Patol Babu always remembered the words of his mentor that one has to accept whatever is offered and make the best of any opportunity. Write a letter to a friend telling him about the value of hard work and the art of putting in your best. Write the answer in 120–150 words.
234, Shanti Nivas
Gokhale Road
Thane
Dear Sujata,
It’s been ages since I’ve heard from you. Yesterday, I read a story that prompted me to write this letter to you. The story was, ‘Patol Babu, Film Star’ written by Satyajit Ray. While reading it, I realised that we would have enjoyed discussing it.
In the story, Patol Babu, the protagonist is a stage actor who gets to speak a single word in a film. Seeing him disappointed, his mentor advises him that there is no humiliation in playing a minor role. You must always perform your best irrespective of the significance of the role.
It struck a chord in my heart; it meant that no opportunity is worth turning away from no matter how insignificant it may seem. I have always advised you about the same virtue. Remember how I reprimanded you about turning down the seat at VJTI? I hope that you learnt something significant through that episode. Remember, opportunities don’t always come knocking on our doors. Be sure to make the most of your life. What are your thoughts? Do write to me.
Yours truly,
Akshaya
Answer the following in about 120 words:
“That’s odd − the man hadn’t been paid yet. What a strange fellow!” What traits of Patol Babu make him a strange fellow?
Patol Babu is considered to be a strange fellow by the film makers because he did not take the payment for playing his role in the movie. He had an ardent desire for acting. He gave his hundred per cent to the role and did the maximum innovation he could in his monosyllabic dialogue. He considered performing of his role with full devotion and dedication more important than just getting paid. This is why when he was praised by Baren Mullick, he felt he had accomplished his desire and left without waiting for his payment. This shows him as a passionate, disciplined, hard-working and meticulous man.
What made the writer believe that he was good at writing ghost stories?
The writer says that he did not specialize in writing ghost stories but more or less they seemed to specialize in him. Whenever Jenkins called on the author to write a ghost story for his magazine he had always been able to manage to write one for him, not really understanding how the idea of the plot came to him.
'Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A meek harmless man likes him and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing stock out of him.'
(a) Who is the speaker?
(b) Why does he think that he is being made a 'laughing stock'?
(c) What does the word 'hoax' mean?
a) The speaker is Patol Babu.
b) Patol Babu thought that he was being made a laughing stock because he had been assigned a very little role to play in the film. He just had to utter a single word.
c) 'Hoax' is an act of deception or a fraud performed deliberately.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
'Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A meek harmless man like him and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing stock out of him.'
(a) Who is the speaker?
(b) Why does he think that he is being made a 'laughing stock'?
(c) What does the word 'hoax' mean?
a) The speaker is Patol Babu.
b) Patol Babu thought that he was being made a laughing stock as the role that had been assigned to him was a very small part in the film. He just had one dialogue to deliver, “Oh”.
c) 'Hoax' is a deliberate falsehood or a fraud performed by deceiving or cheating someone.
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