Oh Maina Oh Maina..

It was summers of March, 2011. One friend of mine had suggested we visit the Sukhna Lake, not that it was extraordinary but he insisted we have “Sukha Bhel” near the entrance. While I munched on my independent “Sukha Bhel” & Pati on his (basically in laws shared his bhel), the moon watched me and the wind being nice, blew across my face. Basically there was no disturbance.

Just then one aunty and her in 30s daughter sat next to the bench I sat. They were speaking in “Kannada” assuming I wouldn’t understand. The 30s daughter also had a kid, 5yrs old which was playing in the kid zone. Both mother & daughter kept shouting, “hey Deeksha, jopana”. By then Pati had heard them speak in Kannada as well & he was all excited to find Kannadigas there. For me it’s no big deal & as much as I respect my privacy, I respected theirs and did not hear to what they spoke.

But they started talking nonsense; that how Kannadigas are stubborn and have no sense of pride. How she was a great actress & had to quit because her husband didn’t want her to. According to her, there are so many people in the other industries who have let their wives work. “Look at me, I was so happening in Gandhinagar”, she complained to her mom. Now that’s when I looked at her, after much effort to the brain I realized who she was. “Successful”, I almost ROFLed; she went on cursing so many producers, directors and actors. Now what irked me the most was when she spoke rubbish about Dodappa. I remember how she was chosen for the role in one of his movies, how much she had taken out of the movie, it was that movie that made anyone say she is “one” of the actresses, small big whatever.

My “Sukha Bhel” was almost over now, & by then, her mother asked me “Excuse me, where do you get the one you are eating”.

I said “Aunty, ille gate hathra siguthe” (you get them near the gate)

Oh the expression on their face was that of a life time. They were shocked that I spoke Kannada & had listened to the entire conversation.

Aunty finally spoke “Oh neevu Kannada-davara? We have come from Karnataka, with normal people. We thought we’ll see how it feels to be like normal, meet my daughter, you must know her, and she is an actress *A*”

“Howdha, which movie have you acted” I said.

Pati by then had smelled fire & took me off. Big actress it seems, she was bloody in one of those big buses that takes north India trip for 30 days, & even near the bus kept telling someone “Oh I hate it when people recognize me”.

Recognize, my foot. I didn’t feel like giving her a smile.

 

P.S: Her name is in the blog title, go figure it out!