Last month, Rahat Taslim exhausted her cellphone balance for what she saw as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The gamble worked, turning her into a crorepati.
"It was October 16 and I had just Rs 3 on my cellphone. I knew I had to enter Kaun Banega Crorepati 4 and the only way was to answer one question via my cellphone. I took a chance and it paid off," she says. And how.
The 37-year-old from Giridih, Jharkhand, is a little hazy about that one question that changed her life. Ask her now and all she can remember is the cellphone question was something to do with Ram Janmabhoomi and Hindu mythology.
The day she got the call confirming her qualification was, coincidentally, her birthday and wedding anniversary. "I had always believed October 17 was my lucky day and that has now proved true."
But it was November 10 that made Taslim the first Rs-1-crore winner of KBC's new season. She almost lost that position to Prashant Batar of Meerut, who had reached the Rs-1-crore mark, only to lose most of it on the next question for Rs 5 crore.
Taslim has already become a celebrity. Word spreads fast in a small town and her son is already reluctant to go to school for fear of being assailed with questions. What is really worrying, however, is the effect that the family's newfound wealth will have in an area that is Naxalite-affected. But Taslim is optimistic. "I tell myself - if God has seen fit to grant me these riches, he'll also take care of me and my family."
She runs a garments shop that also doubles up as a sewing school for young girls. "I run my business and at the same time also teach these girls a skill which will help them earn some money as well," she says.
She now plans to expand and open a boutique. Her family comprises husband Imtiaz Ahmed, 50, son Faisal Mozam, 17, and daughter Tazeem Rahat, 12.
When she went on the sets, it all seemed alien at first. "But I settled down almost immediately. The crew and Mr Bachchan were all very nice to me and made me feel at home." Her nerves returned with the fastest-finger-first qualification round. "I found that I couldn't do anything right," she says, "I kept hitting the wrong buttons. I became clumsy with nervousness."
She finally made it to the hot seat and from there on it was a smooth ride. She easily tackled the questions on history, sports, movies, current affairs. "I hardly had any trouble because I'm actually very well-versed in general knowledge. I have a firm grasp of science and history. In fact, I have a Bachelor's degree in history from Ranchi Women's College." Over the years, she also kept herself clued in by regularly reading newspapers. Before the birth of her children, she had also been preparing for a job as a teacher. All that preparation came in useful when she was faced with the Rs-1-crore question - Which country in Africa was the first one to have a female President?
She could've gone on to win Rs 5 crore in the bonus round but the question - who performed the world's first heart transplant - stumped her and Taslim preferred to bow out with what she had.
