On the weekend.
One tea, please.
Two teas, please.
Oh, by the way, best of luck for the interview.
Thank you. Cheers.
Finish your tea quickly. The countdown for the next attempt has already begun.
I'm done.
No more attempts for me.
What do you mean?
Initially, I gave all the attempts thinking
that since my friends are doing it, why not join them?
I was quite zealous too.
But when Abhilash said that I didn't deserve it,
it pissed me off.
Then I realised that everybody is deserving.
But not everyone can make it.
I can't make it, Dhairya.
What will you do after going back?
I'll take care of my dad's business.
Or I'll start something of my own.
I won't die of hunger obviously.
Did you tell SK?
Hey, Guri.
How are you, buddy?
Hey, congratulations, Dhairya.
I knew this day would come.
But I thought that we'll face it when it does.
So, separate ways from tomorrow, right?
I got down at the station and came straight here with my luggage.
I feared you would leave without meeting me.
How can I leave without meeting you?
Who's waiting for you in Karnal anyway?
But why did you come back?
You don't need the coaching anymore.
You should have stayed at home with dad.
Want to hear a couplet I wrote?
Go ahead.
Standing right in the middle of a world full of responsibilities,
when my father got sick,
overnight, his son grew up to fulfil his duties.
Now is when I need the coaching most.
With all this family responsibility,
I'll have to earn a living to run the household.
I've thought of joining some institute here and start teaching there.
It's not like I have any other skills. So...
I had to come back, bro.
And then there's this next attempt also, right?
So, it's a sheer do-or-die situation for me now.
-Shall we go then? -Yes, let's go.
-Dhairya. -Yes.
Why can't I see your rehab centre nomination here?
I think there's some mistake.
Call Ujwala ma'am.
No, it's okay.
What's okay? Call her and ask.
Ujwala ma'am is busy on a tour right now.
So what? She'll surely take your call.
Guri. Hold on.
I didn't send the nomination.
What do you mean by that?
We have the Rampur tender now.
We got the Rampur tender later
after Abhilash's interference.
My decision to withdraw was right. Trust me.
-No, it wasn't. -Look, I know.
I told you I'd manage. You should have filled the nomination.
I know.
I know you would have managed. But I couldn't have let you start all over.
And congratulations on the Rampur tender.
We'll manage it together.
For the first time in my life, I feel so helpless.
Dhairya missed such a huge opportunity only because of me.
But she's also at fault.
I told her to fill out the nomination.
And that I would find some solution.
But no, she didn't trust me.
Good morning, sir.
And look at my luck.
Abhilash takes action on an anonymous letter and I get the tender.
I don't even feel happy about it.
Guri, you better leave now. I'll catch you later. I'm a bit busy.
What?
You said you have an evening class. So I came.
I can be busy with some other work too, right?
I'll see you later.
Mister, get me one tea. Sir is leaving.
-Okay, sir. -Get two teas.
Okay.
Why are you behaving like this? What's wrong?
-You seem to be in a bad mood. -Yes, I'm in a bad mood.
What are you going on and on about?
My...
My wife's nomination, my business, my tender.
You didn't even want to apply for that tender.
Now, you have got it somehow.
But not even once did you say, SK, let's open the institute now.
-Look, I... -What's with this I, Me, Mine?
And that Abhilash, he said he'd come to my institute and he didn't turn up.
I'm not able to face the chairman.
Look, don't vent out Abhilash's anger on me.
Big deal if he didn't come.
He's the DM. He must have been busy.
Oh, I see. Wow, man.
Guri, didn't you say you'd never see Abhilash's face ever again?
And now after getting the tender, you've switched sides so fast?
-What tender, man? -Don't shout. Lower your voice.
I'm not shouting.
What's wrong with you?
And since when are you against Abhilash?
For six years you kept telling me to
talk to him. He's our friend. We're the Tripod. We should stick together.
Now that I'm with him, you have a problem?
And yes, I didn't want to see his face.
But it was you who invited him to the wedding.
Right? Why did you invite him?
Answer me, SK.
SK.
-Give me my phone back. -You brought him, didn't you? Why?
-Just tell me. Why did you do it? -I was dying of guilt for five years.
What a saga of endless guilt you are!
When we had that epic fallout after the mains, I thought it was because of me.
I wanted to set things right.
And I didn't do it for myself. I did it for all three of us.
I had never thought that you two would patch up and sideline me again.
That day I thought it was my fault. But it wasn't.
It was his fault.
That's how his character is.
You know what he has done now?
To save his own back, he ordered a review on Sandeep.
His appraisal, his promotion, he put a stop to all that.
What the hell are you saying, SK?
-It's a DM and ALC govt. matter. -No! No!
No. This isn't about DM and ALC. This is his character.
He didn't stand by a friend even then. He's doing the same even now.
And you. You're advocating for him, aren't you?
When I invited him to your wedding, remember what you said to me?
That I was a two-faced, DM's ass-licker.
Who's licking the DM's ass now after getting the tender, Guri?
Show me your tongue. Is it sore?
-It's a waste talking to you. -Huh, Guri?
Guri, come on. Show me your tongue.
Has all the licking made it sore?
Hey, wait.
Not there. At the back. A little lower.
There should be more hair there, right? Wait.
Do it properly, man. It's for the UPSC interview.
Then you should have said earlier that you want the UPSC interview cut.
This is exactly what I was saying.
After three days, I will also need the same haircut.
I also have an interview.
How is this brown one?
This will look more classy.
Look, there's a dark brown one too.
This is light brown, this is dark brown. Let's go with this one.
Or you can try that black one.
-The black one? -Yes.
-Black's also good. -Or how about the blue?
-Sir. Sir! -Shall we buy the blue one?
-Blue? -What colour shoes are you wearing?
Do I look like a TT in this black and white suit?
Exactly my thoughts, sir. Try something more colourful.
It's the wedding season. You'll look vibrant.
What? It's not for any wedding. It's for the UPSC interview.
Then you should have said that earlier.
Actually, it's my fault too.
Amidst all this mess, I couldn't give time to SK.
Then why did you just walk off without talking to him?
What could I do?
Call him once and apologise to him nicely.
-I'm telling you. -A mere apology isn't going to work.
I think I should restart that coaching institute project with SK.
I'm sure it'll make him very happy.
His anger will simmer down too.
Correct?
That's indeed very thoughtful of you.
Learning from you.
Since he has got the tender, he's siding with Abhilash now.
He says some anonymous letter dropped in.
Abhilash should have given him the tender straightaway. Why all this drama?
Sandeep.
-Sorry. I was just... -No, it's fine.
Nobody could have expected that Abhilash would change so much.
What he did to me...
I'll get going. I need to reach Delhi in time for my class.
I had called you but you didn't answer. So, I got concerned.
I thought I'll come and meet you.
Come on, Sandeep. Don't look so sad and dejected.
Come on. Give me a hug.
If you haven't done anything wrong,
the enquiry can do you no harm. Okay?
Thank you.
I shall see you soon. Okay?
'Union Service Public Commission'
Ms. Devika Singh, you'll be going first.
After that second in the sequence is Mr. Vivek Agarwal.
Number 3 is Ms. Janki Ranganathan.
Number 4 is Mr. Shiv Prakash.
Number 5 is Mr. Tala Siddique.
-And Number 6 is Mr. Abhilash Sharma. -Yes, sir.
Ms. Devika Singh, you can go for your interview.
I hope I don't get Dr. Vidya Tiwari's panel.
She's ferocious.
Last year I got the same panel.
'Only drinking water'
Very stressful.
I pray I get Goswami sir's panel this time.
I hear he's a bit lenient.
Don't worry.
-Just got to know about Table 6. -Who is it?
-Dr. Sudhanshu Sood. -Okay.
That's great.
Which is your table?
Table 6.
Dr. Sudhanshu Sood's panel.
-Very unpredictable man. -All the best.
-All the best, man. -Yeah, thank you.
'Union Service Public Commission'
Ms. Dhairya.
Your turn.
I found out just now.
They're asking a lot of questions from today's newspaper.
I should have read it and come.
Mr. Vivek Agarwal.
It's your turn.
-Mr. Varun. -Yes.
Your turn.
Mr. Jack, your turn, please.
Mr. Karan.
Janki Ranganathan.
Mr. Shiv Prakash.
Mr. Akash.
'Union Service Public Commission'
Mr. Abhilash Sharma.
-Yes, sir. -You can come.
'Union Service Public Commission'
The tender paperwork takes time at times.
Guri must be on his way.
Are you getting bored?
I don't get bored even when I'm alone.
But right now, I do feel a bit bored in your company.
Hey, tell me something.
How was it meeting Deepa?
How was it for me? Or how is she for you?
I didn't mean to ask that.
-She's a very nice girl. -Really?
-I think you should go ahead with her. -Oh, come on.
Dhairya, we're just friends.
I know.
Because you aren't sure?
Of course, not about Deepa. But about yourself.
That vacant space in your life, Abhilash,
only she'll be able to fill it.
By the way, that night at the party, why did you say that Guri is lucky?
That night at your place. You said that.
Yes. So, he is. Isn't he?
I mean, I am very happy
that my friend gets all those things very easily
which generally, other people, perhaps, do not get.
And there's nothing wrong in that.
Like for example, you.
First, you cracked UPSC.
Then you left IRS for your passion.
And now, when you're at the peak
of your career, when you're even getting an international award,
you are sacrificing all that for Guri.
So, isn't he lucky?
It's a good thing to be lucky.
I wish I was that lucky.
You think Guri has me and that is why he is lucky?
When Guri does something for someone, he doesn't show it.
He gave away his land so that my rehab centre could come up.
In fact, while doing all the things that we have done together,
he held himself back and made me the first priority.
Always.
And he's always worried that he's not able to do so much for others
as much as he wants.
It's not Guri who's lucky, Abhilash.
It's all of us who are lucky because Guri loves us.
And this quality of his,
his own friends could never understand it.
Sorry.
I'm really sorry.
For everything.
Not just for what I said now.
Actually, it's long overdue.
You know, when I had seen you at the UPSC Bhavan during the interview,
when I came to you,
I had come to say sorry.
But it took me six long years to say it.
I'm sorry, Dhairya.
Well, don't take six years to move on with Deepa.
-Are you alright? -Yes. Why?
I know how tough it must have been for you to take action against Sandeep.
But you're just doing your job. It's okay.
Really?
Because SK doesn't think that.
Did he say something?
Yes, he sent me a message.
That I'm not being fair to Sandeep.
He's an emotional guy. Don't mind him.
Just go to his coaching institute once to give a lecture. He'll feel good.
Yes, man. I did make that mistake.
I should have gone. I had promised him.
Tell him that.
His anger is valid. I'll talk to him.
I don't think any of the allegations made by Sandeep about you are true.
But if there is any misunderstanding, then just talk and sort it out.
You think I wouldn't have done that?
I told him to be mindful of his decision.
But he ordered an inspection.
I broke the protocol and called him home.
Sat him down.
I requested him to urge the workers to end the strike.
He flatly refused.
Professionally, I am his senior.
He has to take my orders.
Sandeep still hasn't come out of our Rajendranagar relationship.
He becomes emotional and takes aggressive decisions.
An outbreak of riots is not a small thing.
If this goes on, he'll soon be in trouble.
I can't make him understand with my words.
He takes it lightly.
He'll realise his mistakes only when somebody else will tell him.
That is why it was necessary to set up a review to save him.
And I already know the result of the review.
Guri, I have learnt a lot from him. I'm just following him.
He may think my ways are aggressive.
So be it.
He's already in trouble. His promotion has been stopped.
It hasn't been stopped. It is just on hold.
With an enquiry on, his promotion is bound to go on hold.
Don't get worked up. I am with you.
Dhairya is right about you.
How so?
-Forget it. -No, tell me.
It's nothing, man.
-Okay, then. -Alright.
Congratulations, buddy.
See you.
Bye.
-Come. -Thank you.
What time do you have to go?
At four.
Deepa, I was wrong about Rajendranagar.
That relationships formed there never have a future.
See, I don't want to repeat my past mistakes.
I want to thank you that you never let our friendship
become awkward.
You were always there and
we have been friends.
I just hope it's not too late.
Late? Late for?
Deepa, can we...
Can I start this where I had ended it?
I mean, I'd understand if...
If what?
If you're not sure and
well,
I know that there's a lot of upheaval in my life right now like
the allegations made against me by Sandeep Ohlan.
So, I'll understand
if you're not sure about this.
Look, I know your turmoil.
These professional and personal conflicts are a part of our lives.
Today, it's you. Tomorrow, it can happen to me as well.
But what has changed so suddenly in these five years?
I mean, why now?
Abhilash.
I know my reasons and I think you should figure out yours.
Congratulations!
Over the past few months, for Rampur's development,
the district administration was working on a very ambitious project.
It gives me immense pleasure to inform you all
that under Vision Rampur, 2028,
a special economic zone for biofuel is being set up in Rampur.
The foundation stone for which was laid today by our minister of commerce.
Under this vision, CBCC has
sanctioned first and second-generation ethanol plants.
To materialise this vision,
Red Giants Distilleries has agreed to increase its ethanol capacity
from 3% to 25%.
Honourable Minister, Divisional Commissioner sir,
Mr. Dayanidhi Joshi,
the chairman of the sugar mills association,
CBCC, workers' leader, Mr. Alekh Pal,
media, and especially all the workers present here today
and the people of Rampur, I express my gratitude to you all
that despite so many differences, we are still standing together today
only for Rampur's development.
This dream would not have been possible without your support.
I would also like to put an end to some rumours doing rounds in media.
Number 1.
A hospital was supposed to come up here, then why an SEZ?
Let me tell you that as per the OMC's recommendation, this place
was found to be the most suitable for an ethanol plant.
The administration has decided to build a hospital within the city
on a much bigger land and at a more convenient distance.
Number 2.
All the workers living on this land
have been rehabilitated to new and better houses.
There's nobody who hasn't got a new house.
Number 3.
Our worker brothers who were on strike,
Mr. Dayanidhi Joshi has given a promise in writing
that they won't just get an increment
but they'll get a double increment.
And now that he will be increasing ethanol production,
200 more workers and technicians will get jobs.
And overall, it's my promise.
With the creation of SEZ, we'll generate 10,000 jobs in the next 1.5 years.
Well done, Abhilash.
You really did a good job.
Thank you, sir.
What about the ALC matter?
Sir, I have received the interim report of his review.
And as we speak, ALC Sandeep Ohlan
is being informed about his future course of action.
Sir, the committee has found him to be a very good officer.
Even though his intentions were to protect the workers' rights,
his actions were a bit aggressive. That's all.
Sir, LBSNAA has announced a refresher course for state civil servants
about interpersonal skills and public management.
I want to send ALC Sandeep Ohlan there.
The ALC takes decisions emotionally. During this course, he will get time
to understand his behaviour and self-evaluate it.
He needs it.
And after the training, his DLC promotion process can be started.
So, your opinion about him has changed now?
Well, sir, my opinion regarding his good work remains the same.
I just hope the ALC's opinion changes.
Sir, to select, train and make a civil servant
capable of serving people, it takes a lot of government resources and time.
An officer's hard work is also involved.
If the officer is like Sandeep Ohlan, we shouldn't let him be wasted.
-I agree. -Yeah.
Well, a good job done once again.
-Thank you, sir. -Thank you. See you soon.
The LBSNAA refresher course dates will be conveyed to you via a letter.
Once you successfully complete it, your promotion process will be initiated.
Anything else you'd like to say?
Yes, sir.
You have investigated me.
But who will investigate that officer
who is really misusing his post?
Whom are you talking about?
DM sir.
He favours his friends and relatives.
DM Abhilash Sharma is biased.
You are accusing the District Magistrate.
You are an ALC.
What do you think?
You'll make blind accusations and we will open an enquiry against DM Rampur?
I have proof.
Your review is over.
You may go.
Wish you all the best.
Congratulations are in order.
You won the bet.
You finally cracked the UPSC exam.
Ma'am, I wanted to become an IAS, not an IRS.
So, looks like you won the bet.
Getting into the Indian Revenue Service is also a very big achievement.
I think you're just being too tough on yourself.
Don't forget you weren't keeping well during the mains.
It could have impacted your overall score.
No, ma'am. I did whatever best I could in the mains.
I can't blame my health.
I know I couldn't give my best in the interview.
After the brutal feedback of your mock interview, I was very demoralized.
So, you mean you couldn't do your best in the final interview because of me?
No, ma'am.
Rather, you were the reason I could do it better.
I learned a lot from your brutal feedback.
And now, you're giving me the credit.
You seem very confused, sir.
Ma'am, don't you think you should have gone a little soft on me in the mock?
Was the interview panel soft on you?
No.
Then?
You know, Abhilash, you weren't my brightest student.
But you were the toughest.
Toughest? How so?
I knew that the panel would find it very difficult to reject you.
Amongst all the known methods of learning,
experiential learning is the most effective of them all.
Because that which you experience yourself,
you learn that in the best possible way.
But it's also the toughest form of learning.
Ma'am, tell me honestly. Did you deliberately make my life difficult
so I would be better prepared or win the bet?
This will happen several times.
Despite doing the right thing, you won't be able to stop the wrong thing.
And you won't be able to tell yourself
that you were at fault too.
Cheers to Indian Revenue Service.
Jai Hind, sir.
Abhilash, I've received a copy of the letter.
Yes, sir. I've received one too. I have no idea who did this.
I have found out.
I know who did this.
Sir, the DM was never involved in the fire department's tender allotment.
This is simply out of his purview.
He said that he received an anonymous letter
that raised questions about the fairness of the tender.
He involved himself in the tender allotment because of this very letter
and rejected the Firefighter Resource Committee's recommendation,
suspended the committee,
and gave the tender to his close friend.
The anonymous letter he is talking about
was sent to him by that close friend's wife
who coincidentally used to be his ex-girlfriend.