I am a master in India

Chapter 161 The Awareness of a Fighter
Filming of the rural scenes in "Ode to a Mother Who Is Hard to Get Close To" is nearing its end. In a few days, the crew will move to other locations for location shooting.

Schiff had no choice but to leave, as his crew was becoming "notorious" in the area.

Take the actors' costumes, for example. Ever since Ron came up with that terrible idea, people have been going to the trade fairs every day to buy clothes, only to return them at night for various reasons.

Over time, the stall owner almost memorized every face in the film crew.

Now when they went back, they were almost chased out by several stall owners.

The vegetables grown by nearby villagers have also been affected, with some disappearing every now and then.

There's no way around it, everyone's just really tired of eating potatoes.

The crew members, who were starving every day, were most concerned about not being able to eat or touch the baskets of fresh vegetables that were used as props. It was like being torn apart by a hundred claws.

So when it's late at night and everyone is quiet, they will activate their ancestral skills.

Lanka couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he went to the market to buy his own food.

Every morning, he would set out a lavish breakfast in his room: cheese, jam, bread, butter, and fruit.

The crew members went to his room to check in, and after eating and drinking their fill, they prepared to start work.

Sometimes, Lanka would even pay for the crew's dinner out of his own pocket.

These expenses are considerable. His fee was 16,000 rupees, but he hasn't received a penny yet and has already lost 13,000 rupees.

The producer never mentioned reimbursement and even shamelessly went to freeload meals.

Mary and Lena have now gotten used to the bizarre practices of Bollywood production crews, and they turn a blind eye to them, pretending not to see them.

The important thing is that the film is made as planned; all other trivial matters are handled by director Schiff and producer Agarwal.

“I have to say, I’ve learned a lot.” Mary was amazed by the amazing way Bollywood productions operate.

"How so?" Ron looked into the distance with interest.

They are currently filming various scenes of the Divine Mother's miraculous appearances, such as her using her divine power to send dishes of food to the shrine from a distance.

When the hungry villains chased after food, she took the opportunity to smash their heads and shoulders with the idols that people offered to her.

Another supporting actress plays the role of the incarnation of the difficult mother; she appears as a young girl with bright blue skin and dazzling gold jewelry.

This perfectly illustrates the role of the mother in critical moments, truly embodying the saying, "When you think you've reached the end of the road, a new path opens up before you."

“Take Rashid for example,” Mary said, pointing to the blue-skinned girl. “She played five or six roles in our film, but her pay was less than ten thousand rupees.”

“It’s not easy to make it in Bollywood,” Ron nodded.

"Yes, but that will never happen in Hollywood. The union will cause trouble on the first day of filming."

Ron laughed, “India and the Western world follow two different sets of rules; you have to learn to adapt.”

"They have amazing resilience; no matter how difficult it is, the film will continue to be made."

"Those who survive among the hard-working individuals are the ones who can endure the most hardship."

Mumbai is the paradise for all Indians; if you want to succeed there, hardship is the cheapest price to pay.

As they were talking, Urmila, who had finished filming a scene, ran over happily.

In the movie, she and Lanka are a couple, and they even have a wedding scene later on.

At this moment, Urmila wished Ron would become the male lead, and that their fake marriage would become real; she wanted to be his wife.

“Ron.” Urmila hugged his arm and shook it gently.

"You must be tired. Have some sugarcane juice." Ron handed over the cup he had prepared earlier.

"Mmm!" Urmira smacked her lips happily, radiating sweetness from head to toe.

The crew members all glanced in this direction, their throats involuntarily beginning to move.

They also want to drink sugarcane juice.

Ron smiled and waved behind him. Annie, along with several servants, came over, huffing and puffing as they carried the wooden bucket.

It's full of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, a whole big bucket.

Everyone cheered, and the seasoned veterans couldn't wait to squeeze forward, just like at mealtimes.

Mary glanced at Ron in surprise, but before she could ask, he offered an explanation.

"It's grown on our own land, so it's free."

Uttar Pradesh has little else, but sugarcane is plentiful. His uncle's family grows a small amount of sugarcane in addition to hemp.

Since he didn't want the good stuff to go to outsiders, Ron managed to take a significant portion of it.

“No wonder.” Lena nodded, which was in line with Ron’s usual “stingy” style.

Ron ignored her and instead went to coax Urmila.

“Let’s talk about the play again tonight. I’ve figured out some new techniques these past few days.”

"Huh?" Urmila covered her mouth with her hand, looked around in surprise, and then blushed and whispered her agreement.

"Don't worry, no one will say anything out of line. They know about our relationship."

“But…” Urmila glanced cautiously at Mary and Lena.

“We’re on the same side!” Ron waved his hand and started whispering with her again, discussing the evening’s program.

Lena couldn't help but roll her eyes. What new move?

She had already put it into practice on herself first; she was the first to try it out.

Just as Urmira's face was getting redder and redder, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

"Brother Dara!" "Brother Dara!"

A group of villagers ran towards a figure in the middle, touching the figure's feet in a gesture of respect, and the film crew gradually became restless.

"It's Dara Singh!" Everyone dropped their sugarcane juice and rushed over. "Oh! He's that famous?" Mary looked at the bustling scene with some surprise.

“This is Dhara Singh, India’s greatest professional wrestler.” With that, Ron stepped forward.

Dhara Singh is a household name in India; his name is synonymous with warrior.

Thanks to his success in the wrestling ring, he not only established himself in the entertainment industry, but is even about to be appointed as a member of the Indian Upper House.

Besides being a wrestler, he is best known for his heroic roles in various movies.

"Dara Singh vs. Kong!" was once a well-known movie tagline in India, accompanying the memories of almost a generation.

Director Schiff and Dara had a good personal relationship. He had previously cast Dara's son as the male lead in a TV series, so he invited Dara to make a cameo appearance in "In Praise of Difficulty" as a monk who was devoted to the goddess.

As soon as he arrived, he naturally became the biggest star in the crew, and Ron had to go and greet him, whether out of courtesy or respect.

"Brother Dara." Ron followed suit and bowed with his hands clasped in prayer.

“Dr. Suer,” Dara replied politely.

Well, I have to say, Ron is quite famous now, especially in high society.

The benefits of saving lives back then are still being enjoyed now, and may continue to be enjoyed for even longer.

He is highly respected by both Hindus and Muslims.

As a doctor, he fulfilled his duties. His impartial approach also earned him the favor of minority groups such as Sikhs and Jains.

Dala is a Sikh, as can be seen from his surname. His hometown is in Punjab, not far from Uttar Pradesh.

Although it was a cameo appearance and only for one day, Dara's arrival still caused a sensation.

He was in his sixties, physically strong, and looked to be in good health.

People considered this an auspicious sign and asked him to bestow blessings upon them.

Even passing drivers drove their buses off the highway and parked them on the nearby dirt road, and everyone got off and ran towards them.

The crew tried their best to maintain order, but more and more people kept gathering.

Ron had no choice but to send his men to help, and they managed to drive away the onlookers by hitting and cursing them.

In India, sometimes you can't be polite to them, otherwise they'll take advantage of you.

After having a good show of the Brahman lord's power, the film crew finally started work.

Dala's cameo scene is very simple: a wandering monk chants the hymn of the Mother of Inaccessibility, which eventually leads the villagers to worship him.

When the filming was almost finished, it was time to eat.

It is rumored that Dara never eats rice, which is why she is so healthy.

So what did the film crew eat if they didn't eat rice? Potatoes, of course.

The producer did not give Dara any special treatment because of her arrival; he faithfully followed Ron's frugal lifestyle.

Okay, Ron can't blame him.

However, Dara was different after all, so Ron had a basket of fruit prepared and sent over.

Taking this opportunity, the two chatted for a few minutes and agreed to meet again after returning to Mumbai.

Besides being a wrestler and actor, Dara is also a screenwriter, producer, and director. These are all connections worth maintaining.

“I’m planning to go to Uttarakhand in a few days to film some mountain scenes,” said director Schiff.

"That far?" Ron asked, somewhat surprised.

"The scenery there is beautiful, and Bollywood film crews often shoot scenes there."

“There are also mountainous areas in some cities in the south of Uttar Pradesh, you can consider that.”

"No, they're not tall enough to capture that kind of grandeur."

“Alright, I’ll send a few people with me. Once we’re out of Uttar Pradesh, I can’t keep track of that far.”

Uttarakhand is located in the northwest of Uttar Pradesh. Although it borders Uttar Pradesh, it is far from Varanasi.

Ron will have to stay in his hometown for a while longer; he can't keep up with such a long distance.

"Don't worry, I've been all over India, I know it like the back of my hand," Schiff said nonchalantly.

"After visiting Uttarakhand, should I go back to Mumbai?"

"Pretty much. We'll be filming all the urban scenes in Bollywood studios soon."

"I'll handle the film censorship here in Uttar Pradesh. You keep an eye on the post-production. We'll try to release it in September."

“No problem.” Director Schiff said confidently.

The production cycle for low-budget films is extremely tight, taking only two months from shooting to production, which is incredibly fast.

It is said that some real adult films can be made in a week, and the filming location is limited to a rented room.

If we go all out, we can make dozens of movies like this every year.

Ron and his crew's inaccessible mother took two months to make and was definitely of excellent quality.

"Ron!"

Just as they were discussing the next steps in filming, Ratan hurried over.

"what's up?"

“There was a phone call coming from Mumbai, it sounded very urgent.”

Ron was taken aback. Mumbai? Could it be Suer Electric Appliances?

(End of this chapter)