The Price - Part 2

Thanks Ms.V

Dear Ms. V,
thanks for being the first to give feedback on this thread. When the hero-aspirant is quite handsome the reverse casting couch syndrome can easily happen.
I have a friend in Bollywood who tells me that far worse things happen to male actors than those to the female ones.
You may have to wait for one week as I want to give this story in short episodes of 1000 words or less per week. I feel the story is very strong and too much of it might have some side effects.
regards,
Varalotti

 

Thanks SVS

Dear SVS,
(thank God, you have dropped the Sir from my name. Being addressed as sir suffocates me as only a tight shirt and a tighter tie can do. Now I breathe freely)
The central idea of the story is that there is nothing called free lunch in this world. Whatever we think as free has a hidden price which is far higher than the real price of things of similar value.
Everyone who wants to act, who wants a life of fame and wealth, has to pay this price. Whatever Raghavan has paid is just a token advance. You will be shocked when you come to know of the real price he had to pay for his stardom. For that you will have to wait, my friend.
regards,
sridhar

 

Thanks For The 'devotion', Anjana

Dear Anjana,
thanks for 'devoting' Saturdays to me. But you can't compare me with CV who writes really devotional stuff. I write much lighter stuff. Whilst hers is the early morning devotional programmes in the TV like Suprabatham, mine is the serial, the comedy track and comedy scenes. ha ha ha.
thanks for falling in love with my heroine, Vidya. As the story moves this love of yours will become adoration or (hatred, depending on your point of view)
Raghavan has not even started paying the price for his material success. Surely he can be pardoned for his affair with Reshma, as that was something he detests from the bottom of his heart. But what he is about to do.... sorry, I just started writing the next episode. You may have to wait, Anjana, with your fingers crossed.
Women being devious is not a new twist. It is as old as the history of the human race. There are as many devious women as there are men. The only difference is that men hold positions of power and so they have more opportunities to put their deviousness into action. ha ha
You too take care, Anjana.
(do you know that your name means "The faultless one"?)
regards,
sridhar

 

Thanks Shalji

Dear Shalji,
(you know I perfectly reciprocate the salutations. Sridharji has got you Shalji)
You are right. Bollywood movies take about an hour to start building the story. And most of them don't build one evern after two and a half hours. Unlike B&B which was a full-fledged novel The Price is a short story. That means I am running a hundred metre dash as opposed to a 26 mile Marathon. So as soon as the gun sounds I have to start running like mad.
But the idea of the story is that people start running like mad after power, fame, money and position. And in that kind of madness they don't know what they are going to lose.
Your expectations regarding suspicion, jealousy, hypocrisy and greed will not be belied. In fact I am afraid they will be much more than what you cane ever hope to think.
I felt very sad writing this story. When I read this story long back to my wife I could actually see tears in her eyes. Well.. to say anything more is either building up hype or spoiling your suspense.

Thanks Shalji,
yours truly,
sridharji

 

Uncritical Appreciation, Thank You

Dear Vidya,
thanks for your uncritical appreciation. I can easily understand that you have read the story with the eyes of an uncritical, devoted fan. I am beholden to you for that.
Vidya has a far greater role to play both in the story and in Raghavan's life.
She has been labelled as one of my best and also my most controversial heroines. (Like the Vidya of my story Love Letter).
I hope you would not object to a heroine like that bearing your good name.
regards,
sridhar

 

Thanks Kamla, But....

Dear Kamla,
As a discerning reader you have guessed the reason for the speed. Yes it is a short story, which I told earlier is like running a hundred metre dash. So I have to run fast from the very first nanosecond.
Now you are too early to pass judgments and even appreciate me. First Raghavan has just started to stoop. Well if you can't tolerate this stooping what he is going to do in future..... If you are so soft, Kamla, you may have to keep off.
And again you are too early in appreciating me for choosing a male protoganist in the story. I could not spare you the squirming. I have just deferred it to a later episode.
While I am deeply indebted to you for your soft words of praise which has always spurred me to write more and better, in this case I feel that I don't deserve the two notes of appreciation as things are going to change in this story. And when they do change I should start looking for some strong benches which can hold a bulk of 86 kgs. You know why.
L,sridhar

 

Thanks Purnima

I am very happy that my writing has given you so much enjoyment. My only prayer now is that this story should continue to be of pleasure to you even if when it takes nasty twists and turns.
regards
sridhar

 

Thanks Chitra

Dear Chitra,
Thursdays With Chitra is a Rajnikant starrer whereas Saturdays with Varalotti is like Imsai Arasan 23aam pulikesi, a vadivelu starrer.
The problem with me is that I am not wired to read heavy stuff especially on religion. May be when I reach 30 I may do so. We'll have to wait for 2, 3 years for that. ha ha ha.
Till you said no pun intended within brackets I did not intend it. It was then it dawned on me that the word reversal has a very direct meaning.
thanks for the titles Master, super superma. Hope I do retain them at the end of this novel.
regards,
sridhar