The stranger
who had given her a lift was expectantly looking at her from the same taxi.
“Oh, haven’t you left? Why are you still here?” she inquired, slightly relieved
that she had apparently found someone to latch on to, in that new city.
Somehow, she felt that she’d be safe with him. She looked at his handsome,
angled face and his lean muscles, bulging from his T-shirt’s sleeves. As she
saw him staring at her keenly, she blushed deeply and fell silent, hoping
against hope that he’d offer her some shelter.
“Why don’t you come home with me?” he offered. She gazed into his dark brown eyes and couldn’t discern any lust in them. Yet, she had a vague sense of foreboding. She had spurned that tout and was nearly ready to go off with this stranger to his home! Was she jumping from the frying-pan into the fire? Well, she decided. Beggars couldn’t be choosers! She’d give it a try! After all, she’d have to be brave if she had to fend for herself in a large city like Mumbai. How else could she achieve her goal of becoming an acclaimed super-star?
The stranger identified himself as Sanjay. He was a bouncer in ‘Star-trek’, one of the famous night-clubs in Mumbai. He had just returned from his native place in Andhra Pradesh where he had a wife and a three year old son. He couldn’t bring them to Mumbai, as his job entailed keeping odd hours and his wife, like other small-town ladies, was apprehensive about staying alone in Mumbai. Hence he stayed all alone in a rented two-room apartment in Andheri.
As Samaira hesitated, he laughed and said, “I won’t eat you! You can trust me.” True to his words, both slept in separate rooms. He slept in the kitchen and she slept in the hall. He didn’t attempt to get fresh with her. In fact, he made her feel comfortable and totally at home. He even accompanied her to various casting directors’ and producers’ offices for meetings and for auditions. Thanks to his burly physique, she was never harassed by them. She thanked Sanjay for his help and support. “Wait till I become a heroine! I’ll make you my body-guard,” she’d say loftily and he’d smile wryly.
Several nights, Samaira would secretly wonder how it would be, if he made love to her! She had genuinely started loving him. Alas, he was married and totally devoted to his wife. She had seen his wife, Geeta’s and his son Armaan’s photos. Theirs seemed to be a loving, close-knit family. Would she ever marry and have kids? she wondered. Right then, her career was the be-all and end-all of her existence.
After struggling for 7 long years, evading the ignominy of the casting couch and lecherous touts and doing bit roles in movies, Samaira got her first break. A leading director had spotted her talent and offered her a lead role in his forthcoming film. Her first movie as a heroine, ‘Tara’, had broken all box-office records. Then she had never looked back. She was soon the talk of the town, as the foremost leading actress with a string of hit films to her credit.
Sanjay had politely refused to become her body-guard, but wished her all the best for a bright future. She had bought him a spacious 2BHK in Bandra and he had convinced his wife to come to Mumbai with his son. Once, when she visited them and had a sumptuous lunch prepared by Geeta, Samaira thanked her lucky stars that Sanjay hadn’t given in to her charms, even once, in spite of her numerous hints. She had given up all amorous thoughts about him when he had informed her firmly that for him, she was like a kid sister. He had truly been like the protective elder brother she never had.
Now in her bath-tub, she smiled softly as she realized that she had come a long way from her conservatively dressed ways and small-town, self-conscious demeanor and self-effacing attitude! Now she called the shots!
“Why don’t you come home with me?” he offered. She gazed into his dark brown eyes and couldn’t discern any lust in them. Yet, she had a vague sense of foreboding. She had spurned that tout and was nearly ready to go off with this stranger to his home! Was she jumping from the frying-pan into the fire? Well, she decided. Beggars couldn’t be choosers! She’d give it a try! After all, she’d have to be brave if she had to fend for herself in a large city like Mumbai. How else could she achieve her goal of becoming an acclaimed super-star?
The stranger identified himself as Sanjay. He was a bouncer in ‘Star-trek’, one of the famous night-clubs in Mumbai. He had just returned from his native place in Andhra Pradesh where he had a wife and a three year old son. He couldn’t bring them to Mumbai, as his job entailed keeping odd hours and his wife, like other small-town ladies, was apprehensive about staying alone in Mumbai. Hence he stayed all alone in a rented two-room apartment in Andheri.
As Samaira hesitated, he laughed and said, “I won’t eat you! You can trust me.” True to his words, both slept in separate rooms. He slept in the kitchen and she slept in the hall. He didn’t attempt to get fresh with her. In fact, he made her feel comfortable and totally at home. He even accompanied her to various casting directors’ and producers’ offices for meetings and for auditions. Thanks to his burly physique, she was never harassed by them. She thanked Sanjay for his help and support. “Wait till I become a heroine! I’ll make you my body-guard,” she’d say loftily and he’d smile wryly.
Several nights, Samaira would secretly wonder how it would be, if he made love to her! She had genuinely started loving him. Alas, he was married and totally devoted to his wife. She had seen his wife, Geeta’s and his son Armaan’s photos. Theirs seemed to be a loving, close-knit family. Would she ever marry and have kids? she wondered. Right then, her career was the be-all and end-all of her existence.
After struggling for 7 long years, evading the ignominy of the casting couch and lecherous touts and doing bit roles in movies, Samaira got her first break. A leading director had spotted her talent and offered her a lead role in his forthcoming film. Her first movie as a heroine, ‘Tara’, had broken all box-office records. Then she had never looked back. She was soon the talk of the town, as the foremost leading actress with a string of hit films to her credit.
Sanjay had politely refused to become her body-guard, but wished her all the best for a bright future. She had bought him a spacious 2BHK in Bandra and he had convinced his wife to come to Mumbai with his son. Once, when she visited them and had a sumptuous lunch prepared by Geeta, Samaira thanked her lucky stars that Sanjay hadn’t given in to her charms, even once, in spite of her numerous hints. She had given up all amorous thoughts about him when he had informed her firmly that for him, she was like a kid sister. He had truly been like the protective elder brother she never had.
Now in her bath-tub, she smiled softly as she realized that she had come a long way from her conservatively dressed ways and small-town, self-conscious demeanor and self-effacing attitude! Now she called the shots!
To be continued.....
The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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