Gang of Ghosts Page #3

the Lions Club award.

Right?

- Yes, sir.

What are you?

- The best, sir.

Fine, you win I lose.

Sir, I love you.

- What are you doing?

I love you.

- Stay away.

Come on, tell me your story.

Okay, sir.

So, we begin our

story from a smoke.

Smoke?

- Yes.

Sir, the signing.

- Oh, you want money already.

Sir, cigarette.

Yes.

Here you go.

- Yes, sir.

Now light it.

Take a puff.

There'll be smoke all around.

And with the smoke

the story starts.

Sir, the old mills and buildings..

..are disappearing from the city.

From the mills between

Lower Parel and Mahalaxmi..

..to the old house

between Bandra and Colaba..

..were devoured by the

wind of development.

From British rule to Indian rule.

And now it feels like we're

living in the promoter's rule.

Old structures are

being razed down..

..to build 7 star hotels.

New condominiums are

being built every day.

Multiplexes, shopping malls.

By the grace of God..

..and some new Municipal rules..

..heritage and disputed

properties are still intact.

But they are few in numbers.

The question is..

..who's most bothered by

the city's development?

Mumbaikars.

I mean, all this is

forcing a common Mumbaikar..

..to leave the city and go out.

No, sir.

That problem was always there..

..and it will always be there.

But the demolition

of mills and houses..

..has put Mumbai's

spirit in danger.

Spirit?

Oh, I see. You mean the Mumbai spirit?

- No, sir.

Not that spirit.

By spirit I mean ghosts, souls.

Dead people.

Sir, they're in a terrible state.

They are ruined.

These old houses and mills..

..used to be their den.

You can also call it

their dwelling place.

And now those simple,

nave ghosts..

..are facing a big crises.

They are wandering from

one place to another..

..like crazy homeless souls.

And the few homes that are left

are not enough for all of them.

Because their population is more

than the number of homes.

And sir, the worst part is..

..no one's paying

attention to the ghost community..

..during their time of crises.

The government isn't

introducing any scheme..

..to resettle them.

No one's starting any movement.

Ruling party, opposition party,

civil societies..

..and even the media

isn't ready to help them..

Because their viewership

doesn't depend on ghosts.

Exactly, sir. You're on the mark.

Because they are

neither consumers nor voters.

Very good.

I can sense political

satire in your story.

But there shouldn't be any

lecture or long speeches..

..to deliver a social message.

I like films which has layers.

Something that has ups and downs.

Sir, you'll find

layers after layers..

..in Raju Writer's story.

With all commercial ingredients.

Crime, passion, thrill, music,

romance, dance.

After all, these things make..

..a great Indian pot boiler.

Fine, let's listen.

We'll start our story

with the character of..

..Raibahadur Mr. Gendamal Hemraj.

Isn't he the same person

Hemant was talking about?

Yes, sir. In return of

selling his mills to the British..

..he got the title of

Raibahardur from the British.

And on that occasion, there's

a celebration in the mansion.

Cheers!

Cheers!

On one side there

were celebrations..

..and on the other,

the mill workers..

..were fuming with hatred.

Right after taking over the mills..

..the Britishers cut

down their salary and wages.

And the Mill Worker Unions..

..staged a strike

against this cruelty.

Gendamal was supporting

the Britishers..

..and wasn't ready to bow before

the demands of the workers.

Down with..

- Gendamal!

Down with..

- Gendamal!

Down with..

- Gendamal!

The workers were gripped

with starvation and sickness.

And in a fit of rage they

burnt the mill down to ashes.

Save me!

After his death,

Raibahadur Gendamal..

..decided to stay in this mansion..

..instead of wandering in the mill.

Sir, other than the Royal mansion

there was another mansion in the city.

Imperial Palace.

Before India got freedom..

..the Governor

General Ramsay lived in it.

Indian revolutionaries were..

..thirsty for British blood.

And one day they attacked

Ramsay sir when he was alone.

Vande Mataram!

And before India achieved freedom..

..Ramsay's soul was

liberated from his body.

Ramsay's ghost resided

comfortably in the Imperial Palace.

But this luxury lasted

only for a few days.

Because right after

the independence..

..the Indian

government sanctioned an order..

..to convert that

place into a library.

Now Ramsay liked to read books.

But his ghost detested books,

magazines and newspapers.

So Ramsay was in a dilemma.

Mr. Booth!

Mr. Booth!

And he met his

once-upon-a-time boss, Mr. Booth..

..and made him call Gendamal..

..and get him a place

in the Royal mansion.

I've a friend, Ramsay.

He just passed away.

I need a place for him.

Excuse me, are you Raibahadur?

Depends who's asking?

I am Governor general Ramsay.

You are Governor general Ramsay.

Than I am Raibahadur

Gendamal Hemraj.

Mr. Booth has

recommended your name.

No, Mr. Booth

recommended me your name.

He was a nice man.

He used to called me

Genda affectionately.

Genda?

As in hippopotamus?

No, no, that's Gainda

Da this is Gentha-tha

This is not the same.

- Oh, Ganda, meaning dirty.

No, it means flower...marigold.

Marigold. A lovely name.

Shall we go inside?

- No.

We will not go inside.

Who is the boss? I am the boss.

Who is the boss?

- You're the boss.

Yes. So you will not go inside.

I will ask you to come inside.

Please come inside.

May I sir?

- Yes.

And now we come to the 50's.

Gendamal's younger brother,

Gulabchand Hemraj.

Hemraj family's most useless son.

Alcohol, women, gambling, race.

You can say he had every

bad habit in the world.

Complete Casanova.

Those days he was

madly in love with..

..the famous singer

Manoranjana Kumari..

..of those days, and also invested

lots of money in her films.

Manoranjana Kumari?

- Yes.

She always said.

Entertainment.

Entertainment.

And only entertainment

is what makes a film successful.

Entertaining the director, producer

and actor behind the scenes.

And she wouldn't waste a moment..

..entertaining anyone she liked,

Manoranjana Kumari.

"I won't give it."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give my heart for free."

"I won't give my heart for free."

"Trying to cajole me."

"But first check your pockets."

"Trying to cajole me."

"But first check your pockets."

"Check your bank balance first."

"And then say I love you."

"O beloved, if you don't pay.."

"..the taxes for this service,

you won't get anything."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give it for free."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give my heart for free."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give it."

"I won't give my heart for free."

"I won't give my heart for free."

I am not asking your

heart for free, Manoranjana.

Did I give you these earrings,

the necklace for free?

Don't they have a value?

Don't they have a price?

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