Both go to the door together. Ashesh is about to open it when suddenly Haridas hugs him very tight. He raises a hand to greet Janaki before he walks out.

‘A very grave Haridas?’

‘Girji–Marli went home and haven’t returned.’

There’s a line of worry on Ashesh’s face. Janaki too is silent. Both think of Girji’s painting.

Janaki sets up her recording Walkman. The interview has to go off well. The editor had turned his nose up at Ashesh’s name. ‘A middle-class artist from Gamdevi, for heaven’s sake. Can anything be duller? Why should our readers want to know anything about him?’

She had said, ‘We’re running out of spicy artists. We need these types to fill space once in a while. We’re putting Shilika on top of the page. It’s about her new film. She’s in a bikini.’ That cheered him up.

Ashesh watches Janaki’s every move with interest as she checks the Walkman. Looking up, she smiles. ‘I’m going to ask you basic questions that you might find difficult to answer.’

‘You’re scaring me.’

She bubbles with laughter at the mock fear on his face. Ashesh thinks if I were a portrait painter that laughter would give me a key to her spirit. He picks up the coffee tray. ‘Tea or coffee for you?’

‘Nothing right now, thanks.’

He looks at her for a second, smiles to himself and goes to the kitchen. When he comes back, she’s looking at the red-and-black work that he’d turned around for Haridas.

‘This painting is a terrific start-off point for the interview.’

‘Why?’

‘It answers my first question.’

‘Which is?’

She reads from her notebook. ‘For several years, your palette has been limited to a few sombre colours. Some critics say you are loath to leave your comfort zone. What would you say to that?’

Ashesh wonders for a moment why he should have anything to say to that. The readers of the paper don’t give a damn what colours he uses and why. They’ll flip the page as they sip their tea. Then another thought breaks in. Janaki is interested. She wants to know about his work and he wants to talk to her about it. Very much.