Hope on a trapeze for this couple

Rajsur, who sings Hindi songs for a living, and Sotskaya, a Kathakali dancer, came to India to perform in the Russian Circus. But after the circus closed shop on March 27, the couple have been juggling jobs to find a footing.

‘‘We had to leave the hotel where we were staying because we had not paid bills of nearly Rs 2 lakh,’’ says Rajsur — a Suresh Wadkar fan — now staying at her friend Jasmine Shah’s Vile Parle flat. ‘‘The hotel owners took our passports away.’’

Rajsur’s friend Shah decided to help the couple after he heard about their plight. Shah was at the Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri where the Russian troupe was performing. A fire at the circus venue killed 21 animals and destroyed property worth several lakhs. It was here he met Rajsur.

‘‘Sunil Patel, one of the Mumbai financiers of the circus, was my friend and I rushed there to check if he was okay,’’ says Shah.

The Russians say they are grateful to Shah.‘‘If he wouldn’t have been there, it would have been difficult for us to get out of the hotel.’’

They are now hoping that they can perform at some venue, earn money, pay their bills and return to Russia.

‘‘The organisers still owe Sotskaya and me $2,000 and $1,800 respectively,’’ says Rajsur, who was planning to return to Moscow in time for his mother’s birthday on April 10. ‘‘She was not keeping well,’’ he mumbles. ‘‘I thought I will at least telephone her and wish her. But…’’ Rajsur’s anguish said it all.