Filmi, Filmi, Inspector Ghote by H R F Keating

Author:H R F Keating [Keating, H R F]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-19T00:00:00+00:00

XI

It took more than a little telephoning, however, to locate Kishore Sachdev. But to Ghote it seemed now that every fresh obstacle was there only to be smashed down. The man who had been selected above all the officers of Crime Branch to investigate the death of a star was not going to be prevented from getting hold of his suspect by any difficulties. Eventually he tracked down one of the young man’s filmi friends who was usefully talkative. Yes, Kishore had gone to the Nataraj Studios at Andheri. He had gone to ask the Great Ravi Kumar for a side hero’s role in the huge new multi-star mystery movie Grand Trunk Express men Hatya, which the super-star had just signed for, not only as leading player but also “to make his bow at the megaphone,” since he had seen the original in the U.K. and could, with the help of a Cameraman “to look after angles and things like that,” make a shot-for-shot hit out of it.

So it was not until well into the afternoon, after another distinctly exhilarating encounter with the press—“I am actively pursuing an important new lead”—that he found himself at last at the Nataraj Studios.

Somewhere in the back lot he emerged unexpectedly from a clutter of buildings very similar to those at Talkiestan into what he at once realised was a typical Indian village. All down the slope of a small hillock a beaten-earth village street had been created. On each side little mud-built houses looked out, their doorways none the less dark for the fact that they backed onto either the high wire fence of the Studios compound or onto the walls of a sound stage. Artfully arranged freshly cut branches ingeniously blocked out the intrusive comers of other buildings and at one point a whole mock palm rose up specially to conceal—Ghote felt a jab of pleasure at realising this—the top of a telegraph pole.

At the foot of this immemorially typical street stood a camera on a tripod. It was backed by a large row of canvas chairs occupied by the Director of this film—Ghote had not been able to find out what it was called, but he had learnt from Kishore Sachdev’s friend that it was one of twenty-seven which the great Ravi Kumar was at present engaged upon—and other prominent actors, including at the far end none other than Nilima again, sitting beside an elderly lady who from her proud looks and considerable amplitude could only be her mother. At the star s feet a tailor knelt stitching furiously at sequins round the hem of her peasant skirt.

Nilima, he thought. Nilima here. Nilima here to witness the arrest. My pledge to her kept right before her eyes. And the…..hen when the trial had been brought to a successful end amid the full dazzle of nationwide publicity, then Nilima’s gratitude, Nilima’s friendship. A new and totally different life. It could be. It would be. It must be.

He directed a probing, furious glare at the small crowd of people standing behind the chairs.

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