Dhobi Ghat Page #3

l hope you charmed her

This is so much easier with paper

You haven't asked me why l came

Why did you come?

l've wangled a show for you

Ask me where

Where?

Sydney

l wanted to surprise you

You know, there's this gallery

l've been in touch with

about Medha's work and Gagan's work

l slipped in a catalogue

of your work

They seemed to really like it

ln fact, they want to

open their lndia section with you

This will launch you internationally,

l'm so excited

And of course, you 'll get to see Shiv

How old must he be by now?

Almost six

So, did you like my work?

What do l say...

l think it's great

Great, thank heavens

Tea?

You 're my first ''client'',

so l was nervous

No, your work is superb

But...

tell me...

What?

How do you like me?

ln the pictures...

l think you look great

Now you have to take me to Dhobi Ghat

- Show me the pink ones

- Here, madam

- How much?

- Rs 75 for a set

Did you hear that, lmran?

No, that's too much

Don't worry, l'll knock down the price

Hey, dad

Yeah, l am here

Yeah, it's great

Yeah...

What's his name...

your site manager... ?

l think it was Harish or something...

he set it up for me

Yeah, it's great...

thanks, dad

l'm getting some great shots

Okay, bye

- What are you shooting?

- l'm new to the city so...

So what? Don't you know

all this isn't allowed?

New to Mumbai?

See all you want, surely that's free!

What are you looking at?

What are you staring at?

At the camera

Look straight ahead!

Never seen a camera before?

lt's none of your business where l look

lt is! Look ahead!

Tell madam she wants to shoot me

returning the clothes

She wants to take pictures

of me working

Why? You come inside

Ma'am, actually l'm shooting him

at work from washing to delivering

So if you don't mind, can l shoot him

handing over the clothes?

Take the clothes

One salwar ...

One kurta...

Madam wants you inside

Tell her l'm in a hurry.

l'll come by another day

Did you see how she glared at me?

Forget about her

But she won't forget about you !

Second Letter

Smile for me, bai

Oh dear...

Just a little

Where's your daughter?

- Over there

- Vanita, come here

Vanita, come here...

Come on...

Come, don't be shy

lmran, meet Lata bai

and her daughter Vanita

Say hello to my brother

But where is he?

Ma, she's recording our pictures

to send to her brother

She's a smart girl

Which class are you in?

Class 9, English Medium

Then say something in English for us

Go on, recite that poem

''The Brook'', by Alfred Lord Tennyson

l come from haunts of coot and hern,

l make a sudden sally

And sparkle out among the fern,

And bicker down the valley

By thirty hills l hurry down,

Or slip between the ridges

By twenty thorpes a little town,

And half a hundred bridges

... l've forgotten the rest

Wow!

Bai, she's very smart

A bit too smart

Watches TV all day.

Dancing and singing with songs...

so her grades have dropped

Wow, then dance for us...

Go on

Some other time then...

- Should l get back to work?

- Yes

Can't say, sir,

my shifts keep changing

l don't know when

this lady lived in your flat

There was a maid called Lata bai

who worked here

Do you know her?

l've heard the name.

But l can't say for sure

Please ask around

She might still be working in this area

- Please find out

- Okay, sir

How long have you known Arun?

Why?

Just... curious

Around four years

Has he always lived alone?

No, earlier he lived

with his wife and son

What? No way

Yes, why?

They split two years ago

Divorced

He was in a bad way then

Just wouldn't open the door

One day l shouted,

''Open the door, or l'll call the police!''

Then?

Finally, he opened the door

Thank God he was alive

l made some tea, we drank it,

and then l left

Then?

Then he got okay

What was his wife like?

Nice

Fair... tall...

Taller than Arun

Aren't you married?

Boyfriend?

ln the past

Not anymore

And you ?

Why not? You 're so handsome

What can l say?

l... haven't really liked anyone...

as yet

You 'll find someone

- Hello

- Hello, Shai Edulji

- When did you arrive?

- This evening, darling

- Where's mum?

- She's already gone off to bed

- So, having fun?

- Yes, it's been great

Like today,

l shot in the Dhobi Ghat

You know what your mum would

have to say about that, right?

She'd probably say l needed

a vaccination shot or something

That Raju is a real bastard!

He did me out of 50 grand

And here l was trying to help him

l gave him a good thrashing

And warned him

l'd complain to Kale Bhai

That's when he got scared

Just because he's Lambu 's brother

he throws his weight around

Munna, l need some cash

l've got to put down 1 0,000...

for that apartment in Jogeshwari

Look...

l've got 7,000. Give me three

l'll return it next month

You still owe me 4,000

l can't loan you any more

l swear l'll pay you back. Don't worry

Kale Bhai is giving me

a big job next month

And l'll get my share out of Raju

For sure. l promise

But Salim, don't mess with Lambu

Yes, mom!

What?

Why are you laughing?

Did your Ma'am take these?

Just look at you !

l mean, you look great

But l don't know why l found it funny

You look handsome, buddy

What a body!

When will you introduce me

to that producer?

Do something for me, fatso!

You think l won't?

l'll take you tomorrow. For sure

l have to say...

this Ma'am of yours seems really nice

Why don't you tell her?

What are you scared of now?

- She's already seen you half-naked!

- Shut up!

YASMlN NOOR

Nothing lasts here...

The sea claims everything

l can share everything with it,

tell it all my secrets,

and they'll sink softly

to its depths

The sea will keep them safe

Nice to see you again,

how are you doing?

l'm good, how are you ?

Good, very good

Moved house, working on a new project

l live right here, in fact.

On the fourth floor

- Really?

- Yeah

l was just going in here,

this building

Are you going to shoot something?

Yeah, just shooting

the construction work and all that...

it's one of my dad's sites

- So, you are...

- Well, l should...

- Sorry

- No, it's okay...

No, do you want to have

a coffee or something?

l mean... do you have the time?

Yes... l have time for a coffee

So, do you want to come to my house?

- Okay, yes

- Come

So how's the sabbatical been going?

lt's been pretty good, so far

Been seeing a lot of the city?

Yeah... kind of...

Have you been spending a lot of time

in this area? Mohammad Ali Road?

Well, not really

l guess one needs a guide

to see all the really local stuff

Yeah...one needs a guide...

And you ?

You 've been working?

Yeah, kind of...

There is this...

something that l am quite

excited about...

That's great...

You look a lot happier, l have to say

You know, Shai,

l really want to apologise

for being such an ass

the last time

Oh, no...not more apologies...

Just forget about it, okay, please

lt's really not a big deal. Really

Although l was really pissed off

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