Chapter 29: The Blockade
February 16, 2012. 9:00 AM.
The air in Satya's farmhouse was thick with the smell of stale tobacco and incense.
Reddy, the enforcer who had been humiliated at the production office, stood with his head bowed. On the teak table in front of him lay two sports bags, unzipped to reveal stacks of cash. Three crores.
Satya sat in his cane chair, staring at the money. He was a man of heavy build, with betel-stained teeth and eyes that had seen too much violence to be surprised by it. But today, he was quiet.
"He paid," Satya said, his voice a low rumble. "Three crores. In cash."
"Yes, Annaya," Reddy whispered, nursing his bruised throat. "He walked in like he owned the place. He didn't bargain. He just threw the money and took the rights."
Satya picked up a bundle of notes. He thumbed through them.
"This is dirty money," Satya muttered. "Old notes. Smells like flour and yeast. It's from the prison bakery racket."
He tossed the bundle back.
"He thinks he is smart. He paid the debt so I lose my legal hold on the movie. He thinks he can become a 'Producer' and wash his black money."
Satya stood up. He walked to the balcony overlooking his sprawling property.
"But a movie is just a reel of film, Reddy. It's useless without a screen."
He turned around, a cruel smile stretching his lips.
"Call the Exhibitors Association. Tell them if Veta plays on a single screen in Hyderabad, their theaters will catch fire. I don't care if they lose money. No one defies me."
Satya grabbed a heavy brass vase and hurled it across the room. It smashed against the wall.
"He wants to play businessman? Fine. Let's see how he sells a product that no one is allowed to buy."
Mahaa Enterprises, Hitech City. 11:30 AM.
The mood in the 30th-floor office was grim.
Nanda was pacing back and forth, his phone glued to his ear. He listened for a moment, then slammed the phone down on the glass table.
"It's a blockade, Bhai," Nanda said, his voice trembling. "I just spoke to the three major theater chains. Asian, PVR, and the single-screen syndicate. They all refused to screen Veta."
Arjun sat at the head of the table, reviewing the poster designs for the movie. He didn't look up.
"Refused? Why?"
"Satya made the call," Mallesh said, stepping forward. "He threatened to burn down the projection rooms. The theater owners are terrified. They say they can't risk their property for one movie."
"We have the rights, but we have nowhere to show it," Nanda wiped sweat from his forehead. "If the movie doesn't release this Friday, the buzz will die. We lose the momentum. And the three crores we paid... it's gone."
Arjun picked up a marker. He drew a circle around the release date on the calendar. February 20.
"We are not delaying the release," Arjun said calmly.
"But the exhibitors..."
"Business is simple, Nanda," Arjun stood up, capping the marker. "People are motivated by two things: Greed and Fear. Satya gave them Fear. We need to give them Greed."
Arjun looked at Shiva.
"Get the car. We are going to meet the Head of the Association."
"Boppana?" Mallesh asked. "He is Satya's man. He won't even give us an appointment."
"I don't need an appointment," Arjun adjusted his cuffs. "I have a checkbook."
The Film Chamber of Commerce, Filmnagar.
Boppana was a heavy-set man who had ruled the distribution network for twenty years. He sat in his air-conditioned cabin, sipping tea, feeling secure in his power.
The door burst open.
Boppana choked on his tea. "Who enters without knocking?!"
Arjun walked in. He was dressed in a sharp grey suit today, looking every bit the corporate raider. Shiva walked in behind him, closing the door and locking it.
"Boppana Garu," Arjun said, smiling politely. "I'm Arjun. Mahaa Enterprises."
Boppana's eyes widened. He knew the name. Everyone in the industry was talking about the man who humiliated Satya's goons.
"I... I told your manager," Boppana stammered, putting his cup down. "We can't screen your film. Technical issues. No slots available."
"Lies are boring, Boppana," Arjun pulled a chair and sat down uninvited.
He placed a briefcase on the table. Click. Click.
He opened it.
It wasn't cash. It was a single document. A Demand Draft.
"Satya pays you a commission of 10% on ticket sales, correct?" Arjun asked.
Boppana nodded slowly, eyeing the document.
"And he threatens to burn your theaters if you disobey. That's a high-risk business model."
Arjun slid the Demand Draft across the table.
"This is an advance payment. One Crore. Non-refundable."
Boppana looked at the check. His jaw dropped. A one-crore advance for a medium-budget film was unheard of.
"And," Arjun leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I am offering you a 20% commission on all collections. Double what Satya pays."
Boppana swallowed hard. The greed was kicking in. But then he remembered Satya's face.
"Money is good, sir," Boppana said nervously. "But life is better. Satya will kill me."
"Satya is a street thug," Arjun said, his eyes hardening. "He burns theaters? Fine."
Arjun signaled Shiva.
Shiva pulled out a tablet and placed it on the table. It showed a live video feed.
It was a feed of Boppana's own house. His grandson was playing in the garden.
Boppana froze. "What... what is this?"
"Security," Arjun said coldly. "My men are watching your house. My men are watching your theaters. If Satya throws a matchstick, my men will put it out."
Arjun stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.
"But if you refuse my offer... if you block my movie..."
Arjun tapped the screen where the child was playing.
"Then Satya will be the least of your problems. Satya burns property. I destroy lineages."
It was a lie. Arjun wouldn't touch the kid. But Boppana didn't know that. He looked at the cold, dead eyes of the man in front of him and saw an abyss.
Boppana picked up the Demand Draft with trembling hands.
"How many screens do you need?" Boppana whispered.
"All of them," Arjun said. "I want a wide release. 150 screens in the Nizam area. Morning show. Friday."
"Done."
Arjun smiled. He took the tablet back.
"Smart choice. Welcome to Mahaa Enterprises."
February 17, 2012. 6:00 AM.
The city of Hyderabad woke up to a visual takeover.
Overnight, the wall posters of Veta had been pasted across every major junction. From Ameerpet to Secunderabad, the city was plastered with the movie's promotional material.
But it wasn't the hero's face that caught people's attention.
At the top of every poster, in bold, golden letters, were the words:
MAHAA ENTERPRISES PRESENTS
PRODUCER: ARJUN
Arjun stood on the balcony of his office, watching the city through binoculars. He saw a massive hoarding being erected at the Cyber Towers junction.
"It's done, Bhai," Mallesh said, standing behind him with a grin. "The bookings opened an hour ago. We are already 40% sold out. The hype is massive because of the controversy."
"Good," Arjun lowered the binoculars.
"And Satya?"
"Satya is quiet. That means he's planning something bigger."
Arjun walked back into the office.
"Nanda, prepare the invitations for the Premiere Night at Prasad's IMAX. I want the guest list to be exclusive. Top heroes, directors, politicians."
"And the Chief Guest?" Nanda asked.
Arjun walked to his desk and picked up a specialized invitation card. It was made of velvet, with gold lettering.
"This one," Arjun tapped the card. "I will deliver this one myself."
He looked at the name printed on it.
To,
Shri Jaidev, IPS
Director General of Police
(And Family)
"The movie is just the bait," Arjun said, a calculative glint in his eyes. "The premiere is the trap."
He looked at Shiva.
"Get the car. We have an invitation to deliver."