Agneepath - An ASR story Chapter One

Arnav Malik was dead. From the ashes of Arnav Malik rose Arnav Singh Raizada. It was a difficult task to rise up as he did but he did it. Why? This question was often posed to him. Why would a fifteen year old fight tooth and nail to rise up amongst the ranks of criminals as he did? Why didn't he just go with his Mamma and Nani and live a peaceful and easy life? It was a simple answer and could be summarised in one word. Revenge. In Arnav there was a fire that could not be quenched until he had one man's blood smeared on his hands. His Chacha's, Kanchan Malik. Ten years ago Arnav had to flee Lucknow, Arnav his sister and what little family he had left. His Chacha was a greedy man, Arnav's father had been an honest and kind man. He had always shared everything with his brother, but once his daughter was to be married Ashwin Malik (Arnav's father) decided it was time to share out his wealth equally between his two children. Arnav's Chacha could not handle this insult and so on Anjali's wedding day he killed Arnav and Anjali's mother with a fatal gunshot wound, he placed the gun in Ashwin's hand and all believed Ashwin had done this. Arnav had seen it all and tried to speak against it but his Chacha was cunning and a good actor. He claimed that Ashwin had been unfaithful and she had found out and so this had happened. Ashwin could not bare the accusations being thrown at him but they continued. Anjali's baraat left and Ashwin was defamed before all, he had fallen and his wife was dead. Ashwin was broken and on top of all this his brother Kanchan was instigating those few remaining people against Ashwin. They banded together and decided to teach Ashwin a lesson, Arnav had been consoling Anjali and telling his Nani and Mama what had really happened when he heard his father's cries. He ran out of the room and looked down to see how they were beating his father senseless, a pool of blood gathered around Ashwin's head. Arnav was in shock at first but he began to run towards his father. By the time he reached the ground floor of the Mahal, they had begun to drag Ashwin outside. Arnav ran after them crying out, "Babba!" He shouted, his voice straining and failing to reach them. Arnav reached where they were and witnessed his own Chacha hang his father. Arnav cried out, his father had taught him three things in life, one: Always live your life with honesty and integrity, never bow down or go on your knees for anyone, live a life that should mean you shouldn't have to. Two: Be strong in life, never let your dear ones see you cry, instead you should wipe their tears. Three: Rage is a senseless and poisonous emotion, never let it cover your senses and never hang onto it. That night Arnav abandoned all three of his father's teachings. He went on his knees and begged for them to let his father go, he cried as he watched his father struggle against the rope as it cut off his breathing and he vowed to never let go of the anger he felt as he watched his father die and then had to watch as his uncle seized all the wealth and property kicking Anjali and Arnav out onto the streets. This was how Arnav Malik died and how Arnav Singh Raizada was born.


Ten years ago he left Lucknow but vowed in his heart he would return, he would re-claim Sheesh Mahal, clear his father's name and kill Kanchan. His Nani didn't have a lot of money when they came to Mumbai and so they lived in a chawal. It was dirty and small and not at all what Arnav was used to. This only enraged him more. He hated it, the only thing he had that lifted his spirits was Anjali, but when Kanchan kicked them out he had beaten them quite badly, Anjali was sick and needed to go to a Hospital. They couldn't afford it and Arnav knew it was up to him to sort this out. That's when he met Shyam Manohar Jha, Mumbai's drug-lord, not only that but he also dealt in trafficking girls also (you're general scum-bag). Arnav had seen his Chacha in Mumbai one day and followed him, it turned out Kanchan needed the wealth and property to fund his drugs business, however Shyam was not interested. It was from that moment Arnav decided he'd have to shake hands with Shyam and join his business if he was ever going to get even with Kanchan. So it was Shyam who helped create Arnav Singh Raizada, he used him as a go to man to clean up murders and commit them also. Soon Arnav was his top hit-man. When Nani realised what Arnav was doing she left taking Anjali with her. She wanted to go somewhere more civilised where she could look after her granddaughter in peace. By this point Arnav had raised the money to pay for her hospital fees and so he gave the money to Anjali making her promise that she'd go and get her treatment. She did and the two parted tearfully. There was little joy in Arnav's life after that point, well of course apart from Khushi.

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Present day, the chawal 


It was a time of festivities across India and in the Chawal all the members of this small but close knit community were celebrating it with full pomp. There was a column of young men stacked high, they were all standing on each others shoulders leading up to a rope that on it was tied a small clay pot full of milk, next to which there was a coconut also tied to the rope with string. The aim was that one man, was to climb above the rest and smash that pot with the coconut. Arnav rubbed red raang across his forehead and readied himself to take the challenge when his eyes widened as he saw red dye fly from a bucket and hit him with a force. He used his arm to shield his eyes and then looked up to see who dared do this to Arnav Singh Raizada. He looked and saw Khushi grinning, her eyebrows wiggling up and down, her smile plastered across her face and her eyes alive with mischief. Arnav grinned inwardly and began to make his run up. Khushi danced along to beat of numerous dhols, her hips swaying to and fro as she did so. She was completely lost in the music until Arnav wrenched he dupatta off her and tied it around his waist. He did not turn as he could imagine the shock on her face and the way she'd try to cover her now bare midriff. He had to get her back somehow and he knew she wouldn't mind. It may as well have been common knowledge, Khushi had been smitten with Arnav since the day he stopped a police officer from beating her mother. Khushi had been orphaned at a young age and left on the streets. If it hadn't been for her Aai, she would never have survived, it was true her Aai was a prostitute but not by choice and she vowed she would never let Khushi sell herself to earn a living. Her Aai was being beaten by a "customer" shortly after Arnav's family had deserted him, Arnav couldn't bare the sight of a woman being beaten, not after what had happened to his mother and sister and so he beat the man off of her until he was unable to use his hands again. Khushi had become smitten with him since then, the respect he had for women was something she'd never seen. Although you'd never guess he respected women from the way he acted with Khushi, but he only ever acted that way with Khushi and she liked it that way. Arnav climbed up the columns of men and Khushi shrieked at him, "Maaro Arnav, vaar karo abh!" She shouted. He tore the coconut and smashed the pot and everyone cheered. Arnav could hear Khushi's shouts above everyone else and smiled. He didn't have his family, he didn't have his revenge but at least for now he had Khushi.

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