BLOCKBUSTER BABA

First Cut

Kukku took care of Ramsi as his own little brother, though he is only 2 years elder to him, whereas Pintu took up the challenge of training him, in AOL (Art of Lifting). When Pintu and Kukku would go out on their shift, they would leave Ramsi on the platform, who already was trained to beg by emotionally melting people with his cute smile and reciting the rhymes he had learnt. He was under the supervision of the Rahmat chacha, who was the Tea seller on the same platform. Apart from selling special masala tea, his job was to keep a vigil on all the agents working on his platform too, for which he gets a cut from Tony bhai. By the end of each day 5yr old Ramsi would get more than 100rs, which went on increasing as the days passed.

2 years passed, as one night while having dinner with Pintu and Kukku, Ramsi pulls out a wallet from his bag. He was smiling while Pintu and Kukku were in shock. Ramsi had picked someone’s pocket for the first time. The wallet was full of notes. As they counted it was 5300rs. It looked like someone’s salary as it was 1st of that month. They went and handed over the wallet to Tony, he was delighted to see the recruit moving up the ladder. He takes out a 50rs note out of it and gives to Ramsi saying “keep it, this is your first income, from tomorrow get on the field. Pintu take him with you”.

In all these years Ramsi learnt fluent Hindi and Bhojpuri and had no signs of being a “Madrasi” anymore. Soon Ramsi become independent of Pintu, and could manage his own heist without any problem. He would wear a different disguise every day; entertain people on the local trains, by charging them their wallet. Ramsi had set new standards of daily income. 500rs was his average on a dull day. Beginning of months and festival seasons Ramsi would bring home at least 1000rs without dropping a sweat.

As days passed Tony Bhai, had become the right hand man of Maalik, and used to take care of Maalik’s couple of businesses. One day as Pintu, Kukku and Ramsi went to Tony’s place to drop off their day’s collection, Tony asked them “Are you guys’ happy picking pockets and earning in hundreds or want to do something big and earn in thousands and lakhs?” The boys were surprised and shocked at the same time. Tony spoke again “what? You want to or don’t?” Pintu said “Yes we want to”. “Speak for yourself Pintu. Kukku, Ramsi, what about you?” With a little hesitation , knowing that thousands and lakhs wont come just like that, and they are about to get into a bigger mess, Kukku and Ramsi said “Yes”. Tony said “Today I will take you guys to meet Maalik.  He will only decide if you are worth moving up in the job or would rot in this slum forever”.

First time in their life the boys were face to face with the Mythical Maalik. 6 footer, lean, with green eyes wearing a pathani kurta, Maalik climbed down the stairs of his Aliganj mansion to meet Tony’s gang. 4-5 leashed German Shepherds and more than 10 armed men were swarming the place.  As Tony was about to introduce his boys, Maalik signaled one of his men to unleash the German Shepherds and to make them go after the boys. Even Tony couldn’t guess, what made Maalik do so. As the hounds started chasing, the boys ran out of the house into the lawn in the front.  They ran in different directions so as to confuse the dogs but the huge green lawn felt very small when being chased by the blood hungry dogs.  Suddenly, Pintu stumbled over a flower pot and fell crashing on the ground.  One of the chasing Shepherds jumped on him and pinned him down.  Seeing Pintu, Kukku decided to surrender and started to beg for help. Two dogs were still behind Ramsi, who all of a sudden picked up a flower pot along with plant and slung it hard enough to knock one of the dogs down. The other dogs ran away back to Maalik, as Maalik whistles.

Maalik asked the boys to come inside and told Tony “I want only the last one to survive, as he not only knows to run fast but also brave enough to act fast”.  Maalik signaled Ramsi to come forward and told “From now you will work with me. Anwar, keep him with you”, as he told his right hand man.