45. Producer visits Naga

CHAPTER 45

Producer visits Naga

Manikyam visited Naga by car. Naga invited him. “Come in.”

They sat in the hall. Manikyam removed suitcase and kept a bottle of imported wine in front of Naga. Naga was very happy. “Thank you very much. Tell me. What is it that you wanted to talk about?”

Manikyam removed a CD. “Can you please play this?”

Naga laughed. “Sir, I don’t watch films.”

“This is not a film. There is someone in this CD. I want to ask you about the person.”

Naga looked at one assistant. “Play this CD.”

The scenes of Swami talking to people come on the screen.

Naga was surprised. “It is that function, isn’t it?”

Suddenly Shivayya appeared with Laxmi and Devyani. Naga became serious. He looked at Manikyam. “That is Shivayya. Bastard.”

Manikyam asked, “What about that lady next to him?”

Naga looked at Laxmi. “She should have been my wife. But he took her away and married her. Till today, I am single. I am waiting for him to die. Then I will marry her.”

Manikyam observed him. He thought, “Looks like these two are big enemies.”

He pointed to Devyani. “Who is that girl?”

Naga stared at the screen. “That girl? I don’t know. He does not have any children. I know all his relatives since he himself is my relative. But I have never seen her.”

Suddenly one man brought coffee.

Naga looked at him. “Do you know that girl?”

The man looked at Devyani on the screen. “Yes. She is the daughter of that temple pujari.”

Naga was surprised. “Is she so beautiful?”

He looked at Manikyam. “What do you want with her?”

Manikyam said, “Sir, I have made around 40 films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Since last 3 years I have been planning to take a film, “ANARKALI” in 4 languages. I showed many females artists to director Surinder but he rejected all of them. When I saw this girl at Swamiji’s function, I felt that she will fit the part perfectly. I showed the CD to the director and he immediately agreed. She is a dream girl.”

Naga observed Devyani. “Yes. I never looked at any girl like this. But what you say is true. She is really a dream girl.”

Manikyam said, “I am ready to spend any amount on her. Mine is a dream project. If she agrees, I will be most happy.”

“How much will you give if I make her agree?”

“I will give you 20 lakhs.”

Naga thought for a while. “What is the rate of your project?”

“We are spending 20 cores.”

Suddenly the servant, who was keenly observing the screen, looked at Naga.

“Shivayya likes the girl very much. He does not start his daily duties until he sees her and has one cup of coffee at her house. She is more than his life to him.”

Naga’s face brightened.

Manikyam observed this. “What are you thinking? I am ready to give you 50 lakhs. Please convince her.”

Naga thought, “This is a good chance to take revenge on that Shivayya. If I separate her from him, he will lose half his life.”

Manikyam removed a bundle of notes from his suitcase. “Please take these 10 lakhs as advance.”

Naga looked at the notes and his face brightened even more. He thought, “I will get half the election expenditure.”

He looked at Manikyam. “I will phone in 3 to 4 days time. I have some land there. I can go there to see the land and at the same time we can visit that girl.”

Manikyam was very happy. “Thank you sir.”

He got up and left.

Naga looked at the servant. “Inform me when Shivayya is not in the village.”