Saturday, October 07, 2006

Fictional....

“Mast movie yaar”, I said, as Tarun, Mayur and I moved down the steps after watching late night show of Khosla ka Ghosla.
“Arrey yaar Bedi, you should also try writing something fictional in your blog”, Mayur said.
“Fictional??”.. I pondered.
“yaar, the blog is according to a theme – about my life..can’t write fiction in that”, I tried to give an excuse – a poor one, which I realized immediately after I said it.
The topic changed but the thought lingered on with me. ” What’s the harm in trying?”, I thought.as I put on a Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali khan cassette which I had just bought from Planet M.
As I moved on the deserted roads, I kept thinking about what would the story be like?
Should I write a love story.. naah!! It had to be something different. But this is the first time you are writing. Why not stick to the tried and tested formula, as they say.
But not a love story. Then a mystery?? or a comedy??
“Guess, I need to consult with Amrut – the Story teller”, I concluded as I diverted my attention to NFAK’s ‘Ho jave je pyaar te sauna bhul jaanda’.
“Why did I took the shortcut at this ghostly hour”, I thought as I passed through a dark stretch of road with overgrown trees making the road a tunnel. But then it struck, “why not write a story about ghosts only?”
A sharp explosive noise blasted me out of thoughts as the car took an uncomfortable bump. Then again – accompanied by a similar bursting sound. As the car limped towards the left, I realized,
“I must have run over something sharp and both the front and rear tires are punctured. Shit! Shit!!”
Hoping Tarun had taken the same road, I pulled out my mobile to call him as I got out of the car to analyze the damage done. As I started going towards the rear of the car, I saw 2 dark figures scurrying towards me. “Ghosts?? How is this…..”.
“Idiot.. it was a trap.. they are coming to rob you”. I rushed back to the open door. “Where are the keys?”.
“Where did you keep the keys. Damn it??”. I put my hand deep into the cargo Pockets as the other rolled the window up. The mind rewound back few seconds, and got back the picture of keys dangling at the place where they should be – in the keyhole. The hand responded quickly and found them. “Now don’t act filmy and refuse to start”, I begged the car. Thankfully it did. And precisely at the same moment a huge hammer came crashing on my rear window – landing in the middle and making a gaping hole with pieces of glasses still sticking to the sides. Scared to the hilt, I pressed the accelerator as I hard as I could.. With two tires punctured, it was pretty hard for the car. “chal dhano.. aaj teri basanti ki ijjat ka sawaal hai”. From where did that come? Strange mind!!
The old maruti limbered on. The black figures were running besides me. With their big hammer looking ready to thud again. One side of the car was literally on the rims as it sparked its way along. The robbers were not in a mood to give up. They were following with full vigor on foot. How far could the car go without wheels on the long stretch of the road? Then I heard a loud burst again. It must have been another blow on the rear. I quickly checked the mirror. There was no hole but what I saw scared me more. Another car had gone over the trap.
“It must be Tarun!!! Oh Shit!”. The robbers stopped and turned their attention to the new prey.
I got hold of the mobile which I had thrown on the seat and quickly dialed Tarun’s number.
It was difficult to decide – whether to move on or stop for him. I decided to keep moving and warn him to not stop.
“Tarun!!”, I said as I got connected. “Don’t get out of the car and keep moving”
“Why what Happened?” he asked.
“it is a trap… puncture.. just get in the car and drive… fast”..
In a daze, Tarun got in the car. I had not stopped, not wanting to lose the momentum car had picked up. I kept on shouting on the phone. It was then I heard a loud thud on the phone. I couldn’t make out in the mirror, if the car had stopped or not. Then I saw a figure moved in front of the headlights.
“What should I do now? Where is the nearest police station?? C’mon c’mon… sector 7.. 8.. no..”.
I heard some loud voices over the phone. I had to go back I decided. ‘Dekhi jayegi”. It was heart over the mind decision. It was time to test if picking up heavy pounds everyday in the gym was of some use or not. But deep inside, I knew I was no match for those bulky dark bodies with a hammer and don’t know what else with them. I got out, took out the lever which is used to push up the car jack and started running towards Tarun.
Simultaneously, I called out 100 on the mobile. I had never dialed 100 before and was also not sure whether something has to be added while dialing from a mobile.
“Chandigarh police. How we can help you?”, the voice crackled.
“Hello… there are some robbers on the road in 26.”, I huffed away.
“Which road sir?”, the voice was alert now, may be simultaneously trying to connect to some Patrol vehicle.
“This road.. near Khalsa College”.
“What is your name?”
“Send some one quickly .. damn it...”
“Sir. I need to know your name?”
“Sidharth… they have caught my friend.. please do something”. I turned off the phone.
As I came close, I shouted “ Tarun…”. No reply. “Tarun… Are you ok.”
I slowly came closer, getting my breath back.
Suddenly a shadow appeared from the side and pushed me to the ground. The weapon I had, fell away.
In a deep Haryanavi he said, “oh.. you are planning to hit with me with that”… he said pointing to the metal lever.
“acting smart with me..saale”, the thug said as he took out a knife which distinctly shone in the dark..
Strangely there was no fear inside me
I replied back, “Where’s my friend??”
“Very concerned about your friend… you don’t worry about yourself?? Hahahahaha”
“We have tied your friend to the tree..Now its you turn”. He took hold of my arm and in a flash twisted it and put the knife on my throat . Then he began searching my pockets.
“The phone! No way I am going to let him take my 18K phone”. Strange motivation but motivation at least. I gathered all my courage and power and hit his groin with the elbow. A shrill shriek disturbed the silence of the night.
He doubled up in pain. Meanwhile the second thug – the one with the hammer came running towards me. I was in no mood to get shattered. I quickly picked up the lever and ran. Tarun was somewhere tied to the tree. I Hoped he was not injured. I went around the car and called out for him. I didn’t have much time as the bulky second figure was coming close.
“Ya. I am here”, Tarun called out. Then I saw him sitting besides the tree.
“They must have hit him”. “Where is the police?? Do they always have to come after the show is over??”
The hammer guy was on me now. We stood face to face. My jack lever looked comically miniature in front of his thick hammer. But at least I had a weapon. It was then that we heard the sirens in the far. For a moment everyone was distracted and I took the opportunity to land a swinging, merciless blow to the hammer guy’s face. He fell screaming to the ground. The PCR was there now. And in true filmy style, the policemen got down and caught the robbers. They always know who the villain is. Never have they come and by mistake caught the hero. Well it was the same case here. The robbers had hit Tarun on the head but fortunately the Sardar’s Turban had saved him, leaving a minor cut on his forehead. But he was shocked as was I. It was still unbelievable that all this had happened.
But I had a story – a real one, for Mayur.


P.S:
1. Only the first 8 lines of this piece are NON Fictional... Everything else - my imagination.
2. The conversation on '100' is imaginary and is no way related to what a real conversation would be like.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mindblowing... That was good.
Welcome to the world of fictional writing. Waiting for more stories like this. Didn't you see any ghosts there?

SiD said...

Thanks for the encouraging words fleiger... :)
Thankfully the intended ghost story didnt materialize... else it would have been my ghost writing the blog..
some of ur patented *evil laugh* here...

Anonymous said...

Now that would have been true ghost story on two counts then (one more than any others)
Kind of feeling sorry to have missed it now. ;)

Amey said...

Why are all my comments coming up as "anon" comments? You shifted to beta right?

Cuckoo said...

What a wonderful fiction!! Is it your first attempt? Doesn't look so.
After being poet & a hero, don't say now you have an aspiration of becoming fiction master as well !!
Nice story. So, when is next one coming up?

You moved to Beta?

Sorry I am late again. Was busy with the birth of my 2nd kid. Labour pains had started. :P
One complaint for you & Fleiger - Why do you write so much? :P It's so difficult to maintain the visits. Kidding ok? Just Chill Chill..

Anonymous said...

nice fiction sidzz..keep bloging...n when next blog is comming on fiction...
:)

KT said...

well I can't imagine myself cooking so much fiction..... and AFA I rem this may be ur second piece of fiction... there was another piece that you had written on Valentine's day with an ending I didn't like!! Although if that was in a blog or MS word don't rem clearly!!!

I am busy with trg these days... will be back to active blogging soon..

Anonymous said...

Zabardasht.. Isse badhiya fiction/Imagination aaj thak nahi dekha.. 2 good.. Just as if it was real..

Good work Bedi.

Amrut said...

Oye kaake... Mast cooking hai bhai... “The phone! No way I am going to let him take my 18K phone”. hahahhaha... Haas haas ke pagal ho gaya main is line ko padh ke... Sahe hai bedu... Carry on.. You r a great cook dude!!!

SiD said...

@fleiger and cuckoo: ya shifted to blogger.. but still dont know why fleiger is anon here...

@cuckoo: hope u r fine now after giving the birth to the baby - who from his birth seems a humourous kinds..and ya aspirations to bahut hain...whats the harm in dreaming??? :)

@KT: well, u r corect. i shud say this is my first published fiction.. wo wali to discard kar di thi... mazzaa nahi aaya tha... not only with the ending.. par overall..

@jalali bhai: kyu channe ke ped pe chada rahe ho.. vaise thanks for the comments..

@amrut: thanks dude!! guess need to learn more from Amrut - the storyteller ;)
btw the characters for the next fiction are ready... and a rough plot also.. lets see!!! ;)

SiD said...

some typos:
@fleiger and cuckoo: that should be beta* .. not blogger

@jalali: it shud be channe ke jhaad pe.. channe ka Ped nahi ;)

Amey said...

So you are a poet, a hero and now a fiction writer... hum nacheejon ke khatir kuch to karne layak rakhiye...

Anyways, read your next plot is ready. When is it coming up?

SiD said...

@fleiger: sir jee..aap hero ke director hain... The 'karta -dharta'..
nacheez to hum log hain.. ;)
aap jaisa kahenge. humen wohi karna padega..

and for the so called fiction.. in these comments you can see the praise.. but offline i have recieved some critical remarks also...
to quote "There was nothing unexpected in that, and it failed to keep the interest alive. The theme wasnt very strong."..

for the next fiction.. I have named the characters but only a rough outline is coming to mind... how will the details materialise (keeping in mind the crtics comments)or will they materialise or not is yet to be seen... :)

KT said...

@sid abe itni active blogging...

and seeing your interest in google analytics (and hence may google adwords) kya baat hai ....

lagta hai company salary ko is saal secondary source of income mein daalne ka iraada hai !!!

Cuckoo said...

Fleiger & SiD,
So, the director & hero are fixed now. Who is the story writer? Me a keen audience.
Could you finalize on heroine? Remember Fleiger? SiD had given his preference .. Priyanka chopra or sneha ullal.. Pls keep that in mind.

Amey said...

You got all that offline right? So what's the prob, ignore that ;)
Anyways, keep the stories coming...
And I am the director but the story is already fixed, right?

SiD said...

@KT: abey kahan ki income... aur itni bhi active bloggin nahi hai yaar..
I guess I post around 1 per week..

@fleiger and cuckoo:
Story...umm... why not cuckoo write the autobiography...
we are becoming famous so we can also help our friends also become famous ;)

@fleiger: trying to get on with the story... lets see..over the week end...

Anonymous said...

Real nice story, I started readin the first few lines but had to get back to work... ur blog window remained open till i finished it next time in one go.. didnt want to loose it in the middle... nicee

Amey said...

@Cuckoo: Like Sid said, it would be much easier using your autobiography. So write that part III quickly now.
And I guess you should have preference in finalizing heroine. After all, it is based on your life. So tell me, what are your preferences? Are you comfortable with ex-Miss World or a copy of ex-Miss World to play you in the movie?

@Sid: Of course, we will mention that the story "is" based on real-life characters. But I guess Cuckoo should add some masala (read the antiques of characters in her office she mentioned) in the story, right?
Good good, hurry the story :)

Amey said...

@Sid: That should not be read as "Harry 'di' Story"...

SiD said...

I fully agree with fleiger..
and I had to mention this but missed out - the heroine being chosen by cuckoo only.. after all its she who is being potrayed.. those 2 were just examples.. you can choose any one.. i wont mind a bit!!! ;)
and i guess i can say on the director's behalf that he wont mind too

regd the masala... what wud a movie be without a masala...
and BTW cuckoo, what is my onscreen name going to be.. that u can only tell !!!!

Cuckoo said...

You two brats!! Stop pulling my legs. :P Not selling my story to anyone. So, no question of any masala. Koi aur story chahiye to bolo. SiD will provide us. He has many fictions to his credits and still writing many more. :P
You became famous?? Ahaaa.. kya baat hai. I'll take your autographs when I come to see your movie ;)

And SiD, I know this director will never mind my choice. :D

@SiD: Ha Ha .. you won't mind any heroine?? Think again. Your on-screen name? Err.. what is the ghost's name in your story? :P

@Fleiger: I told you that post will never come. Keep waiting.

Amey said...

@Cuckoo: Not fair ma'm. First you refuse to give us financial backing, and now you refuse to let us use your story. How can we make a movie now? Any story of Sid cannot be called "LJ diyan" story, can it?
And we are not pulling your legs, if we pull both your legs, you will fall down. And we don't want fallen character to base our movie on ;)

Cuckoo said...

Waah,, You want everything from me? Finance, story, selection of heroines..what else..
What you two gonna do then? Fleiger will make SiD dance around the trees and like a fool SiD will obey to that. :P Imagining SiD dancing around the trees and Fleiger saying Lage Raho, no cut cut... ROFL..Ha Ha..

ok, SiD.. Next topic of your fiction is "LJ dian Mysterian".. Start now. I am not into writing. My hands are hurting now, likhte-likhte.

SiD said...

@yeh kya... this is cheating...

now we should write about ur mysteries.. what if u slap a case on us tommorow..???

and regd my director - i have full faith in him.. and whatever he will do will be what the script demands..

regd the heroine.. plz remember that the heroine will be basically playing YOU on sceeen.. so chose accordingly..

and the hero name - it will be ur real life hero name.. so u can only tell ;)

Cuckoo said...

Hmmm so everything is on me now!!
My story, my finance, my hero, my heroine..and so on.

Then why do I need two of you? I better do everything myself. You two are out!!
Let me play myself coz there's none like me in film industry. And for my hero?? This is difficult at the moment. Hmm ok, will find someone ;)

Waah, my story, my finance, me heroine & him my hero.. and you two out!! Ha Ha...

Cuckoo said...

BTW, don't have so much faith in your director.. He's badi chalu cheez :P
He'll keep you running around the trees, doing all the stunts and he'll sit in a chair araam naal :P

SiD said...

ohh ... i wud love to do all the stunts...
and dont worry i will keep the director on the toes...
u know like it is rumoured that amir khan does it.. getting involved with the script and direction and all..

vaise bhi my friends say i look like Amir khan only ;)