Q&A (pgs166-237)

Summary
As Ram is telling his lawyer how he knew the answers, his story jumps around a bit so sometimes he would be with Salim or saying he has not seen him in a long time so bare with me. Ram explains how he knew the 8th question, this takes place when Salim and Ram are younger. There is this war going on with India and Pakistan, so Ram, Salim, and some friends will play war games and say that they love war because school was close. An old man named Sikh comes saying that they should not be happy that there is war. Sikh told them the whole story of what war was like for him in 1971. All the kids very interested in his story, Sikh says he saved a man's life and properly buried his friend like he promised. Ram learns Param Vir Chakra is the highest honor in the military. The kids called him a war hero, so a random man asks who, they show him Sikh the man laughs. Turns out Sikh lied about about the whole story, and really did not participate in the war. The 8th question was about what was the highest honor in the military, Ram said Param Vir Chakra and won 500,000 rupees. Ram has not saw Salim in 5 years so now they are much older and this is closer to when Ram is on the quiz show. They bump into each other and was in shocked, Ram says that Salim is better looking now. Salim tells Ram what had happen in the past 5 years. Salim was almost killed in this attack against the Muslim people but Ahmad Khan saved him. Salim wants to be a famous actor. Salim starts living with Ahmad Khan he found out that he is an assassin, so when Salim finds out he will assassinate Abbas Rizvi a director that couches Salim, he tells him. Abbas Rizvi runs away a promises Salim a role in a new movie. Ram new the answer to the 9th question because Salim briefly talk about the game between India and Austrialia, so Ram guessed that Sachin Malvankar scored 36 and won 1,000,000 rupees. It goes back to the past for the 10th question. Ram is the servent for famous actress Neelima Kumari and he begins to find out he does not like his job because everything is about her. She also kept talking about all the movies she done and how she wants to die young so people can remember her young. Ms. Kumari was known for being the Tragedy Queen and winning the National Award in 1985. Neelima was dealing with physical abuse from her now ex-boyfriend and drugs, she died from drugs and when Ram came for work he saw her laying there lifeless and ran away so the police would not think he murder her. The host wants to "help" Ram to win the show but he tricks him into thinking he will ask this other question. Ram is in shocked when the host asks him what year did Neelima Kumari the National Award for Tragedy Queen, Ram answer 1985 correctly and now won 10,000,000 rupees. The host in shocked too.

Quotation
The host Prem Kumar wants to help Ram, "Mr. Thomas has agreed to go into the Play or Pay rounds...Okay let me tell you about the next question. I am going to ask you, What is the length of the Palk Strait between India and Sir Lanka...The correct answer is (c) 137 kilometers" (Swarup 234).

Reaction
It is so wrong of these people trying to make Ram lose this quiz show, in the beginning the host was trying to help Ram win the money but now that Ram is getting big bucks he wants him to lose. I really think Ram should not trust this man after this little trick he played. Even though if that was the question Ram should of have not trust that answer at all, but I could understand why Ram would trust the host. The host keeps saying things like we want you win so I will help you. All I know now that the host is going to have hard time trying to trick Ram because Ram knows now not to trust him. I wounder why does Prem Kumar the host care if Ram wins or not it just a quiz show, they do not know the real reason why he even joined the show. Its like you think you can trust people but you can not because with the money Ram is winning I bet everyone would want to be his friend. This is a new show so how would think he is cheating. I was kind of expecting for the host trying to do something sneaky like that but it back fired on the host because Ram knew the answer to that question. I wonder what goes on in Prem Kumar's mind when Ram gets these question correct before I thought he was happy for him. As the more questions get answer I think Mr. Kumar gets jealous of Ram, saying things like he should take the money and run because Ram will not get the next one. If Prem Kumar tries another trick I hope Ram does not fall for it because he is so close to winning 1 billion rupees.