Since I put up excerpts from my yet-to-be-published book I have got as many bouquets as well as brickbats. Well, I don't mind the bouquets and brickbats - I have long known that it's part of being an 'outspoken' journalist.

But what has disturbed my family and me are the half-a-dozen-odd crank and threatening calls I have got in the last two days - two of them from a Dubai cell number. The Dubai caller called twice and first abused me with the choicest 'gallis'. The second call was more direct. He said that if the book was published mentioning names, I would pay for it with my life. He didn't have a problem though, if names weren't mentioned. He even offered me a big gift if I deserted the book.

He said that one of the “item girlsâ€' I was vaguely referring to in the excerpts published online, sounded, or felt like his legally married wife. When I asked him what the name of his legally married wife was, he said that he had three wives and it was none of my business to know their names. When I asked him who he was, he said he was one of the biggest 'private party' organizer in the Gulf region and that most 'item girls' from Mumbai were his 'girl friends'.

Buoyed by that response, I then asked him if all his three wives were featured in my work as item or call girls and that's when he lost his cool. He said that if the book was published, and if 'his wife's name' appeared in it - as he felt he was sure I was referring to his wife who no longer is a 'call girl' and had turned a new leaf - he would personally kill me. He actually admitted that the woman was earlier sleeping around, but now she is “just doing some small modeling workâ€' and is completely reformed.

But he unknowingly gave me an interesting bit of information. Many entertainment journalists and industrywallas already know about this - He informed me that about 80 percent of the item girls and small time models who perform in Dubai at private shows also sleep around (some of them voluntarily) to make an extra quick buck, during their stay in Dubai or the other Emirates. He said that most managers who arranged and coordinated shows for Dubai and other middle-east performances were told to send girls who were willing to do double shifts. The girls expect to do some shopping which they can barely afford to with their official fee. The only option for them to make some extra money is to accept "the double offer" and come back with their bags loaded with clothes, jewelry, electronic goods and much more. Their patrons take them shopping and treat them like queens.

He told me that many girls 'go to bed with the organizers and patrons' of their own free will. They not only sleep around, but even keep in touch through SMS later on. Their patrons shower them with gifts throughout the year and in case they happen to be traveling to India, their favorite girls are called to 'perform and satisfy them'.

In fact, he chided me for making this an issue because according to him it was a symbiotic relationship between the item girls or stage performers and their patrons.

Then there have been other calls from PCOs around the city wherein the callers have dared me to publish the book. Besides, there were a few SMS messages sent from free websites (which offer Web to SMS services and which rarely track the IP addresses of the users sending SMS messages from their servers) that called me names and cautioned me not to put up any more articles on my blog. They all ended with the same thing - which I would have to pay a very heavy price.

Disclaimer:

The above is an excerpt of a yet to be released book 'The Double Offer'. This work is part of extensive research and “sting operationsâ€' carried out by the original author of this work - Flynn Remedios - over a period of two years. While the author has made every effort to verify the content, accuracy, and veracity of this work, errors and omissions do creep in and the author accepts all and any such omissions or errors. The author also asserts that he at no point in time intends (knowingly or unknowingly) to defame or insult any individual or entity or corporate body, and his sole intention is to uncover the truth. All assertions and comments made by this author are in good faith only in the sole interest of truth.

The opinions expressed herein or statements made in the above column are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IndiaFM. IndiaFM accepts no legal liability or responsibility for any claims made or opinions expressed herein.