Face Off

Sometimes we need change to see ourselves New!

 

The crowd suddenly faced amazement. Another unknown celebrity had entered. He was in his middle thirties and he looked young, smart and refreshing. Lots of crowds were there. The fans were asking for the autographs. He was smiling and giving the autographs.

Someone said, ‘see, that is Bijit Sardesai, recently he has signed a film where he would share a leading role with Russel Crowe, Hollywood’s one of the top actors.’

 

There was another one, a superhero in his prim glamour, and he was none other than Rahul Kumar, the superstar who had been giving a series of hit films. Lots of fans were there too, asking for his autographs and some casually wanted to spend a while, with an intention to get framed in the same snap the photojournalists were taking.

 

‘But who was that Bijit Sardesai? I have not heard of anyone named like that and, by the way, who invited him”, thought the organizer. Suddenly he found Tejpal Dubey, city’s most renowned editor and columnist. As such, he almost forgot who invited him. First he must know who that young unknown star was. He should have at least known him, staying in the celebrity circle. He at once felt that inevitable to go towards him, to know him without letting Bijit know that he actually did not know him. Tejpal’s presence was significant here, as his one or two lines could make or break anyone’s career at one go. That was the strength of his pen!

 

There was hearsay that Rahul had no star mania; he always mixed in any atmosphere and that was why he was loved, though to some, this created a kind of negative sensation. There was also hearsay he just ruled the party and he, like in case of sharing the screen with his acting counterparts, gave no chance to say anything and just stole the feminine looks, as if those were his own right, not to let that be fallen to others. He was just the center of attraction.

 

But really who was that Bijit Sardesai?

 

*          *          *

 

The party, brimming with the Page 3 people, the cameras, the photojournalists and the usual tunes, was all set with glitters, and shines. But no one knew for certain why was that party organized?

 

Not all the guests had arrived; there were tunes of current Hindi films, some a few known personalities stepped in: cameras, Page 3 reporters, gossip makers and young industrialists crowded the point; the organizer of the party was hither and thither to see if every guest felt hospitable or not: if someone was standing with out drink, he at once ordered the waiter to rush to the place and ‘hey-how-do-you-like-the-chicken-fried-roll’ was the usual question to nearly every one, and he seemed happy to see the remarks were satisfying and tasty.

 

Every thing was going in not-so-extra fashion. It was just like some other gathering of media persons, writers, musicians, film directors, big industrialists, models, budding actors and reporters.

 

‘But the party is expecting a usual stir’, was what Bijit thought when he entered there in. He was among the four friends at same party with different guests. They were close friends, they had done things together, and they shared every of their victories and setbacks together.

Bijit said, “what about playing a game?” Naturally they became cautious, and they were asking what kind of game was that this time.

 

“Simple, when the most wanted celebrity, Rahul Kumar will come we will ignore his stature”, said he.

 

‘Means!’ everyone was surprised, ‘what you are up to?’

 

The others looked puzzled, as he was the most dangerous one. His witty ness almost put them earlier in danger.

 

‘Ok, then listen: I will be the one fictitious celebrity; I will project myself as one Hollywood return chap who has recently signed one film with Russell Crowe’, he was explaining, ‘and you guys would help me establishing my pseudo status. You would flock around me, asking for autograph and I, as if just sick of this, would give you my autograph reluctantly. Understood!’

Robin, the intelligent of them, stared at him blankly. He said he would not stay there any moment further, as that time it was for sure they were going to be caught and flogged mercilessly.

 

  ‘Just don’t talk rubbish!’ shouted Robin to Bijit, ‘Do you ever think this kind of silly behavior can put us in trouble anytime?’

 

‘Rahul Kumar, could you imagine, nation’s top rank superstar! Moreover he is such a nice person who mixes himself always to any atmosphere, without letting people know as though his popularity. If he feels anything awkward from our behavior, no matter my reporter id, we would unquestionably be thrown out of that party, and no further allowance to any such party in future would be a plus, too. Further, I might be sacked from my office.’ Robin answered. As a matter of fact, the other three came to this party for Robin’s reporter pass.

 

“I will prove you ‘an uncelebrated exposure of a celebrity, ultimately lowers down his celebrated stature’. It is a known fact Rahul Kumar is the most wanted face in any gathering, and he tries to maintain a low profile, in spite of his extremely publicity. Today I am going to prove that is also a publicity that he is doing by maintaining a down to earth profile. I tell you guys, that is fake, not original.” Bijit was telling him, smiling. And he adds, “If your position requires something you need to follow that. Mixing up with people is good, but he should not forget he is superstar. Can he possess the normal quality of a common person? No. Then why here? Is it for gaining an extra name by the gossip circles?”

 

‘You think you can change the world you reside in, and that you simply do the unlikely things that are most likely of you, because unpredictability is what you use to possess in most of your usual actions. Anyway, this time really I am not with you.’ Robin completed his one-breath sentence.

 

So, how could Bijit think of such a deadly and vile pleasure? He should at least think of his friend’s situation and when Bijit said anything, he surely did this, notwithstanding any request and fear.

 

It was very much intolerable for Robin to stand out Bijit’s grinning face. What was to be done then? He thought and thought and at last came to a conclusion that, the other two would follow him but Robin stayed there, as if he did not know them even. After all Bijit was his school friend!

 

‘But what will you get out of that sheer mischief?’ he asked Bijit.

 

‘What will I get? Buddy all that is visible cannot be seen properly. Go, just get inside of the humor, and you will find the actual essence. You will reap something. Believe me!’ was his spontaneous reply.

 

 Bijit was smiling; there was hardly any reaction on his face, as he knew his friend first shouted and then tried to explain with his familiar ‘this-is-not-good’ and ‘this-is-not-to-be-done’ speeches. At last when every of his efforts did not work out, he said, ‘do whatever you wish to. I am not with you.’ But Robin stayed and thought Bijit might need his help to come out of that situation. Most of the time, he instrumented the tricks to extricate Bijit out of any bad situation. So, he thought this time, Bijit might need his help…

 

It was not true that he did not need his help. Last time when he pretended himself as one of the guests from the bridegroom’s side in a marriage and that he was caught red handed by the people, he really needed Robin’s help to flee there from: four of them were present and being caught would lead to so many unthinkable circumstances: staying at the police station or getting beaten, anything. That time too Robin warned him from entering the nuptial ceremony, but he was confident no one would identify them.

 

*          *          *

 

Nearly all the guests arrived by now and the party was at its highest peak. The champagne flowed like stream in the glasses, the eye grabbing attention of the beautiful women at par, the shines, the soft tunes, the dances, the generous food heaped on the table, the crowd around the celebrity, the reporters and obviously some unsolved questions and assumptions hovered around the party climate.

 

 ‘Bijit! Who is that fellow? I have not heard of him earlier’, said one famous director. ‘Let’s go to him, and find what his actual status is’, he said to his manager.

 

As of now Robin was standing maintaining a distance from his angry friend, Robin who was thinking like always when Bijit needed his help, he would rescue him, but his other two friend seemed to have charm in that ‘Actor game’. So, they were with him.

 

But one thing made Robin much more curious. His editor, Mr Tejpal Dubey, was also with Bijit. How could he know his boss? And what actually attract Tejpal to him. Was he also puzzled like others or he knew everything, but how could that be possible? Tejpal should know Rahul Kumar’s publicity!

 

Rahul was standing with his party friends, when someone said to him, ‘Rahul do you know that person?’ pointing to Bijit. He said, ‘No’.

 

‘They are saying that he is going to act in a major Hollywood film with Russell Crowe’, he said. ‘Had that been so, he should have at least been in the film gossip, long before that Hollywood film signing? Isn’t it?’

 

Again he added, ‘how could he escape the media call? In the film industry the moment people have signed a normal film they are in the news; if the media persons do not approach them, they would arrange something to get the reviews in the newspaper. That is initial try for any budding actor here: getting known by the help of the film gossips.’

 

Rahul looked at him; there might be a curiosity or rage in his stare. The speaking one could not fathom, but that was for sure Rahul did not like his open say. That in fact depicted Rahul, too, that he was also thirsty for the pre-hype of any of his forthcoming film and his recent star power that he made by the sweat of his brawn, had actually had this kind of input merged with his acting flair.

 

Now, Rahul navigated to the place where Bijit was standing with his friends. Tejpal was also there, and a few others guests too. They were very much happy to see Rahul there. Tejpal introduced Bijit to Rahul as the budding actor; he said he would surely write a few lines about him in his daily. He said, ‘it is really a pity, that such a big happening had occurred, when our fellow friend signed a major film with a big Hollywood hero and we, the media persons, don’t know anything about it. It should have to be written, obviously with the consent of the actor’, saying he winked at Bijit who smiled back to Tejpal.

 

Lights dimmed. Rahul scrutinized Bijit carefully and asked, ‘have I seen you before?’

Bijit was not perplexed, though he had nothing to utter. His every time weapon, a sweet smile, rested on his face; he tried to remain calm. Robin had now come there too. He replied, ‘I think no, though I had been an ardent fan of yours; so, in that respect, I suppose, we met before too when I fancied how I would act like you! And I copied so many scenes from your films in front of the mirror’, really this acting was much tougher than the on screen play, because this was the real life show.

 

Rahul smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. He started talking with him. It seemed he was happy by Bijit’s applause; at least that showed he was still on the top.

Photographers flocked there at once, as already there were much hush-hush talks about that fellow. When staying at this superstar was something someone could barely imagine, Bijit had to share the same place with Rahul. Really the moment was awesome and frightening too. ‘What if he had been caught!’, Robin was thinking.

 

Suddenly Bijit spoke out, ‘it is my kind request to all of you who had taken my photographs and who are planning to write about me, please do not write anything about me in the newspaper, because I want my film be released first. Then if the audience would like my work, the news automatically would follow me. It is my earnest request to you people. Will you promise me?’

Everyone there was surprised by that remark, thinking this budding actor really did not want any gimmick before his film be released. Though heartbreaking for a few, as the news would sell like hotcakes, they gave their words to him.

 

Actually Bijit was careful about Rahul’s status and his obviously, since all that were done, was from a childlike energy and that had nothing to do with the real life. Moreover, Bijit was not a star, but Rahul. So, it would be unethical to publish some fake news, though everyday bunch of false news had been written, just to maintain the TRP, he would never ever do such thing; otherwise readers will lose faith in the daily, and that he did not want. And that was a kind of criminal offence, too.

 

Tejpal was smiling and patting on his shoulder. ‘Big boy!’ he remarked, while looking at Rahul who also could not say things like this. So, from all aspects, that was a day if Bijit.

The party was over. Rahul got Bijit’s false number thinking that was his own. Bijit had been doing a PHD in social science and he had no connection at all with films before. Side by side he was working for an NGO. He liked to counteract with people and made them happy with his usual enticing presence. That was all about Bijit.

 

Four friends left the place with glee and charm. Robin was shouting on Bijit for his adamant nonchalance.

 

‘Tomorrow you are going to see something in the morning’ he smiled to Robin, who was dumbfounded once again. ‘Do you mean to say the surprises are not finished yet?’ Robin asked him.

 

‘No, there’s more to know’ he replied with a smile. He started, ‘do you know what the day today is?’

 

‘Why? 1st April’, Robin replied. Suddenly he was taken a back. That means Bijit made an April fool of Rahul Kumar, the leading face in the film industry!

 

Bijit now was laughing bitterly. Other friends were laughing too. Robin rapidly started running after Bijit, ‘I am gonna kill you!’ he said to Bijit who was running too like a child.

They were crisscrossing the night road, when most of the city dwellers were half asleep.

 

*          *          *

 

The following day, Tejpal Dubey’s noteworthy column speaks its sensational remark like this:

“He was not only a common face in most of the successful directorial venture, but a phenomenal star icon for so many commercials and print ads. He was acting for commercial as well as for the art films. He knew which script had the masculinity to please the audience, because ultimately he had to bag the trust of his innumerable fans inside and outside of the country. He was the most expected face in any film gathering, award ceremony and the party. He was Rahul Kumar who shared an enormous stardom. The acting circuit loved him, as he was economically sound to work with; barely one or two film had seen a flop mark at the box office. Critically too, he was sound. As a whole, he was the spectators’ actor. He customized any role in his way and weaved his desired style there in and made the final show a fabulous mastery of the acting genius and commercial viability. Yet he was suffering from his mannerisms, as in most of his roles he played as of now, he remained a hero, Rahul Kumar, not that role itself; that was why script writers were trying to find ways to utilize his acting talent in such a way, that he no longer remained Rahul, but would be seen as the projected character itself.

It is a crisis of a superstar who in his career limelight, is trying to find ways to stimulate his acting notions, either by the make-ups sometimes or by the throw of speeches that he usually utters.

 

In one fine morning I found him in a poster at the bus stand when I was going to catch a taxi. There he was shown to be promoting a famous mobile connection. He was shown sitting on a chair. But that is not what I am going to say. Someone had drawn a mustache by black line on his face in the poster. That was a usual thing. So many places I have seen that in film posters the actresses wear the spectacles, hat and so on. That is actually by the passing public. They used anything to draw of the faces of the popular stars, just to while away their time.

For a moment, that might be taken a mere happening, but if you see carefully, you can find your known hero in a different face, and sometimes it is interesting and sometimes unpleasing, too. Just for your help I have attached the picture herewith.  This, I think, cannot be a normal incident; it paves a way ahead to read what is going on in audience mind. It is rather an allegorical expression of what our beloved hero, Rahul needs right now: to change himself staying at his familiarity, and present himself in a completely different manner on screen. Whether that can be possible by changing his make up or by his acting style or by squeezing his much-seen presence that he is to think intensely.

 

Like him I, also, am very much interested to see how he would cope with this crisis period, when every of his films have seen a staying mark in the audience memory. This is very much prevalent for any successful actor who has become an aping novice to his self-mannerisms. He has to come out of it; otherwise, it would be not too far that he would be caricatured by the young college students and sadly speaking, all his earlier versions would be seen a history.”

Tejpal knew Bijit’s actual status; long before their meeting Bijit met him on an occasion organized by the NGO he is working for. But Tejpal never mentioned his name in his news article. This article had nothing to do with last night’s incidents; it was just coincidental to Tejpal’s write up.

 

Rahul read the newspaper and called Tejpal’s number to find he was out of the town.

After sometime his servant gave him an envelope from an unidentified person requesting him to forgive him for what he had done the last night. That was just a fun and nothing more, really, because yesterday was 1st April. Now he smiled first and then laughed alone. He also took an oath, ‘someday I must meet you buddy, and I have become a fan of your presence of mind and intelligence’. That was fun but the editorial certainly taught him a lot!

In his next film the fans saw a new face of him: Rahul in mustache. This was really an interesting thing, as he was not seen with mustache before. This at least showed he started his research of seeing him anew. It was trial and errors try as if he was new in the industry, not a successful hero.

Author's Note

Please feel free to give me your honest feedbacks!

Reviews

[Nicole (Carpe Diem)]

i think you have a great story here but the grammar needs tightend up a bit and make the flow better... there are a few places that it is awkward reading - such as the sentence 'Someone said, 'see, that is Bijit Sardesai, recently he has signed a film where he would share a leading role with Russel Crowe, Hollywood's one of the top actors.'' maybe something more like 'Someone said, 'that is Bijit Sardesai, he recentl signed on film where he would share a leading role with Russel Crowe, on of Hollywood's top actors.''

[Gandré]

I enjoyed your story so much. You see, if we live by dualistic philosophy that an actor is excellent or bad or move is great or - flop or we want to belong to the rich people not to the poor ones - then we spend our lifes restless searching. So your protagonist Rahul found his way, to play a less successul hero and that might bring him neared to his aim - to be the most desireable actor, what a fun. great story. where did this come from? this was really good.

[An owl on the moon]

So powerfully vivid! You write this piece as if you are an eyewitness and we are listening to the full account. Very well done! Such a depth to the characters, insights into them...

Craig