A Suitable Boy(68)

‘Really, Pran,’ said Savita. She turned to her sister: ‘It’s not so funny, Lata.’

‘Yes,’ said Mrs Rupa Mehra. ‘And at exam time – it will disturb your studies – and all this time and money will have gone down the drain. Don’t laugh.’

‘Cheer up, cheer up, everyone. Lata is still unmarried. God’s in his Heaven,’ Pran said unrepentantly, and hid behind his newspaper again. He too was laughing, but silently to himself. Savita and Mrs Rupa Mehra looked daggers at the Brahmpur Chronicle.

A sudden thought struck Savita. ‘I could have had a miscarriage,’ she said.

‘Oh, no,’ said Pran unconcernedly. ‘You’re robust. I’m the frail one. Besides, this was done entirely for your benefit: to liven up your Sunday morning. You’re always complaining about how dull Sunday is.’

‘Well, I prefer boredom to this. Aren’t you at least going to apologize to us?’

‘Of course,’ said Pran readily. Though he was not very happy with himself for having brought his mother-in-law to tears, he was delighted at the way the trick had come off. And Lata at least had enjoyed it. ‘Sorry, Ma. Sorry, darling.’

‘I should hope so. Say sorry to Lata too,’ Savita said.

‘Sorry, Lata,’ said Pran, laughing. ‘You must be hungry. Why don’t you order your egg?’

‘Though actually,’ continued Pran, undoing most of the goodwill he had salvaged, ‘I don’t see why I should apologize. I don’t enjoy these April fooleries. It’s because I’ve married into a westernized family that I decided, well, Pran, you have to keep your end up or they’ll think you are a peasant, and you’ll never be able to face Arun Mehra again.’

‘You can stop making snide remarks about my brother,’ said Savita. ‘You’ve been doing so ever since the wedding. Yours is equally vulnerable. More so, in fact.’

Pran considered this for a moment. People had begun talking about Maan.

‘Come on, darling, forgive me,’ he said with a little more genuine contrition in his voice. ‘What do I have to do to make up?’

‘Take us to see a film,’ Savita said immediately. ‘I want to see a Hindi film today – just to emphasize how westernized I am.’ Savita enjoyed Hindi movies (the more sentimental the better); she also knew that Pran, for the most part, detested them.

‘A Hindi film?’ said Pran. ‘I thought the strange tastes of expecting mothers extended only to food and drink.’

‘All right, that’s fixed then,’ said Savita. ‘Which one should we see?’

‘Sorry,’ said Pran, ‘impossible. There’s that debate this evening.’

‘A matinée then,’ said Savita. flicking the butter off the end of her toast in a decisive manner.

‘Oh, all right, all right, I suppose I’ve brought this upon myself,’ said Pran. He turned to the appropriate page in the newspaper. ‘How about this? Sangraam. At the Odeon. “Acclaimed by all – a greatest movie marvel. For adults only.” Ashok Kumar’s acting in it – he makes Ma’s heart beat faster.’

‘You’re teasing me,’ Mrs Rupa Mehra said, somewhat appeased. ‘But I do like his acting. Still, somehow, you know, all these adult movies, I feel –’

‘All right,’ said Pran. ‘Next one. No – there’s no afternoon show for that. Um, um, here’s something that looks interesting. Kaalé Badal. An epic of love and romance. Meena, Shyam, Gulab, Jeewan, etcetera, etcetera, even Baby Tabassum! Just right for you in your present condition,’ he added to Savita.

‘No,’ said Savita. ‘I don’t like any of the actors.’

‘This family is very particular,’ Pran said. ‘First they want a film, then they reject all the options.’

‘Keep reading,’ said Savita, rather sternly.

‘Yes, Memsahib,’ said Pran. ‘Well, then we have Hulchul. Great Gala Opening. Nargis –’

‘I like her,’ said Mrs Rupa Mehra. ‘She has such expressive features –’

‘Daleep Kumar –’

‘Ah!’ said Mrs Rupa Mehra.

‘Restrain yourself, Ma,’ said Pran. ‘– Sitara, Yaqub, K.N. Singh and Jeevan. “Great in story. Great in stars. Great in music. In 30 years of Indian films no picture like this.” Well?’

‘Where’s it showing?’

‘At the Majestic. “Renovated, luxuriously furnished and fitted with fresh air circulating device for cool comfort.” ’

‘That sounds right in every way,’ said Mrs Rupa Mehra with careful optimism, as if she were discussing a prospective match for Lata.