I am a master in India

Chapter 187 Begging for mercy
And you know what? The surveyors we brought in actually found some good stuff.

“Mr. Suer, look, there’s not only limestone here, but also gypsum!”

"Plaster?" Ron curiously pinched the white, pinkish stone.

"It's a by-product mineral, which will greatly benefit your cement business."

"What do you mean?" Ron became interested.

"Adding gypsum can slow down the setting process, which is very necessary on construction sites, and it is also a building material itself."

"That sounds good. Any other discoveries?"

"I've also looked at the other mines. Besides limestone, there's also dolomite. That's also a building material, and it can be used to help produce steel and glass."

"Is it worth mining?" That was the question Ron was really concerned about.

“Dolomite is not the point, Mr. Sue. This mineral is usually found alongside metal ores.”

"Huh?" Ron turned his head. "You mean..."

"If I'm not mistaken, there might be iron ore here, but I don't know how much it's in reserves?" The prospector shook his head.

“Iron ore,” Ron said, instantly losing interest. “Let’s focus on cement for now.”

India has no shortage of steel companies, most of which are state-owned. Those who can enter this sector are usually large corporations that have secured monopolistic resources.

Ron has no interest in steel for the time being; that stuff requires too much investment and its period of high returns is over.

"How are you, Ron?" Ratan walked over after wandering around outside.

He has no interest in mining. Hemp is the only way out for Uttar Pradesh!
"The limestone reserves are abundant and of high quality, and the other scraps are also acceptable."

"Should we have Uncle Adiya bring people to build the factory? He's built dams before, he's very experienced."

"Never mind, Uncle Adiya, don't bother. I've already arranged for an industry expert to take charge of all the designs, from the factory to the processes."

What a joke! He's seen the trick of turning one into four before, and he's already learned his lesson from Langchao Company. How could he possibly step on another landmine?

Cement plants are specialized jobs; let's leave them to the professionals.

With the mine settled, the next steps are to order equipment, recruit staff, and purchase basic building materials.

These all take time, and a long time.

After leaving a few men to patrol the area, Ron and his men returned to Varanasi in a large group.

Muna also stayed behind; he was injured and wanted to go but was too weak to do so.

After much pleading, Ron agreed to hire him, on the condition that he recover from his injuries.

Before leaving, Ron made a point of leaving some medicine for his injuries and instructed his family to take good care of him.

They definitely needed a local guide to keep them informed, and Muna had already pledged his loyalty and could be trusted.

Ron was initially puzzled as to why Muna was so insistent on becoming his servant.

Ratan scoffed and said that Muna had to find himself a new master.

Otherwise, if a lower caste kills a landowner, the other higher castes in the surrounding area will surely kill him.

His family will also suffer a terrible fate unless Muna completely abandons his loved ones and flees the country.

He was, after all, a human being, not a beast.

With a new master, things are different; Muna is acting on orders.

Isn't it only natural for a servant to obey his master's orders?
Muna was free, but then put a collar around his neck again.

Born in rural India, and of a low caste, he had no choice.

No, he did have a slight choice. For example, between Ratan and Ron, he chose the latter.

Even a doctor can't be a bad person, right?

Well, the Suer family's henchmen are the most qualified to speak on this point.

Heaven have mercy, in the past when people fought each other, they just died.

There would be no doctor accompanying them, let alone the young master treating them personally.

Some of them were injured, but they had no fear of losing their lives. It was a great victory.

As Ratan sped through the wilderness, he managed to suppress a cheer as he fired shots into the air, and a large group of thugs joined in the jeering.

Tsk, this style of writing makes Ron think he's in a Persian Gulf country.

Mirzabul has made his move and it's time for him to return to Mumbai.

When Ron returned to Mumbai, it was October, the rainy season had just ended, and the autumn air was crisp and clear.

The open-air tea house in front of the Bandera Trident Hotel is perfect for enjoying tea and chatting with friends.

“What did those people on the film censorship board say?” Ron asked.

"The chances are slim," Director Schiff sighed.

"What a waste of all that publicity gimmicks." Vikram had a few magazines lying next to him.

The film "Screen," written by Raj, prominently features a promotional brochure for "The Praise of the Inaccessible Mother."

The actress wore 15-centimeter high heels and a super short skirt that revealed the outline of her buttocks, creating a truly shocking scene.

In Raj's own words, this was the shortest miniskirt he had ever seen in his many years in the industry.

Another magazine, Super Movie, is also promoting "In Praise of the Mother".

"Recently, a mythological film that achieved excellent box office results in Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a dark horse. Religious themes have been enduringly popular, and they occasionally sweep across the market like a tornado."

Unfortunately, the tornado gradually turned into a gentle breeze and drizzle as it moved south, and eventually dissipated completely.

It was never approved for release, so there's no way it's being shown.

“They won’t let the film pass censorship because the committee is mainly made up of housewives and men with lots of free time. Yaar, you know, Indian women can’t accept this kind of content,” said Vikram’s sister, Anu.

She is the chief reporter for India Today, her brother Vikram is a writer, and her sister Tannuja is a film director.

This family is a true scholarly world; anyone who can achieve this level of refinement is undoubtedly a Brahmin. "If all else fails, we'll have to give up on South India," Ron shrugged.

"Wow, it seems the movie is doing quite well in the North," Vikram joked.

"We also have to thank you for recommending the screenwriter. We have enough money to give the crew double the bonuses," Ron laughed.

Director Schiff and another producer were also beaming with pride; the film was a huge success, and of course they received bonuses.

According to the initial agreement, if the film's performance was mediocre, director Schiff's salary would be 30 rupees.

If it sells well, the reward will double, meaning Schiff could receive 60 rupees this time.

That's already a lot; it's almost comparable to the income of a mainstream Bollywood director.

He's Bihari and not well-regarded. After this, Bollywood will definitely look at him differently.

Most of the other key members of the production team received similar treatment, with the salaries of the male and female leads, producers, and music directors all doubling.

"Praise to Difficult Mother" grossed 2400 million rupees in Uttar Pradesh, and with the money, copies naturally followed.

Now Bihar and Rajasthan have also released their versions, but it will be difficult to replicate the glory of Uttar Pradesh.

Ron's reach couldn't extend that far; the distributor, Balam, would inevitably inflate some of the box office figures.

This is unavoidable; it's a unique characteristic of India.

Only after the movie made money did Ron fulfill his promise and give bonuses to the entire crew.

Less than two million rupees, that's nothing.

“Lanka’s dream has come true this time,” Raj said with a smile, holding a teacup.

"By the way, why haven't I seen him today?" Ron looked around.

“He’s filming a TV series,” Mary replied.

"Huh? He got a role?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

“Although ‘In Praise of Mother’ can’t be shown in Mumbai, Bollywood’s news is always very well-informed.” Mary smiled smugly.

"Did you find the TV series resources for him?" Ron had already guessed some of it.

"Of course, Lanka is the male lead that our agency is heavily promoting. It's not bad that he got the second male lead role in this TV series."

Mary and her team had signed with Lanka long before filming began; this was standard practice.

If the movie flops, there's no loss. If it's a box office hit, a new Bollywood star will emerge.

Mary seized the opportunity and made arrangements for Lanka's subsequent work early on.

The salary for filming a TV series is not much higher than that for "Ode to a Mother Who Is Hard to Approach".

But actors' real source of income is advertising, which is why they take on low-paying films.

It's because if there were no movies or TV series, no one would recognize him in the advertisements.

The revenue from commercial advertising can easily exceed ten times the salary for acting.

Of course, the brokerage firm will take a large cut.

Ron and Mary not only set up a talent agency, but also conveniently registered Sun Entertainment Productions.

The production company behind "Ode to the Mother" is Sun Entertainment, which is often referred to as the investor in the entertainment industry.

Ron plans to make it a career, and the entertainment industry is one of his future directions.

Otherwise, if Suer Electric Appliances is so busy, why would he take the time to organize the Bollywood Salon? Isn't it to expand his network?

“By the way, Mr. Sue,” Vikram’s sister Anu suddenly spoke up, “there is actually someone who can get the film censorship board to let ‘Indifference to Mother’ go.”

"Who?" Ron asked instinctively.

“Bar Sackley”.

Ron was taken aback, and the others also lowered their voices.

That Shiva Army leader, a name that resonates throughout Mumbai.

Only when he speaks can the film censorship committee members obey him.

"I've heard that you have a very good personal relationship with him," Anu probed indirectly.

“It was alright, but let’s skip it this time,” Ron shrugged. “The Praise of the Mother is a low-budget film.”

With a small budget and a relatively fixed audience, it's not worth Ron going after the tiger.

Having left behind the rural landscape of North India, this film, which depicts rural suffering, actually has little market appeal in the city; Ron didn't even bother with product placement for a water-cooling air conditioner.

Mumbai is so developed compared to North India that no one dies of famine.

What this city needs is not a goddess who insists on being vegetarian, but a goddess who can solve housing problems, manage traffic, and restrain the government.

That's not how you use Thackeray's favors; Ron isn't that extravagant.

Seeing that Anu hesitated to speak, Ron understood.

"Miss Chandra, is there something you need Thackeray's help with?"

“Do you know Sanjay Dutt?” she asked.

“Oh, that big guy.” Ron had heard of the name before.

Sanjay Dutter usually appears in movies as a villainous boss, and his physique is far beyond that of ordinary people, making him unique among many Bollywood male stars.

"Yes, it's him. Sanjay's in a bit of trouble. So..."

"What's wrong with him?" Ron looked at Mary beside him, who clenched her fists and crossed them.

"He was arrested and taken away by an officer named E.J. Lal. I heard you know Officer Lal?" Anu asked.

Ron blinked. Of course he knew him; he knew him all too well.

P.S.: Muna's story is far from over.

(End of this chapter)