(Emilia enters suddenly.)
Emilia: No wait. Why don’t we adopt the baby? God knows we’ve been trying for so long.
Elliot: Emilia! Have you been listening the whole time?
Emilia: Yes. (To Hannah, pleads) Please consider this.
(Hannah is dazed.)
Elliot: Baby, how come you’re cool with all this?
Emilia: What’s there to not be cool about. You’re a good man. Offering to help Emilia for
Solomon’s mistake.
(Elliot is shocked but starts to figure out everything.)
Elliot: Yeah.
Hannah: I’ve decided. You can have my baby. At least it will be well taken care of.
Emilia: That’s great.
(Knock on door)
Cop 1: Police! Gunshots were heard in this area.
Cop 2: Also, there’s a bleeding dog in your yard.
Emilia: (To Elliot) Deny everything.
Elliot: (smiling slyly)I already am.
(Happy with himself and the turn of events, Elliot walks towards the door when a thought
strikes him.)
Elliot: (To Hannah) What did you say your step-father’s name was?
Hannah: Solomon. Why?
Elliot: Is he Ethiopian?
Hannah: Yes.
Elliot: DAMN!
END.
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6
Aishwarya and Arnav in the Pub
Devansh Kamodia 2015ABPS0632P, Smit Vadalia 2015A4PS0571P, K Gyandeep
2015A4PS0353P and Shourya Sai 2014A5TS0994P
CHARACTERS
Aishwarya: a middle-aged woman, tall and tired looking
Arnav: short but very round middle-aged man
SETTING
Rundown pub. Poorly lit and very generic looking. Aishwarya sits at one of the tables reading
a magazine. The pub is silent. Arnav bursts through the front door, his white vest top and
jeans covered in blood. Aishwarya panics and jumps to her feet.
BEGIN.
Aishwarya: Oh my god, what the hell happened?
Arnav: I've killed him; I've bloody killed him. (Arnav's eyes fill with tears)
Aishwarya: What do you mean you've killed him! What happened?! You were only going
round to talk to him.
Arnav: (stuttering but trying to calm himself) I know, I got there and I told him we won’t be
blackmailed and he started getting angry and he said if we didn't pay he'd tell everyone what
we did and I told him we aren’t going to pay! But then he started swinging at me and I swung
back. I managed to pin him to the floor and I got my hand on an ornament or something and I
HIT HIM! I HIT HIM! And the blood just poured.
Aishwarya: Oh god.
(Arnav begins to cry, Aishwarya hugs him.)
Arnav: What are we going to do?
Aishwarya: (calmly) Sit down, I'll pour us a drink and we'll talk about this.
(Arnav takes a seat, Aishwarya walks behind the bar and pours whiskey into two glasses. The
man sits with his head in his hand at the table, the room has a lingering silence. Aishwarya
takes a drink over to Arnav and takes a seat at the side of him. She takes a big gulp of
whiskey and winces.)
Aishwarya: How'd you leave it? Was there any sign you'd been there?
Arnav: I don't think anyone saw me. Arnav drinks his whiskey down in one.
Aishwarya: OK, but you can’t get away with this we need to call the police, they'll
understand, just explain how he attacked you and it was self-defense.
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Arnav: (worried) No babe, we can’t do that, they wouldn't understand. Just think about it for
a second. They will discover our secret and we'd have to explain what we did.
Aishwarya: (frustrated) What do you suggest then?
Arnav: I honestly don't know, let me think for a second.
(The room once again falls silent, blue and red lights flash past the window, Arnav jumps to
his feet and quickly runs to the window. The police car continues down the road. Arnav sighs
in relief.)
Aishwarya: Are you sure nobody saw you?
Arnav: I don't think so, I had to get out of there pretty quickly.
Aishwarya: Oh, Lord!
Arnav: OK, here's what we're going to do. You're going to have to go round and get the tape.
Then we can call the police and explain to them that he was throwing false accusations
around about us and trying to blackmail us and then I refused to pay and he attacked me and I
defended myself. OK, babe?
Aishwarya: (angry) Hold up, why do I have to go get the tape?!
Arnav: Because I can’t go, look at me, I'm covered in blood and I'm a wreck, please you have
to do this.
(Arnav's face fills up with tears again. He has a look of desperation. Aishwarya sits in silence,
a look of disbelief on her face.)
Arnav: He only lives two doors down; you can do this. The door is open; you'll be back in
minutes.
Aishwarya: OK, I'll do it for you. But no matter what you have to promise me, nobody will
ever find out what we did? You have to promise.
Arnav: I swear to you. This will always stay between us. I love you.
Aishwarya: I love you too, I'll see you soon.
(Arnav and Aishwarya place their foreheads on each other. It’s a sweet moment. Aishwarya
stands to her feet. Aishwarya walks over to the door and opens it. She takes one last look at
Arnav. He has a look of dread on his face. Aishwarya exits the pub. Arnav goes over to the
jukebox and puts on a song. He stands at the jukebox resting on it with his arms. A couple of
minutes pass. Blue and red lights up the room again. There is a sound of police sirens. Arnav
once again runs to the window. They stop outside a house a few doors down. Arnav knows
why they are there, he gasps and runs off into the back of the pub. He grabs his jacket and car
keys and runs out the back door.)
END.
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7
Stage Fright
Pranav Dinesh Kumar 2017A4PS0121P, Jayanth Tummalapenta 2017A7PS0075P, Roshan
Roy 2017ABPS1172P, Akash Palrecha 2017B4A30559P and U Aswathy 2017ABPS1051P
CHARACTERS
Joshua aka ‘The Enigma’: The Magician, 30 years old
Valerie: his wife, 25 years old
Jonathan: Joshua’s best friend, 30 years old
Michael: Joshua and Valerie’s child, 5 years old
Anchor
SETTING
A small square auditorium (80x 80ft) seating 700 people, with 1 main entry point towards the
back and 4 side entry points, with 2 on either side of the auditorium. A wooden elevated
rectangular dais(60x20ft) in the front of the stage, 20 ft from either side of the room. 10 ft in
front today the stage, the rows of seats start and continue for 20 rows and 35 seats in each
row. A centre path splits the two sides of the auditorium. On the dais, 3 ft. left from the centre
of the stage, 4 feet from the stage boundary, there is a man-sized mirror. Six feet to the right
of the mirror is a table with the usual peculiar set of a magician’s tools: A big handkerchief, a
magician’s hat, a matchbox. 1 foot behind the table are two chairs, one of them, half-broken.
The setting is lit up by three-stage lights, one of them flickering from ages in operation. There
are 2 ropes hanging just above the mirror.
BEGIN.
Anchor: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome on stage the greatest showman on Earth, The
Enigma!
(The lights dim and amidst the theatrical pyrotechnics and stage-smoke, Joshua ‘The Enigma’
appears on the dais. The spectators clap politely.)
The Enigma: (smiling cockily) A very good evening to you, ladies and gentlemen, boys and
girls. I hope you believe in magic because the events you will witness here tonight appear to
be inexplicable.
(He walks to the edge of the dais and quickly jumps off, only to levitate, defying gravity.
However, the audience lets out subdued, scattered applause as to most of them, the ropes
carrying the magician are apparent. The Enigma performs a pirouette in mid-air and jumps
back onto the dais to take a bow.)
The Enigma (winks): This is just the beginning, my friends. I promise you that by the end of
tonight, each and every one will lose track of where reality ends and witchcraft begins.
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(A muted of applause ensues. At the balcony, on seats K-1, 2 and 3 are Valerie (Joshua’s
young wife), Michael (his toddler) and Jonathan (his best friend from their school days).
Michael is looking at his father with his eyes round as pennies, spellbound. Valerie and
Jonathan are whispering to each other, leaning in to hear over the din.)
Jonathan: All these years, and yet he manages to keep going. The man is dedicated, I only
wish my kids could watch him.
Valerie: (smiling ruefully) You’d imagine so wouldn’t you? I guess it’s too hard to expect
New York’s finest to agree. Look at everyone, you’d have to pay them to even look
interested. It’s a disgrace!
Jonathan: (casually observing the crowd around him) I don’t think it’s that bad really. Look at
young Michael here, I don’t think I’ve seen the lad so focused since Teletubbies started airing
on the telly. A few hollers and catcalls as The Enigma performs a few basic magic tricks.
Valerie: (almost in tears) His stupid quest for fame is ruining our family. I tried to talk to him
about it before the show. He never listens!
Jonathan: I understand, dear, but trust in your husband. I know he loves his family, he’ll
figure something out.
Valerie: (almost hysterical) Figure something out? We’re starving you deluded idiot! Every
time my husband pulls a goddamn rabbit from a hat, my child goes hungry another day!
Jonathan: Shh!, Valerie, don’t cry. Everything will be alright.
Valerie: (eyes filling with angry tears) Another empty promise. You were always so good at
sounding sincere, Jon. Sometimes I wonder if you’ll ever come through to me. Sometimes...
(pauses hesitantly) sometimes I think I have to take matters into my own hands.
Jonathan: (turns to her sharply) What do you mean, Valerie?
Valerie: (smiles sadly through her tears) It's nothing. I’m sorry Jonathan, I shouldn't have
whaled on you like that. You’ve done nothing to deserve it.
Jonathan: Think nothing of it, my dear. I’ve met women of all shapes and sizes, but you’re
the strongest one I know. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.
(Valerie does not reply. She stares stonily at her husband. Joshua gears up for the last act of
the night. Jonathan gazes at his uninterested audience sadly and feels desperately sorry for
himself.)
The Enigma: (to himself) What am I doing? I'm hopeless. I don’t know how long I’ll have to
endure this painful journey. If only I had a sign which told me not to continue down this road.
I don't understand where it all went wrong. All I ever wanted was to be the greatest magician
alive, someone my son could look up to. But look at me now. I’m an embarrassment as a
father. I can't even look my child in the eye, afraid I'll see the very things I dread. I’m unable
to provide for my kid, isn’t that the least a man must be capable of? Life has defeated me, but
there is still something I can do for him... give him a good life. But can I subject Michael to a
life without a father? Society will never stop reminding them of my absence. Is it fair? Is
money really more important? Should I take the leap? Or can we live a quiet and happy life
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learning to take joy in the little things? I would give anything to see my son grow up to be a
man worthy of his salt. I cannot give up on myself yet. Tonight is my best chance to make
this all just go away.
The Enigma: (shaking himself out of his reverie) And now, for my second and final act of the
night, I will attempt to catch a real bullet fired from a gun, with my bare hands! The audience
perks up. A few hoots and hollers. The Enigma (heartened): That’s right, ladies and
gentlemen. This is an old, dangerous trick. I advise you to not try it at home, because it has
been known to go perilously awry more often than not! Any volunteers from the audience
who’d like to take a crack at me?
(A few weak laughs. Nobody volunteers. Jonathan looks around, feeling sorry for his friend.
He exchanges a glance with the desperate Joshua and makes up his mind.)
Jonathan: (raising his hand) I’ll do it!
The Enigma: (visibly relieved) Ah, there we have it! This brave gentleman will now shoot me
with a very real, very lethal gun.
Jonathan tries to get up from his seat but Valerie restrains him with her hand, suddenly
looking fearful.
Jonathan: (looking concerned) What’s the matter, my dear?
Valerie: (panicking) Don’t do it.
Jonathan: (smiling) You know this trick, Valerie. Those bullets are actually blanks. He’ll be
perfectly safe. A case of the jitters, it seems!
Valerie begins to say something but thinks better of it. Her face is pale and sickly. She lets
him go. Jonathan goes to the front of the auditorium and steps on stage.
The Enigma: Ah, hello sir. Please introduce yourself.
Jonathan: I’m Jonathan, 30 years old and I'm a Regional Manager at the Bank of London.
The Enigma: Good to meet you. Here you go, please take the gun and check for any
abnormalities.
Jonathan gives the gun a cursory once-over, pretending to check it thoroughly.
Jonathan: No sir, I see no problems with it.
The Enigma: Excellent! Now, friends, please hold on to your seats.
The Enigma moves to one corner of the stage and asks Jonathan to go to the other.
The Enigma: Please sir, point it directly to my head. Let's see if I can survive this trick!
Jonathan: Okay.
Jonathan points the gun at his childhood friend and takes a deep breath. The audience,
including Joshua’s wife, watch, agog. Joshua smiles at Jonathan encouragingly right before
he shoots. A surprised Jonathan feels the gun kick in his hands. A horrifying crack deafens
the crowd as Joshua’s face explodes in a gory display. Jonathan watches, stunned as blood
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and bits of brain matter shower the dais and orchestra. He looks at the gun blankly, unable to
grasp the gravity of the situation, as the crowd begins to grow around him.
Jonathan (to himself): What is this? Is it all an act? What is happening?
Jonathan opens the gun’s barrel and very lethal lead bullets pop out. He looks at them
uncomprehendingly for an instant. He looks at his dead friend on the floor, surrounded by
shouting people. Understanding dawns on him. He looks at Valerie, who is still sitting on her
seat motionlessly, her hands firmly covering her son’s eyes. She looks at him, expressionless.
Valerie (to herself): I had to do something. I was going crazy.
She looks down at her lap, where two blank bullets rest, hidden between the folds of her skirt.
END.
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8
Happily Married
Jivat Neet 2017A7PS0050P, Aditya Ramachandran 2017A3PS0339P, Shubham Saxena
2017A7PS0302P, Siddhant Khandelwal 2017A7PS0127P and Jai Vashishtha 2017B5AB0664
CHARACTERS
Anish: 25 years old, a techie at an IT firm.
Sejal: is a happy-go-lucky person, with a beautiful smile, 5’10”, energetic and cherubic.
Registrar: a charismatic man, in his mid-50s, physically fit and a brainy chap.
Registrar's wife: 53, has a wrinkly face and a lean body.
Poppy: A peppy young lady, 25, Anish's friend. She works at an investment banking firm.
SETTING
At the Registrar’s office. Small desk at which the registrar is sitting. His wife standing beside
him, giving him his lunch box. Enter Anish and Sejal from the right, wearing plain clothes
and panting.
BEGIN.
Registrar: What do we have here?
The Registrar's Wife scans them top to bottom, inquisitively.
Anish: Hi, are you the registrar?
Registrar: Yes…
Anish: We need to get married, right now!
Registrar: Why yes, I can arrange that. But why the hurry? And where are the witnesses?
Sejal: What witnesses?
Registrar: To get married, you need the presence of at least 2 witnesses.
Anish: Oh Christ. I’ll call Piya and Poppy, they live close by only.
Anish steps aside to make the call.
Registrar's Wife: How did you guys meet?
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Sejal: Oh it was about a week ago, I remember it like it was yesterday…
Registrar quietly smirks.
Sejal: … So I had organized a wedding for a friend, and I was just walking alongside the
tents to make sure that the food was being prepared on time when I saw this man… crying.
Pity welled inside me for this poor soul. So I approached him. He wore shabby clothes and
looked like life had given up on him.
(Cut to one week ago.)
Sejal is at a wedding she has organized for her friend. She is going about her business,
making sure the food is being prepared on time when she notices the sound of sobbing. She
approaches the man, quietly.
Sejal: Hey, what’s your name?
Anish: A-a-anish.
Sejal: If you’re under my payroll, you better be getting back to work.
Anish: I-I’m…
Sejal: (shouting slightly) You’re what?
Anish: I’m a friend... of the bride.
Sejal: Oh. I’m so sorry. What happened, is everything alright?
Anish: Not at all. Everything’s falling apart.
Sejal: Oh no! Why do you say that?
Anish: My phone fell down the toilet and even as a techie I’m not able to fix it. My life is a
failure.
Sejal: No, no, that’s alright. Your job does not exactly involve fixing phones…
Anish: It kind of does.
Sejal: But that’s alright, it’s just a phone.
Anish: You don’t get it, do you? It’s not just about the phone. It’s about my marriage that I
couldn’t fix too. And it’s been six months and I’m still not able to handle myself alone. Sobs
uncontrollably.
Sejal, thinking to herself: Who is this idiot, he’s going to ruin the wedding.
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Sejal: Alright, come here. Do you want to go back? I can hook you up with a cab.
Anish: No, it’s alright. I don’t trust myself, I can’t go anywhere alone now. I keep thinking
about her wherever I go. I can’t be left alone.
(Sejal sighs.)
Sejal: Fine, I’ll drop you off. How far do you live from here?
(Back at the Registrar’s office. The Registrar's Wife has stopped her work, and is now staring
at Sejal.)
Sejal: What?
(The Registrar's Wife snaps out of it.)
Registrar's Wife: Nothing, I just thought you were going to continue with the story.
Sejal: Well, you know, one thing led to another and, here we are!
Anish comes back and slides his arm around Sejal.
Anish: She will be here soon, hon.
(Sejal gives him a big smile.)
Anish: But we really need another witness. Can you call one of your friends, if they live
here?
Sejal: No, none of my friends live so far out of the city. You should know that already.
Registrar's Wife: (suddenly) I can be a witness too.
Registrar's Wife: (thinking) This anyways won’t last for a month.
Registrar: So how do you guys know that you should marry? You know, given that you’ve
only known each other for a week.
Anish: When you’re with the right person, you know.
Anish gives a goofy smile. Registrar smirks again.
Registrar's Wife: So, what are your plans after this?
Sejal: Well, we haven’t really decided. I have to be back home in about an hour, or my father
will get worried…
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Registrar: Why didn’t you bring him along?
Sejal: He’s not really… comfortable, you know. With this concept. You know how old people
are.
Registrar shuffles his feet beneath his desk.
Registrar's Wife: So, he doesn’t know about this?
Sejal: Oh no, not at all! But don’t worry, I’ll tell him soon.
Anish: Yes, we’ll do it at the same time.
Registrar's Wife: At the same time! You haven’t told your parents either?
Anish: Well, of course not! Why would I do that?
Registrar: I’m curious now. What did those 7 days do to you, to be so sure about this?
Anish (dreamy-eyed): Oh, it’s everything. Every morning when I wake up to look at her
pretty face, I feel like a man again! She makes me feel complete and gives me the purpose I
need to get out of bed and face the horrible world outside.
Sejal smiles again, foolishly.
Registrar (looking at his wife, thinking): All I see are the wrinkles on her face.
Anish: … and her smile… It’s just so beautiful.
Registrar (now looking at Sejal, thinking): Yes, indeed.
Anish: So, what’s your story? How did you meet?
Registrar's Wife: Err… We actually met on the wedding day, but it was love at first sight.
Registrar looks at his wife, smiling forcibly.
Anish: Oh! So an arranged marriage?
Registrar: No, the real bride ran away, so I married her sister.
Sejal looks at the both of them, scornfully.
Anish (thinking): Who DOES that?
Sejal: How long have you guys been married?
Registrar: 31 years and counting…
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The sound of a car pulling up interrupts the Registrar. Poppy enters, in a rush. Registrar’s
face becomes flustered.
Poppy: Oh you two, you could at least wear nice clothes, this is your big day!
Anish: But we decided just 2 hours ago that we’re getting married. We got here as fast as we
could.
Poppy notices the Registrar and his wife. She suddenly hesitates in her footsteps.
Poppy: Okay… so who’s the bride? I don’t recall you being in a relationship.
Anish (proudly pointing to Sejal, like a trophy): That’s her.
Poppy (thinking): This isn’t going to end well.
Poppy (aside to Anish): Are you sure about this?
Anish (offended): What do you mean, you don’t trust me?
Poppy: I do, but then you haven’t exactly made the best decisions before…
Anish: What is THAT supposed to mean?
Poppy: Why, nothing. Nothing at all. Congratulations, let’s get you married!
Poppy (thinking): This is still a BIG mistake.
Registrar: Okay, so fill out this form.
Registrar: So the first witness is going to be my wife. The second witness is going to be
Poppy Patel.
Registrar's Wife: Wait… how do you know her name?
Registrar suddenly sits up on his desk all red. Poppy shuffles her feet nervously.
Registrar: Oh, Anish mentioned it before, right?
Anish (looking at Poppy): I didn’t know your surname was Patel. Haha, what a name!
The Registrar's Wife realizes there is something fishy.
Registrar's Wife: What is going on here?
Registrar unable to speak, sits dumbstruck.
Poppy (breaks): I promise it was just the one time.
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Registrar's Wife: WHAT ONE TIME?
Registrar: N-nothing. Nothing at all.
Registrar hastily stamps the form.
Registrar: I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may leave now.
Registrar's Wife (fiercely): No you stay right there and start speaking, girl.
Poppy (nervously): I... I think you two should talk alone.
Poppy hurries the newlywed couple out.
Registrar's Wife: Are you having an affair?
The registrar remains silent.
Registrar's Wife: I want a divorce.
Poppy (overhearing, and thinking): I knew it wasn't gonna end well.
END.
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9
A Mother’s Love
Anirudh Garg 2017A7PS0142P, Venkat Sairam M. 2017A7PS0133P, Ashutosh Bhatt
2017ABPS0957P, Swastik 2017A8PS0283P and Kanish 2017A3PS0366P
CHARACTERS
Roshni Nanda: 52, Mother
Siddharth V. Nanda: 23, Son
SETTING
It’s a cold, autumn night, a woman is seen standing at the window, looking out smoking away
into the dark sky. Covered in thoughts, contemplating her life decisions.
BEGIN.
Roshni (To herself): I did what I had to, didn’t I?
(Suddenly, a thump is heard on the door and the son enters.)
Siddharth: Why am I here mom?
Roshni: So good to see you. Glad that you came. How have you been?
Siddharth: How do you think I would have fared living with your secrets?
Roshni: Sid, my love. Come let’s sit down and have a drink.
(She put away her cigarette into the metal lid ashtray decorated with ivory sitting on a
glass-covered centre table which was located at the far left of the room encircled with large
white sofas in a dominantly black interior room. The drinks were already served for the two
with all of it planned as a gin and tonic catering to the son's liking and red wine for the
mother’s liking. Both sit down with their drinks in hand.)
Roshni: You’ve only known these secrets for so long, have you any idea for how long I’ve
lived them? Who do you think I did all this for? When I married your father, I was blinded
by love, never did I account for his mediocrity towards life. When I lived this life for a year
and the love had faded as it always does, I realised the dark truths of life, where money and
power in the society run the world. And that is what I have achieved and served to you on a
silver platter, haven’t I?
Siddharth: Stop fooling yourself mom, it’s always been you, it’s always been about you. Dad
was always right about you. Even I despised him and his simplistic, mediocre way of life but
after knowing the real side of you, it all makes sense now, on why dad never wanted to go
against you despite his knowing your dark truths, with you being so manipulative, and
resourceful and further him being a simple man.
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Roshni: Don’t you dare glorify that lowlife, in front of me, who never cared about his family
was yet always happy in his own life. It’s all been so easy for you, hasn’t it? Can you
ever imagine my rising from that slum of life alone with an infant son to care for and feed? I
distinctly remember the night I left your dad and walked out into the lonely night with you in
my arms and no place to go, just with the burning sensations in my heart to change our lives.
Finding work as a small tailor, living in the chawls wasn’t easy but it was always fuelled by
the desire to rise.
Siddharth: (Interrupting) In that very desire mom, you never realised when you had gone too
far. The ambition and the dreams that you possessed were all so good until you stopped
feeling anything anymore other than the kick that inflicting your power gave you. It’s all so
inspiring on how from a shady tailoring shop you gained experience and your knowledge that
you gained online on fashion,
You made this “The Roshni Nanda” out of you where you run countless boutiques all over
the world but I still feel pity for you mom, on how you are forced to live dual lives, never
being able to live as a free soul but wear this face of an awe-inspirational single mother
miraculously rising through the ranks. But I ask you, mom, for what cost?
Roshni: The cost that you ask, had to be paid for what I wanted to achieve in my life, and true
to my conviction I was ever so ready to pay it. Unlike weak, normal people with a head full
of dreams yet not the will, the conviction to do it? I never backed out of an opportunity that
life presented to me when I could achieve something in life. What would a man so void of
devotion and loyalty towards her own mother who gave him all he has in life know about all
this?
Siddharth: Every word that you said there mom, so true. You were so engrossed in your
ambitions that you didn’t even think once before you destroyed the careers of countless of
your employees, illegally using them as tools to make a profit, extraditing them for your
crimes and ultimately expanding your franchise, then silencing their families with money.
One can only wonder what happened to the ones that retaliated. Budding careers along with
the hopes associated with them by their families all destroyed just because you wanted a good
life for your son? Stop lying mom, you have been de-masked and soon the whole world will
know the reality of your success, the evil that lies within. The duality you lead in the face of
charities, and your other noble deeds.
When I first confronted you for the first time when I found about a money-laundering scheme
in the face of your “Girl child education” charity function you told me it was a one time
mistake that you somehow committed but you ensured me that you make it alright, and I
believed you because you were my idol. However, now that I have proof of multiple of your
heinous crimes I don’t think not involving the law will be an option this time. But mom I
guess there is still a chance for you to regain some of the respect that I earlier had for you in
my heart by surrendering to the law enforcement and coming clean to the people that worship
you. Can you do that for me mom, for your son, whom you depict to love the most?
Roshni: The last time you confronted me came as a shock to me on how I could be so
careless to have let out leads of my acts to reach out to the world. Ever since I’ve been
fighting a conflict within my head between motherhood and the societal image that I have
built. I kept thinking about how this whole situation could have been avoided with you never
265
finding out and all of our lives running smoothly. But I was careless, so I know I would have
to bear the consequences.
Since I know you more than you know yourself, I knew you wouldn’t stop at that. I kept track
of all your moves thereafter. All pieces of evidence you dug up against me, eventually, I
figured out a way to make them all unaccountable but still there’s something that cannot be
left unaccounted, the careless mistake that I made and your relentless disloyalty towards you
mother. The choice was not easy but is just for all that has been done.
Siddharth: What are you saying mom, I don’t follow?
(Roshni is seen to be delusional, she tries to stand but loses balance and falls onto the sofa, he
tries to hold her in position, looking tremendously worried.)
Siddharth: Mom, Mom (sprinkling some of the water on her face from the jug on the table).
Just tell me what the hell is all this?
Roshni: I am sorry Sid. There seemed to be no other way. Ruining the image that I had built
for myself in society was never an option. And again fighting against such allegations in
court is just a formality where one without being adjudged guilty by the law, already becomes
a culprit in the eyes of the people thanks to the media. Please forgive me Sid, forever letting
the truth slip out to you, not being able to protect us both. (mumbling weakly). Sid there are
instructions that have been laid out for a certain someone to be framed (hinting towards her
husband), with my death and all the frauds that my company has committed only if you
comply, which sadly would all be turned to a much easier target (hinting towards him) if you
try anything else. My death had to be brought out because I could not have bared to see you
suffer, (almost embracing death, closing her eyes) plus it was all my mistake.
(He erupts crying loudly, with her head in his lap and arms wrapped around her. But then he
realises the decision that he has to make, burdened by the decision he tries to stand up resting
her immobile head on the sofa, his arms, fall down. He then crashes down on the ground,
gasping for air heavily in trying to take it all in.)
END.
266
10
God knows how long this will go on!
Hridyanshu Singhal 2017A1PS0810P, Raunak Jiandavi 2017A1PS0716P, Anshul Khatkar
2016B2PS0766P and Arya Bhattacharya 2016A7PS0618P
CHARACTERS
Anirudh Sharma: Young and handsome, around 35 years old.
Jayant: Anirudh’s Elder brother, 40 years old.
Ranjana Devi: Anirudh’s Mom, 60 years old.
Shyam Prasad: Anirudh’s Dad, 64 years old.
Radhika: Anirudh’s Wife, 28 years old.
SETTING
20 ft. x 20 ft. centrally air-conditioned room with glazed white marble floor; all four walls
painted in cream yellow and the roof in white; a wooden framed red velvet cushioned
chesterfield suite in the centre of the left wall resting over a red woollen carpet (10 ft. x 10 ft)
centrally aligned with the wall; a chandelier hanging from the top above the centre of the
suite; a 40 in. plasma screen in the centre of the wall opposite the suite; 2 floors to ceiling
windows on each side of the screen with long-red velvet curtains drawn across them; 18 ft.
long pair of frosted glass doors in the centre of the wall to the right of the suite scaling the
full height. Suit clad Anirudh sitting on the edge of the sofa shaking his leg impatiently
BEGIN.
Anirudh: (murmuring to himself) They are going to show up at any moment. I’ll clear it all
out with them today. Everything’s going to be fine from now.
(Stands up suddenly, and begins pacing across the hall, eagerly anticipating someone’s
arrival)
“ANI!”
(A hoarse and deep voice calls from the gates across the hall)
Anirudh: (turns immediately) Jay bhaiya!
(A young man, apparently in his early 40s stands smiling at the entrance)
Jayant: How are you, brother?
(Both rush towards each other and hug tightly)
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Anirudh: (in a heavy voice, with tears in his eyes) How long have I waited for this day!
Where have you been all this time? I have been dying to meet you since ages!
Jayant: Calm down. It’s okay. I’m here now.
(Wiping his tears and takes a deep breath)
Anirudh: Yeah, bhaiya. Let’s have some tea together, I made it for us.
Jayant: Look at how much you’ve changed since we were together last time. What have you
been up to, Ani? When was the last time you got a shave?
Anirudh: Bhaiya, doing this project has been the worst decision of my life. I never knew it
would end up so badly. My whole life and career have been reduced to dust. They won’t let
me talk to anyone except for a few co-workers. I’ve been praying to God, to grant me one
final glimpse of Radhika, Mom, Dad, You…
Jayant: Didn’t you know about any of this before?
Anirudh: That letter from the Ministry, you remember? That said that I was selected for an
award by the Government for my research in Nuclear Physics… It was much more than that!
They wanted me to work for them on a project, a top-secret one. It even seemed easy by what
they told me about it initially and I agreed. Since then, I’ve been exhausting myself over this
almost every day, EVERY DAY! I’ve spent streaks of sleepless nights thinking of how to get
this thing right, but this just doesn’t seem to end at all! They won’t let me get out of here until
it’s done! Not even call anyone! I just wish this never would’ve happened!
Jayant: But Ani, you are great! What’s been the matter?
Anirudh: This project of theirs, that they are so hopeful of… requires more people and they
just don’t get it! It’s as if the Universe has conspired against me for no reason!
Jayant: Is it so bad? You once scored more than your teachers back at College. They called
you Einstein, buddy. I’m sure you will figure your way out of this.
Anirudh: But bhaiya...
Mom and Dad: Yes, Ani, beta. We believe in you.
Anirudh: Mom! Dad! When did you arrive! What a pleasant surprise! It has been such a long
time. Thanks bhaiya for bringing them with you!
Jayant: No problem Anirudh. I knew you would be happy seeing them after such a long
stretch of time.
Mom: Beta Anirudh! How have you been? I missed you a lot!
(Anirudh touches the feet of his parents to seek their blessings before proceeding with the
conversation.)
268
Anirudh: Ma, to be very frank, I haven’t been very good lately. It’s this top-secret national
security project that I am working on for months now, and unfortunately, I haven’t been
getting the right results, or I should say the right outcome. I have really put my soul in this
thing and it's really frustrating to see opposite results in every trial. The lab has done every
possible thing to change the outcome. But it has been to no avail.
Dad: Don’t worry beta! I am sure you will find the solution with time. It’s not the first time
you are facing such a situation. In the past, you have done pretty well in such unfavourable
conditions.
Anirudh: Yeah I hope so too. But now I just wish that I hadn’t signed up for this project. I
wouldn’t have signed up had I known that this project could run into months. I really miss my
family.
Mom: Yeah all of us know you don’t do very well emotionally when our family is not around.
Jayant (wryly): Remember when he changed his college just because our little baby couldn’t
live in the hostels.
Anirudh: Gosh bhaiya! Can’t you just let that be? (laughs) You know, what? I would respond
with the same retort. I still ended up in a better college than you did. How about that!
Jayant: Yeah the family prodigy. Huh!
(All laugh.)
Mom: Okay boys! Enough of the childish stuff. Let’s just be happy that Anirudh finally got
the chance to meet us after such a long time.
Dad: Yeah!
(A slight pause in the conversation.)
Dad: Hey you all! Do you remember our trip to Russia, or let me say the USSR as it was back
then?
Anirudh: Yeah quite a few bits. I was about ten back then.
Jayant: You were!
Mom: It was probably our first trip abroad. And to make things worse, your dad refused to go
through a travel agency to save some bucks.
Dad: Oh come on! Don’t you remember it was you? You were the one who told me to save
on that.
Mom: Oh hush! Can’t you just take the blame for me like old times?
(All laugh.)
269
Jayant: Well, we actually did pretty well, I would say. In fact, the chance encounter with
Chowdhury’s at the Kremlin proved to be our saving grace.
Anirudh: Yeah, they were very good people. I personally feel that our trip would have been
way worse without them. Their command of Russian was absolutely phenomenal.
Dad: Yeah. They even knew some Indian restaurants in Moscow.
Mom: Plus, they had other Indian friends at St. Petersburg and Kazan. That helped out a lot.
Anirudh: I still remember the red square and the stunningly beautiful Kremlin. With its
multi-coloured domes, St. Basil’s Cathedral was mesmerizing.
Jayant: Yeah. It’s one thing to watch all these structures on a black and white television and a
completely different experience to see them in front of you.
Dad: Remember that one time when I passed you over as an eight-year-old in some museum
at St. Petersburg to avoid your ticket? (Laughs) What was that museum?
Mom: Oh come on. How can you forget that? It was the Russian Museum!
Jayant: Oh yeah now I remember. Dad and his tricks. Wonder what would have happened if
we got caught. Such embarrassment.
Anirudh: Yeah the KGB would have our heads on their spikes!
(All laugh.)
Anirudh (with a more serious tone): Seriously though, we should actually avoid such things.
It doesn’t look good. And it hurts my conscience.
Jayant: Just relax. You do it your way when you go out with your family. And that would be
pretty soon, right?
Anirudh: I hope so! I want to get done with this project. I haven’t seen Radhika for quite a lot
of time.
Jayant: Don’t you see her now?
(A young, fair, beautiful brunette lady stood in the hallway, dressed in a plain yellow sari. Her
face was expressionless and dry.)
Anirudh: Radhika! Ages have passed since I last saw you. I swear by God; I have been
waiting for this moment right since I left for the project. Please tell me what all has happened
over the years.
(Radhika remains silent, with tears rolling down her cheeks, her eyes red with anger.)
Anirudh: I beg you Radhika, please talk to me. I can bear your anger but I cannot stand your
silence. Each second of your silence is ripping my soul apart. I still love you the same and I
always will.
270
Radhika: You say you love me and yet, you left me to pursue your project. It had been just
two weeks past our marriage. You knew that your parents were against our marriage and
wouldn’t support your wife and that’s why we had decided to live alone. You knew that your
wife couldn’t go back to her mother’s home because of the disgrace it would cause to her
family’s image in the eyes of society. You knew that in this new place your wife didn’t know
anyone but you. Yet you left her all alone and claimed to love her!
Anirudh: I completely understand what you are saying Radhika, but please try to understand,
when I was offered the project, it was expected to be completed in a month. Despite it being
my dream organisation, the happiness caused by that was always overpowered by the agony
of being away from you. But it was supposed to be a matter of just one month and then we
would have been together forever. Moreover, with the humongous sum of money that they
were paying, we would have lived the life we had always dreamt of. Had I the slightest hint
that the one month would get extended to a few years, I would have never accepted this
darned project! And Radhika, being away from you for these many years has been mental
torture for me, you have no idea how much I have suffered without you….
Radhika: (sobbing) I do not deny your suffering but did you ever think of what I went
through? Do you realize that I had no means to earn money for my survival? For the first
month, my day began with going for interviews and ended with rejections throughout the day.
The moment they would know that I was married but alone, their faces that gave receptive
nods throughout the interview changed to glances of suspicion and raised eyebrows. As the
days passed and the money in our savings account diminished, it became increasingly
difficult to remain calm. Neither could I ask for money from my old parents who themselves
were struggling. Eventually, I got a decent job and I started earning money, unfortunately I
could never earn any affection and respect in the eyes of others. Every locality residential
looked down upon me with some feeling of repulsion. What else would they do, when a
newlywed bride is forlorn by her husband, people naturally think that there must be some
flaw in the lady... (her voice grew heavy and burst into torrents of tears)
Anirudh: (softly) Please drink some water Radhika.
(Anirudh hands her a glass full of water)
Radhika: (drinks water) While all this was itself unbearable, the worst part was yet to unfold.
The terrorist attacks near our residential area invited a series of investigations and inquiries
throughout the area and when the authorities came at our doorstep, I encountered perhaps the
darkest moments of my life. In their eyes, I wasn’t a resident but a partner of a man who had
disappeared all of a sudden…
Anirudh: (cutting her in between) What!! You mean to say, they were suspecting us of being
involved in those attacks?
Radhika: I was taken to the police station and throughout those torturous hours of
interrogation, I was just trying to explain to them that you were working on a defense project
for the government itself. It took one complete day for them to verify from the concerned
271
agencies that I was telling the truth. I exactly remember that night. I couldn’t sleep even for a
moment.
Anirudh: None of my department heads ever told me about any of this, how can these people
be so mean!
Radhika: (responding as if she didn’t hear him) As my feet dragged my tired soul, I saw a
mob standing in front of me, they were people of our residential area. At first, I could not
understand whether it was real or whether I was hallucinating. But the first drop of blood that
fell from my head to the ground cleared my doubt. I had been hit by a stone. That stone was
followed by a shower of stones and abuses. If the police would have not intervened in time,
I’m sure I would have been martyred for the defense project of the government. The next
thing I remember is being in a hospital, injuries all over my body, screaming in pain. Even in
that condition I was certain that the physical pain was hardly a fraction of the emotional and
psychological trauma I had gone through in the last 2 years. I swear while lying on that bed, I
had no desire but just to see you once, to ask you where have you been, to ask if you were
fine, to ask you if it was so difficult to make one phone call in two years, to ask you if there
was an end to this suffering, to ask you if you even remember your Radhika….
Anirudh: (embracing her warmly) Oh Radhika! What all have you been through, all this
because of me?! How could I do this, the person whom I love the most, the person around
whom my life revolved had to experience hell, just because of me. Oh, God! I won’t be able
to forgive myself, EVER! If only I could show my heart to you, you would see there has been
no moment of my life when I didn’t think of you. In those two years I had made all possible
attempts to make contact with you but despite begging badly in front of them, innumerably
many times I have spent sleepless nights just staring at your photograph, remembering the
wonderful moments we had spent together. Your smiling face was the antidote to all my
pains, all my frustration. Right after the initial month, my only aim was to get out of that
project. The project which I had yearned to work on no longer appealed to me, in fact, I
started hating my work because it took me away from you. The only thing that kept me going
was the hope that one day I would definitely be able to walk out of that wretched lab to see
you.
(A sudden noise of metal doors clanging in the background; Anirudh- startled, looks towards
the doors. A woman dressed in a white uniform with a syringe in her hands walking towards
Anirudh, a stout man following her with a metal case in his hands. As soon as he sees them,
the cream-colored walls turn white and the floor turns into cold stone. The sofa on which he
was sitting turns slowly into a wooden bench.)
Anirudh: Who are you guys? How dare you barge in? What’s happening to this place?
(They continue walking in the same direction speechless.)
Anirudh: Mom, Dad, Bhaiya, Radhika... Do you know these people?
(All remain silent, their faces dead and plain.)
Anirudh: (shouts at the top of his voice) Why is no one answering!
272
(The stout man grabs him by the right arm and stretches it pushing him back abruptly. The
nurse injects a syringe in his forearm and pushes the piston slowly. Suddenly, the lights start
fading away with everyone else, into obscurity.)
Stout Assistant: It pains me to see Sharmaji in so much agony everyday behaving the same
way.
Nurse: Me too. It’s been the same story every day for the last five months! Every evening he
cleans this small place to welcome his imaginary family. God knows how long this will go
on!
END.
273
11
Every Man for Himself
Sayeed Ahmed 2017A4PS0331P, Aneri Jain 2017B4A30759P, Raj Sanjay Shah
2017A7PS1181P, Hrishikesh 2017A1PS0665P and Burhan Boxwalla 2017A7PS0097P
CHARACTERS
Vijay Singh: a police inspector.
Mohan: a tall bearded man in his mid-40s.
Manohar: a police constable.
SETTING
The curtain rises on an interrogation room which is 12x12 ft. There is a door on the far-right
corner of the room facing the audience. The whitewashed walls are shabby with pieces of
plaster falling off it. A bare bulb hangs from the ceiling in the centre of the dim-lit room. Two
metal chairs facing each other on either side of a table lie under the bulb. The table is an
off-cut of metal stacked on rusted legs which sits on an unevenly tiled floor. The entire room
reeks of phenyl. On the window facing the audience hangs a curtain that could once have
been a profoundly unfashionable frock, beige, covered with dust. There is a security camera
on the top left corner of the room.
BEGIN.
(Enters Mohan, a tall bearded man in his mid-40s, handcuffed, followed by a Police inspector
Vijay Singh. The police inspector sits facing the door, and the suspect sits in the other chair)
Vijay: Can you state your full name for the record? Mohan: I am Mohan Ashok Jahagirdar.
Vijay: And for the record are you speaking voluntarily? Mohan: Yes, I am. Vijay: Could you
tell me about your whereabouts on the night of 12th Jan from 6 pm to 8 pm. Mohan: Umm.
Yes, I was at a Gala hosted at The National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi with a friend of
mine Karthik. Vijay: “The Man in Red” painting has been missing since last night. Do you
have any clue about this? Mohan: No! I left the Gala as soon as it was over. Vijay: What were
you doing at the Gala? Mohan: Oh, I have an interest in art, and this Gala is hosted annually.
My friend persuaded me to attend it.
Vijay: What time did you leave the Gala?
Mohan: We left as soon as the show was over.
Vijay: The security footage shows you and Karthik walking towards the historic art section
just after the end of the Gala. Both of you were there for 20 minutes before the CCTVs show
you coming back. You two were the only ones to enter and exit at this time.
Mohan: I thought I had left my phone there and I went to take it back.
Vijay: So, did you find the phone?
274
Mohan: Yeah, actually it was in my coat's pocket.
Vijay: I don't know why I find that quite suspicious.
Mohan: Sir, I had nothing to do with the robbery.
Enter Constable Manohar wearing Khaki clothes
He hands over a file to the Inspector
Manohar: (Whispering in Inspector’s ear) Sir, the fingerprints we found in the art section
have matched completely with Mohan and Karthik. The manager also saw these two carrying
a backpack in the gallery. While going through their financial records, we also found a huge
deposit of money in both their bank accounts of 1 lakh each.
Vijay: (Whispering) Thank you, Manohar.
The constable leaves
Vijay: So, Mohan, the manager says you had a backpack with you when you arrived at the
gallery. May I know what was in it?
Mohan: Sir, I had my camera and had sneaked in some food.
(Softly and leaning in) You know they don’t allow any outside food in the gallery.
Vijay: Ah, I see. Who did you interact with during your time at the Gala?
Mohan: Well let’s see, I remember talking to the artists and a few photographers. One of the
artists was a school friend of mine, so I spent most of the time catching up with him.
Vijay: May I know the name of this artist.
Mohan: Yes, it was Shubankar Chatterjee.
Vijay: As I recall the gallery also had an auction, so did you place any bids on any painting?
Mohan: Yes, Sir I placed the highest bid for a sculpture by artist Jason Manroe.
Vijay: Coming back to the point when you reached the history section was “The Man in Red”
painting there?
Mohan: No sir, it was gone, we thought somebody bought it at the auction.
Vijay: You see “The Man in Red” was never going to be auctioned. We also pulled the
fingerprints from the room and found Karthik’s and your prints on the wall where the
painting was originally hung. What do you have to say about this?
Mohan: (Fearfully) Sir, we must have placed our hand on the wall by mistake.
Vijay: What I think happened was that you entered the room, saw the painting, and noticed
that no one was around. Then you both thought of sneaking it in your backpack and making a
quick buck out of it.
Mohan: (Shivering) No sir! we did not steal the painting.
275
Vijay: So, what do you have to say about the money deposited in each of your bank accounts
of 1 lakh rupees each. Didn’t take you long to sell the painting huh?
Slides his bank statement over the table from the file
Mohan: Sir, I have no idea how the money got in my bank account
Vijay: So, whom did you sell it to, and for how much?
Mohan: Sir, I am telling you we did not steal the painting. It was gone before we entered the
room.
Vijay: (Intimidating) You have no other choice but to admit that you stole the painting. We
have got you dead to your rights. We have CCTV footage showing you were the only ones in
the room, your fingerprints on the crime scene, and the money in your bank accounts.
Mohan: (Terrified) Sir, I am innocent we did not do anything.
The Inspector stands up and leaves
Mohan: (To himself) I shouldn't have gone to the Gala at all. This is all Karthik's fault. Now
look, I am in a world of trouble.
The Inspector walks in with a sheet of paper in his hand Slides the piece of paper over the
table towards Mohan along with a pen
Vijay: Mohan, the way I see it you have two choices, you can either sign this paper, become
an eye witness and admit that Karthik stole the painting and threatened you to keep your
mouth shut. He also gave you some of the money from selling the painting as an incentive.
Keep in mind that if both of you decide to sign the paper, both will be charged with 2 years in
jail.
Mohan: (Confused) Uh. Umm.
Scratches his head thinking deeply; picks up the pen his hands shaking with fear not able to
decide what to do
Vijay: Well, if only one of you signs and the other doesn’t, the former would be freed of the
charges levied upon him, and the latter would have to serve 10 years in prison for grand
larceny.
Mohan shivers and is speechless
Vijay: However, if both of you decide not to sign, both would get bailed for a year after
which the case would again be taken up for investigation. Can you imagine going through
this again? Huh? Let me make this easy for you, we have Karthik in the next room given the
same offer, are you sure he won't become an eye witness and turn on you if you decide not to
sign?
Mohan reluctantly signs the paper and becomes an eye witness against his friend Karthik
The inspector grabs the paper swiftly and calls the constable in the room. Enter the constable
Manohar
276
Manohar: Sir, Karthik has also confessed to their crime.
Vijay: (With a Malicious grin) Constable arrests these two men and takes them to the holding
cell, they are going to jail for a long time.
Manohar: (Respectfully) Sir, Yes Sir.
The Constable picks Mohan forcefully and drags him out of the room. Exit Mohan and
Manohar
The inspector relaxes back in his chair and takes a sigh of relief having the contention of
catching another criminal Enter the Museum Curator Rajesh, A man in his mid-30s smiling
maliciously. He walks towards the inspector and shakes his hand
Rajesh: I can't believe you pulled this off.
Vijay: Don't think I did it from the kindness of my heart. I want my 50% share from selling
the painting. Although I am curious, when did you steal the painting?
Rajesh: (Smirks) I paid one of the waiters at the Gala to remove the painting, put it in a
garbage bag, and dump it in the dumpster. When the event ended, the garbage was dumped
outside the back entrance. There was less security at the back gate, so I recovered the painting
from there.
Vijay: What a master plan! And tell me how much money are we going to make from this?
Rajesh: Well, I found a buyer willing to pay 50 lakhs for the painting. We will make 24 lakhs
each. I guess you must make small sacrifices for the big reward. They burst into laughter
referring to the money deposited by the inspector into Karthik’s and Mohan’s account
Rajesh: Hey, I can’t take all the credit, your idea of depositing money into their bank
accounts was a master-stroke.
Vijay: Well everyone breaks eventually; all you need to do is keep pressing harder and harder.
Once they break like a twig, it is effortless to manipulate them to do your bidding.
(They both laugh, shake hands and exit from the door on the far right)
END.
277
12
A life, long lived!
Kumar Utkarsh 2017A3PS0350P, Harshit Shrivastava 2017A2PS0085P, Pawan Sikawat
2017A7PS0039P, Neha Maheshwari 2017B5TS1215P and Shaily Bhatt 2017A7PS0040P
CHARACTERS
Ethan: The guy, 32 year
Honorable Justice Robert Williams: Judge, 58 year
Evan Krotowski: Opposition lawyer, 38 year
Margaret: Ethan’s mother, 62 year
Harshit: Compounder, 47 year
Few other court officials, a nurse and a doctor
SETTING
A man named Ethan is on a life support system lying on a bed near the far right corner of a
hospital room. A month back, he met with a life-threatening injury that left him completely
decapitated and paralyzed below his face. The only bodily action he is capable of is speaking.
The accident even took away his vision. The medical instruments are lying beside his bed.
The electrosurgical unit is placed above the anesthesia machine. The ceiling operation light is
still dim from the recent use in electro dialysis. The room is a moderately spacious one. A
sofa is placed in the opposite corner to the bed. Few chairs are lying around for visitors to sit.
It’s 4 pm in the evening. The dusky sunlight is making its way through the windows to the
end of the bed. The smell of ethanol fills the room. An eerie silence with the constant beeping
of the machine transcends the room.
BEGIN.
The door on the far corner of the bed opens. (Enters compounder, Harshit)
Ethan: (in a painful voice, struggling to speak) When is my hearing due?
Harshit: They should be here, any minute from now. I suggest you take rest.
Ethan: Thanks, I hope I don’t see you tomorrow (winks, hiding the pain in his eyes)
(Enters Judge, opposition lawyer, few other court officials, Ethan’s mother, a nurse. They get
themselves seated on the chair and sofa while the nurse takes up a place beside the door.)
Judge: So Mr. Ethan, I hope you’re doing well. We are ready to conclude this today. Shall we
begin?
Ethan: Yes, Sire.
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(The opposition lawyer shifts in his seat; takes out his notes; and starts scribbling something
before he speaks)
Krotowski: So, Mr. Ethan, my motive here is not so much to win this case but to show you
that you matter and your life still carries a lot of …
Ethan (interrupts Krotowski midway): And, my motive is just winning. Oh, what I wouldn’t
give to win this argument! Even, my life
Krotowski: Honorable Judge and Mr. Ethan, I want you to realize for a fact that your
narrative carries no legal standing in the court of law. Your demand to end your life would be
a blatant violation of the country's laws. What do you have to say about this?
Ethan: I and only I should have the right to control my own body. My autonomy grants me
the freedom of choice to decide what I do with my life. It’s not as if by doing this, I am
abusing someone else’s rights or compromising someone’s position.
Krotowski: Your life still carries meaning. There’s no life so wretched and purposeless to not
demand defending with zeal and passion.
Ethan: You call this life, a meaningful life? You can’t fathom the magnitude and level of my
dependence on others. Crippling the life of my loved ones by these long drawn bills, dying a
bit every moment, it’s a shame to call this life worth living.
(Meanwhile, this courtroom proceeding has taken the form of discussion. The judge doesn’t
intercept when he sees a man so vulnerable fighting with vigor unforeseen, to end his life.
Even irony shed a few drops of tears)
Krotowski: There’re still chances that you might recover. The International code of medical
ethics…
Ethan (interrupting): You see Mr. Krotowski, I don’t give a dime about what those people
think out there.
Krotowski: I don’t see how that pans out. Hon’ble Judge, this ruling could also open up a
slippery slope which could lead to significant unintended changes in our healthcare system
and society at large that we would later come to regret. Life is god’s gift. And, we as mere
humans have no right to take this in our hands.
Ethan: God gave me no option. I am stranded alone in this lost battle. I’ll tell you what
happened to me yesterday night. A housefly entered the room and sat on my face. I called out
but no was available. I fought, twitched by face muscles, tried shaking my body to no avail,
got into an hour-long battle with the small creature, and know what, I fucking lost. And, what
I also lost was the little part of me who still wanted to live.
(With this, he breaks down and wails hard, tears pouring down his face uncontrollably. His
mother sees him and sighs at the sight of his once strong son, who had now become an
emotional and physical wreck. The judge adjusts his seat, takes the pen in his hand and
speaks)
Judge: I gather that I need to interrupt now. I have heard both sides of the argument over the
past 4 hearings and its time, I give my judgment. After analyzing all discussions over the
279
concepts of law, ethics, and morality, I rule that the court doesn’t allow Mr. Ethan Hunt to
legally take up his own life. The court instructs that his treatment be continued and special
efforts be given to take care of his health.
Ethan (sobbing): Living is too hard right now. Let me die. I beg of you. The pain, the
sufferings are unbearable.
Judge: I am sorry Mr. Ethan. I can’t help you there.
(The judge, the opposition lawyer, and others rise up from their seats and exit the room.
Margaret, Ethan’s mother sees her son still crying and writhing in pain. If helplessness had a
face, it was this. The nurse exits too.)
Margaret (trying to be strong, fighting back her tears): Son, what do you really want?
Ethan: Mom, I know this is hard but I need and want to die. Nothing would make me happier.
(His mother’s face trembled. A decision was made. The mother walks up to the life support
system. Her hands are shaking. Her eyes carry the weight of a thousand memories coming
back to her, one at a time. She hesitates for a second, crouches down and switches off the life
support system)
Margaret: I love you, son. I love you. It pains me as a mother to have brought you to this
world only to send you away.
(With this, the tears welled up; she placed her head on her son’s chest and started crying
inconsolably)
END.
280
13
Valyrian Swords.
Shivam Agarwal 2017B5A20969P, Ishan Mangotra 2017B5A80903P, Swadesh Vaibhav
2017A7PS0030P and Narendra Maheshwari 2017D2PS1239P
CHARACTERS
Mediator: Calm, monotonous voice, no accent
Salim: Dressed in a royal dress. He has a deep rough voice, eastern accent.
Sgt. Malcom: Dressed in a formal suit. Has a shrill voice. Speaks English in a somewhat
Russian accent.
SETTING
A medium size hall size 12 feet by 20 feet, somewhere in an Eastern country. Late night.
Attached to the largest wall is a stage with two podiums on its either side behind which Salim
and Malcom are standing on the left and the right respectively. The mediator sits on a chair
close to the middle of the opposite large wall, in front of him there is a smart desk with
documents, and there are three glasses of water 1 for each member in the room. A sound
recorder sits behind the mediator. Summer, 17 July.
BEGIN.
Mediator: We are present here tonight to discuss the terms of peace between the state of
Belarus and Iraq. On my left is King Salim Khan, the royal chair of Iraq. On my right is Sgt.
Malcolm represented the state of Belarus. On the 7th of April, 1952, Sgt. Malcolm marched
his troops into Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, and lay siege upon the Baghdad Fort. The
Sergeant managed to capture the fort and lay claim to the oil reserves of Iraq. Yesterday, on
the 15th of July, Iraqi troops marched in from the city of Basrah to seize control back from
Sgt. Malcolm. It was then when the Sgt. Called in for a peace treaty, and… (interrupted by
Salim)
Salim: (Shouting) Not a peace treaty!! This is a criminal hearing. The warmonger is on trial
for his crying upon the throne of Iraq.
Mediator: (Unaffected) and the king will lay down the terms for him.
Salim: Can you not hear me? I never agreed for any peace treaty.
Malcolm: I can hear you perfectly fine. And no, I am not under any kind of trial. You do
realise that I could have held the Fort for much longer, had I not given in to avoid slaughter.
Salim: Lying Shaitaan!! Your frail guns are no match against our Valyrian swords.
281
Mediator: I must remind you both that the proceeding is being recorded for future references,
as we speak. And we must not waste time. I have to leave the states. President Truman is
calling for a Peace Treaty in Vietnam.
Salim: Do you accept your surrender, Shaitaan?
Malcolm: I never intended to. In fact, I have some terms for the peace treaty.
Salim: Outrageous!! Have you no shame?
Malcolm: My first demand is that I and my fellow soldiers are set free to return to our
Homeland.
Salim: You are in no position to make claims, sergeant. But your freedom is yours. I don't
want anyone of foreign blood in my country.
Mediator: So, it's done. The sergeant will return to Belarus. And I am going to take the
Chariot to the nearest train station.
(Silence for a few seconds)
Salim: (Marches towards the mediator and throws the water from the glass on his face.)
Salim: Are you out of your mind? You will leave when I tell you to leave.
(Walking back to the podium)
(Mediator calm as always)
Malcolm: Of course, my demands are not over. I want a 10% year of the oil reserves of Iraq
to be shipped to Belarus every January.
Salim: (Laughs, still angry)
I don't think you understand what is going to happen in this room, sergeant.
Mediator: King Salim Khan, do you accept this demand?
Salim: (Sarcastically) Why not? And given the occasion, I will even send a wife and daughter
on the same ship every January. And let us three eat, drink and make merry.
Mediator: Thank you both for giving your time and patience. You will both soon receive a
formal copy of each of this treaty from the League of Nations.
Salim: (tries to interrupt) But...
Malcolm: Any attempt to breach the terms of the Treaty, or to modify them will incriminate
the alleged party and any Alliance of it with the league of nations will end immediately.
Malcolm: Congratulations, King Salim. You are a part of the league of nations now.
(Salim stamps toward mediator and throws another glass of water on him)
Salim: (Enraged) This is Madness!
282
Malcolm: Now, now, you don't want the league of a nation to declare War on your country, do
you.
Salim: No but... but you will not get away with this.
Malcolm: (Laughs evilly) I have done this ten times, King Salim.
(start leaving the room, but stops at the door)
follow me, private. You are up for a promotion
(Silence, as Salim glares toward the mediator and starts walking towards him)
(Mediators realises what happening and drink up the last glass of water)
Salim: (shaking with anger)
(To mediator) Leave immediately, Shaitaan. Leave my room, leave my country.
(Shouting) Leave.
(mediator runs out behind welcome)
END.
283
14
I wish I had known your name at least…
Ananya Singh 2017B5A10970P, Divya Kapur 2017A3PS0283P, Madhumitha Muralidharan
2017B4A21194P, Abhiram Manoj 2017A4PS0410P and Baani Ajmani 2017ABPS1189P
CHARACTERS
Person 1: A bald man in his late 40’s. He had a thick moustache and a rough unshaven beard
Person 2: A handsome fellow with eyes the colour of the morning sky. He is in his early 30s
and has a serious yet cheerful look on his face.
SETTING
The setting is a barren empty land with the sky looking reddish-orange as the sun is about to
set. It is very windy and the air smells like rain. The only backdrop is a bonfire around which
people are dancing and singing. Laughter and chatter can still be heard from the background.
BEGIN.
It was late into the evening. The two strangers decided to sit down far from the bonfire and
tried to enjoy a quiet conversation amongst themselves.
Person 1: (laughing) “Yeah, I used to be a Mathematics professor. The papers they turn in are
truly a marvel. It used to boggle me as to how those kids managed to conjure up those
calculations!”
Person 2 (chuckles): “Well, I can't imagine seeing you teach kids. You were lucky you didn't
have students like me, man. Your bald head would be the only graph I would like to study.”
(Laughs)
Person 1: What did you do?
Person 2 (slightly embarrassed): “Not much! Used to drive my old man's truck. Delivery kind
of stuff, you know the man! My Ma used to spoil me rotten.”
Person 1: “Sounds just like my wife with my two sons. She’d do anything for them. She’s a
godsend. Heaven knows how we would survive without her.”
Person 2:(eyes wide open) “You got a wife! Huh. Never liked the idea of marriage myself.
But there was this one gal I liked. Crazy ‘bout her, I was. Fancied myself to be in love with
her.”
Person 1: “Oh is that so? What was her name? Anything ever happened between the two of
you in the end?”
284
Person 2: “A village tart, you know how it is with them. They just fool you and then cheat
you blind. But man! She was a beauty!”
Person 1: “I’ve only been with one woman my entire life.” (slightly uncomfortable)
Person 2: “That's cool, I had one mother my entire life too.” (laughs)
(Person 1 gets up to leave)
Person 2: “Wait, wait! You got offended, man. I am done! Tell me about them, kids of yours.”
Person 1 (puffing up a bit): “Well, one is in high school, sophomore year. His name is Marc.
He is really into chess; he’s won a lot of competitions! The sharpest lad of his grade! The
other one is in elementary school. He’s really into football! His coach says he might even be
able to play for the junior leagues.”
(Person 1 looks nostalgic)
Person 1 (slightly smiling,): “My wife sent me a picture of hers with the boys. I always keep
it on me. Would you like to see?”
Person 2: “Uhm... yeah sure! Why not? As if I have something better to do.” (laughs)
(Both looking at the picture)
Person 1: “Here they are, my beautiful family.”
Person 2: “Oooh, your elder boy is a fine young man. The younger one looks a little
mischievous. And your wife! She is beautiful. You are one lucky man.”
Person 1(looks at the picture softly): “Yes, I miss them dearly. Have you no intention of ever
settling down and starting a family?”
Person 2: “It's not that I never thought of it, but I never liked responsibilities. My Ma was the
one weakness I had. And when she left…... I couldn’t take it. It destroyed me. “That day was
my end,” I say.”
Person 1: “Oh. I’m extremely sorry for your loss. (takes out a beer from a nearby carton)
Would you like something to drink?”
Person 2: “Had 4 beers already, but I surely won't mind another round.”
(Person 1 passes the beer, and takes one for himself)
Person 2: “Cheers! To your family.”
Person 1: “Cheers, to your mother in heaven.”
Person 1: “So, what did you do to kill time? Outside of driving your truck, of course.”
285
Person 2: “Was with girls.”
Person 1: “Quite the ladies! man, I see.”
Person 2: “Sure, you betcha. What about you, man?”
Person 1: “I spent a lot of time with my family. My younger son loves fire trucks and he’s
collected a lot of different models, so I sit and play with him…”
(Person 1 gets cut off mid-sentence as the sirens begin to blare in the background)
Person 1: “Well, would you look at that?”
Person 2: “It's time I guess. Time to go, mate. Will have another round in the future.”
Person 1: “Indeed. If not on earth, then on the heavens.”
Person 2: “Haha! then the heavens it shall be.”
Person 1:(hiding his tears) “send this picture to my wife if I….”
Person 2: “Don't worry mate! I promise.”
(Both went to the other sides of the long sharp fences, and the division of the countries
appeared again. They start firing bullets at the enemy, as the war continues. After some time,
there is a loud gunshot noise and Person 2 is seen falling to the ground. Person 1 and others
run towards him.)
Person 1: (murmuring to himself): I hope it was not my bullet that killed you, my friend. I
wish I had known your name at least…
END.
286
15
Elliot and Tada
Damanjot Singh 2016A1PS0537P, Surya Lehar Yechuri 2016A2PS0782P, Keshav Kumar
2017B2A20649P and Swati Taparia 2017B2A31034P
CHARACTERS
Elliot
Tada
SETTING
A strange world with a rectangular building in ruins at the centre of the stage, a metre from
the building are two big cylindrical structures. In front of the building is a teleporter, a
cylindrical glass chamber with metallic discs on the bottom and top, with a wounded person
inside it. Behind the central building is an enormous flat warehouse-like structure (CPU)
covering most of the back of the stage. Thick wires running across the stage.
BEGIN.
Elliot wakes up in his teleporter with a fresh wound on his head. He looks around. The
atmosphere around is dark and grim. All he can see is dust and debris but not one sight of a
living soul. He sees a half torn building right in front of him. He notices big and thick pipes
but soon realizes they are wires, broken, and worn out.
Elliot: (while checking the dials on his teleporter) “What is this place? How did I get here?”
(adjusts the dials) “None of this makes any sense.”
He hastily gets out of his teleporter
Elliot: (shouting) Hello! Can anybody hear me? Hello?
He hears nothing but the echoes.
Suddenly, he hears a loud noise behind him and quickly turns around just to catch a glimpse
of the dark shadow which slipped right past him behind his back.
Elliot: (frightened and baffled) Who...who’s there??
Elliot turns back and sees a black hooded figure gliding in front of him.
Elliot: (looking around) Who are you? What is this place?
Elliot stumbles upon a rock and sees the shadow again. He runs to the left of the stage, where
there is a narrow cave built by collapsed walls.
He looks around and finds a human-like creature but much shorter, no more than 4 feet with
relatively smaller limbs, the figure is covered in dust from head to toe.
Elliot crawls back against the wall.
287
Elliot:(shaking) Who are you?
Tada: I am Tada. I used to live here with my family, until…
Elliot: Until what?
Tada: Until our city was attacked by an army. They came here in their ships a week ago and
started killing everyone.
Elliot: What is this place?
Tada: Well, you are the one who came here, you must know…
Elliot: I was on my way to the Shedar planet in Andromeda; my teleporter had a routing error
and it landed here.
Tada: I have no clue what any of that means.
Elliot: (Shouting in anger) You have no clue what planet is this? How stupid are you?
Tada: Shhhh…. Don’t shout. They’ll find us. I don’t know what a planet is. This is the city
where I was born and no one I knew had ever heard of any place outside of it. We all would
wake up when the lights went on and do what we were asked to do. I used to carry data
packets from GPU to the CPU, my wife used to work at the SATA cables section.
Elliot: Wait… is this some kind of a motherboard?
Tada: Yeah, I think that’s what we were told by the President of the Processing unit.
Elliot: You think?
Elliot: And those things that attacked your city, are those viruses?
Tada: Yeah, I think that’s what people were saying. But how do you know?
Elliot: I am a Hacker at the U.S. Military, I am well versed with these things. It is possible
that due to the routing error I have been teleported to the inside of some computer, well that
explains what the dials of the teleporter were showing. making it out of here won’t be hard, I
just have to adjust a few dials and I’ll be back to my world. In my teleporter, I even have an
antivirus package that we can upload to the processing unit and get rid of these viruses.
Tada: I didn’t get any of that, but it sounds like a mission, so you can count me in.
Elliot: Okay So let’s go. Here is a Kel-Tec PMR-30 silenced pistol. Do you know how to use
one?
Tada: (looks with a blank face) umm….
Elliot: Don’t worry, just follow me and don’t make a sound.
They both leave the cave and move to the teleporter, Tada keeps a watch while Elliot gets the
antivirus from the teleporter.
They then start moving towards the CPU and on the way, Elliot sees a familiar number on the
wall supporting the outside of the CPU.
288
Elliot: This seems familiar; I have seen this number somewhere.
Tada: Ohh yeah, this is the Motherboard Version number of our city.
Elliot:(in shock) This can’t be… It is the model number of the Afghanistan government
system that I hacked into last week. I created those viruses to extract the data from their
server and display it on the U.S. military systems.
Elliot sits down in shock with tears in his eyes.
Elliot: I had no clue that I would be destroying worlds by hacking into systems. What have I
done? How could I not see it?
Tada: You were not aware that you were destroying a universe when you sent viruses to this
system, you were doing what you were told to do by your superiors, you were doing your
duty. Don’t beat yourself over this, you had no control over it, if it were not you, it could have
been some other hacker. Whatever happened here was meant to be.
Tada looks at the pendant with his wife’s photo in it
Tada: I have come at peace with the truth, it will be better if you do too.
Elliot nods and uploads the file on the CPU unit
A bright blinding light shines and wipes out all the viruses. Only Elliot and Tada are left in
the city.
Elliot: There is nothing left here for you now. It’s all my fault, come with me, you can live
with me in my system.
Tada: Sure, that sounds like fun. Let’s go.
Elliot adjusts the dials on his teleporter.
END.
289
-Shreya Sharma
Ⓒ
2020 BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus. Selling or
reprinting of this document in any form is not allowed.
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