Chapter - 27 (Mr.Rajan Proving A Hard Nut To Crack!) 

" Now I've great pleasure in annoucing the names of the winners of the Ramp Walk… . " 

Anuskka heard the MC's speak out in a singsong voice,"...but before we call out their names, may I request our Chief Guest tonight, Mr. Chandan Ghosh, CEO, NTU (New Talent Unearthed) to come on the stage and declare the winners, please? "

A smart-looking, young man, probably in his early 40s, with a shaven head, was seen heading towards the stage. He was accompanied by a stunning looking woman in her 30s, her hand firmly entangled in his as they walked down the aisle and stood on the other side, from across the MC. The woman held up the envelope in her hand briefly, opened it and pulled out a piece of sleek paper. 

As the MC handed the microphone to the CEO, the woman passed the paper to the man in his 40s. He looked at the paper and spoke into it :

"The second runner-up for the Ramp Walk is none other than… . " He paused to make it very dramatic before shouting out the name of the second runner-up. " She is Ms, Sanchita Roy from St. Xavier's, Kolkata." A section of the of students in the audience, from renowned colleges all over the city, started whistling and shouting like mad as the MC was heard again requesting them to maintain silence in the auditorium. 

Sitting next to Anushka on the second row, Divya elbowed her gently, saying, " I've already told you Anushka, that you're gonna be the winner tonight. You were simply mind-blowing bhai, with that model-like walk down the ramp. None of the other participants, except, may be, the girl from Shikshayatan, could hold a candle to your performance!"

Anushka just smiled. Lucky, her friends couldn't hear her heart thumping violently within her chest at that time. She personally felt that the girl from Sree Shikshayatan put up a more professional display, but considering it was her first walk down the ramp, she (Anushka) herself wasn't bad either. The way her friends screamed and clapped for her was something she would remember for long. Anushka was lost in such pleasant thoughts when the voice of the MC rang through the Hall. 

"Now, may I request Mr. Chandan Ghosh, CEO, NTU, to declare the name of the first runner-up? "

Her friends started forcing Anushka out of her seat, while some were congratulating, leaning over her. It was only then the reality dawned on Anushka as she heard the MC say, " So, let's put our hands together for the first runner-uo tonight, your own, Ms. Anushka Banerjee from this college.

The crowds went wild banging the desks, whistling, screaming their lungs out with :

"ANUSHKA", " ANUSHKA' in a rhythmic tone. 

As Anushka made her way up to the stage, the lady with the CEO reached out to hug her. The CEO then handed a trophy along with an envelope containing a cheque of Rs. 5,000 as the prize money. As she moved to get out and back to her friends, Mr. RC, waiting in one of the wings, patted her on the back. Anushka was surprised to see the CEO coming after her as she was about to step out into the auditorium. He walked up and spoke hurriedly while handing her a visiting card. 

"If you are interested in an acting career, please give me a ring at the number printed beneath my name." He turned around, stopped, looked back and said in his baritone voice : And let me congratulate you once more, young lady. You were simply fabulous this afternoon." He went back to the stage, leaving a stupified Anushka behind. 

When she got back home, Anushka was pleasantly surprised  to see her father at the table. Both her mother and Akanksha were also there, waiting for her to join them. Anushka trotted up to her father, put her arms around him from behind and said:

"I'm so happy to see you out here after so long, Baba. Seems like old time.. " Then she smiled down at the other two before running up the stairs to her room, crying out at the same time:

"I'll be down in a minute. Let me hurry up to change first." And the next moment the door was slammed shut from inside. 

Mr. Rajan was about to get up from the chair, having been already done with the chicken soup. He was keeping the spoon down beside the bowl on his plate, when Anushka came hurrying down, some ten minutes later. 

"Sorry, Baba." She noticed his empty plate and said, "It's good you have had your dinner. I's wondering… Mr. Rajan slowly turned his head and pushed the chair back towards her. 

"How was your day at college, Anu? Enjoy yourself, didn't you?" He asked her laboriously. 

Anushka nodded her head, smilingly as she sat down on the chair beside Akanksha's. She then pulled her plate towards her to ask her mother :

"What's special tonight, Ma? I'm starved. "

"There is palak panir, the left over chicken curry that Akanksha made last night. You may also have kshir afterwards, if you feel like it." Mrs Sania informed her daughter. 

After she had had a mouthful, Anushka looked across the table at her father and spoke excitedly :

"We've the college fest going on these days, Baba. I participated in two events, mainly at the request of some friends. I secured a Top-5 position in both the events. In fact… " She waited while gulping the food down before continuing, "I took part in the Ramp Walk for the first time in my life, and would you believe it… ? She stopped finding Akanksha looking open-mouthed at her from her seat next. 

" Don't tell me you won the Ramp Walk, Anu." She exclaimed loudly. 

"To tell you honestly, I did! Oh, Ma! I was adjudged the First Runner-up! I don't know how I kept myself from crying."

Both Akku and mom mouthed their congrats simultaneously as her father kept nodding his head like the heads of those wooden dolls on springs that she used to play with in her childhood. Her father looked definitely happy and proud of his daughter as did her Ma and Akku. 

"Oh, one more thing… Mr. Chandan Ghosh, the CEO of NTU or something, was the Chief Guest today. That reminds me….," she took a long breath and continued, "Aheli told me that she'd send me the photos she clicked on her mobile." 

Mrs Sania asked her, " You want some more of the curry, Anu? You said you're starved, didn't you? "

Anushka shook her head and continued, " You know what happened during the Award Ceremony?" She looked around and blushed as three eager faces looked back at her. 

"The CEO asked me to give him a ring! I nearly swooned in the way back to the Green Room as he came out and handed me his visiting card!" She chimed. 

"Don't count your chickens, Anu, " Mr. Rajan snapped firmly. "Besides, I don't think you ever thought of… . " He took a laboured breath before completing the sentence. "You ever thought of acting as a career option." He rose from the chair as Akanksha got behind him in a flash. 

"I never did, but after what had happened today, I ain't sure anymore… . " She said dubiously. 

" No way, Anu. Not as long as I'm alive." Her father sounded outright annoyed. "No daughter of mine can ever be an actor!" He concluded with some kind of finality in his voice. 

"Baba! " Both Akanksha and Anushka blurted out at the same time.

"This's the 21st century. And you can't act like a Stone Age Man in this century, Baba." Akanksha said. 

"As your father, I surely can." Mr. Rajan replied as he started walking towards his bedroom, keeping one hand on Akanksha's shoulder. He halted half way through, turned back and threw the question at Anushka:

"Didn't I tell you about a relative who made it big as an actor … or actress rather? There are many other ways of earning money than acting and sleeping around, Anu. Don't you ever forget that."

" You're speaking like she has already been signed up for an offer. Besides, I want my daughters to do what they want to with their lives. Neither of them should make the mistake that I did right after my marriage." Mrs. Sania was almost shrieking as she said this to her husband.

Both the daughters had never seen their mom so angry before!