February 1993 – Trilogy Post-Production Suite, Bombay
The transition from the literal peaks of Switzerland to the metaphorical trenches of the Bombay film industry was jarring. Ashutosh sat in a dark, cool room in Goregaon, the only light coming from the glowing monitors of a state-of-the-art digital editing suite—one of the first of its kind in India.
The "Distributor Mafia," led by the bitter duo of Girdharilal and the Bombay veteran Khanna, had not been idle. Rumors were being systematically planted in trade magazines like Screen and Blitz. The narrative was simple: "The Pathak kid has made a bloated, 10-crore disaster that looks like a travelogue and feels like a wedding video. It's too long, too expensive, and too 'western' for the Indian heartland."
Because of this whisper campaign, the major theater chains were demanding "Minimum Guarantee" (MG) terms that were predatory. They wanted Ashutosh to pay them to screen the film for the Diwali 1993 slot, effectively stripping Trinity of any profit.
"They think they can choke our cash flow," Aryan said, pacing the room. As the family's CFO, he was looking at the mounting interest on the 10-crore investment. "If we don't sign the distribution deals by next month, we won't have the marketing budget for the October release."
"We aren't signing anything with them," Ashutosh said, his eyes fixed on the screen. "We're going to let them talk. In fact, let Girdharilal spend his money on more negative PR. It only builds curiosity."
"But Bhaiya, who is going to edit this?" Ananya asked, leaning over his shoulder. "The senior editors in the city are all refusing to touch it. They say a 'lawyer' can't tell them where to cut."
"I don't need a senior editor who is stuck in 1975," Ashutosh replied. "I need someone who understands the rhythm of the heart. I need Sanjay."
Ashutosh had scouted a young, reclusive man named Sanjay who had been working on obscure documentary films. Sanjay didn't care about "industry rules"; he cared about the emotional 'beat' of a frame.
***************
For the next three weeks, Ashutosh and Sanjay disappeared into the suite. This was where the Stage 4 Mental Processing became Ashutosh's greatest weapon. He wasn't just looking at shots; he was analyzing the psychological impact of every frame.
"Cut it here," Ashutosh commanded, pointing to the moment Shah Rukh looks back at the train station. "We don't need the extra three seconds of him walking. The audience's imagination will finish the walk. We need the transition to the Punjab fields to feel like a sharp intake of breath."
"But the 'rule' is to establish the exit first," Sanjay argued, his eyes bloodshot.
"The 'rule' is for people who can't lead the audience by the hand," Ashutosh countered. "We are creating a new grammar. This film needs to be 190 minutes of pure, distilled emotion. Not a second of 'filler'."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[SKILL ACTIVATED: MASTER OF EDITING (DERIVED FROM DIRECTOR'S VISION LV 6)]
[EFFECT: PACING OPTIMIZATION +20%]
As they worked, Savitri and Vishwanath Pathak (Dada) came in through the door. They often bring tiffin carriers, sitting quietly in the back of the dark room just to be near Ashutosh.
"You look like a ghost, Ashu," Savitri whispered, pressing a glass of fresh pomegranate juice into his hand. "You've lost weight. The 6'3" giant is becoming a 6'3" shadow."
"I'm fine, Maa," Ashutosh said, leaning back for the first time in ten hours. "We just finished the 'Tujhe Dekha Toh' sequence. Dada, you want to see why we spent 10 Crores?"
He hit the play button. The screen erupted in the vibrant yellow of Punjab, the mandolin music swelled in the high-fidelity speakers, and the chemistry between Shah Rukh and Kajol practically leaped off the screen.
Dada Vishwanath sat in stunned silence as the scene ended. He took a long, shaky breath. "I've seen a thousand films in the cinema halls of Varanasi, Ashu. But I have never seen a movie that looks like it was filmed by the gods themselves. Girdharilal is a fool. He's trying to block a tidal wave with a wooden fence."
Countering the Mafia
By March 1993, the edit was nearly complete. It was time to deal with the distributors. Ashutosh called for a "Secret Screening"—not for the distributors, but for the theater owners themselves—the men who actually owned the physical cinema halls.
He invited the top twenty single-screen owners from North India to a private theater in Bombay.
"Welcome, gentlemen," Ashutosh said, standing before them. He looked every bit the mogul in a tailored black suit. "The distributors have told you my film is a disaster. They've told you to demand MGs from me. I'm here to offer you something else: The Trinity Partnership."
"What is this partnership, Pathak-saab?" one owner asked.
"I'm bypassing the distributors," Ashutosh declared. "I will give you the film for the Diwali 1993 slot. I won't pay you an MG. Instead, I'll give you a higher percentage of the ticket sales than any distributor ever has. In exchange, you give me a 'No-Exit' clause for 25 weeks. You bet on the film, and I bet on you."
"But Khanna and Girdharilal will blacklist us!" another owner shouted.
"Khanna and Girdharilal can't give you a film that will run for 1000 weeks," Ashutosh said, his voice dropping to a low, confident growl. "I can. You saw the footage. Do you want to be on the side of the people holding the fence, or the side of the tidal wave?"
The room was silent. The theater owners looked at each other. They had seen the 10-crore quality. They had seen the "King" in the mustard fields.
One by one, they stood up. The "Distributor Mafia" was broken before the first poster was even printed.
As the meeting ended, Ashutosh walked out to the balcony. Abhishek and Aryan were there, grinning.
"We've secured 400 screens in the North alone," Abhishek said. "Direct contracts. No middlemen."
"And the news of the 'Secret Screening' has leaked," Aryan added. "Khanna is panicking. He's trying to call us now."
"Don't pick up," Ashutosh said, looking at the setting sun. "We have six months until Diwali. Sanjay and I have the final mix to finish. Ananya is working on the marketing campaign with the London photoshoots. Everything is moving."
He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Raghunath. "You did it, Son. You fought the city and won."
"The fight hasn't even started, Papa," Ashutosh said. "Wait until the world sees the first trailer. That's when the real revolution begins."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[QUEST: THE MOGUL'S GAMBIT – SUCCESSFUL]
[REWARD: 20,000 SKILL POINTS]
[CURRENT BALANCE: 62,100 SKILLPOINTS]