Mr. Mubarak's khas room
Mr. Mubarak has two private rooms in the office. Huge as a hall. Wall to wall wrapped in white carpet. In one corner is a black table ten feet by six feet of mahogany wood. Mr. Mubarak's low rolling chair on the side of the table. Several paintings on the walls. The painting frames are also made of black mahogany wood. The interior designer has made a combination of black furniture with white carpet on the floor. He named it - Composition in Black and White. The tea cup in this room is black in color. The saucers are white.
Mr. Mubarak does not usually use this khas room - he uses the khas room in the attic of the house. The house is relatively small - but the small house seems too big because there is no furniture. There are small carpet leaves in the room for sitting. Light blue carpet on the floor of the Italian parlor Merkel. There is no table in the room - just a small Merkel table in front of Mr. Mubarak, like a cash box in a Marwari shop. Because there are no curtains on the big glass windows, the rose garden on the roof is visible. That garden is spectacular.
Ajmal entered Mr. Mubarak's house wearing Tarafdar shoes and became very unprepared. Mr. Mubarak said with a smile, there is nothing to be so unprepared. Many people fall into the shoes. How many times have I entered myself.
Dirt got on the floor.
Don't worry. Floor dirt can be cleaned. Come, sit in front of me. Do you have a habit of sitting on the floor? Since the arrival of chairs and tables, Bengalis have forgotten to sit on the floor.
Ajmal Tarafdar came and sat down. He is not comfortable sitting. Jeans pants look tight. Mr. Mubarak said, tell me what to eat?
I can have a cup of tea.
Why waste tea before lunch at noon? Drink sherbet. There is a tamarind juice - my favorite. I will give you the recipe if you like.
Thank you sir.
Now tell me about the picture.
What shall I say, sir?
You must have been told. I want to make a picture.
Yes Mr. Lokman told me.
Tell me in that context.
Ajmal Tarafdar did not think what to say. He is very thirsty for cigarettes but the condition of this house does not seem to be the same. Cigarettes can be eaten here. The gentleman spoke of sherbet. But he did not ask anyone to give him sherbet. Probably forgot. It would be nice to have a glass of cold sherbet.
Want to know what the picture is about?
I want to know everything.
Let's start with how much money it will take?
Please.
There is no such thing as an upper limit in the world of photography. If anyone wants, he can spend five crore rupees to make a picture.
Even if there is no upper limit, there must be lower limit?
Yes, it is. The price of the goods - the rate at which the payment of the artists has increased. Sir, you have to invest around one crore rupees for a picture.
One crore rupees will be the picture?
Yes. Need to do a little tight budget. Hands and feet cannot be played.
How much does it take to play with hands and feet?
Join him for another fifty lakhs.
Well, I'll spend one crore and fifty lakhs.
Ajmal Tarafdar was a little shocked. He knows that some people have money in their hands. I don't know at what stage that money is. Many people take pictures to whiten black money. What is the amount of black money of this gentleman? Thanksgiving is upon us, which means the holiday season is in full swing. Simple look - folds on the skin of the face. The school teacher seems to be a school teacher as he wears pajamas Punjabi.
What kind of picture do you want, sir? Commercial pictures, no. Art pictures?
Explain the difference.
Manikdar's picture is an art picture.
Who is Manikdata?
Ray. I went to take a picture in Taliganj, then I met him. He loved me very much.
That's fine.
The name will be if it is a ‘Pather Panchali’ type picture, but the picture will not work. Visitors will leave before the interval. The money invested will not come up. National Film Awards will be available. The film will go to various film festivals, along with the film you will also go as a film producer. So far.
In the middle of Ajmal Tarafdar's words, sherbet came. A large glass of greenish-colored drink, with ice cubes floating on top. The sherbet has arrived. For one. Mr. Mubarak said, take some sherbet.
You don't eat, sir?
Yes, no. You said about art pictures, now tell me about commercial pictures.
Nothing to say sir. Dhumdharakka type picture. Dance-song-sex, acting in travel style, some clowns, some tears… all mixed khichuri.
People eating khichuri?
Why would so many pictures be made without playing? Eating khichuri. Those who are going to the cinema will not eat anything other than khichuri.
Who is the picture being made for?
Rickshaw pullers, village farmers, porters, laborers. For them - they don't have a TV in their house, they don't have any entertainment - they work all day and come to the cinema hall and get some comfort by playing the whistle. If you want to do business by making pictures, you have to make pictures for them. Now you have to fix it, sir. Who do you make pictures for?
I am a business man. I will expect Rs 1.5 crore when I invest. Three crore profit.
Of course you will.
Now tell me, how much will it cost you to handle this picture of me?
So far no one was able to send in the perfect solution, which is not strange. All pictures did business. All three of the last three films have been superhits. I used to take three lakhs. I have taken seven lakhs in the last two pictures. You will too.
How did it feel to drink sherbet?
Ajmal Tarafdar was a little shocked. Suddenly he didn't understand why the topic of sherbet came up.
I like sherbet very much. There is a commotion.
The recipe is - a teaspoon of tamarind and a tablespoon of sea salt in a jug of water, two crushed green chillies, coriander leaves, a few grains of cumin should be left to stir for twenty-four hours. After twenty-four hours, the cut should be separated. Mix half the amount of sugar with it and give half a peg of vodka.
Is there vodka in it?
Yes there is little, less than half a peg. Do you drink alcohol?
There is not much habit. Sometimes I suddenly end the conversation of that picture, sir. I have some more urgent work to do.
Mr. Mubarak said in a calm voice, "You must end the talk of the picture - I will just interfere a little - you said that you take seven lakh rupees; That's not exactly what you did in the last two pictures. I called you to talk about the research. So far you have not received more than three lakh rupees in any film. In the last film he has signed a contract for four lakh rupees. Got Dulakh. Two lakh have not been received yet. The chances of not getting it are high. I am a businessman, I will start a project worth Rs. Would you like another glass of sherbet?
Yes sir eat.
Now tell me, how long will it take you to finish the picture?
Ajmal Tarafdar's thoughts have become a bit random. This guy is not an easy guy to look like a school teacher. Tough guy. There is joy in working for hard people. They work independently.
Ajmal Tarafdar is feeling uneasy about another matter. The second time he was told about the sherbet but the news was not given inside. Even then, Ajmal Tarafdar's idea will come in a glass of sherbet in time. If he comes, then we have to assume that this man named Mubarak Hossain is not just a tough person - he is a person who has the power of fine rice.
Mr. Mubarak said, you probably have a habit of smoking cigarettes. If you have a habit, you can eat. I also eat occasionally.
He opened the drawer of the small desk type table in front of him and put it out in the ashtray. Ajmal frowned at Tarafdar. At this stage of the conversation, the ashtray will be taken out of the drawer.
Mr. Mubarak leaned over and said, "I have decided to make a picture with you." As your remuneration, I have thought of five lakh rupees. There is a check for this amount of money. If you agree, I will give it to you today.
Give it all together?
Yes. And if the picture is a super hit then you will be given two lakhs more. Do you agree
I agree.
How long will it take to make the picture?
I'll censor the picture in six months. And inshallah the picture will be a superhit. But I have to make a condition-picture like me.
I will give it. Only my people will handle the money. And there will be a girl I know as the heroine. You know him. Working on your current image. Reshma.
Reshma?
Yes.
You are spending Rs 1.5 crore, sir, if you want, you can take the most hit heroine of today.
I want to take that girl.
Don't mind, sir. There is no glamor in her face. The world of photography is glamor.
The makeup of the film line can make the day night. Can't bring a little glamor?
We don't have that kind of makeup man.
If not, bring it from outside. Bring from Madras, bring from Bombay. Bring it from Hollywood if you feel the need.
The sherbet is gone. Ajmal Tarafdar swallowed the sherbet with discomfort. It seemed to him that the little man sitting on the Punjabi body was like a spider. Leaves fine nets. He cannot be seen with fake eyes. Only after getting entangled in the net does the net become clear.
Mr. Ajmal.
Yes sir.
Take this. Your check.
The check came out of the drawer of the table. Ajmal Tarafdar raised his hand and took the check like an instrument. He said in a hushed voice, when will I meet you again?
Will not meet again. My people will be in constant touch with you.
What if there is a special need?
I'm here if needed. I live in the country. But I am busy with various things.
Will I select the story of the film?
Of course you will.
No need to show you?
No.
Do you mind if I work with private party cameras instead of FDC cameras? Germany's Eri Three camera. New arrived. They will take a little more money but it will work very well.
You will work independently. I or my people will never interfere with your independent work.
Yes, sir.
Ajmal Tarafdar stood up. His legs are shaking slightly. Probably a factor as to why they're doing so poorly. Vodka suddenly ‘kicks’. Is it a vodka kick, or something else? This guy who looks like a school teacher has made him nervous.
Sir.
Tell me.
What to contact with artists?
How to communicate with the artists before the story line is fixed?
The rule here is sir - first the artist is fixed then the story line.
Rules do that. But Reshma doesn't need to say anything to the girl. I can also change my decision.
If you don't mind, sir, it would be better to change your decision. It's one thing to have a brand new girl and quite another to have someone who is rolling extras day after day. The audience is curious about a new heroine. The audience has no curiosity for extra girls. Let's go, sir.
Mr. Mubarak did not answer. Ajmal Tarafdar's legs are really shaking. Going down the stairs, he felt like he had done ‘sir’ ‘sir’ more times than necessary. There was no need to do so much ‘sir’. It is no longer a military academy that the world will run on sir.
Mr. Mubarak is sitting alone in the room. This guy has bothered him a lot in the movie called Ajmal Tarafdar. The man has an eye disease. Gorgeous red eyes. He looked into the man's eyes and was annoyed. The annoyance increased a lot when he lied and tried to increase his debt. The greedy man also took the check.
The most ugly scene in the world is the glittering eyes of greed. And the most beautiful scene is the eyes of a lover wet with deep affection. He has been watching greedy eyes for a long time. He looked a little tired. But greedy people have a good side. No greedy person thinks of suicide. Greed motivates them to keep alive. It would have been better if he had been greedy, enjoying life. Don't get any joy from surviving now. He is doing some very low level activities for pleasure. What is the benefit?
Lokman peeked out. He said in a simple voice, Lokman say something?
Lokman politely said, you have asked the doctor to come, he has come.
Bring it here.
Shall I have lunch here, sir?
Give it to me. I also asked the doctor to eat with me.
Yes sir I know.
Dr. Abdur Rashid is an ENT Specialist. Mr. Mubarak has no nose-ear-throat problem. However, he often brought news to Mr. Rashid to talk. Mr. Rashid has a number of bachelor's degrees but no practice. ENT specialists work hard to treat patients. Mr. Rashid does not have that problem. He spends most of his time reading newspapers. He kept four newspapers. It was his time to sit in the chamber and read the four newspapers.
This man's ability to amaze is extraordinary. Mr. Mubarak occasionally brings him news. He sees the gentleman being surprised at the slightest thing. She likes it. A well-known professor of medical college - he can no longer be brought to the news. An excuse of illness has to be made. After showing the disease, a check of incredible amount was given to him. He took the check in his hand and shouted for a while - what have you done! If the journalists know, they will make the news. Impossible, I can't take this check. If you have too much money and it is difficult to donate, please burn the money. Don't ruin me I'm just spoiled.
The gentleman finally took the check. And he said like a child - getting the check was very helpful, there is nothing to say about practice. I kept an assistant in the chamber, leaving for three months without paying.