Scorpio Superstar (Written in the Stars Book 1)

by Sundari Venkatraman

  Ranjini nodded, turning this way and that, amazed by the magnitude of the place. “How big is this?”

  “I think it’s around 600 acres, though only a little more than half is actually developed.”

  Her jaw dropped. “That’s huge!”

  “It is,” he grinned.

  “Most of the film sets are left intact even after the shoot is over. They are sometimes played around with and recycled for other projects. But otherwise, they are showcased to the public.”

  They got into a big red bus that stopped for passengers and settled into their seats right at the back, keeping their heads down.

  There was a setting right out of Hollywood western flicks, with stables, wooden horses, taverns and the like. Ranjini clicked away with her phone camera. Chandrakanth obliged her by posing as a cowboy with his face peeping out of a cut out on a wall.

  He lifted her up to place her on a wooden horse and took pictures as she squealed, partly in fear and partly in delight. “Chandru!” Ranjini yelled, “I’m so far away from the ground...”

  “So? I’m right here to catch you if you fall.” He grinned up at her.

  “Very funny.” Ranjini pouted at him. It took a few minutes but she grew more comfortable, settling back to look around the area from her lofty perch. “Nice!”

  They got back into the bus to check out a simulated airport and a railway station. They went through back streets, along empty shop fronts with freshly painted boards. Ranjini looked left and right to take it all in, keen not to miss anything.

  They soon stopped at one place where everyone got off, obviously not wanting to miss what the sets had to offer. “Mythology!” Ranjini’s eyes went wide as she checked out the sets straight from the Mahabharata TV series—the royal court presided over by Dritharashtra, another scene where Draupadi appealed to the elders while Dushashana pulled at her sari. There was more, with strategically placed coloured lights bringing the place alive, egged on by the sound system from which dialogues ensued.

  They moved on to walk through gardens. They weren’t just gardens. There was a Japanese grotto on one side while there was another that looked as if they had stepped into Rome. Ranjini was fascinated as she took the stone steps one by one as they walked down the grotto to step into a lane that had twenty identically designed street lamps. “Hey, I remember seeing that in one of your films.”

  Chandrakanth smiled. “Of course you have.”

  “But...but I thought that song sequence was shot in a foreign location.” Ranjini protested.

  “As did most people who watched the film.” His smile turned wider. “Ramoji Film City is a boon to filmmakers in India. There’s lots of space, a variety of sets, gardens, palaces, buildings and more.” They got into the bus that trundled along further. “You see those metal structures?” Chandrakanth pointed to the left. When Ranjini nodded, he continued, “They are kept ready and converted into buildings using cheap plasterwork. These are used for burning buildings or bomb blast scenes and the like.”

  Ranjini nodded, her eyes wide. “Well prepared indeed.”

  “Yeah. Ramoji sir has saved the film folk a lot of money as well as time. You see that bungalow there? Different variations of that have been used in films like Chandramukhi and Bhoothnath.”

  There were fountains and statues built in European styles—Greek, Italian, French and more—along the way. Some of them appeared familiar to Ranjini too as she had seen them in films.

  Wasn’t she the lucky one to have the superstar showing her around the film city?! Ranjini was thrilled to bits.

  They were beat but happy when they returned to their hotel past nine. CK took Ranjini’s phone and laptop and locked them away as she looked at him with a frown on her face. “What if someone tries to contact me?”

  “Your immediate family and your two colleagues have Vivek’s number. So they know how they can get in touch with you in an emergency. Otherwise, we are on a holiday.”

  She pouted at him. “So, you just took that decision without consulting me.” While she seemed playful, Ranjini didn’t much care for her husband’s highhandedness and made that absolutely clear with her body language.

  “Ranju...” Chandrakanth hugged her from behind.

  She pushed him away. “Leave me alone.”

  “You are angry.” His voice was soft when he uttered that.

  “Oh yes! Didn’t I tell you that I’m aware that Sherlock Holmes is your ancestor?” Ranjini’s voice was highly sarcastic.

  “But why? Didn’t I tell you that we are on a holiday for three days?”

  Ranjini leaned against a wall, glaring at him. “You declared the holiday. Did you bother to find out if I had something important lined up? Or doesn’t my business count at all now that I’m married to a rich guy?” If the tears dared to fall, she might just kill herself.

  “Listen Ranju...”

  “I won’t, until you give me a convincing reply.”

  “Okay.” Chandrakanth raised both his hands in a pacifying gesture. “Here you go. I planned it as a surprise when I overheard your conference call to Ryan and Savitha, giving them a three-day off. Maybe I presumed too much. I...”

  Ranjini flew into his arms, pressing a hand on his mouth, not wanting him to apologise for no mistake of his. “I am sorry. I...” She shook her head, abject apology on her face as she continued, “Motormouth, that’s what I am. Please forgive me?” She looked up at him through half-closed eyes as she blew him a kiss.

  “Hmm...let me think about it,” said Chandrakanth, his arms at his sides, having a tough time not to place them around her. But he won’t be walked over.

  “Now what can I do to pacify you?” Ranjini opened her eyes wide to look at him innocently, before fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. Then she went on the tips of her toes to press her lips to his, her tongue peeping out to trace the shape of his mouth.

  Chandrakanth did his best to hold on to his temper but was soon lost under the onslaught of her lovemaking.

  They had a wonderful time together over the next two days, discovering a mutual interest in playing Table Tennis and Carom. While Ranjini gave him tough competition, Chandrakanth won all three rounds of TT. “You need to work harder at staying fit.” He told her, thumbing his nose at her.

  While agreeing with him from within, Ranjini said, “Huh! Big deal! I’ll beat you at it the next time for sure.”

  “We’ll see.” He grinned at the determined look on his wife’s face.

  She was better at Carom and won three games out of four, cackling with glee as she jumped around the room, doing a victory dance.

  Chandrakanth gave instructions to Vivek to have a TT table installed in the gym at his home and also purchase a Carom board and coins.

  On Monday, sitting in front of her laptop, grinning to herself, Ranjini decided that the past three days were some of the best in her life. Her husband was simply adorable.

  Ranjini’s joy came crashing down that evening when she stepped out of Hotel Sitara for a walk and caught sight of Mridula getting out of a car, chatting with a couple of boys from the same film unit that Chandrakanth was shooting for. Did the woman have a role in the film? Then why hadn’t Chandrakanth mentioned it to Ranjini?

  At that same time, Vivek was with Chandrakanth in his make-up room. “Mridula is here to shoot for a small part in your film, CK. She’s...”

  “What?!” The superstar’s voice was like the crack of a pistol shot. “Why didn’t someone tell me before? That woman’s more trouble than is worth it.” There was a deep scowl on his face as he glared at his Man Friday.

  Vivek shrugged. “Sridhar Menon had made a special request to Murugesan is what I hear.”

  “This is the last time, Vivek. From the next contract, just ensure there’s a special clause added to keep Mridula out of my films.”

  Vivek gave a sigh before nodding. “Right boss.”

  Neither Ranjini nor Chandrakanth spoke about the arrival of the small-time actress when he ret
urned to their suite late at night. But Ranjini decided that she was going to trust her husband. Even if he hadn’t told her upfront that he loved her, Chandrakanth had gone out of his way to show her his affection many times. And Ranjini wasn’t going to allow a past flame to burn down their relationship.

  18

  Mridula tried her best to flirt with Chandrakanth when they shot for a scene together. She was brash enough to behave as she pleased, knowing full well that the superstar would do his best to avoid a scene.

  But what she hadn’t expected was for him to ignore her completely. He was a true professional, giving the scene his hundred percent, while still managing to give her the cold shoulder. Mridula, however, wasn’t one to give up so easily. She messed up her lines again and again, making the director take several shots until Murugesan lost his patience.

  “What is this Mridula? If you are unable to concentrate, maybe we can cut the scene off.”

  Feeling as if she had been slapped in the face, Mridula apologised to him. “Sorry Murugesan sir. Please give me just one more chance.”

  And the scene was wrapped, just like that. Mridula was disgusted at losing her only opportunity to corner Chandrakanth. Even she wasn’t clear about what she was trying to achieve. It was just that she couldn’t control the jealousy burning acrimoniously within her. The least she wanted was to bring a bit of disharmony to the newlyweds’ lives.

  Mridula bided her time, staying on at Hotel Sitara, refusing to check out of her room on the second floor. She kept a watch from her balcony the next evening, waiting for Chandrakanth to return from his shoot. She knew for a fact that Ranjini had an appointment at the spa, keeping her fingers crossed that she would get to talk to the star before his wife arrived on the scene.

  Well, it looked like her plan was going to work. Mridula took the lift up to the seventh floor of the hotel to wait for Chandrakanth in the corridor outside his suite.

  “Hello CK!” Mridula greeted the superstar the moment he stepped out of the lift.

  Chandrakanth nodded at her before walking on, not saying a word in response. It was past nine and it had been an extremely long day. He was looking forward to a shower and dinner, hoping that Ranjini would join him for the latter at least, aware that she had gone for a massage at Samson & Delilah, the hotel’s health club.

  “CK, please listen to me. I want to apologise.” There was a plea in Mridula’s voice.

  Chandrakanth opened the door to his suite, pausing to turn over his shoulder and say, “Apology accepted. Bye!”

  Mridula pushed the door and walked in, right behind him, even before he shut it. Being the gentleman that he was, Chandrakanth hadn’t slammed the door on her, just in case she got hurt.

  “What are you doing here? You apologised and I accepted. I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”

  “CK, listen.” Her voice broke dramatically as Mridula plunked down on a sofa, a hand over her eyes. “Don’t be so hard on me. I...”

  He glared at her before removing a bottle of beer from the mini bar, snapping the lid off and drinking from it.

  “Aren’t you going to offer me beer? For old times’ sake?”

  “What old times’ sake? We never had anything going,” he snarled, disgusted.

  “Have you forgotten?” Her voice was a whisper as she got up to walk over to him swiftly, placing a hand flatly on his chest. “That night we spent in each other’s arms...it was nothing short of heaven, CK. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything for me.” She pressed her body close to his, grabbing his left hand and placing it against her breast. “See what you do to me?”

  Chandrakanth removed his hand swiftly as if he had touched a piece of hot coal, a deep scowl gathering on his face. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her away or tried to, but Mridula clung to him like a limpet, refusing to let go, her hands clutching fistfuls of his shirt.

  “Look at me CK. Forget your wife. She’s a college kid. You are too much of a man and I know she can never satisfy you, not as well as I can. Or keep her if you want. You and I don’t need to get married. But we have to make love, CK. I know you must miss me.”

  Unable to prise her hands off his shirt, Chandrakanth did the only thing he could think of. He removed the buttons swiftly and slipped out of his shirt, leaving it in her clutched fists. “Get out, now, unless you want me to call security.” His voice had risen by several decibels.

  But his naked torso only managed to inflame the desperate woman in front of him. “Oh God! CK, you’ve got such a fantastic body. Do you exercise every day?”

  “If you don’t leave right now, I’ll make sure that no producer or director in the whole country touches you with a bargepole.”

  Mridula stopped in her tracks, threw back her head and laughed long and hard as Chandrakanth looked at her in morbid fascination, wondering if she had finally gone mad.

  “I knew it. I knew you’ll finally get there, threatening my career. How dare you? You might be the superstar of Tamil Nadu. But you are still human and vulnerable like the rest of us. How dare you threaten me? You know something? I’ve recorded your threat on my phone.” She took her phone that was lying on the sofa and dangled it in front of him, laughing again.

  Chandrakanth paled before ruddy colour rushed up his face, his temper blowing out of proportion. “You bitch...”

  “No worries, Chandru. I caught it all on tape.” Both Mridula’s and Chandrakanth’s heads jerked towards the door as Ranjini walked in calmly, her iPhone in her hand. “Everything, from the moment she met you outside the lift in the corridor till she threatened you just now has been recorded.” Ranjini grinned at her husband before turning to the other woman. “I think you should leave now.”

  Mridula flashed a look of pure hatred towards both the superstar and his wife, before she left, accepting finally that she could never revive her non-existent love affair with Superstar Chandrakanth.

  Ranjini turned to look at Chandrakanth with an adoring smile on her face. “You sure invoke deep passion in women,” she said, walking to him and kissing him on his bare chest.

  “Bullshit. They can drool all they want over my film posters. Only those are for public consumption. The public owns the superstar, my image on the silver screen. But there’s only one woman who owns me, the man.” He looked deeply into Ranjini’s glowing black gaze, his own a molten brown.

  Ranjini’s heart picked up beat, the tempo increasing to resemble a drum roll as she met the scorching heat in his gaze with fire in her own. Finally! Finally her Chandru had admitted to being hers. She had wondered not once, but many times, if she would ever get to know the man behind the superstar.

  She held his wrist and lifted it, drinking from the bottle of beer in his hand, her eyes never leaving his. “And who would that be?”

  “I’m not going to tell you if you don’t know that by now,” growled Chandrakanth, leaving the empty bottle on a table before lifting her up in his arms. “I need a shower,” he said, walking towards the en suite bathroom, holding her against his chest.

  “Surprise! So do I!” Ranjini gurgled with laughter and he placed her on the floor of the bathroom before pulling her clothes off in a hurry.

  “I feel dirty Ranju,” he said suddenly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “I feel besmirched by the way that woman has been chasing me as if...as if she could make me hers against my will. That’s so sick.” He groaned as if in physical pain, completely unaware when Ranjini held him by his hand and drew him into the shower cubicle.

  She opened the jet and let the lukewarm water wash away the filth from both his mind and his body, as she soaped him gently, from his neck to his feet. Chandrakanth stood there under the water, only half his mind on his wife’s ministrations, appearing shell shocked.

  Ranjini washed herself swiftly, seeing that her husband was in no state to help her, before shutting off the shower and wrapping a thick towel around his waist. She took another one to wipe his chest and shoulders, befo
re wrapping a third one around her body. “Chandru...” Her voice was a sigh as she pressed her face to his chest, hugging him tight.

  Chandrakanth seemed to come awake from his daze slowly, looking at the towels wrapped around Ranjini and himself. “Oh! I’m sorry. I...”

  “It’s okay.” She patted him on his cheek. “Come along. Let’s order dinner.”

  “Okay.” He went along with her, not saying anything as he wiped himself dry before pulling on a pair of boxers.

  Ranjini ordered food for both of them before drying herself and wearing a cotton skirt and sleeveless top over her cotton bra and panties.

  “Why are you getting dressed up?”