Hello everyone. My love for Kerala keeps showing up again and again. Can't help it.

---***---

"Yes! We leave for Kerala tomorrow. Can I make a post in your social media account?" asked Shubha.

"It's not your job anymore. I will do it" said Vikram

"As if you can handle it without my help."

"Excuse me. I have been handling all my accounts myself since one year. It's not like I can't do it without your help."

"Really? Then what's your current password?" Shubha looked at him as if challenging him.

"It's Mayabazar1957" replied Vikram. "My favourite black and white film."

"Wrong. I changed it long ago. Now it's Missamma1955." Shubha smirked.

"You changed my password and I didn't even notice. Oh God! I am so busy these days that I never opened my social media accounts." Vikram then realized that ever since he has taken up his father's responsibility, he stopped taking care of himself and his household duties. He also noticed that Shubha started taking care of his mother and shared the responsibilities. His mother would have felt lonely and miserable if Shubha wasn't there.

"Are you thinking about Latha aunty?" asked Shubha.

"How do you know? Wait. Let me guess. Science of deduction?"

"No. I am beginning to understand you." She answered.

"Thank you Subbu." Vikram thanked her sincerely.

"What for? Changing your password? I did that to annoy you."

He chuckled. "My duty is not just limited to being an actor now. I am also the director and sort of producing the film. And then there is my duty towards my friends and family. My mom. She needs me the most at present. All this is overwhelming. I couldn't have handled it if you weren't there. If there is someone other than mom and Chris, whom I can trust blindly, it is you. All the little things you do for me make my life a lot easier. Like how you helped me last week when my manager was ill. Thank you so much."

Shubha shook her head. "You are praising me too much. Shubha. Don't let Vikram sir butter you up."

They laughed again. They entered a room in his office which had a system that wasn't allocated to anyone. "We save important documents here." He unlocked the computer and opened a folder with private and confidential data about upcoming projects, which required his voice as the password. He did it in the presence of few of his trusted employees. He took what he needed and and turned it off.

"It seems you have a lot of things saved here." Shubha remarked.

"Yes."

"Is it safe?"

"Of course it is. We use advanced technology to protect these files." Vikram answered.

"What if I steal your data?" said Shubha.

"Are you going to record my voice while I speak the password and use it?" Vikram chuckled.

"Your thought process is as primitive as the technology you use." She hacked it and showed it to him.

"I guess I have to agree with you now."

"I can enter the building and the system without any credentials or access cards. I can also gain access to your confidential data. Please go for an upgrade. Or else you will have to handle a security breach soon." She looked smug.

"Guys. Look into this." Vikram told the employees.

He followed her out of the room. "I still don't understand how."

"It's beyond the comprehension of filmy mortals like you."

"Mortals? What do you mean mortals? Films are immortals. Actors are remembered forever." He said proudly.

"I don't think so. It's scientists who are remembered forever."

"Prove it." He was enjoying the conversation.

"Do you know Sir Isaac Newton?" She asked him.

"Of course. What kind of a question is that?"

"Which century was he from?"

"He was born in seventeenth century. 1643 to be precise." He was glad he remembered that detail.

"Okay. So, seventeenth century. Right? Now tell me an actor's name from the seventeenth century." She challenged him.

It took few moments for him to understand that she won. "Fine." He grinned. "You are right. Scientists live forever."

They went out of the office. There were around fifteen to twenty fans waiting to get a glimpse of him. Most of them were women. He greeted them politely.

"Sir, can I have a picture with you?" asked one of them.

He agreed. They all lined up for pictures. "Wait. Where is she?" He looked for Shubha, who was standing in a corner. He gestured for her to join him. She felt nervous. She shook her head. He didn't want to force her. He nodded. "Okay. Let's click pictures."

The photo session started. One of the girls was a child of around ten years of age. She stared at him with her mouth wide open. "Sir, I don't think I..., well,..." She hesitated to ask him to bend.

"Sure." He knelt beside her. "Okay now?"

She gasped. She never thought he would do something like that. From her expression it was evident that she was surprised as well as pleased. Shubha's lips curved into a smile at the sweet gesture.

After clicking pictures, he introduced Shubha to them. "Meet Shubha Narayan. One of my best friends."

Shubha was thrilled to be called his best friend. She smiled and waved at them.

"Come let's go." He waved at his fans one last time and walked ahead. The fans started dispersing. One of the girls tripped over and fell. Her sleeve got torn in the process.

Vikram turned around. "Are you alright?" He helped her get up. Shubha got her a bottle of water to clean her wound.

She was tensed. "How do I go home now?"

"Don't worry." He removed his leather jacket and made her wear it. "There. It's all sorted."

The other girls gave looks full of envy to the girl. She earned a chance to keep it forever.

After making sure that she was fine he sat in the car and asked the driver to start.

"Stop staring at me Subbu." He said after a few minutes of silence.

She was so engrossed in admiring him that she couldn't even think of an excuse. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I can understand. I'm so handsome. Girls usually end up staring at me without their knowledge." He winked at her.

Surprisingly, she wasn't annoyed. "I am beginning to understand why everyone loves you." She answered honestly.

"Love?"

"Yes. Everyone who knows you will love you. We all love you so much." She said without thinking.

"And by we you mean..." He raised an eyebrow.

She quickly changed the topic. "Can I, um, have a selfie with you?"

"Oh my God! Did Shubha Narayan, ask me for a selfie? Best day of my life." He remarked.

She took her phone out, only to see a missed call from one of her friends. She forgot about the selfie and started talking to her.

Vikram sighed. 'Why God, why? She finally asks for a picture after three months. And you ruined our moment.'

---***---

The cast and crew settled down in the plane. "Vicky. Why don't you buy a private plane for us?" asked Naveen.

"Sure. What else should I buy for you? Buckingham palace?" Vikram said sarcastically making everyone laugh.

"Very funny. You talk about palaces? You didn't even create a palace with CGI for me in the film." Naveen complained.

"Don't talk about CGI. I hate to hear it" said Chris.

"I know why" Dhwani said trying hard not to laugh.

"Of late I am being asked a lot of CGI related questions. There was this man who walked up to me last week and asked if I really danced so well in my previous film or it was computer generated." Chris ranted.

"That's horrible. What did you answer him?" asked Shubha. She was slightly offended. He was her favourite actor after all.

"I told him that we don't perform in the movies. They just make junior artists dance and stick our faces to it using CGI." Chris replied.

Everyone burst out laughing. "I will use this answer next time." Pragathi announced.

"Does everyone face such questions?" asked Shubha.

"Yes. Vicky, tell her about the guy from the cafe" Dhwani asked Vikram.

"It's embarrassing" said Vikram.

"Really? Please tell." Shubha looked interested.

"I was in a cafe, minding my own business when this guy met me. He said he is my biggest fan and clicked pictures. After that he started asking questions. 'Do you really beat up junior artists in fight sequences?', 'Don't you develop feelings for actresses after working with them in songs?' I was irriated to the core." Vikram told her his experience.

"There is one more. This is the ultimate one. One lady asked me if we really learn all our dialogues. I told her that we never memorise them. They are written on a giant blackboard behind the camera and we just read it from there while performing." He shared all his weird encounters with his fans. She laughed until she had tears in her eyes.

"I wish people understand that we actually do some work" said Naveen.

"It's alright Naveen. At least you win accolades for your performance" said Shubha.

"And there is also the satisfaction of playing the lead role in such a good film" said Chris.

"Hello. Lead role is mine" said Vikram.

"No. It's mine" said Naveen.

"They will never grow up" Dhwani closed her eyes. Pragathi followed her lead and pretended to have fallen asleep.

They looked towards the girls and found Shubha awake. "Whose role is the most important?" They asked her.

"Chris garu." She answered. Chris smirked.

"Why do we even ask her? She is the president of Chris Robert fanclub." Vikram faked hurt. They talked throughtout their journey to Kerala.

"Sleep well. I am going to meet the forest authorities tomorrow for discussion. The shooting will commence from day after tomorrow." Vikram announced.

The next morning Vikram and his manager went to talk to the authorities. They were about to sign the permission document for them to shoot over there, when one of the officers objected.

"Any problem sir?"

"We can't allow you." He said.

"But we already talked to you about this." Vikram spoke very politely.

"We agreed to allow your father. Not you."

Vikram tried to convince him. But he didn't agree. Shubha called Naresh. "Why is Vikram sir not answering his phone? Latha aunty is worried."

Naresh told her everything. "This is too much. They can't deny permission now. We talked to them before coming here." She said angrily.

"We can't do anything now."

"Wait. I am coming." Shubha ended the call. She was determined to help her Vikram sir.

---***---

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