Patol Babu, Film Star

Characters:
Narrator : Dhruvi
Patol Babu : Dhruva
Naresh Dutt : Arjun
Chanchal Kumar : Amoogh
Barren Mullick : Ananya
By stander with Newspaper : Arjun

Paras 34 to 47

Skit:
Dhruva : Oh (5-6 times)

Narrator : Patol Babu uttered the word over and over again, giving it a different
inflection each time. After doing this a number of times, he made an astonishing
discovery. The same exclamation, when spoken in different ways, carried
different shades of meaning. A man when hurt, said “Oh” in one way. Despair
brought forth a difficult kind of “Oh” while sorrow brought out yet another
kind. In fact, there were so many kinds of “Oh” s. The true actor could make a
mark with this one single syllable. Patol Babu cleared his throat and began to
practise one syllable in various ways.

Dhruva : Er – I was thinking – if I had a newspaper open in my hand, then

perhaps – just an idea.

Ananya : Excuse me, do you mind handing your newspaper to this gentleman,
just for this one shot, please? Thanks… Now you take your position beside the
pillar. Chanchal, are you ready?

Amoogh : Yes, sir

Ananya : Good. Silence! Start sound! Action!

Dhruvi : Patol Babu saw stars before his eyes. The hero's head had banged
against his forehead, and an excruciating pain robbed him of his senses for a
second. But the next moment, by a supreme effort of will, Patol Babu pulled
himself together, and mixing 50 parts of anguish with 25 of surprise and 25 of
irritation, cried.

Dhruva : "Oh!"

Dhruvi : Then, after a brief pass he resumed his walk.

Ananya : Cut

Dhruva : Was that all right?

Dhruvi : Asked Patol Babu anxiously, stepping towards Barren Mullick.

Ananya : Jolly good! Why, you're quite an actor!

Amoogh : My God!

Dhruvi : Said Chanchal Kumar, massaging his head.

Amoogh : You timed it so well that I nearly fainted!

Dhruvi : Patol Babu was happy that after all those years he was still able to act
so well. It was true that he needed money very badly but what was 20 rupees
when measured against the intense satisfaction of a small job done with
perfection and dedication? 10 minutes later, Naresh Datt went looking for Patol
Babu and found no one there.

Arjun : That's odd - the man hadn't been paid yet. What a strange fellow!