani stall across the masjid. "Oh it is you", said Ezaz "please come with me". He took him to Mohan the scene director and said "Mohan bhai, this is the person for that collision scene". "Okay" said Mohan to Dinesh, "have you understood the scene ?". "No" said Dinesh "no body told me anything about that". "Okay. See, the hero is rushing out from his car and entering the jail, when he collides with you. He does not look back to you and runs inside the jail" said Mohan, "this will show the hurry and anxiety of the hero". Disappointed Dinesh said "That is all, is it ?" Mohan said convincingly "What are you cribbing about ? This is a talking role, bhai, you are very lucky. Hundreds of actor are their just to stand as part of crowd, without any dialogues." Dinesh was not fully convinced but he went along. Standing across the street he watched with interest the proceedings of the shooting. After some time he approached Mohan again and asked for his dialogues. Mohan took out a small peice of paper from his pocket, wrote some thing on it and handed it over to Dinesh. Dinesh opened and saw the paper containing just one word "Uff".
Just one word ? For star actor Dinesh Sahu ? Dinesh was not really amused. Soon it was time for the take. Dinesh was called forward. A small butterfly mustache was fixed below his nose, a copy of rolled up Dainik Bhaskar given in his hand and it was time for action. As he walked past the jail gate, a car stopped next to him and a man rushed out, knocking Dinesh out of his feet. Dinesh cried "Uff"', threw out his Dianik Bhaskar and was blanked out by the impact. "Cut. Take okay" was shouted out. Ezaz came running towards him, and said "Good shot bhaijaan. You look to be a good actor. Please wait while I get your payment for you". Dinesh radiated his smile to the world and walked away, while the director nodded his appreciation towards him. "Oh the glory and the satisfaction of a good performance, what is some money against this pleasure ?" Dinesh wondered.
Ezaz came back looking for Dinesh after fifteen minutes, but the man was nowhere to be found. "Kaisa bhulakkar aadmi hai" muttered Ezaz loudly, putting the money back in pocket.
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