The Filmmaker's Dream

Chapter 23 - Say you love me!

I'm back with another update. My favourite part. You will know why.

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"Mom, I didn't do anything" said Vikram, trying to recollect his mistakes that week. "Yes. I spilled coffee on your old saree. Accidentally of course. And I lost my wallet again. I got all my cards blocked. There was very little cash in the wallet. It doesn't have any confidential information. Nothing to worry about."

"Again? This is the third time you lost your wallet this year." Latha glared at him.

"It won't happen fourth time. But on the brighter side, I found the old toolkit you were searching for since last month." Vikram tried to change the subject.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Latha's glare intensified. "If this happens another time you will have to part with your wallet forever. I will give all your cards to Naresh. Remember this." 

"Okay. If this is it, shall I go?" Vikram was relieved. She made similar warnings several times before. Yet he managed to escape punishment most of the times with his excellent acting skills.

"Wait. I got a complaint against you from Keshav." 

Vikram was expecting this. "I don't know what he told you. He is wrong. I can't adjust with mediocre resources and lesser funds. Had it been some family drama or romantic comedy I would have adjusted with the budget provided. Not with this genre. Everything needs to look royal in this film. That's what I told him. It's not like I demanded something for my personal gain."

"Calm down. I never blamed you. In fact, I support you" said Latha.

"You do?"

"Yes. That man, Keshav, has been trying to replace me since your father's death. He seems to be under the impression that the production house belongs to your father and I'm nominal head. He doesn't seem to understand that I have been running this company without your father's help since long. I don't know what he told Srujana. Now she thinks that I am providing extra comforts to your film compared to other films. She will realize her mistake once the film is released. But Keshav. We have to deal with this guy's problem as soon as possible." Latha explained the situation to Vikram.

"I never knew this. I thought he's just a grumpy old man. Something tells me this is not it. There's more to it." He sat down next to his mother. "Tell me." He held her hand.

"I argued with him this evening. I said I have the authority to override his decision. I'm the boss. And I ordered him to move to France and concentrate on our new Paris based web series. I can't let him influence everyone here. The best option is to send him away."

"Did he agree?"

"He had no other choice." She sighed. A lone tear escaped her eyes. Vikram was horrified. "Was he rude to you? Don't cry. Please." He offered her a glass of water.

"He said people are following me not out of respect. It's just sympathy.... because my husband is dead."

Vikram clenched his fists. He stood up. "I will have a few words with that man." He walked out of the door. "Vicky. Stop." Latha followed him. He didn't listen to her. He was furious.

"Shubha. Stop him."

Shubha looked at Vikram storming out of the main door. She didn't know what happened. But she knew he had to be stopped. She saw pure rage in his eyes. She ran towards him and held his hand. 

"Let me go Subbu." He could have easily jerked her hand off. But he didn't want to disrespect her. 

"No! Producer's orders." She held a nearby pillar with one hand for support. "If you want to go you will have to fight me. By the way, where are you going? Are you eloping?" She whispered the last part.