Karnataka - Bidar   

Their hunger for success led them on

Rishikesh Bahadur Desai

A WARM HUG: Shantappa G. Patil and G. Srinivasan recall the days they spent together in Chennai

Bidar: Some 30 years ago, two hungry friends sharing a small room in Chennai had just about enough money to buy a handful of ragi flour. They made ragi balls and ate it with salt for flavour. One said the ragi balls would have tasted better with curry. The other replied, "Don't worry, hunger is the best curry."

Their days of struggle are over, and they are rich and famous now. The one who wished for some curry is Shantappa G. Patil, BJP leader and president of the Bidar Vidya Kendra group of educational institutions. The other, who "taught him to take life as it comes," is G. Srinivasan, who is now a celebrity in Malayalam cinema.

Both shared a room when they were students at Adyar Film Institute. While Mr. Srinivasan succeeded in films, Mr Patil became an "educational entrepreneur" as he described himself.

The two friends met again recently. "I had forgotten all about Chennai, grease paint and my talkative roommate," said Mr. Patil. "While on a trip to Kerala, I noticed a poster and recognised Mr. Srinivasan's face. I managed to get his cellphone number after coming back to Bidar. I tried to call him but he did not answer. I sent an SMS and waited. He called back immediately."

Mr. Patil then went to Kerala and Mr. Srinivasan came to the airport to receive him. The two chatted for hours about the hard days and hungry nights in Chennai. They joked about Mr. Patil's failed attempts at making it in the film industry and how the acting classes must have helped him become a politician.

"It was so nice to see Mr. Patil," Mr. Srinivasan told The Hindu from a shooting location in Kerala. "Rich people tend to forget their old friends. But Mr. Patil retains the same old warmth. He was of great help during my student days. I came from a poor family and he from a middle-class one. He helped me many times when I was in need. It is so nice to recall those days now," Mr. Srinivasan said.

Mr. Srinivasan is an actor, screenwriter and director. He is known for his satirical comedies commenting on social issues.

Bidar Vidya Kendra will felicitate Mr. Srinivasan here in May. The kendra runs Ambigara Choudaiah Nursing College in Bangalore and Akka Mahadevi Nursing College in Bidar.

"Many of our students are from Kerala. They are all excited about meeting Mr. Srinivasan," said Mr. Patil.

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Their hunger for success led them on

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