The Fire Within [Modified ]

Mumbai is a city that respires with an overdose of glamour, having every kind of allurements for people from all four quarters of the globe. Mostly people fail to differ between the reel and the real and consequently fall victim to vicious trap of this hiatus. Mumbai is a city where the affluent becomes more affluent, living in the charmed world of tinsel-town, almost developing a cocoon all around themselves and thereby get de-linked from the real world outside. Behind the glitz and glamour, in the dark alleys - almost every moment a new conspiracy simmers up. A lethal combination actively works behind it - the faceless underworld, the immaculate white clothed politicians and the men in khaki. The bourgeois of Mumbai, who save the grace and face of the city, are actually caught between the horns of the dilemma, in the eternal tussle between the Mumbai of daytime and the Mumbai at the dead of night. The worst sufferers are the needy. Yes! They do ascend from the road in their pursuit of their dream. But alas! They get lost into the oblivion even before being noticed by anyone. Lisa Dias was one such underprivileged girl. But it is yet to be seen if she too is heading towards the same fate or is she going to survive and come out of this cruel ensnare.

Characters

Lisa Dias: After losing her mother and brother in a mishap, Lisa comes to Mumbai with her father. Being a Christian, it is easy for her to get an admission in a reputed convent school. Nevertheless, poverty ridden, Lisa has to fight hard against all odds to keep her education uninterrupted. Unfortunately, things take a dismal turn with sudden demise of Lisa’s father. Lisa, then seventeen years old, all alone, penniless and sans a roof over her head has to protect herself from preying glares. She finds herself on a dark lane of Mumbai. Finally, with no options left, she is impelled to pacify the carnal lust of men. Lisa Dias, a woman with a mature and much preyed upon body but with the heart of a child, is an inimitable combo.

Ronnie Fernandez: Ronnie’s father is a lawyer while his mother is a teacher. While at school Ronnie meets Lisa. After completing school, Ronnie moves to Bangalore. However, after two years, he comes back to Mumbai in order to be enrolled at a law college. This is the time when Ronnie meets with an accident which takes away his parents and he is left desolated - handicapped. While studying at the college Ronnie tries to find Lisa. Much to his astonishment, he finds a new building coming up at the same location where once Lisa used to stay and nobody can tell him anything about Lisa’s whereabouts.

Bhiku Sawant: At the age of fifteen, Bhiku comes to Mumbai from Sonurli, a village in Sawantwadi Taluka, Maharashtra. He works as a Mathadi, mostly carrying fruits and vegetables from Masjid Bunder. Bhiku stays in a slum near Dhobi Ghat, Colaba. He is married and has two daughters. When nearing fifty, Bhiku finds it difficult to continue with his occupation and finally lands up at a well to do Guajarati businessman’s house as a household help. Here Bhiku comes face to face with an eighteen year old girl, Lisa Dias.

Jean Fernandez: Twenty-five years old, Jean Fernandez is a happy-go-lucky girl from the Mumbai suburbs. She is an architect by profession and employed in a very reputed real estate developer’s firm in Mumbai.  Jean and Lisa come to know each other while travelling in a local train. But apart from exchanging smiles and a few hi’s and bye’s, there is nothing more between them. Astonishingly, Jean occupies a very special place in Lisa’s life – something which even herself Lisa is not conscious of!

Suhash Patil: Twenty-seven years old, Suhash Patil is the only son of a Real Estate giant from Mumbai. Despite being a spoiled brat and a serial offender he always manages to emerge unscathed, thanks to the loopholes in the judiciary system. Albeit he tries a couple of times to break into Lisa’s flat, he has to bite the dust every time owing to Bhiku’s presence. In his attempt to extract his vengeance, once even tries to kill Bhiku.

Plot Summary

After nine long years, while waiting for a train, Ronnie and Lisa meet each other at a railway station. Subsequently, during one of their frequent meetings, Lisa reveals to him the truth about her profession and beseeches him to distance himself from her. However, they keep encountering each other by coincidence and as a result, become more attached. A year later, it is time for Ronnie to go out of Mumbai for a few days. Just before leaving, he proposes Lisa. Although she is a little hesitant initially, eventually she accepts it. While awaiting Ronnie’s return and looking forward to their new and blissful conjugal life ahead, in a cold rainy December night Lisa herself walks towards the loutish man named Suhash Patil. What compels Lisa to do so?