ACT 1

AWARD
Clapping. There is an announcement on the stage. A Lifetime
Achievement Award for contribution in cinema. There is a
moon on the guy in the audience. He is old. He has glasses
on, and is wearing a Kurta and a Pyjama. A bag is hanging.
He gets up from there. The sound is of the audience
cheering. Very noisy audience. He gets up and walks towards
the stage while the cheer continues. A song is also playing
in the background which was supposedly his best composition.
He comes on the stage. The music stops. He stands in front
of the mic and starts his speech.
SRIJAN
Iss award ko haasil karne mein
mujhe chaalis saal lag gaye.
Lifetime achievement award, for
contribution in cinema. Bahut lamba
safar raha hai ye deviyon aur
sajjanon. Bahut abhaari hu main, is
award function ko karane waalo ka,
wiz craft ka, committee members
ka jinhonein mujhe is qaabil
samjha. Main aaj jo kuchh bhi hu,
aapki badaulat hu. Ye aap hi
hain jinhonein mujhe ek maamuli
insaan se ek geetkaar bana diya.
Aapne mere likhkhe geet gaaye. Aap
mere geeto par muskuraye. Unpar
naache. Aapne mujhe pyaar diya, aur
mujhe pyaar milta raha. Yahi
zindagi hai shayad. Kuchh shabd
kehna chahunga jo mujhe yaad aate
hain.
"Izzatein, shohratein, ulfatein,
chahtein,

Sabkuchh is duniya mein rehta nahi,

Aaj main hu jahan, kal koi aur tha.
Ye waqt aur hai, wo waqt aur tha.

Ye bhi ik daur hai, wo bhi ik daur

tha."
Bahut hi kam makaam aate hain
zindagi mein aise, aur khaaskar se
ek writer, ek geetkar ke
(MORE)
 2.

SRIJAN (cont’d)
liye, jiska kaam hi alfaazo se
khelna hai, ki uske paas lafz na
ho, ya jab use ye na maaloom ho ki
wo kaun sa lafz chune apni baat
bayan karne ke liye.
Bas ye kehna chahunga, Sahir
Ludhianvi ke alfaazo mein -
"Kal aur aayenge nagmo ki khilti
kaliyaan chunne waale, mujhse
behtar kehne waale, tumse behtar
sunne waale."
Starts getting sentimental.
Aaj main yahan hu, kyunki kai log
the, kai saare. Unhone mujhe zameen
se uthakar yahan rakh diya. Meri
patni Anuradha....
Goes into nostalgia. Then tries again.
Mera beta Shashi....

Controls again. Gulps his tears. Tries to breathe.

Aniruddh, mera dost...
Stops. Waits a moment. Tries to gather himself. Then
realises he can’t speak about crying. He stops.
Maaf kijiyega, main chalta hu.
Dhanyawaad.
Music starts playing in the background. "Main pal do pal ka
shayar hu, pal do pal meri kahani hai."

ULFATEIN
Lights go out. When lights are on, he is sitting on a chair.
He imagines his wife sitting at a place. She is sitting
there. He is still having the statuette in his hand and
looks at it for a while, keeps looking at it, then he throws
it away. On the stage. On the right side of the stage. It
breaks. Anuradha comes and takes the pieces. Without
flinching she takes all the pieces and takes them back to
where they were. And keeps looking at the stage as if its
very dirty and starts cleaning it up. She is very busy doing
things while Srijan is writing. Meanwhile, Srijan’s body
language changes to that of a young man in his thirties. He
also has a moustache which is black and not whitish.
(Anuradha is distinctly happy
in this scene for some reason.
For the entire scene. Srijan
 3.

is in his usual state of mind.

She brings a cup of tea for
Srijan. She wipes the plate.
He keeps writing. She goes and
finds a few books lying on the
floor. Irritated she takes
them and keeps them in the
place, most of all she brings
it near the table and keeps it
there. The guy is thinking and
writing. Every once in a
while, he gets an idea and
starts writing again. The wife
is on the stage all the time.
Every dialogue in this scene
is spoken in a jolly mode. No
seriousness ever comes. He is
also smoking a cigarette.)
SRIJAN
Reading the poem out loud once he is done with the stanza.
Jab tumne aakhiri saans li hogi,

Kuchh dil dukha hoga tumhara.

Dard kuchh bheetar reh gaya hoga,
Koi jumla kho sa gaya hoga.

Koi aakhiri khayal aaya hoga.

Jo bayan nahi ho paaya hoga.
Koi yaad aaya hoga,

Jisse mil na paaye hoge,

Jo aakhiri karwat li hogi tumne,

Kuchh aankhen nam huyi hongi,

Kuchh baatein kam huyi hongi,
Kuchh saansein tham gayi hongi.

All this while Anuradha has been on the stage.

ANURADHA
Paagal ho tum?
 4.

SRIJAN
Kaisa laga tumko?
ANURADHA
Marne ki baat kar rahe, ya pehla
pyaar bata rahe ho.

SRIJAN
Arrey. Bachchan ne nahi kaha tha -
"Zindagi to bewafa hai, ek din
thukraayegi, maut mehbooba hai apne
saath lekar......"
He is singing when she interrupts him. Tells him to take his
leg up.
ANURADHA

She says this in a very funny way, like she is making fun of
him.
Paanv uthaao upar.
SRIJAN
Tum auraton ko na har cheez ke
beech mein safai ghusedni hoti hai.
Yahan insaan geet...
ANURADHA

She is smiling and picks his leg up and keeps it back.

Dhang se uthaao. Arrey jhaadu se
tumko hi saaf kar deti hu.
SRIJAN

Taunts her with love.

Kitna jalti ho na tum meri pragati
se. Sab pata hai mujhe. Galat
shaadi ho gayi bhaiya.

ANURADHA
Haan jalti to hu. Tumhari pragati
se. Tum pragati karoge to ghar mein
paisa aa jaayega, aur wo to kitna
galat hoga. Bilkul jalti hu.

SRIJAN
Mocking her.
Haan to kya dikkat hai is kavita
mein.? Suna bhi tumne.?

Starts reciting it again, from the beginning.

(MORE)
 5.

SRIJAN (cont’d)
Jab tumne aakhiri saans li hogi,

Kuchh dil dukha hoga tumhara.

Dard kuchh bheetar reh gaya hoga,
Koi jumla kho sa gaya hoga.

Koi aakh......
She doesn’t stop him. He realises that she is making
laughing. He stops.
Batana zara kya dikkat hai is gaane
mein?

ANURADHA
Bahut dikkat hai. Bahut saari.
Mujhe. Tumse aur tumhare un saare
geeto se jismein marne-marane ko
itna zyada roomani bana dete ho
tumlog.
SRIJAN
Talks to her in the same fun way.
Achha? To phir tum hi likh do phir.

ANURADHA
Aakar jhaadu laga do yahan, phir
chai bana dena, aur main baith ke
geet likh deti hu.

SRIJAN
Bina kataksh ke to zubaan se baat
hi nahi nikalti.
ANURADHA
Bina kaanch fode shayar ke geet bhi
to nahi nikalte.
SRIJAN
Arrey creative block. Aise hi
kaanch fod kar bahar aata hai.

ANURADHA
Bhagwaan hi bhala kare in shayaro
aur lekhakon ka.
Starts mocking him.
Kaanch fodkar creative block bahar
aata hai. Aur safai to tumhare
chacha aakar karenge Bengal se....
 6.

SRIJAN
Achha aagey ka sunogi?
ANURADHA
Har roz atakte tum ho aur ek naya
glass foot jaata hai. Maa ne diya
tha, pyaar se. Iska bhi set bigaad
diya.
SRIJAN

Laughs and looks at her.

Manto ko Safiya itna pareshaan
karti to kya Manto kabhi "Toba Tek
Singh" likhta. Artist hu.
ANURADHA
Kyan Manto-Ghanto karte rehte ho.
Kaun Manto? Aur agar wo bhi aise hi
kaanch fodta tha to wo bhi gadha
tha. Bechari patni uski....
Srijan starts smiling.

SRIJAN
Arrey. Mera gussa uspar kyun nikaal
rahi ho. Wo bahut bada kahanikaar
tha. Usne aise kirdaar likh diye ki
wo use assal zindagi mein dikhne
lage the, phir wo pagalkhaane bhi
gaya. Phir jab......
Anuradha interrupts him in between. Doesn’t listen to him.
Gets very excited and comes and sits near him.

ANURADHA
Arrey usko chhodo. Shhhh. Shhhhh.
Suno. Kaanch fodna kam karna hoga
abse tumko.

SRIJAN
Kyun, bazaar mein sheesha milna
band ho gaya kya?
ANURADHA
Nayi kaam waali rakhni hogi kuchh
mahino ke liye.
SRIJAN
Ghar mein paise ka phed laga kar
gaye hain pitaji tumhare.
 7.

ANURADHA
Mujhe nahi pata. Aur ek aur baat.
Mera khayal rakhna hoga.
SRIJAN
Wo to main rakhta hu hi na.
ANURADHA
Aur rakhna hoga.
SRIJAN
Kya bol rahi ho Anuradha. Meri maa,
kahi jaa rahi ho kya.?
ANURADHA
Manto aur pata nahi kya-kya kehte
likhte rehte ho aur itna bhi nahi
samajhte?
SRIJAN
He starts thinking. Keeps on thinking for a while. Then he
starts counting what she said.
Ajeeb uljhano mein daal deti ho tum
bhi. Achha to waqt do. Paheli
suljhaane ka.
Thinks for a while. Walks with all the things she said. And
tries to come to a conclusion. Then it hits him.
Tum doctor ke paas gayi thi na?
Anuradha looks at him and keeps smiling. Only nods. He looks
at her. They hug. He becomes extremely excited and goes to
her. He goes very very excited and starts running and
smiling and writing a letter.
Mujhe sabko batana hai. Anuradha
tumko nahi pata main kitna khush
hu. Chalo sabko phone karte hain.
Chitthiyaan likhte hain.

He goes off to writing. The only light that’s left now is

the light on Srijan. He keeps writing for a while. Then the
light goes off. When the light goes off, he is smiling.

GUZRA ZAMANA

Srijan and Aniruddh are sitting at their house. They are

sitting and talking about their college years. Aniruddh is a
big fan of Devanand. And Srijan also loves his films. They
are talking about films, and the scene has a very happy
demeanour. Aniruddh has just come back from an audition. He
is talking about how he proposed a girl with Srijan’s poem
 8.

and she said no. Aniruddh is still smiling. Srijan is

writing a poem and talks to him about the scriptwriting
process. Anuradha is sitting and talking about Shashi.
Shashi is five years old now. Aniruddh and Srijan are
sitting and talking about his audition.

ANIRUDDH
Srijan bhai, agar Devanand kaala
hota to bhi kya ladkiyan usko
pasand karti?

SRIJAN
Smiles at the question.
Aaj kaun se audition se aa rahe ho?
ANIRUDDH

Speaks like Devanand.

Aan jaana apne haath mein thode hi
rehta hai dost. Insaan sochta hai
main idhar chalu, kismet kaan pakad
kar udhar le jaati hai, Insaan
sochta hai idhar chalu, naak pakad
kar udhar ghaseet leti hai. Tang
aakar maine ek din kismet ko paas
bulaya aur poochha ke bata, tu
chahti kya hai. Kehne lagi -
Manmaani chhodo, meri ungli pakad
ke chalo. Theek hai. Maine kaha -
Tathastu. To dekh lo bhaiya - aaj
yahan, kal wahan, parso kahan.
SRIJAN
Hahaha. Satya vachan prabhu, satya
vachan.
Anuradha comes in with a tea-tray in her hand. Hands tea to
everyone.

ANURADHA
Mujhe to samajh nahi aata, ke
Devanand ke peechhe log itne kyun
deewane hain. Ladki to ladki, ladke
bhi lattu hain.

ANIRUDDH
Kaisi baatein karti ho bhabhi tum.
Dilip Kumar ke baad na, koi hua hai
to wo hai Devanand. Ab isse bada
koi bhavishya mei nbhi nahi hone
waala.
 9.

ANURADHA
Achha. Aur mere bhavishya mein
batana kya likhkha hai?

ANIRUDDH
Aapke bhavishya mein bhabhi. Idhar
aao aap. Haan.... Meri maa kehti
thi, ki wo auratein bahut
bhagyawaan hoti hain, jo suhagan
swarg sidhaarein. Dekhna bhabhi,
aap marte dam tak suhagan rahoge.
ANURADHA
Smiles at him. And then looks at Aniruddh and speaks to him.
Jitna tum pareshaan karte ho na, us
hisaab se to agle kuchh saalo mein
hi swarg sidhaar jaaungi.
SRIJAN
Kaisi baat karti ho Anuradha.? Tum
swarg sidhaar jaaogi to main doosra
byaah kar lunga.
ANURADHA
Wo tumhare foote huye kaanch nahi
uthaya karegi.

Aniruddh gets up and plays music on the radio.

SRIJAN
Tum nahi hogi to kaanch hi kyun
phodunga?

ANIRUDDH
Srijan bhai, dekhna tum, ek din tum
bahut bade geetkaar banoge. Sabse
mahaan. Jaise tum college ke dino
mein acting kiya karte the na, aur
sab ladkiyan tumko dekhkar sharma
jaaya karti thi.....
ANURADHA
Ek minute, ye apne college ke dino
mein acting kiya karte the??
ANIRUDDH
Arrey bhabhi, ustaad tha apna
Srijan. Aapne nahi dekha kabhi?

SRIJAN
Aisa kuchh nahi hai, Aniruddh tha
kalakaar, main bas....
 10.

ANIRUDDH
Your honor, ek baar phir se,
geetkar Srijan Ghosh ko katghare
mein pesh karne ki ijaazat di
jaaye.

SRIJAN
Main nahi karne waala kuchh bhi.
Koshish chhod do....
Aniruddh takes him by the hand and then brings in front.

ANIRUDDH
Your honor Anuradha bhabhi, ijazat
dijiye.
ANURADHA
Aur is ijaazat ki wajah kya hai
Wakeel sahab?
ANIRUDDH
Wajah, bilkul thos hai your honor.
Aniruddh sahab ke laakh bolne par
bhi muzrim Srijan Ghosh ne apna
kirdaar karne se inkaar kar diya.
Wo kirdaar jismein wo Waheeda
Rehman bana tha. Film san 62 ki,
naam Guide. Waheeda Rehmaan your
honor, Waheeda Rehman. Aaj phir
jeene ki tamanna hai, aaj phir
marne ka iraada hai. Adalat se
guzaarish hai ki unko katghare mein
pesh kiya jaaye.

ANURADHA
Ijaazat hai. Adalat muzrim se
darkhwaast karti hai ki wo apna
kirdaar karein.
SRIJAN
Tumlog mujhe pareshaan mat karo,
kaam karna hai mujhko.
ANIRUDDH
Srijan bhai, tum to jawaani mein hi
boodhe huye jaa rahe ho.

ANURADHA
Sahi kehte ho Aniruddh.
SRIJAN
Main boodha lagta hu tum dono ko?
 11.

ANIRUDDH/ANURADHA
Aur nahi to kya.? Bilkul 80 saal
ke.
Gets up. Batana zara kya karna hai?

ANIRUDDH
Tumko karna hai....
Srijan interrupts in between.

SRIJAN
Nahi mat batao, tum shuru karo. Aaj
to ho jaaye. Nahi ruko, min shuru
karta hu.
ANIRUDDH
Achha. Aane do ustaad.
Thinks for a while.
SRIJAN
Mujhe apnaya, meherbaani ki. Ghar
ki bahu banaya, ehsaan kiya. Itna
bada makaan, itne naukar, itna
paisa, itna naam, itna aaraam....
ANIRUDDH
Aur itna pyaar....

SRIJAN
Haan, itna pyaar...
ANIRUDDH
Zamana wo nahi raha Rozy, jab ki
aurat ghar ki daasiyan samjhi jaati
thi, roti thi, tadapti thi, sehti
thi, lekin haaye tak na karti thi.
Zamana wo bhi nahi raha ke jab koi
chhota isliye mana jaata tha ke
chhoti jaati ka hai, chhote gharane
mein paida hua hai. Mera bas chalta
to main Marco sahab ko saabit karke
dikha deta, ki tumhari jaati kitni
oonchi hai..

SRIJAN
Meri?
ANIRUDDH
Kalakaar bhaand nahi hote hain, aaj
izzatwaale bhi unki izzat karte
hain... Uday Shankar ne duniya mein
(MORE)
 12.

ANIRUDDH (cont’d)
naam kaise kamaya, apni naak se.
Aur Shantaraao, aur Baal Saraswati,
aur....

SRIJAN
Itne bade bade naam lete ho Raaju,
ke meri nasein phadakne lagti
hain....
ANIRUDDH
Tumne kabhi koshish hi nahi ki,
warna kaun jaanta ki shayad,
tumhara naam sunkar bhi logo ki
nasein phadakne lagti...
SRIJAN
Nahi nahi, meri aisi taqdeer kahan?
ANIRUDDH
Taqdeer... Khudi ko kar buland
itna, ki har taqdeer se pehle khuda
bande se khud poochhe, bata teri
raza kya hai... Agar himmat hai,
hunar hai, lagan hai, shouk hai, to
jo kuchh naamumkin hai, mere saamne
aaye...

SRIJAN
Kyun na Marco se ek baar phir baat
karun!!!

SHOHRATEIN

Srijan is gone to a meet of producers with a song he has

written. There is a producer and three of his assistants.
The producer only makes films that are of a particular type.
Srijan is kind of happy. His son has been born and has
grown. Meanwhile Srijan is in his late forties. The three
assistants of his act like parrots. And they always speak
one by one.
PRODUCER
Mr Srijan, aaiye aaiye.

Three other people are sitting there too. Who are also his
partners. Srijan looks at everyone and says hello to
everyone. The people in the room are well dressed and look
very business oriented people. Except the producer, the
other three only nod, or reply, or answer when the producer
asks them.
 13.

SRIJAN
Namaste. Namaste. Namaste.
PRODUCER
Kaise hain aap Srijan ji?

SRIJAN
Main achha hu. Aap bataiye. Film
kaisi chal rahi hai?
PRODUCER
Film achhi hai, humein pata chala
ki aapne gaane likhke hain kuchh.
GUY1
Saath mein dialogues bhi aapne
likhkhe hain kaafi.

GUY2
Dialogues bhi likh lete hain aap
to.
GUY3
Kya khoobsoorat aadmi ho aap to
Srijan babu.
Producer looks at him. He shuts up.
SRIJAN
Ji haan. Wo maine kuchh geet
likhkhe the.
PRODUCER
Humein sunayenge?

SRIJAN
Abhi? Kavi ko shrota mil jaayein,
aur kya chahiye.
They all are very excited to hear it. They tell him to go
on. The producer is very stern in his voice but also looks a
very professional guy.
PRODUCER
Please. Sunaaiye.

SRIJAN
Ji geet ka naam hai Antogatva.
PRODUCER
Anto-?..... Kya matlab hota hai
iska?
 14.

GUY1
Kaafi mushkil sa shabd nahi hai?
GUY2
Arrey aapka to Hindi University se
tha na, aap hi bataiye?

Asks Guy3. Guy3 is taken by surprise and speaks.

GUY2 (cont’d)
Antogatva - jaise, Srijan ji, aapne
likha hai aap hi bataiye.
SRIJAN
Meri director se baat huyi thi is
vishay mein. Ye geet film mein tab
aata hai jab hero aur heroine
waapas mil rahe hote hain. Saalo
baad. Climax ke aaspaas. To mujhe
ye geet bahut uchit laga.
PRODUCER
Achha haan. Mujhe bhi lagta hai
wahan ek geet aana chahiye.
Producer looks at the guys. The guys start speaking too, the
moment he looks at them.
GUY1
Wo hota hai na ekdum ek bhaawuk sa
lamha, jab ladki aakar ladke ki
baahon mein sama jaati hai.
GUY2
Aise jaise bas ab yahi rehna hai.
Bada hi meetha sa lamha hai wo.
Main to har baar bhaawuk ho jaata
hu padhkar hi.
GUY3
Bahut meetha hai, bahut meetha.
Ekdum meetha, jaise rasgulla hai.
Aap bhi bahut meethe hain.
The producer eyes him. He shuts up.

SRIJAN
To the audience.
Aap aksar zinadgi mein aisi
cheezein karte hain jo aap nahi
karna chahte. Jaise kala ki baatein
in logo se karna. Yahan baithe logo
(MORE)
 15.

SRIJAN (cont’d)
ko mere shabd samajh nahi aayenge.
Naa unko farak padta hai.
Antogatva, main inko sunata hu.

Gets back to the four of them.

PRODUCER
Haan to aap anto...gatva ka matlab
bata rahe the.

SRIJAN
Ji antogatva ka matlab aakhirkaar,
nishkarshatah.
PRODUCER
Ahaa, kyaa baat hai, kyaa baat hai.
Kitna achha naam hai. Mujhe kavi
bahut pasand hain.
GUY1
Haan haan, kavi to hote hi hain
achhe.

GUY2
Shaayar alag hote hain kya kavi se?
GUY3
Nahi nahi, wo jo urdu mein kavita
lkhte hain wo shayar hote hain. Hai
ki nahi Srijan babu? Aap bhi bahut
pasand hain humein. Matlab hum
sabko.

The producer looks at them. They shut up.

SRIJAN
Gives a fake smile and starts narrating.
Anttatogatva jaana wahi hai.

Rukh dakhkhin ka ho, poorab ka ho,

pachchhim ka ho....
PRODUCER
Maafi chahunga. Dakshin nahi hota?
Aur Paschim? Itni hindi to...
GUY1
Haan sir Dakshin hota hai. South.
 16.

GUY2
Aur Paschim, West. Sun sets in the
west waala.
GUY3
Thoda galat ho gaya lagta hai.
Lekin dil ke bahut achhe lagte
hain.
SRIJAN
Ji geeto mein aur kavitaon mein,
kavi aksar shabdo ko thoda apne
dhaanche mein dhaalte hain.
Creative liberty. Taaki geet aur
khoobsoorat lagne lage. To dakshin,
dakhkhin ban jaata hai aur paschim
pachchhim.

PRODUCER
Achha? Ohh. Theek hai kahiye.
SRIJAN
Rukh dakhkhin ka ho, poorab ka ho
pachchhim ka ho,
Sarpat sa ho, madhdhim sa hoooo,
Rukh tumhara hi sahi hai,

Antogatva jaana wahi hai.

"Ye antara hai pehla, aur aise kai
antare hain, to antogatva par dhun
banegi.

PRODUCER
Achha, director ko ye achha laga?
SRIJAN
Haan unse baat huyi thi. Unhein
bahut pasand aayi. Maine ek dhun
bhi sochi hai.
PRODUCER
Aap dhun bhi bana lete hain. Kamaal
hai yaar.

GUY1
Kamaal hai, kamaal hai.
GUY2
Lajawaab, khoobsoorat.
 17.

GUY3
Kaafi zyaada kamaal aadmi ho aap
to. Aapse seekh sakte hain sab.

A guy gets in with tea, gives it to everyone. So there is

tea in front of everyone.
PRODUCER
Srijan, chaai pee lijiye phir aage
badhte hain?
SRIJAN
Nahi main theek hu.
GUY3
Sabki apni apni ichha hoti hai
matlab. Koi nahi.
The producer looks at him and he shuts up.
PRODUCER
Maaf kijiyega Srijan, aap sunaaiye.
Main.....
SRIJAN
Umhmhmhm, umhmhmhmhm. Umhmhmhm,
umhmhmhmhm.

Starts singing the song.

Antogatva jaana wahi hai.
Apni jholi mein gham bahut, Doosro
ke kam bahut,

Man machalkar cheekhta hai,

Ghabrana nahi hai.
Antogatva jaana wahi hai.

GUY123
Everyone has a sip of tea, and they all say together right
after they have kept their cups down.
WAAH. Kya baat hai.

PRODUCER
Kyaa baat hai, ye to bada hi sundar
hai.
SRIJAN
Aagey bhi hai.
"Thak gaya kyun sab haarkar, Ruk
gaya kyun majhdhaar par,
 18.

Laangh marghat dekh aagey, Maa ke

haatho mei dahi hai,
Antogatva jaana wahi hai...."
PRODUCER
Badhiya badhiya badhiya. Tum to
bahut hi zyada umda likhte ho.
GUY123
Kamaal to hai.

GUY3
Kitne kamaal ke aadmi hain aap to.
Umda ekdum.
PRODUCER
Achha ek baat bataiye...
SRIJAN
Haan kahiye.
The four of them nod at that. Then they whisper something
together. Then they go at their places. Then they look at
Srijan. All of them together now.
PRODUCER/GUY123
To!!!!!! Aisa hai ki.....

Black out.

CHAHATEIN
Srijan is at his home with Anuradha and Aniruddh. He is in a
very foul mood. Aniruddh is reading the contract given to
him by the producer. And he is not part of the conversation
for a while. Anuradha and Srijan are talking about the
meeting. Anuradha is sewing a button on a shirt. Shashi
enters the home after a while. Shashi is going through a
tough time in his life too. Pertaining his job and scams. He
comes in a foul mood too. Trying to hide things but he is
unable to.
The scene starts with Srijan reciting his poem in his old
age. The place he broke the statuette.

SRIJAN
Jab tumne aakhiri saans li hogi.
Kuchh rookhe huye the kya tum?

Jab dard had se badh gaya tha.

 19.

Tab dard dawa hua tha kya?

Ke jhooth kehta tha na shaayar wo,
Jhooth kehte the saare wo,

Qatre ki ishrat dariya se milkar,

Ek hone ki to nahi thi,
Fanaa hone ki, Dariya hone ki to
nahi thi.
Lights go off for a while. Srijan is in his fifties now. The
age in which he goes for the meeting. Now he is sitting with
his wife and Aniruddh.

ANURADHA
Aur kya kaha unhonein?
SRIJAN
Gaane pasand aaye. Par producer
chahta hai ki mera naam geetkar ke
naam par na jaaye.
ANURADHA
Matlab?
SRIJAN
Shashi kahan hai?
ANURADHA
Office mein hoga.
ANIRUDDH
Srijan bhai, ye bahut ghatiya log
hain.
SRIJAN
20 saal mein ye to jaan gaya hu is
karobaar mein.

ANURADHA
Hua kya hai?
ANIRUDDH
Tune ye contract padha bhi hai?
SRIJAN
Meeting kar ke aaya hu. Saamne hi
bana rahe the contract.
 20.

ANURADHA
Koi batayega kya hua hai mujhe?
SRIJAN
Main paida hua tha Kalakaar bankar.
Par jab tak ye log hain, kalakaar
achhi zindagi nahi ji sakte.
ANIRUDDH
Anuradha bhabhi, studio waale
chahte hain geetkar ke naam par
film ki heroine ka naam jaaye. Aur
geetkaar ke naam par bhi.
ANURADHA
Kyun bhai. Gaane to inhonein
likhkhe hain na?

SRIJAN
Kyun ka kya matlab? Kisine bhi
likhkhe ho, producer ke ghar par to
wo paida huyi thi na.

ANIRUDDH
Wo aapko muaawza dene ko taiyyar
hain. Par Srijan ka naam nahi jaa
sakta. Warna wo ye gaane nahi rakh
rahe. Actress ki zidd hai ki uska
naam ho.

ANURADHA
Iska kya matlab hua? Wo ladki logo
ki nazar mein lekhak ban bhi gayi
to kya badal jaayega.

ANIRUDDH
Usko koi faraq nahi padta. Uska
baap isko produce kar raha hai. Aur
wo uski iklauti beti hai.

ANURADHA
Aur jo humne dastakhat nahi kiye
to?
SRIJAN
Film mein mere geet nahi rakhkhe
jayenge. Aur wo is baat ka khaas
dhyaan rakhenge ki main apni
zindagi mein kabhi aagey kuchh na
likh paaun.
Anuradha gets really angry at this. She speaks furiously.
 21.

ANURADHA
Par isse kisi ko kya mil jaayega?
Meri bilkul...

SRIJAN
Bewakoofon ki tarah baat karna band
karo Anuradha. Kiske liye bhaavuk
ho rahi ho? Mujhe nahi chahiye in
cheezon ke liye aansoo. Ho gaya,
maine likhkhe the wo geet, main
sambhaal lunga.
In between the statement, Anuradha goes into a speaking mode
and continues speaking, Aniruddh also starts speaking right
after her statement gets over. People are in a state of
tension and all are trying to say something or the other.
Srijan is fed and up and goes out.
ANURADHA
Itna paisa milta hai, shohrat milta
hai inlogo ko, ek insaan....

ANIRUDDH
Artist bechara ek geet likhta hai,
aur wo bhi itni mehnat se.... Pata
nahi kya....

SRIJAN
Mujhe is baare mein aur baat nahi
karni. Shashi kahan hai?
Srijan gets very upset, starts walking outside.

ANURADHA
Kahan jaa rahe ho abhi raat ko?
SRIJAN
Bahar tahalne jaa raha hu.

ANURADHA
Is ghar ke saare mard ajeeb hain.
Poori duniya apne sar par rakh kar
chalte hain.

He goes out and starts smoking. Shashi comes. He also looks

inside from outside and takes out a cigarette. He tries to
find the lighter but he does not have it. Srijan comes and
lights up his cigarette. He looks at Srijan, starts smiling,
a very fake smile. They don’t talk about anything, meanwhile
Anuradha and Aniruddh are talking about it inside. After a
while Srijan and Shashi come inside.
(Anuradha and Aniruddh are
talking outside meanwhile)
 22.

ANURADHA (cont’d)
Aniruddh bhai ye theek to ho
jaayega na?
ANIRUDDH
Kuchh nahi bigda hai bhabhi.
ANURADHA
Aap jaante hain na dono baap-bete
ko. Dono hi bahut pareshaan hain.
Shashi ko koi chinta khaaye jaa
rahi hai. Kisi se baat nahi karta.
Kuchh batata bhi nahi.
ANIRUDDH
Aur bahu kaisi hai?

ANURADHA
Nahi batata. Bahu ko ghar aaye teen
mahine ho gaye. Kehta hai jabtak
main usko apne balboote par ghar
nahi rakh sakta, wo yahan nahi
aayegi.

SHASHI
Namaste Aniruddh uncle.
Keeps his bag on the table and looks at everyone. Goes
inside the room and comes after a while.

Shashi enters the house. He looks at everyone. He is very

melancholic. He doesn’t really greet anyone.
Kya hua? Sab aisi shakal banake
kyun baithe hain?

SRIJAN
Bahu ko chhod aaye?
SHASHI
Shaam ki train thi.

ANURADHA
Itni late kahan ho gaye?
SHASHI
Office mein, kaam tha. Bahut saara.

Knock on the door.

ANURADHA
Abhi kaun aa sakta hai?
 23.

SHASHI
Main dekhta hu.
The guy gives a parcel.
PARCEL GUY
Shashi Ghosh kaun hain?
SHASHI
Main hu.

PARCEL GUY
Ye lijiye, office se aaya hai.
SHASHI
Okay. Main dekh lunga.

PARCEL GUY
Urgent hai, jaldi dekhiyega.
SHASHI
Okay.

ANIRUDDH
Tries to kill the awkwardness.
Beta itna bhi kaam karne ki
zaroorat nahi hai. Humaari umar hai
tension lene ki. Aap to jawaan ho.

SHASHI
He doesn’t reply. Just looks at his room as if wanting to
go.
Jee.

ANURADHA
Bahu kaisi hai?
SHASHI
Achhi hai.

ANURADHA
Ghar kab aa rahi hai?
SHASHI
Pata nahi.
ANURADHA
Tu theek to hai na?
 24.

SHASHI
Kaisa sawal hai ye?
ANIRUDDH
Beta wo chinta mein poochh rahi
hain.

SHASHI
Gets annoyed at him, for no reason.
Uncle aap kyun bol rahe hain beech
mein. Meri patni hai, aur meri
zindagi hai, chinta meri maa ko
hai. Aap kyun bol rahe hain.
SRIJAN
Shashi, beta, kisi aur jagah ka
gussa Aniruddh par mat nikaalo.
SHASHI
Papa...Kya ho gaya hai sabko is
ghar mein? Maatam chal raha hai
kisi cheez ka.? Main theek hu. Main
bilkul theek hu. Band kijiye mujhe
apni sympathy dena. Nahi
chahiye.....
ANURADHA
Beta, main tujhe sympathy nahi de
rahi.
SHASHI
Haan to dikhawa bhi band kijiye.
Nahi chhaiye. Kuchh bhi nahi
chahiye. Meri ladai hai, main lad
lunga. Aaplog mujhe pareshaan hona
band kijiye, main kaafi pareshaan
hu pehle se. Aapne to mujhe paida
kiya hai, kiya hai na. Aapki aulaad
hu na. Aapki hi hu na. Kisi
anatahlay se nahi aaye the na. Pata
hai na aapko. Nahi samajh aata phir
bhi? Aap(looks towards Srijan),
maaa...... Main theek hu.
Srijan starts coming closer to Shashi. And keeps looking at
him. Shashi is in a very vulnerable state. He is almost on
the verge of breaking down. Srijan knows it and wants Shashi
to cry it out. He repeats the same things and keeps coming
close.
 25.

SRIJAN
Beta, tumhari galti nahi hai. Jo
bhi hai....
SHASHI

Very annoyed.
Mujhe pata hai meri galti nahi hai.
SRIJAN
Tumhari galti nahi hai. Tum sab
theek kar doge.
SHASHI
A little mellow now.
Haan mujhe pata hai, main sab theek
kar dunga.
SRIJAN
Jo bhi galat hai wo sahi ho
jaayega. Mujhe bharosa hai tumpar.

SHASHI
Very fragile.
Band karo papa ye. Band karo aap jo
bhi kar rahe ho.

SRIJAN
Jo bhi toota hai sab jud jaayega.
Hum sab hain abhi.
SHASHI

Breaks down.
Kaise jud jaayega papa. Kaise
jud...... Kya bach gaya hai?
Starts crying.

SRIJAN
Hugs him and kisses his forhead. Gets very emotional and
looks at him. He becomes very fatherly, and wants for the
pain to go away for Shashi.
Bachche...Shhhh...Shhhhhshhh....
Main hu abhi. Main sab theek kar
dunga.
Shashi keeps crying for a while. Srijan brings him in front
of him and asks him looking him in the eye.
Kahan se aa rahe ho abhi?
 26.

Lights go out.
When lights are on, we go in a flashback from where Shashi
is coming from. He is in his office, and working, alone. His
wife visits him. He has not seen her in months, and he looks
at her and stops. He is frozen at his place and keeps
looking at her. She is also looking at him, and is very sad.
SHASHI
Tum? Yahan?

SAMEEKSHA
Signals downstairs, as if its way down.
Neeche guard se poochh liya,
benagli babu ka office kaun se
floor par hai.

SHASHI
Asks as if just wanting to make conversation. Always looks
at her as if there’s a longing.
Kya kaha usne?

SAMEEKSHA
Answers, very sad, and almost crying.
Usne poochha ki kaun - Shashi babu,
maine kaha haan. Usne kaha
satrahvaan maahla, lift se baayein
nikal kar teesra cabin unhi ka hai.
SHASHI
Even though he knows, but still asks as if to confirm.
Kaise, aana hua? Phone kar deti ek
baar office mein.
SHASHI (cont’d)
Teen mahine se kar to rahi hu
Shashi. Tumhara PA kehta hai ki tum
chale gaye, ya busy ho, ya nahi ho,
ya chhutti par ho. Tumko wo inform
to karta hoga na.
SAMEEKSHA

Doesn’t know how to answer

Haan wo kucch dino se main kaafi
irregular reh raha hu, tabiyat....
Waqt nahi mil paa raha.
 27.

SAMEEKSHA (cont’d)
Discards him as if she is not ready to buy his bullshit.
Cuts him and continues, almost on the verge.
Guard ne ye bhi kaha ki agar raasta
bhool jaao to ek hi office mein
batti jalti dikhegi, wo Shashi babu
hi hain, har roz late tak yahi
rehte hain. Sunday bhi miss nahi
karte.

SHASHI
Kaam ka bahut pressure hai
Sameeksha. Its not intentional.
SAMEEKSHA
Mujhe laga bhool gaye honge ki biwi
hai tumhari, to ye bhi poochh liya.
To kehta ki har roz aapke bare mein
baat karte hain neeche cigarette
peene aate....
SHASHI
Tumko kaise bhool jaaunga
Sameeksha, sach mein kaafi pressure
hai, samajh nahi aata kisko bataun.
Baitho na.
Signals her to sit there.

SAMEEKSHA
Steps back.
Nahi main baithne nahi aayi.

Waits a while, then speaks.

Shashi mujhe pata hai ki tumko ye
sunkar dukh hoga, but I want you to
know ki mere liye bhi ye asaan nahi
hai.

SHASHI
He is taken aback and doesn’t know how to react. Takes him
for a while to register.
Tum divorce ki baat kar rahi ho?

He stands up, reaches out to her, sits again.

SAMEEKSHA
Koi aur raasta hai tumhare paas?
 28.

SHASHI
Sameeksha!!!
Phone rings, he picks up. He speaks very rudely when he
picks up the phone and identifies the voice.
Haan. Main office mein hi hu.

Is very irritated.
Haan akela hu.
Looks at Sameeksha and speaks.
Kahi nahi jaa raha.
Is very fed up of the phone, and says one last statement.
Main thodi der intezaar karunga,
phir nikal jaaunga.

Sameeksha looks at him and starts leaving.

SHASHI (cont’d)
He speaks in a despearate attempt.
Tum chaho to main phir se koshish
kar sakta hu.
SAMEEKSHA
Shashi, please, tum thodi si bhi
koshish karte to hum abhi saath
hote. Kuchh nahi pata mujhe ki kya
chal raha hai tumhari zindagi mein.
SHASHI
Nahi bata sakta Sameeksha, sirf
main nahi hu is kisse mein. Bahut
log involved hain.

SAMEEKSHA
Gets angry.
Shashi tumko dikhta hai main
koshish kar rahi hu. To save our
family. The two of us.
SHASHI
Main bhi koshish kar raha hu
Sameeksha.

SAMEEKSHA
Almost speaks furiously.
Tum apna kaam kuchh der ke liye
bhool sakte ho?. Ek family hain hum
dono. Matlab samajhte ho iska??
 29.

Knock on the gate. Asks very angrily.

SHASHI
Kaun hai abhi?
SAMEEKSHA
Shashi, seriously, right now. Abhi
bhi kaam zyada zaroori hai.?
Knocks again.

SHASHI
Pleads to her almost.
Please understand, its important.
SAMEEKSHA
Damn it. How important can it be?
More important than us?
Boss enters the office and looks at him, then looks at
Sameeksha.

All of them share an awkward look with each other. Then

Sameeksha leaves, waiting for Shashi to speak something.
Shashi doesn’t. Boss gives way to her. She leaves very
angrily.
After she leaves, there is an awkward silence, then Producer
speaks.
BOSS
Main baad mein aaun?
SHASHI
Sir, natak karna band kijiye.
BOSS
We are a government organisation. I
hope you understand that.

SHASHI
I do. And isiliye main jo bhi kar
sakta hu karunga. Aaplog ye sahi
nahi kar rahe hain.

BOSS
Shashi, poori duniya mein loot
machi hai, aur tum "Honesty is the
best policy" ke poster boy ban kar
ghoom rahe ho.
 30.

SHASHI
Sir, please apne scams mein mujhe
involve mat kijiye. Main ismein
hissa nahi lena chahta.

BOSS
Nahi lena mat lo hissa yaar. Jisko
karna hai usko karne do. Desh mein
LPG aa raha hai. Liberalisation,
Privatisation, Globalisation.
Matlab samajhte ho iska?

SHASHI
Sir, bahut achhe se samajhta hu,
aur ye bhi samajhta hu ki aap kyun
baat karne aaye hain.

BOSS
Dekho paisa barsega. Main bas tumko
samjhane aaya hu. Bete ki tarah
maanta hu isliye.
SHASHI
Sir main apki bakwaas sune nahi
ruka. Mujhe patronise mat kijiye.
Yahan bachcha nahi hai koi.
BOSS
Tum humare intentions hi nahi
samajh rahe. Hum wakai poore desh
ka bhala chahte hain.
SHASHI
Kaise? Foreign companies ko wo
tenders dekar jo Indian comapnies
ko milne chahiye? Taaki humare desh
ki companies compete hi na kar
payein. Liberalisation ke naam par,
ya privatisation?

BOSS
Tumko bhi pata hai hum sabka bhala
chahte hain. Agar Parle ka kaam
Pepsi kare to pata hai efficiency
kitni badh jaayegi.

SHASHI
Aur Parle ke employees ki naukri
chali jayegi. Aur aise na jaane
kitne log hain.
 31.

BOSS
Tumko kya problem hai bhai? Tum
apna paisa lo aur niklo. Tender
humpar chhod do. Apne haath gande
mat karna. Sab chup rahenge, sab
khush. Ispar hungama khada kar ke
kya milega.
SHASHI
Sir main hungama nahi kar raha.
Main bas sach bahar laane waala hu.
And i’ll do whatever I have to.
Main nahi sunne waala.
BOSS
Dekho humari tumse koi jaati
dushmani nahi hai, par tumhare
ungli karne se kaafi logo ke
ghonsale hilenge, aur phir humein
na chahte huye bhi.....
SHASHI
Kya karenge aap? Dhamkaayenge
mujhe? Darayenge? Kar lijiye. Desh
mein law and order hai, main wahan
jaunga. Aur please apne aadmiyon se
kahiye ki mujhe randomly calls
karna band kar dein.

BOSS
Hum tumko kuchh nahi karenge. But I
came prepared. You have to much to
lose. Maa, baap, patni, career. Kya
tumko sachmuch "sach" itna pasand
hai?
SHASHI
Gets a little scared. Doesn’t show.
Aap mujhe aise dhamka nahi sakte.

BOSS
Dhamka sakta hu. Aur ye bhi bata
sakta hu ki if you do this, we will
destroy you. Tumhara lekhak baap,
tumhari maa Anuradha, tumhari patni
jo shayad talaaq lena chahti hai.
You can save them all. Only you
can.
SHASHI

Thinks a little. Says almost in submission.

(MORE)
 32.

SHASHI (cont’d)
Maine agar aisa kiya to main khud
ke saath nahi jee paaunga. I can’t
just know and not tell anyone.

BOSS
Aur agar aur kuchh kiya to kaafi
aur log bhugtenge. Manzoor hai?
SHASHI
Aaplog aise bahar nahi jaa sakte
isse.
BOSS
Hum jaa sakte hain. Aur suno, itni
dikkat hai aisi zindagi se to.....

Starts thinking.
Pankha hai ghar mein?
SHASHI
Kya nonsense keh rahe hain aap?

BOSS
Pankha, hoga hi. Zaahir si baat
hai. To aisa karna, darwaza band
kar lena. Aur ek rassi chahiye
hogi. Nahi hogi to main bhijwa
dunga. Pankhe se bandhna, latka
lena khud ko.
Looks at him. Helplessly. And then almost cries.
He leaves with his office bag, goes out.

Black-out.
Lights on.
Shashi’s room. Shashi opens the package sent to him. It has
a rope inside it. He thinks of going to his dad’s room.
Reaches out to his room. Isn’t able to. Then he wants to
smoke a cigarette. Is unable to. Then he throws the
cigarette. He looks up, there’s the fan. He looks at his
door, it’s closed. He writes a note for his dad. Leaves it
on his table. Takes the rope. Ties a knot. Finds a stool.
Stands on it.
Black-out.
Five consecutive images after the death of Shashi to show
the passage of time. With continuous black-outs. One image,
black-out, then another image, then black-out, then image,
 33.

then black-out. So an and so forth till five images. Only

music is playing in the background.Five consecutive images
after the death of Shashi to show the passage of time. With
continuous black-outs. One image, black-out, then another
image, then black-out, then image, then black-out. So an and
so forth till five images. Only music is playing in the
background.
First Image : Shashi is lying down, a white cloth is on him.
Srijan comes, lifts the cloth. Srijan can’t control his
tears, but he somehow manages to. He looks at Anuradha and
Sameeksha who are crying uncontrollably. Anuradha is crying
on the other side of the stage. Heartbroken, he goes there
and puts his hands on Sameeksha’s back. Aniruddh is standing
on one side of the stage with Anuradha. Black-out.First
ImageFirst ImageFirst Image : Shashi is lying down, a white
cloth is on him. Srijan comes, lifts the cloth. Srijan can’t
control his tears, but he somehow manages to. He looks at
Anuradha and Sameeksha who are crying uncontrollably.
Anuradha is crying on the other side of the stage.
Heartbroken, he goes there and puts his hands on Sameeksha’s
back. Aniruddh is standing on one side of the stage with
Anuradha. Black-out.

Second Image : Srijan is sitting alone on his rocking chair,

rocking back and forth. Trying to write on the stage. He is
unable to. Throws the pen away. Anuradha enters the frame.
Looks at him. Goes and sits beside him. He keeps looking at
her and then goes into Shashi’s room. Realising Shashi is
not there, he comes back. Anuradha keeps looking at him,
heart-broken. Black-out.Second ImageSecond ImageSecond Image
: Srijan is sitting alone on his rocking chair, rocking back
and forth. Trying to write on the stage. He is unable to.
Throws the pen away. Anuradha enters the frame. Looks at
him. Goes and sits beside him. He keeps looking at her and
then goes into Shashi’s room. Realising Shashi is not there,
he comes back. Anuradha keeps looking at him, heart-broken.
Black-out.
Third Image : He is sitting with the producer. The producer
is looking at the script. He looks at him as if to say
something. Srijan looks at him, stares at the blankness. The
peon comes with the tea. Everyone takes tea. Srijan takes it
and leaves the stage. Without saying anything. Guy3 goes
after him and then stops. Comes back and sits.
Black-out.Third ImageThird ImageThird Image : He is sitting
with the producer. The producer is looking at the script. He
looks at him as if to say something. Srijan looks at him,
stares at the blankness. The peon comes with the tea.
Everyone takes tea. Srijan takes it and leaves the stage.
Without saying anything. Guy3 goes after him and then stops.
Comes back and sits. Black-out.
 34.

Fourth Image : Srijan is sitting at the place where he sat

with Shashi and smoked the cigarette. And Anuradha is in the
house. She is looking for Srijan. Comes near h/is table.
Looks at what he has written. There are a lot of torn and
crumpled papers on the stage. She takes them all and puts
them in the dustbin. Sits on his chair. Comes out and looks
at him. Srijan makes eye contact. Black-out.Fourth
ImageFourth ImageFourth Image : Srijan is sitting at the
place where he sat with Shashi and smoked the cigarette. And
Anuradha is in the house. She is looking for Srijan. Comes
near h/is table. Looks at what he has written. There are a
lot of torn and crumpled papers on the stage. She takes them
all and puts them in the dustbin. Sits on his chair. Comes
out and looks at him. Srijan makes eye contact. Black-out.
Fifth Image : Srijan is sitting on his table and writing. He
looks at the dustbin, and gets very much at unrest. He goes
through the contents of the dustbin. Finds a paper,
uncrumples it, and starts writing. Keeps writing for a
while. Stands. Comes in front of the audience. Starts
speaking.Fifth ImageFifth ImageFifth Image : Srijan is
sitting on his table and writing. He looks at the dustbin,
and gets very much at unrest. He goes through the contents
of the dustbin. Finds a paper, uncrumples it, and starts
writing. Keeps writing for a while. Stands. Comes in front
of the audience. Starts speaking.
SRIJAN
Jab tumne aakhiri saans li hogi.

Bataoge kya hua tha?

Takalluf tumse nahi hai, Takalluf
tumse nahi hai.

Takalluf shayaro se hai,

Anhad prem karte aashiqo se hai,
Jhooth kehne waale kaviyon se hai,

Badsoorat ko khoobsoorat batane

waale geetkaro se hai,
Kisi ki chaupaaiyon se hai, Kisi ki
rubaaiyon se hai,

Aansuo se, alfaazo se hai,

Nihaththi, napunsak duhaaiyon se
hai,
Aarzoo, Justajoo, guftagoo se hai.
 35.

Takalluf khud se hai, takalluf khud

se hai,
Aur takalluf waqt se hai,
Ke wo usi jagah se guzarta
hai, jahan se maut guzarti hai.
Anginat qatre ke saath, wo
baar-baar wahi se guzarta hai,

Jahan se maut guzarti hai.

ANURADHA
Anuradha is older now. Talks with a kind of a stability and
fragility. Looks at him and keeps the broom. Looks at him
longingly. It’s the same setting as the first scene.
Marne ki baat kar rahe ho?
SRIJAN
Safai nahi karni tumko?

ANURADHA
Kaise karu? Kaanch jo nahi fodte
tum?
SRIJAN
Bazaar se sheesha lana padta hai.

ANURADHA
Tumko ab creative block nahi hota?
SRIJAN
Tum pareshaan karo to aaye.

ANURADHA
Finally she can’t stop himself and speaks.
Shashi kahan chala gaya Srijan?

SRIJAN
Looks at her, then speaks after a while.
Tum batao na Anuradha. Kuchh kami
reh gayi thi kya?

ANURADHA
Tumhari galti nahi thi.
SRIJAN
Galti uski bhi to nahi thi
Anuradha.
 36.

Gets reminded of Shashi. Thinks of him, and speaks.

Mera bachcha, chala gaya.
Kabhi jaan bhi nahi paaye, kya hua
tha.

ANURADHA
Mera man bhi nahi maanta ki Shashi
aise hi chala gaya,
kyunki...kyunki, zindagi aasaan
nahi thi.

SRIJAN
Nahi Anuradha, nahi, isliye nahi.
Jo bhi thi wajah, ye nahi thi.
Mujhe nahi pata tha main us raat
usko aakhiri baar gale laga raha
tha.

ANURADHA
Hum kabhi wajah jaan paayenge?
SRIJAN
Uski note mein likha tha - "Papa,
main kisi ko doshi nahi maanta.
Aaplog ne hamesha pyaar diya. Bahut
pyaar diya, koi kami nahi chhodi.
Main bas ab thoda...

Breaks the statement, without completely reading it.

Itni jaldi jaane ke liyee.......
Can’t finish the sentence.
Sameeksha se kahiyega khush rahe.
Doosri shaadi kar le. Aur bas khush
rahe. Meri taraf se maafi maang
lijiyega ho sake to. Aap geet
likhte rahiye. Maa ko khush
rakhiye. Aaplogo ki koi galti nahi
hai.....

Breaks down again, stops, puts the letter in his pocket.

ANURADHA
Tells him to stop reading. She is pleading while saying
this.
Main nahi sun sakti aur, mat padho.
Himmat nahi bachi mujhmein, sunne
ki aur wajah dhoondhne ki.
Wipes her tears with her Sari.
Chai peeoge?
 37.

SRIJAN
Nods. When she is leaving for the kitchen, he looks at her
and says - the words hang in the air.
Iski aadat kyun nahi hoti Anuradha?

ANURADHA
Kiski?
SRIJAN
Maut ki? Poori zindagi main maut ko
sundar banata raha. Geet likhta
raha. Bachchan ke geet gaata raha.
ANURADHA
Mujhe nahi lagta maut ki kabhi
aadat lag paati hai. Kaise lagegi?

SRIJAN
Jab shashi gaya to bahut dukh hua.
Dil toot gaya, Man bikhar kar reh
gaya. Laga ki agli baar shayad kam
hoga, aadat lag jaayegi. Phir
Aniruddh gaya, dil utna hi dukha
Utna hi dard hua. Maut to sundar
honi thi na, safalta meethi honi
thi. Kyun nahi phir.....
ANURADHA

She comes and starts rubbing his back.

SHASHI
Zindagi to bewafa hai, ek din
thukrayegi, maut mehbooba hai, apne
saath lekar jaayegi.....
Anuradha is just looking at him in a standstill pose. Unable
to speak. She says. And goes away crying.

ANURADHA
Waada karo ki mere jaane par aansoo
nahi bahaoge? Tum pehle chale gaye
to main bhi.
SHASHI

Looks at her and nods, after he keeps looking at her for a

while.
Chai pilaaogi?
 38.

She leaves. He keeps looking at her until she leaves. Comes

to the place where he smokes the cigarette. Starts smoking
and looks to the audience. Talking to them directly.
Breaking the fourthwall.

SRIJAN
Starts speaking. He is very old by now. He lights up a
cigarette. And this entire thing happens while he smokes one
cigarette.
Main ek geetkaar hu.

Meri, halak mein ek kona hai,

Jahan main lafz chhupata hu.
Ye wo lafz hain, jo kabhi nikal
nahi paaye.
Jo kabhi halaat, kabhi jazbaat,
kabhi koi adhoori si mulaqaat,
kabhi koi ajeeb jamaat, ki wajah se
nikal nahi paaye.

Har baar jab lafzo ka wo

kona jhakjhorta hu,
Lafzo ka ek jakheera milta hai,

Jo wahi rehta hai hamesha,

Main unko tatol kar ek geet banana
chahta hu,
Ek ankaha, ansuna sa geet, jo kab
ka gaa diya jaana tha,
Saalo pehle likh diya jaana tha.
Aaj bhi, halak ke, usi kone mein
atka hai.
The cigarette has ended, he crushes it under his feet.
Black-out.

WAQT AUR DAUR

Anuradha is lying on a bed. He is sitting beside her on a
chair. Holding her hands. The mood of the scene is like the
scene where Srijan and Anuradha are young. When they were
young and jolly. The only thing that has changed is their
 39.

age.She is on the verge of dying, he is also very old. But

they are happy with each other. The mood is not sad. In the
entire scene they are looking at each other with too much
longing.

SRIJAN
Doctor ko bula lu, meri tasalli ke
liye?
ANURADHA
Kyun zeher daal kar zinda rakhna
hai budhiya ko?
SHASHI
Ghar mein saaf safaai karne waali
to chahiye hogi na. Isliye.

ANURADHA
She is smiling and looks at him. She is very old.
Boodhe ho gaye ho tum. 35 saal se
geet likh lihkar.

SRIJAN
Geet likh-likhkar insaan jawaan
hota hai Anuradha.
ANURADHA
Lekin tum boodhe ho gaye ho.

SRIJAN
Theek hai. Tum lekin ab bhi jawaan
ho.

ANURADHA
Manto ho gaye ho poore. Bade
geetkar. Zindagi khatam ho rahi
hai, par....
SRIJAN
Ab kaun uthaayega mere fode huye
sheeshe?
ANURADHA
Ek kaam waali rakh lena, umar ho
gayi hai meri.

SRIJAN
Paise ka ped laga kar gaye hain na
pitaji tumhare?
 40.

ANURADHA
Mujhe nahi pata. Dekh lena.
SRIJAN
Tum kahi nahi jaa rahi. Yahi reh
rahi ho.

ANURADHA
Nahi ab jaana hai, bahut pareshaan
karte ho tum mujhe.

SRIJAN
Kitna jalti ho na tum meri pragati
se? Galat shaadi ho gayi bhaiya.
ANURADHA

Laughs and looks at him.

Ab doosri kar lena. Nahi jalegi.
SRIJAN
Aise peechha nahi chhootna mujhse
tumhara.

They both look at each other a moment too long. Then Srijan
looks at her, and holds her cheeks.
Thak gayi ho?
ANURADHA
Haan. Abhi so jaaun?
SRIJAN
So jaao. Main yahi baitha hu.
Srijan keeps looking at her, they both sleep.

Mini-blackout.
When Srijan wakes up, she is no more. He checks her breaths.
Checks her pulse, realises she she is dead. He doesn’t react
too much. Only looks at her, then runs his palm through her
face, then covers her face, then leaves the stage.
Black-out.

IZZATEIN
Srijan is standing in front of the audience. With the
statuette. The audience is listening.
"Izzatein, shohratein, ulfatein,
chahtein,

(MORE)
 41.

Sabkuchh is duniya mein rehta nahi,

Aaj main hu jahan, kal koi aur tha.
Ye waqt aur hai, wo waqt aur tha.

Ye bhi ik daur hai, wo bhi ik daur

tha."
Bahut hi kam mukaam aate hain
zindagi mein aise, aur khaaskar se
ek writer, ek geetkar ke
liye, jiska kaam hi alfaazo se
khelna hai, ki uske paas lafz na
ho, ya jab use ye na maaloom ho ki
wo kaun sa lafz chune apni baat
bayan karne ke liye.
Bas ye kehna chahunga, Sahir
Ludhianvi ke alfaazo mein -
"Kal aur aayenge nagmo ki khilti
kaliyaan chunne waale, mujhse
behtar kehne waale, tumse behtar
sunne waale."
Aaj main yahan hu, kyunki kai log
the, kai saare. Unhone mujhe zameen
se uthakar yahan rakh diya. Meri
patni Anuradha....
Goes into nostalgia. Then tries again.
Mera beta Shashi....

Controls again. Gulps his tears. Tries to breathe.

Mera dost Aniruddh...
Stops. Waits a moment. Tries to gather himself. Then
realises he can’t speak about crying. He stops.
Maaf kijiyega, main chalta hu.
Dhanyawaad.
Music starts playing in the background. "Main pal do pal ka
shayar hu, pal do pal meri kahani hai."

He exits the stage. There is no black-out.

Anuradha comes and takes the stuff from the table of Shashi
and puts them as they were, scattered on the ground. Then
goes towards the place where he broke the glass, and sits
there and sits there.
 42.

Shashi comes from his office and puts his coat on the stand
and then keeps his bag on his table. He is tired and sits
there where he keeps his bag. On the same chair.
Aniruddh comes and brings some sweets and eats one, puts the
rest on Srijan’s table. And then sits on the place where he
was sitting.
They are all doing what they were.
Antogatva starts playing in the background.

Srijan comes. All of them are looking at Srijan, who is very

old by now. He comes and sits on his rocking chair. With the
statuette in his hand, he keeps looking at his table. And
his writings. He puts the statuette on the table and starts
rocking his chair and humming the tune. The rocking chair
shakes for a while, ad then he closes his eyes. His head
rolls to one side. The rocking chair stops.
The music continues.
Now, all the people come towards the table of Srijan. All of
them as if in a frame of photo. They all sit around Srijan.
Srijan is young again, he smiles. He picks up his pen.
Antogatva is playing.
Black-out.

Play ends.