I'm a Master in India

The filming of the rural scenes for "Praise to Maa Durga" was nearing its end. In a few days, the crew would move to another location for exterior shots.

Shiva also had to leave because their crew was becoming quite "infamous" in the vicinity.

Speaking of actor costumes, ever since Ron came up with that terrible idea last time, people would go to the exhibition every day to pick out clothes and then return them in the evening under various pretexts.

After a while, the stall owners had pretty much memorized every face in the crew.

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

The vegetables grown by the nearby villagers also suffered; a little bit would go missing every few days.

There was nothing else they could do; everyone was really tired of eating potatoes.

The most pressing issue for the perpetually hungry crew members each day was watching basket after basket of fresh, vibrant vegetables used as props, unable to eat or even touch them. It was like having a hundred claws scratching at their hearts.

So, taking advantage of the dead of night, they would unleash their ancestral skills.

Ron couldn't stand it anymore and simply went to the market himself to buy food.

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

Crew members would report to his room, eat their fill, and then prepare to start work.

Sometimes, Ron would also pay out of pocket to buy dinner for the crew.

These various expenses were not small. His salary was sixteen thousand rupees, but he hadn't received a single cent yet and had already spent thirteen thousand rupees out of his own pocket.

The producer never mentioned reimbursement and even shamelessly joined them for meals.

Mary and Lena were now also accustomed to the various strange practices of Bollywood film crews. They didn't pay any attention to it, pretending not to see it.

The important thing was that the film continued filming according to schedule; all other trivial matters were handled by director Shiva and producer Agarwala.

"I have to say, I've learned a lot," Mary exclaimed, amazed by the magical operating model of the Bollywood crew.

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

They were currently filming various scenes of Maa Durga's manifestation, such as her using divine power to send plates of food to the shrine from a distance.

When the hungry villains chased after the food, she took the opportunity to use the idols people had offered to her to smash the heads and shoulders of her opponents.

The one playing Maa Durga's avatar was another supporting actress, appearing as a young girl with bright blue skin and dazzling gold jewelry.

This perfectly illustrated Maa Durga's role at crucial moments, truly embodying the phrase, "When mountains and rivers seem to block the way, and there is doubt of a path, willows and flowers appear, and another village is found."

"Take Rashmi, for example," Mary pointed to the blue-skinned girl, "She's played five or six roles in our film by herself, but her salary is less than ten thousand rupees."

"It's not easy to make a living in Bollywood," Ron nodded.

"Yes, but this kind of thing would never happen in Hollywood. On the first day of work, the union would come looking for trouble."

Ron laughed heartily, "India and the Western world operate under 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 shot as usual."

"As people trying to make it, those who stay are the ones who can endure the most hardship."

Mumbai is the promised land for people all over India. To get ahead there, enduring hardship is the cheapest price to pay.

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

In the film, she and Ron are a couple, and there's even a wedding scene later on.

At this moment, Urmila wished Ron was the male lead so they could turn the fake wedding into a real one. She wanted to be his wife.

"Ron," Urmila hugged his arm and gently swayed it.

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

"Mmm!" Urmila happily sipped, radiating sweetness from inside out.

Everyone in the crew glanced over, their throats unconsciously starting to swallow.

Sugarcane juice, they wanted some too!

Ron smiled and waved behind him. Ani, with a few servants, grunting and puffing, carried a wooden barrel over.

It was full of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, a whole big barrel.

Everyone cheered. Those old hands couldn't wait to crowd forward, just like they did at mealtime.

Mary looked at Ron in surprise. Before she could ask, he proactively explained.

"Grown on our own land, it's free."

Uttar Pradesh didn't have much of anything else, but it had a lot of sugarcane. Besides hemp, his uncle's land also grew a small amount of sugarcane.

Keeping the good stuff in the family, Ron had brought some over.

"No wonder," Lena nodded. This was more in line with Ron's usual "stingy" style.

Ron ignored her and turned to coax Urmila.

"Let's go over the scene again tonight. I've figured out some new moves these past few days."

"Ah?" Urmila covered her mouth with her hand, looked around in surprise, and then blushed as she quietly agreed.

"Don't worry, no one will say anything. It's not like they don't know about our relationship."

"But..." Urmila cautiously glanced at Mary and Lena.

"They're with us!" Ron waved his hand dismissively and started whispering with her again, discussing the evening's activities.

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

He hadn't already practiced them on her first. She was the first one to taste the soup.

Just as Urmila's face was getting redder and redder, a sudden commotion came from outside.

"Brother Dara!", "Brother Dara!"

A group of villagers ran while performing the ritual of touching the feet towards a figure in the center. The film crew also gradually became restless.

"It's Dara Singh!" Everyone dropped their sugarcane juice and rushed over to greet him.

"Oh! Is he that famous?" Mary looked at the noisy scene, a bit surprised.

"This is Dara Singh, India's greatest professional wrestler." After saying that, Ron also stepped forward.

Dara Singh was known to everyone in India, from women to children. His name was synonymous with 'warrior'.

With the success he achieved in the wrestling ring, he not only gained a foothold in the entertainment industry but was even about to be appointed as a Member of Parliament in India's Upper House.

His most well-known image, besides that of a wrestler, was the heroic characters he played in various films.

"Dara Singh Battles King Kong!" was once a widely known movie slogan in India, practically accompanying the memories of a generation.

Director Shiva had a good personal relationship with Dara. He had previously cast Dara's son as the male lead in a TV series, which was why he invited him to make a cameo appearance in "Praise to Maa Durga" as a monk who devoutly believes in the goddess.

As soon as he arrived, he naturally became the biggest star on the set. Whether out of courtesy or respect, Ron had to go and say hello.

"Brother Dara." Ron also followed the crowd and performed the namaste gesture.

"Doctor Sul." Dara politely returned the greeting.

Tsk, one had to admit, Ron was now quite famous, especially in upper-class society.

The benefits from saving lives back then were still being reaped, and perhaps they would continue for even longer.

Both Hindus and Muslims greatly respected him.

As a doctor, he had fulfilled his duty. And because of his impartial approach, he had also gained the favor of minority groups like Sikhs and Jains.

Dara was a Sikh, which could be seen from his surname. His hometown was in Punjab, not far from Uttar Pradesh.

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

He was over sixty years old, strong and healthy, looking hale and hearty.

People considered this an auspicious sign and flocked to ask for his blessing.

Even passing bus drivers drove their buses off the road and parked them on a nearby dirt path. Everyone got off and ran towards the scene.

The film crew tried hard to maintain order, but the crowd kept growing.

Ron could only let his subordinates go over and help. They had to resort to hitting and scolding to drive away the onlookers.

In India, sometimes you couldn't be polite to them, otherwise, these people would take advantage.

After properly showing off the authority of a Brahmin master, the film crew finally started working.

Dara's cameo scene was simple: a wandering monk chanting praise to Maa Durga, which eventually led to the villagers competing to worship her.

When the filming was almost done, it was time for a meal.

It was rumored that Dara never ate rice, which was how he maintained such good health.

So, if the crew wasn't eating rice, what were they eating? Still potatoes.

The producer didn't make any special arrangements just because Dara had arrived. He faithfully carried out Ron's frugal style.

Alright, Ron couldn't blame him.

However, Dara was different after all. In the end, Ron had someone prepare a basket of fruit and sent it over.

Taking this opportunity, the two chatted briefly and agreed to meet again after returning to Mumbai.

Besides being a wrestler and actor, Dara was also a screenwriter, producer, and director. He was a valuable contact worth maintaining.

"I plan to go to Uttarakhand in a few days to shoot some mountain scenes," Director Shiva said.

"That far?" Ron was a bit surprised.

"The scenery there is very good. Bollywood crews often film on location there."

"There are also mountains in the cities south of Uttar Pradesh. You could consider those."

"No, they're not high enough. They can't capture that kind of grandeur."

"Alright, I'll have a few people go with you. Once you're out of Uttar Pradesh, I can't manage things that far away."

Uttarakhand is located northwest of Uttar Pradesh. Although it borders it, it's quite far from Varanasi.

Ron still had to stay in his hometown for a while and couldn't travel that far.

"Don't worry, I've traveled all over India. I know my way around," Shiva said nonchalantly.

"After going to Uttarakhand, will you be heading back to Mumbai?"

"Pretty much. We'll shoot all the urban scenes in the Bollywood studio. It'll be done quickly."

"Leave the film censorship here in Uttar Pradesh to me. You keep an eye on the post-production. We'll aim for a September release."

"No problem," Director Shiva said, full of confidence.

The production cycle for low-budget films is very tight. It only takes two months for filming and production combined, which is incredibly fast.

It's said that some real adult films can be completed in a week, with the set limited to a certain rented room.

As long as they work at full capacity, they can shoot dozens of such films a year.

Ron's "Maa Durga" took two months, which was definitely considered well-produced.

"Ron!"

Just as they were discussing the film's upcoming shooting schedule, Ratan hurried over.

"What is it?"

"There's a call from Mumbai. It seems urgent."

Ron was startled. Mumbai? Was it Sul Electrical?