Lallan picked up the receiver. “Hello!” “Is it Samir Kumar’s residence?”

“Yes.”

‘Could I speak to Mr Lallan, please.”

“Lallan here.”

“Mr Lallan, namaste, I am Arun Mitra speaking from Jain Hospital, Kurla.”

“Yes?”

“I...I..I don’t know how to begin..I.. have a special request to make.”

“Tell me.”

“My daughter Aishwarya is admitted in this hospital. I....I was wondering ...Aishwarya is crazy about Samir.... she…she adores him. She has seen all his films. Mr Lallan, she wants to meet him.”

“I understand, Mitraji. There are thousands of teenagers who are crazy about Samir and would do anything to spend a few seconds with him. After all, he is the number one star in Bollywood today,” Lallan said, a tinge of pride in his voice.

“My daughter is not some crazy teenager, Mr Lallan. She is an eight-year-old who is dying. She is in the last stage of leukaemia and the doctor has given her only a couple of weeks....she wants to meet her hero before…before she....” Mitra’s voice grew hoarse.

“Oh...I thought...”

“Mr Lallan, can Samir come to Jain Hospital for sometime? Aishwarya will be thrilled. In all these months of suffering she has never asked for anything...I don’t want to disappoint her.”

“Why don’t you get her here? I am sure you realise how busy Samir is? He has 14 films on hand and is doing two shifts a day...”

“I understand, Mr Lallan but we cannot move Aishwarya from the hospital. She is too weak. The doctors would just not allow it.”

“Mitraji, I can’t promise anything. I can only try. Samir, like most film stars, is very moody. I don’t know whether he will agree or not. If you could bring Aishwarya to any of the studios then it would be much easier. Getting Samir to the hospital is like taking the mountain to Mohammed. Anyway, let me see. Contact me tomorrow at around 11.”

Lallan replaced the receiver and looked at his watch. It was 12 and Samir was still sleeping in his huge bedroom upstairs. Last night he had returned very late from a film premiere.

Lallan was Samir’s secretary, friend, confidant — all rolled into one. He was 10 years older than Samir and treated the superstar more like his younger brother than an employer. Samir too respected him and Lallan was the only person who could dare to talk to Samir with some kind of authority. Lallan had known Samir for the last five years — ever since his separation from his wife Seema.

Samir married Seema when he was still a struggling TV actor. Two years later they were blessed with a daughter whom they named Akanksha. She had proved immensely lucky for her father. Soon after her birth, Samir got a few good roles in TV serials. His performance was appreciated and he was offered a couple of films. He made the switch from television to films quite easily and proved successful in his first few films. Soon his career took off and by the time Akanksha was three Samir was on top. Unfortunately, while his career zoomed ahead his personal life started deteriorating. Success went to Samir’s head and he became arrogant and extremely selfish. He started neglecting his family. He surrounded himself with a few yes-men who would keep singing his praise and live like parasites on him. Fed up with all this, Seema took Akanksha and left home.

Samir was shocked, but was too proud to go and seek forgiveness.

Lallan had known Samir since his TV days and was fond of him. After Seema left, Lallan became his secretary and tried to bring back some order to Samir’s life.

To be continued next week

Illustrations: Suman Choudhury