Chapter 187 Plea
What's more, the prospectors we invited actually found some good stuff.
"Mr. Soul, look, there's not only limestone here, but also gypsum!"
"Plaster?" Ron pinched the pinkish-white stone curiously.
"It's a by-product mineral. It will be very beneficial to your cement business."
"What do you mean?" Ron became interested.
"The amount of gypsum added has a retarding effect, which is very necessary on construction sites, and it is also a building material in its own right."
"Sounds good, any other findings?"
"I've also visited several other mines. Besides limestone, they also have dolomite. This is also a building material and can be used to assist in the production of steel and glass."
"Is it worth mining?" This is the question Ron is concerned about.
"Dolomite is not the point, Mr. Soul. This mineral is usually found in conjunction with metal ores."
"Hmm?" Ron turned his head. "You mean..."
"If I'm not mistaken, there may be iron ore here, but I don't know how much the reserves are?" The explorer shook his head.
"Iron ore," Ron instantly lost interest. "Let's focus on cement first."
India has no shortage of steel companies, most of which are state-owned. The private sector that can enter this field is usually dominated by large companies that have monopolized resources.
Ron has no idea about steel for the time being. It requires too much investment and its profit period has passed.
"How is it, Ron?" Ratan came over after walking around outside.
He has no interest in mining or anything like that. Hemp is the way out for Uttar Pradesh!
“The limestone reserves are abundant and of high quality, and the other scraps are also acceptable.”
"Do you want Uncle Aditya to bring people to build the factory? He has built a dam before and is very experienced."
"Forget it, I won't bother Uncle Aditya. I've already arranged an appointment with an industry expert who will be responsible for all the designs, from the factory to the process."
What a joke! He has seen the one-to-four trick before, and he has also suffered losses from Inspur once. How could he possibly step on the landmine again?
It’s better to leave professional work like cement factory work to professionals.
Now that the mine is settled, the next step is to order equipment, recruit personnel, and purchase basic building materials.
All of this takes time, and a long time.
Leaving a few men to patrol here, Ron and his men returned to Varanasi in a mighty force.
Muna also stayed behind. He was injured and wanted to go but was unable to do so.
After much pleading, Ron agreed to hire him, provided that he recovered from his injuries.
Before leaving, Ron left some medicine for his wounds and asked his family to take good care of him.
They really needed a local guide to keep them informed. Muna had already pledged his loyalty and could be trusted.
Ron was initially a little puzzled as to why Muna was so insistent on being his servant.
Ratan scoffed and said that Munna must find a new master for herself.
Otherwise, if a low caste killed a landlord, the other high castes around him would definitely kill him.
His family would also suffer a miserable fate unless Muna completely abandoned his family and fled his homeland.
After all, he is a human being, not an animal.
Things are different with a new master, Muna is just following orders.
Isn't it natural for servants to obey their masters' orders?
Muna was free, but put the noose around his neck again.
Born in rural India, and of a low caste, he had no choice.
No, he had some choices. For example, between Latan and Ron, he chose the latter.
No matter what, a doctor can't be a bad person.
Well, the Sul family’s thugs have the most say on this.
God have mercy on me, I was killed in a gunfight.
How could there be a doctor accompanying him, let alone the young master treating him personally.
Some of them were injured, but they didn't have to worry about losing their lives. This was a great victory.
As Ratan raced through the wilderness, he couldn't help cheering and firing into the air, and a large group of thugs followed suit.
Tsk, looking at this scene, Ron thought he was in a Persian Gulf country.
The move in Mirzapur was already in place, and it was time for him to return to Bombay.
When Ron returned to Mumbai, it was already October, the rainy season had just passed, and the weather was clear and crisp.
The open-air teahouse in front of the Bandra Trident Hotel is perfect for a few friends to enjoy tea and chat.
"What do those people from the Film Censorship Board say?" Ron asked.
"There's not much hope." Director Schiff sighed.
“What a shame about all this publicity stunt,” Vikram said, holding a few magazines.
There is "Screen" written by Raj, on which the promotional leaflet of "Hymn to Durga Puja" is clearly visible.
The actress wore 15cm high heels and a miniskirt that revealed the outline of her buttocks, and the look was extremely explosive.
In Raj's own words, this is the shortest miniskirt he has ever seen in his many years of work.
There is also a magazine called "Super Movie" that is also promoting "A Tribute to the Inaccessible Mother".
"Recently, a mythological film has become a hit at the box office in Uttar Pradesh. Religious themes are always popular and sweep through the market like a tornado."
Unfortunately, the tornado gradually turned into a gentle breeze and drizzle as it moved south, and eventually dissipated completely.
It hasn't even passed the review, so how can it be released?
"They won't allow the film to pass because the committee is mainly composed of housewives and men with a lot of free time. Yaar, you know, Indian women can't accept this kind of standards," said Vikram's sister Anu.
She is the chief reporter of India Today, her brother Vikram is a writer and her sister Tanuja is a film director.
This family is a genuine world of scholars. Anyone who can achieve this level is obviously a Brahmin.
"If there's really no other option, we can only give up South India." Ron shrugged.
“Wow, it seems that movies are doing well in the North,” Vikram quipped.
"We also have to thank the screenwriter you recommended. We have enough money to give double the red envelopes to the crew." Ron laughed.
Director Shiv and another producer were also beaming with joy. The movie was a big hit, so of course they also received bonuses.
According to the original agreement, if the film's returns were average, director Shiv's salary would be 300,000 rupees.
If it sells well, the reward will be doubled, which means Shiv will get a reward of Rs 600,000 this time.
It’s already a lot, almost comparable to the income of mainstream Bollywood directors.
He is a Bihari and not well-received actor. After this, Bollywood will surely take notice of him.
Most of the other main creators of the crew received similar treatment, from the male and female protagonists to the producer and music director, their salaries were all doubled.
"Halal Durga" earned 24 million rupees at the box office in Uttar Pradesh. With money, copies must also follow.
Now Bihar and Rajasthan have also released the film, but it will be difficult to replicate the glory of Uttar Pradesh.
Ron's reach is not that long, so the distributor Balam must have inflated some of the box office revenue.
There's nothing we can do about it; it's an Indian thing.
Only after the movie made money did Ron fulfill his original promise and give bonuses to the entire crew.
It’s less than two million rupees, just a drop in the bucket.
"Lanka's dream has come true this time." Raj smiled while holding a cup of tea.
"By the way, why didn't I see him today?" Ron looked around.
"He's filming a TV series," Mary replied.
"Huh? He got the role?" Ron raised his eyebrows.
“Although ‘Hail Durga Puja’ cannot be screened in Mumbai, we are always well-informed about Bollywood news.” Mary smiled with some pride.
"Did you help him find the TV drama resources?" Ron had already guessed something.
"Of course, Lanka is the male lead that our agency is promoting. He got the second male lead in the TV series this time, which is not bad."
Mary and her team signed Lanka long before the filming started, which is a common practice.
If the movie flopped, it wasn't a big loss. If the movie was a big hit, the new Bollywood star would emerge.
Mary struck while the iron was hot and arranged the subsequent work for Lanka early on.
The pay for filming a TV series is not much higher than that for "A Tribute to the Inaccessible Mother".
But the real source of income for actors is advertising, which is why they take on films with low pay.
Because if there were no movies or TV series, no one would recognize him in advertisements.
The revenue from commercial advertising can easily be more than ten times the film remuneration.
Of course, the agency will take a large cut.
Ron and Mary not only set up an agency, but also registered Sun Entertainment Production Company.
The producer of "A Tribute to Mother" is Suncity Group, which is often referred to as the investor in the entertainment industry.
Ron plans to treat it as a career, and the entertainment industry is also one of his future directions.
Otherwise, why would he take time out to set up the Bollywood Salon when Sur Electric is so busy? Isn't it to expand his network?
“By the way, Mr. Sur,” Vikram’s sister Anu suddenly said, “there’s actually someone who can convince the Film Censorship Board to approve ‘Hymn to Durga Puja’.”
"Who?" Ron asked subconsciously.
"Bar Thackeray."
Ron was stunned, and the others also lowered their voices.
That Shiv Sena boss is a well-known name in Mumbai.
Only when he speaks can the people in the Film Censorship Committee obey his orders.
"I heard that you have a good personal relationship with him." Anu hinted.
"It's not bad, but forget it this time," Ron shrugged. "'Hymn to the Durga Puja' is a low-budget film."
It was a religious film with a small investment and a relatively fixed audience, so it was not worth Ron's while to look for the tiger.
Separated from the rural areas of North India, this film, which reflects the suffering of the countryside, actually has little market in the city. Ron was too lazy to even insert water and air conditioner advertisements.
Compared to North India, Mumbai is so developed that no one dies of starvation.
What this city needs is not a goddess who insists on being a vegetarian, but a goddess who can solve housing problems, a goddess who can ease traffic flow, and a goddess who can restrain the government.
That's not how Thackeray's favor is used; Ron doesn't have that luxury.
Seeing that Anu hesitated to speak, Ron understood.
"Miss Chandra, do you need Thackeray's help with something?"
"Do you know Sanjay Dutt?" she asked.
"Oh, that big guy." Ron had heard of the name.
Sanjay Dutt usually appears in movies as a villain. Because his body size is much larger than that of ordinary people, he stands out among many male stars in Bollywood.
"Yes, that's him. Sanjay is in some trouble. So..."
"What's wrong with him?" Ron looked at Mary beside him, who clenched her fists and crossed them.
"He was arrested and taken away by a police officer named Aje Lal. I heard that you also know this police officer Lal?" Anu asked.
Ron blinked. Of course he knew him, very well.
PS: Muna’s story is far from over.
(End of this chapter)
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