Predicament of a Girl
A romantic and sentimental thriller
Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
“There is indeed a lot of work to do to release the movie.” On the day when Charitha finished voicing her own character and ready to go home Tarang said. “I just don’t know how to thank you! You put your heart and soul in everything as you promised to me.”
“You reserve your thanks until the day the film becomes a hit.” Charitha said. “I don’t want to make you feel unhappy but just want to make you prepare for that. I am not thinking that this movie will get successes. No songs, my character does not speak the language of the people and being translated like that. Hero is a widower. In addition to all these, such a controversial concept! I am still feeling horrifying that you are proposing even housewives also to do prostitution besides saying that prostitutes can have families while doing prostitution. If you have not been revolted in a dangerous way, that is enough.”
“You are right. I agree with you.” Tarang nodded his head and said.
“You are not expecting success to your movie.” Charitha said. “You did not expect that even from the moment you started the movie. I think you have not expected that your movie to win when you have got the idea itself.” She knitted her brows together. “Then how it has become your dream project? Why did you that much obsessed to make a movie with such a controversial concept even you very well know it would be contradicted and criticised severely everywhere not to say it would never be accepted. If you do believe that I did justice to my role, answer this question.”
Tarang leaned forward and balanced his both arms on the table in between. “My mom is the inspiration to this movie with a controversial concept like that Charitha and that Sasalla is nothing but my mom. My mom also has been sold to a brothel house and forced to do prostitution. Sasalla’s transformation and the rest are from the life of my mom. In the being my mom also suffered but she understood what a great thing she was doing by experience. My mom believed in the ideology of the Sasalla and did just like that. She freed herself from that brothel house with lot of difficulty and continued that profession on her own. She became pregnant, gave birth to me and she did not know who was my father. She brought me up as a respectable citizen. Here Sasalla married and settled in her life whereas my mom remained as a prostitute doing that service till her last breath five years ago.”
Charitha never has felt that much of shock in her whole life and it reflected amply in her face. She just did not know what to say.
“Many people thought that I have been denigrating the heroines in my movies by exposing their beauty like that. But I always thought that the beauty of a woman is always enjoyable and respectable and it need not be concealed like that. Why a woman should feel derogatory and shameful to show her beauty to other people? Why her beauty and youth should be confined to the enjoyment of her husband only? Why should not she use herself as a means to her livelihood? There have been so many bad things happening in the world around for a long time and they are accepted by the society. Comparing with them women providing sexual favours is not a mistake at all. People don’t feel wrong if a man goes to a woman and satisfying his urge but they do take as a serious offence when a woman tries to use herself for her livelihood. I do believe in the equal justice for men and women both.”
“You are absolutely right! You may not believe it but I just wish our society around turns out like that it can accept your ideology.” Then she got off from the chair she sat. “Now I do go. I hope that we meet again.”
***
After realising the movie with Tarang’s full satisfaction of the same two things have happened. One out of the two was expected by Tarang, Charitha and everyone of the unit. The movie was severely criticized by some of the public especially by women. Some of them strongly urged for banning of the same also.
The next thing was not even the least was expected either by Tarang or anyone else! That was the movie has become a tremendous hit! The controversial subject which was chosen by Tarang was accepted by the larger public surprisingly that included some women also. They saw strong point in what Tarang has said and not only supported the movie but were thinking to urge the government to make an enactment in support of the prostitutes.
“You have given me already the agreed amount. What is the necessity to transfer another twenty five lakhs into my account?” Charitha phoned to Tarang and asked him when she came to know from her brother that another twenty five lakhs rupees has been transferred into her mother’s account.
“I cannot remain without sharing the profits I am having miss Charitha.” Not only she but all her family members in that room could hear him as she put the phone into speaker. “I know for certain you are the main reason for my movie’s hit like this. My assumption regarding you did not go wrong and you just fit yourself absolutely for that role. What I could not assume then was that you do put your heart and soul in it.”
“I am not thinking like that Tarang.” Charitha smiled and said. “There is strength and a considerable point in your concept so your movie has been accepted by the larger public. I am thinking government also does some enactment now regarding prostitutes.” Still she was feeling shock and surprise remembering why a movie with that concept has become the dream project to Tarang.
“That is what indeed I want.” She could hear the sighing of Tarang. “If government has taken steps to legalise the profession of prostitution and safety and welfare of them, I do feel my real purpose in making that movie has been fulfilled.”
“I hope it shall be like that.” Charitha also sighed heavily and said.
“There is one important thing here I want to say.” Suddenly there was a different note in Tarang. “Whatever may be the affect of my movie among the public, you have influenced them in quite a different way. I am hearing youth are coming to see that movie only for you. So many producers and directors are ready to make movies with you and they are ready to pay however much remuneration you demand.”
“No, Tarang I have no such idea at all.” There was sudden determination in the voice of Charitha. “I am not going to act again even the movie has been directed and produced by you. It is just because I made a promise to my brother I never act again and I have a habit of keeping my promises.”
“Its alright then.” Why there was sudden despairing note in Tarang was could not be understood by Charitha. “If you change your mind.........”
“I said I have a habit of keeping my promises.” With the same firmness Charitha said again.
“Okay........okay........ I call you again. Thank you.” The call was cut off.
Charitha once again sighed heavily and looked into the faces of her family members. Her father sat on her right side, mother sat on her left side and both brother and sister in the chairs opposite to the bed.
“Sister......may I suggest something to you?” it was Pramod her brother who broke the silence that was ensued then and said.
“I welcome any suggestion from any of you.” Charitha laughed and said. “Tell me what it is?”
“Why don’t you break the promise made to me and act again?”
“I just cannot understand what you are trying to say!” with gathered frowns and surprise Charitha said and looked into the faces of other people again before looking into her brother’s face.
“I have understood many a thing in the meanwhile and it is mainly because of Ananth.” Pramod said. “Acting is not illegal in whichever way it is. Your acting in that movie is not illegal so it has been allowed to be played in the theatres. Just because of your acting, we came out of our financial crisis. If you don’t like you need not but just because of that promise you made to me, you need not stop. In case you want to act again, I heartily welcome that.”
“No, brother it is not just because of the promise I made to you. I don’t want to act so I don’t act again. You all very well know that I never have any interest in acting. I acted in this movie only to make us come out of our financial problems and this film’s big hit like this did not create any interest in me in acting.”
“But sister you may think again.” Ragini said. “You just don’t know what a name and fame you got! I am asked by so many girls around whether they can get roles in movies through you. The perception of heroines in the society completely changed and they are valued a lot. It is quite difficult to get chances in the movies and you are getting them so. Why should not you rethink about it?”
Charitha took her lower lip between her teeth frames and started chewing on it. She advised her family members not to see that movie and they did not see it at all even it was dubbed into Telugu also and released into the mobile apps too. She just could not imagine how they do feel and what they do advice if they saw that more.
“One other thing!” her mother Sulochana was just looking for a chance to intervene and talk. “We cannot live anymore in this locality in this house. There is always flow of people to see you and talk with you. We can manage to live only among those film people and you may have to act again to afford that cost of expenditure. I don’t know how do you feel about it but that is what I am exactly thinking.”
Charitha felt a shock on hearing that and she looked into the face of her father hurriedly with gathered frowns.
“That one thing which has taken us absolutely out of our problems would not become wrong once our necessity with it is over. Still I don’t want to compel you but your decision not to act again is sheer ingratitude to the acting which made us overcome our problems. I really want to encourage you to act again.”
Charitha never has felt that much of surprise in her whole life and she did not know what to say. Before she was thinking to say something her cell phone rang.
“It is Sarath!” looking into the faces of the people there, Charitha said. She already told all of them about Sarath. He already congratulated her because of the success of her movie and she did not know why he was calling again. “May I put this call also on speaker?”
“Please do that sis. I am very much eager what he talks to you.” Ragini enthusiastically said.
“Yes, yes.” Pramod also enthusiastically said.
“I just want to request you something, so I have called.” Charitha put that call also on speaker as everyone there could hear him also and after initial greetings he said.
“I am very much eager to hear what it is!” with a curious expression Charitha looked into the faces of her family members once more.
“Tarang is planning a movie with me as a hero. We both want you to be the heroine in that movie.”
“I need to think about it.” if she has not heard her family members so, her answer to that would be an instant firm ‘no’. Then she could understand why that despairing note in the voice of Tarang when she said she would never act again. “May I tell you my decision on tomorrow or day after tomorrow?”
“Let it be on tomorrow please and a yes.” There was pleading in the voice of Sarath. “It is a high budget movie and I am also investing in the same.”
“Alright. I let you know about it on tomorrow itself after talking with my family.” A small smile was forced onto her lips while she was saying that.
“There is another thing I want to say to you. In fact it is more important than the first thing I told you. It is not something that I tell you in phone but I cannot remain without telling it to you anymore.”
Suddenly surprise filled the face of Charitha and she looked into the faces of her family members again and there was such surprise in their faces also.
“If you don’t want to kill me with surprise, tell it fast.” Charitha was trying furiously to guess what it was.
“I love you!”
Her surprise turned into shock as soon as she heard that and she found that shock in the faces of her family members there.
“I know you put our call on speaker and I don’t know who else are hearing our conversation. I was just a fool to talk like that on that day saying it was just casual to feel like that when male and female are in proximity when you said about your odd feeling towards me. But it has not taken much time to me to understand such type of odd feeling in me also and it is just love. I cannot suppress my true feelings for long. You may feel surprise but I want to know now itself. What will be your answer if I propose our marriage?”
“You probably lost your mind Mr.Sarath.” Charitha pretended anger but she just could not understand her real feeling then. “I did some research on you and came to know about you. I don’t think that your parents ever do agree to our marriage.”
“They sure do agree and you just don’t know how much they do love me. They never say no to anything I want. If there is ‘yes’ from you to this, just think it is done.” The vehemence and excitement in Sarath surprised them all.
“But I want a yes from my family also to yes to you.” Looking into the faces of her family members Charitha said. “I let you know the answers to your two questions tomorrow itself.”
Epilogue
Just in a year time Sarath and Charitha became man and wife and she acted in Sarath and Tarang’s movie including some other movies also before her marriage and they are in total four. Except one among them the remaining movies have become big hits. She has become most sought heroine in both Telugu and Tamil also.
“I have no objection if you want to act.” Sarath said on that day, on the day of their wedding anniversary, while they were all assembled in his house which included his family, her family and Prameela also. “But there is no compulsion on my part to you to act.”
“I never have any interest in acting and my movies becoming big hits did not create any interest in me to act.” Charitha said. “If none of you people do have objection, I stop acting. I just want to remain as a respectable housewife to Sarath.”
“I really like you to remain the wife of our son and stay at home looking after him and our grandchildren once they take birth.” Sarath’s mother said. “It is what I did all my life and what I want my daughter in law also to do.”
“Dear, if you don’t want to act, we never compel you to do that. Just lead a happy housewife life.” Her father Vasantha Rao said. “Anyhow we earned enough for nearly ten generations to come by your acting.”
“What your father said is absolutely true.” Sulochana also said and laughed.
There was laughter among them and almost everyone of there suggested the same thing to her.
“I am also just planning like that.” Prameela said. “Madhukar and I are planning to marry as soon as possible and once my marriage is over I want to put a stop to my acting. Anyhow just like in your case, Madhukar left that option completely to me.”
So far Prameela has become a good friend to Sarath and Charitha’s family also.
“Alright sis. If you don’t want to act, you don’t. But there is a small request from me.” Ragini said after few seconds’ silence.
“I know what that request is.” Charitha angrily said with firm voice. “You want me to get roles for you in the movies. But except Sarath none of our family members are going to act again.”
Once again there was laughter and they conversed a long time in between themselves.
End
As you are here, I hope that you read the novel. Thank you very much that you preferred to read my novel. If you bother to rate it and write a review also, I shall be so much grateful and thankful to you.
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