Edit

SCENE 1
FADE IN:
EXT: CITY VIEWS. TRAFFIC ETC. DAY/EVENING.
SHOT(s) 1: Titles start and end with these shots.
Long shot of city. Then medium shot. Roads speeding by (camera

inside speeding car). Glimpses of the car (taxi)
speeding.Occasional view of ANIKA, 20-25 year old female, in
the backseat of the taxi. She looks very happy. Occasional
view of the taxi driver. Roads. Sense of traffic and the taxi
with Anika as passenger. When the last title fades out, the
taxi stops at a building (typical upper middle class
residential building in Mumbai). Anika gets out of the taxi
and walks into the building area.
CUT TO SCENE 2:
SCENE 2
INT: INSIDE A WELL-FURNISHED FLAT. EVENING.
SHOT 1: PUJA ROOM

MALE VOICE…
Om bhur-bhuvah swah
Tatsa vitur varennyam
Bhargo devasya dheemahi…
ANIKA’S FATHER (A-FATHER),50-55 years old, is doing Puja.
ANIKA’S FATHER
(mantra continues)
… dheeyo yo na prachodayat…
AUDIO
Door bell rings
A-FATHER
(interrupting his mantra)
Dekho toh, Anika hi hogi shayad
ELDERLY FEMALE VOICE

Haanji…
A-FATHER
(continues the mantra)
Om triyambakam yajamahe
Sugandhi pushti vardhanam
Urvakamiv bandhthnath, mrityo mokshiya mamratat.
(MANTRA CONTINUES INTO THE NEXT SHOT)
CUT TO:
SHOT 2: DRAWING ROOM. ANIKA’S MOTHER (A-MOTHER), 52, walks to

the door. Opens it.
CLOSE-UP SHOT of Anika. She looks very very happy.
Anika (very happy) enters the house. HUGS her mother.
SHOT: OTS. Anika; most happy look.
SHOT: OTS. A-Mother; happy and enquiring look. A-Father’s

voice chanting mantra continues.
SHOT: OTS. Anika; most happy look; face-language indicates
‘yes’.
SHOT: A-Mother lovingly pulls her inside and pushes her into
the inside of the house. A-Father’s voice chanting mantra
continues in background.
CUT TO:
SHOT: BEDROOM. We hear A-Father’s voice (faintly), chanting

the mantra. Anika and her Mother in frame.
A-MOTHER
(happily)
Miya biwi raazi?
ANIKA
Toh kya karega qaazi?
BOTH in frame; are laughing.
A-MOTHER
Beta kya Usne apne gharwaalo ko bata diya???
ANIKA
Usne kaha tha Aaj bolega… shayad ab tak bata hi diya hoga…
Lekin aap fikar mat karo. Sab thik ho jayega. Ruko Mai Prakash
ko phone karti hu…
A-MOTHER
Abhi London mein kaam ka waqt hoga. Prakash ko disturb mat
karo. wese bhi abhi Nayi naukri hai. acha Pehle tumhare Baba
ko toh khush khabari suna do… Chalo…
ANIKA
(stopping her mother)
Inter-caste shaadi me Baba ko aitraaj to nahi hoga, na?
A-MOTHER
Tumhare Baba ko intercaste se kyun aitraaj hoga, jab unhone
khud inter-caste me shaadi ki hai?
ANIKA
Haan mummy, jab mene Raja ko bataya ki mere Pitaa Hindu hai
aur meri Maa Yahudi,toh wo ascharyachakit ho gaya!
A-MOTHER
Chalo,to fir ab tumhare Baba ko bhi bata do .
CUT TO:
SHOT: DRAWING ROOM. A-Father’s face in close-up. Camera pulls
back to show Anika and her mother too in frame.
A-FATHER
Jitne jyada inter-caste shaadiyan hogi, utna hi iss desh mein
jaati-bhaasha ko lekar bhedbhaw bhi kam hota rahega… Var vadhu
bhi khush rahenge… aur desh me b thodi tarakee hogi…
Beti… Tumhe mera humara ashirwaad tumhare sath hai…
SHOT: Close-up of Anika and A-Mother. Anika HUGS her father.

Happy music.
CUT TO:
BEDROM: Anika in bedroom. Pan camera from a desk calendar on

her study table. GRABS her mobile phone. Presses the keypad.
Sticks the phone to her ear.
ANIKA
(into the phone; excited)
Raja… Baba ne haa keh diya hai!
INTERCUT
RAJA PATEL
(about 26 years old; at a different house)
Haa to kehna hi tha unhr… Duniya ka sabse eligible bachelor jo
hu main…
INTERCUT
ANIKA
Wo toh ho tum ho hi, warna duniya ki sabse eligible spinster
tumhe pasand hi kyun karti?
(a little doubtfully)
Kya Tumne apne maa papa ko bataya?
INTERCUT
RAJA
Haan…
INTERCUT
ANIKA
(nervously)
Kya unhe Inter-caste shaadi se problem hai…?
INTERCUT
RAJA
Arre nahi… Sab khushi se maan gaye hain…
Tum sabko ghar bulaya hai… Kab aaoge batao?
INTERCUT
ANIKA
Tum bolo kab?
INTERCUT
RAJA
Aisa karte hain… Kal Sunday hai; kal hum dono milte hai…Kisi
hotel mein lunch karege.aur wahin aage ki Baat karenge…
CUT TO SCENE 3
SCENE 3
EXT/INT. AFTERNOON.
EXT: Exterior of hotel. Showing the words “Restaurant and

Bar”.
CUT TO:
INT. RESTAURANT CUM BAR.
(full chroma?)
Raja and Anika at restaurant. On table are tissue box, snacks,

spoons, etc.And Raja’s MOBILE PHONE also on table (important).
RAJA PATEL
Drink karogi?
ANIKA
Drink? Tum thik toh ho?
Tumne pehle toh kabhi drink ka zikr nahi kiya… aaj achanak
kyun?
RAJA
Mai kahan drink karta hu yaar? Lekin aaj itna khaas din hai…
Hamari shaadi bhi pakki ho gayi… Chalo, thodi si wine pite
hain …
ANIKA
(thoughtfully)
Kahin jyada nasha ho gaya toh?
RAJA
Jab maine company join ki thi, tab mere colleagues ne chhoti
si party di thi… Waha maine doh glass wine pee thi.
ANIKA
(eagerly)
Nto kuch hua nahin ?
RAJA
Bas halka sa suroor hua thha…
Shaayad usi ko nasha kehte hain…
Ek aur faidaa bhi hai wine peenay se…
ANIKA
Kya?
RAJA
Aisi kuch baat… jo… hum… normal haalat mein… bol nahi paatey…
wahi baat… thodi si wine peenay se… aasani se keh dete hai…
ANIKA
Jhooti himmat milti hai kya (girl laughs)?
RAJA
Han Shayad(Smiles looking into her eyes).
ANIKA
Lekin mere man mein aisi koi baat nahi hoti hai… jise kehne ke
liye… mujhe jhooti wine ki zaroorat pade… Mai toh wese si
bindaas hu na (winks)?
RAJA
Bindaas ho… issi liye toh tum debating champion ho… lekin mai
to nahi hun…
(as an afterthought)
Lekin suno shaadi ke baad… yaha waha debate mat karti rahna.
Bahot log debates ko jhagda samajhne lagte hai…
ANIKA
Kuch mahine mein M.A. paas kar lungi, phir kaha debate karugi?
Chalo, ek-doh drink karna hai… toh… kar le…
Bindaas !!!
RAJA
Bindaas???
ANIKA
Biiii… n … daas !!!
CUT TO:
SHOT: Camera PULLS BACK from two filled wine glasses to

include Anika and Raja in the frame.
ANIKA
Suno… agar… mai hosh kho baithi… toh?
RAJA
Arre, ek-doh wine pinay-se… koi hoshnahikho baithta…
(thinking; not saying; audience POV)

Lekin… dil mein chhupa hua baat… nikal aa sakta hai…
Anikadoes NOT notice him momentarily lost in thought.
SHOT(s): Both drinking and having some bites. Talking, but we

don’t hear what they are saying. Romantic music in backgound.
SHOT: Both glasses empty.
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: Two hands place two glasses full. Camera pulls back from
the filled wine glasses to include both Raja and Anika in
frame.
ANIKA
(as she takes her glass)
Bas iske baad aur nahi, ha…
(sips)
RAJA
Itna dar kyo rahi ho?
ANIKA
Hosh kho baithne ka dar.
RAJA
Mai hu na tumhe sambhaal ne ke liye.
SHOT(s) of a few gulps by both.
ANIKA
Agar mai hosh kho baithi toh… tum kya karoge?
RAJA
(hesitantly)
Toh… issi hotel mein ek KAMRA le lege…
ANIKA
(disapprovingly)
Kamra?
RAJA
Ab toh (LOOKING AT MOBILE PHONE) srif doh bajaa hai. Kamre
mein hi khaana order karege aur doh teen ghante so jayege…
shaam ko uthege aur ghar chaley jayege…
ANIKA
Ye snacks khaake hi bhook mit gaya hai… Aur kuch khaana nahi
hai mujhe…
Aur nahi… kamra lena jachchta nahi hai. Aisa karna… ek taxi
dilaa dena… mai taxi se ghar chali jaaugi.
SHOT: Anika gulps some wine from her glass.
ANIKA
(slightly drunken look)
Agar ghar mein pataa chala ki… mai… thodi si abnormal dikh
rahi hu… toh bol dugi wine pi hu…
RAJA
Ghar mein bol dogi… toh… Ma-Baap daatege nahi?
ANIKA
Akhir tumhare saath hi toh pi-yee hu na? Chhupana kyo? Mere
honay waale pati… (GULPS)… my fiancé… Merehonay waalehusband…
Pati Parmeshwar… Purushottam… Aaha… Kitne saare varnan hai
tumhare…(GULPS all the wine remaining in her glass)
RAJA
(guilty expression)
Anika… mujhe tumse kuch zaroori baat karni hai…
Music; suspenseful.
SHOT: Raja looks at his own glass. There is still some wine
left in it (he does not drink it). Anika takes his glass and
gulps the remaining wine in Raja’s glass. Shelooksfairly
intoxicated. Raja looks here and there.
ANIKA
(semi-drunken)
Sabse zaroori baat toh… hum kar chuke hai… Shaadi pakki ho
gayi hai. Baaki ke zaroori baatenformalities hi hogi … Ma-Baap
sambhal lege… Ab neend aa raha hai…
RAJA
Ab tumhe taxi se ghar nahi jaana chahiye… Ek kamra hi lena
achcha rahega…
Raja SIGNALS at the waiter. Waiter comes.
WAITER
One more round sir?
RAJA
Nahi… Thank you.
(pause)
Er… Dekhiye…
Ek kamra milega?
CUT TO SCENE 4:
SCENE 4
INT. Hotel room. Day.
SHOT from INSIDE the room.
Door OPENS. Raja is SLIGHTLY supporting Anika as they both

enter the room. Raja pushes the door shut.
SHOT: (extra close) Raja’s hand reaches the top latch of the
door. Latches it.
They walk into the room. Anika seems high, but not too drunk.
Raja TAKES her handbag and keeps it at a suitable place.

(IMPORTANT SHOT)
Raja HOLDS Anika in his arms.
RAJA
Thik ho, na?
ANIKA
(dreamy / semi-drunken)
Agar thik nahi bhi hu, toh bhi, fikar nahi… Tum jo mere saath
ho…
RAJA
Pehli baar, hum dono akeleek kamre mein hai… Aas paas koi
nahi…
ANIKA
Mujhe sona hai… Koi aas paas ho toh mai sou kaise?
RAJA
Mujhe bhi sona hai… Lekin…
ANIKA
Lekin kya…
RAJA
Anika… hum itne paas aa gaye hai… Ab shaadi ki baat bhi pakki
go gayi…
ANIKA
Pakki ho gayi, lekin hui toh nahi hai na, ab tak?
RAJA
Ye toh ek-aad mahine mein ho jaayega…
(sort-of ‘melts’)
Anika… you know I love you…
ANIKA
Yeh bhi bolna zaroori thha?
Anika is showing signs of loss of control over herself.
RAJA
Doh mahine baad jo ho sakta hai, wo ab kyo nahi ho sakta?
ANIKA
Huh?
RAJA
(becomes passionate)
Anika… I want you… I want ALL of you… I want the WHOLE of you…
Anika shows only token resistance)
Raja gently PUSHES Anika on to the bed. Then he DESCENDS on

her.
CAMERA on Raja’s TROUSER POCKET as he falls on Anika on bed.
His WALLET FALLS out of his trouser pocket.
CLOSE SHOT: Raja’s WALLET is on the FLOOR. Some cards (e.g.

bank cards, etc. and some money) are on the floor.
Raja and Anika intimate on bed.
DISSOLVE TO:
BED. Anika and Raja in bed, covered with a BLANKET.

She opens her eyes. Looks at Raja at her side. He is fast
ASLEEP.
She suddenly sits. STARTLED. Her hair is DISHEVELLED. The

blanket is on her up to her neck.Then shows blissful mood.
She looks at the floor. Her CLOTHES are lying on the floor.
She drags it with her leg. Leg is BARE.
DISSOLVE TO:
Anika COMES OUT of the WASHROOM. Her hair is untied. As she

comes out, she is BUTTONING her shirt (kameez). Her eyes fall
on Raja’s WALLET on the floor, and some cards strewn around.
She also notices his TROUSERS flung away from the bed.
Anika SMILES at herself as she BENDS to PICK UP the WALLET and
the CARDS.(slow motion?)
She starts putting the CARDS BACK INTO the WALLET.
Her eyes FALL on ONE card.
LOUD SHOCK MUSIC.
AnikaSTARES at the card.
EXPLOSION of music (shock music).
Anika turns back at the bed.
SHOT(s): Hitchcock type montage shots.

Raja is fast asleep.
Anika looks at the CARD again.
LOUD SHOCK MUSIC.
A few more similar shots. Camera shaking.
ANIKA
(in utter disbelief)
(shaking her head)
(just FEARFUL voice)
Hey Bhagwan! Hey Bhagwan! Hey Bhagwan!
SHOT: Anika looks shaken-up.Looks backat Raja on the bed. Then

TUCKS the cards into the wallet, PICKS his trousers, PUTS the
wallet in trouser pocket, STANDS UP and HANGS the trousers on
a HOOK on the wall.
SHOT: Raja is WAKING UP.
SHOT: Anikais leaning against the window of the room. STARES

at him.
Raja GETS UP on bed. Body is BARE. Blanket is up to HIPS.

Looks at Anika (she leaning against window).
RAJA
(still on bed; smiles lovingly)
(stretches his hands at her)
Ek baar phir…
Anika gives BLANK look at him.
ANIKA
Uttho… Taiyyar ho jaao…
RAJA
(as he gets out of bed)
Thhik hai…
SHOT: Raja walks towards the washroom.

DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: Raja comes out of WASHROOM putting his trouser belt on.
RAJA
Chalo, ghar chale.
ANIKA
Kuch der thehro.
RAJA
(pleasantly surprised)
Ha, kyu nahi. Mai tayyar hu… Waise bhi, room kal baara baje
takhamara hai.
ANIKA
(firmly)
Mujhe tumse kuch puchna hai.
RAJA
(nervously)
Kya?
ANIKA
Tumhara naam kya hai?
LOUD SHOCK MUSIC.
RAJA
(startled)
Kaisa ajeeb sawal hai…
ANIKA
Mai puchi, tumhara naam kya hai?
RAJA
Matlab?
ANIKA
(interrogative tone)
Tum Mussalman ho?
SHOT: Raja taken aback.
ANIKA
Bolo, tum Mussalman ho?
SHOT (close to extra-close): Raja slightly lifts his head.
Look of defiance.
JUMP CUT TO SCENE 5:

SCENE 5
(Note: Desk calendar must be on study table in Anika’s room

throughout this scene)
EXT: ROADS. TRAFFIC. AUTORICKSHAW. EVENING.
Establishing shot of Anika’s house (building). An

autorickshaw(or taxi?) stops outside it. Anika gets out and
enters the building.
CUT TO SCENE 6:
SCENE 6
INT. ANIKA’S HOUSE (FLAT). EVENING.
Door bell rings. Anika’s mother WALKS to the door. OPENS it.
CLOSE SHOT: Anika outside the flat. DISTRESSED look on her

face. She BRUSQUELY enters the flat, brushing past her Mother.
AnikaWALKS to her room.
CLOSE SHOT: Anika’s Mother looks CONCERNED. She SHUTS the

door. And walks further into the flat.
SHOT: Anika rushes into her room. BANGS the door shut. Her
Mother SLOWLY comes in the frame. She looks WORRIED.
INSIDE ANIKA’S ROOM.(Important: Desk calendar on table).
SHOT: Pull back camera from thedesk calendar on the study

table. Anikacomes into frame and THROWS her bag somewhere.
SWITCHES on the ceiling fan.
FLINGS herself on bed.
Shows distress on her face.
Looks at the CEILING FAN.
Ceiling fan PICKING UP SPEED.
Anika on bed WATCHING the fan.
Ceiling fan in full speed.
Anika on bed. GETS OUT OF BED.
LOOKS at the ceiling.
Fan in full motion.
CLOSE-UP (she is TENSE)
Anika looks HERE AND THERE.
Picks up a DUPATTA. ‘Plays’ with it. Makes a knot… She seems

to be in dilemma.
LOOKS at the ceiling.
Fan is in FULL MOTION.

SOUND
Knock Knock…
ANIKA
(as if out of a trance)
Huh…
A-MOTHER’S VOICE
Anika…
Anika FLINGS the dupatta back on bed. Gets out of bed.
GOES to the door and OPENS it.
MEDIUM SHOT: A-MOTHER
A-MOTHER
Beti, khaana tayyar hai.
MEDIUM SHOT OF ANIKA.
ANIKA
Please, mujhe khaana yaha la do… Kamre mein hi kha loogi.
MEDIUM SHOT: A-MOTHER.
A-MOTHER
(worried)
Thik hai.
A-Mother walks away. Door remains open.
Anika walks back deeper in her room.
Looks AT THE CEILING.
Fan in full motion.
SHAKES HER HEAD.
A-Mother comes with a PLATE (door is still open) with some

food on it.
AnikaTAKES the plate.
ANIKA
Thank you, Maa.
AnikaSTARTS SHUTTING the door.

SHOT: OUTSIDE THE ROOM.
The door shuts on A-Mother’s face.Mother WAITS for a while.
Then SLOWLY walks away. Leaving the shut door in FRAME.
SHOT: INSIDE ANIKA’S ROOM.

Camera pulls back from the desk calendar on the table. Anika
keeps the food plate on the same table. Walks and stands
against the WALL. Her arms are folded. She looks stressed.
DISSOLVE TO SCENE 7.1:

SCENE 7.1
(song may be cancelled)
EXT/INT. SONG SEQUENCE. DAY/NIGHT
Appropriate shots(surrealistic)
SONG
(background only)
Sharm haya ki deewar jab

Tod di maine,
Ab kya hua jo bebasi
Chha gayi mujhme?
Sharm haya ki…
Kya yeh sachcha pyar hai?

Ya koi saazish hai?
Kya mujhse wo muhabbat kiya
Yeh koi dhoka diya?
Sharm haya ki…
Dharm mazhab se koi

Fark nahi mujhko.
Phir bhi kyo wo sachch
Chhupaya thha mujhse?
Sharm haya ki…
Sharm haya ki deewar jab

Tod di maine,
Ab kya hua jo bebasi
Chha gayi mujhme?
DISSOLVE TO SCENE 7.2 :

SCENE 7.2
(Back to where Scene 7.1 ended (roughly))
SHOT: Camera moves from desk calendar on table toAnika in bed;

she wakes up from sleep. Suggesting that the song sequence was
a dream.
KNOCK knock.
A-MOTHER
(voice only)
Anika…
Anika gets out of bed and opens the door.
Anika in CLOSE SHOT. SIGNS that she has just woken up from
sleep.
Her Mother walks into the room.
Mother’s POV: Plate on table. Food has not been touched.
MID SHOT: A-Mother and Anika.
A-Mother
Ye kya? Tumne khaana chhua tak nahi?
ANIKA
(stressed)
Bhook mit gaya thha…
(pause; Anika is almost in TEARS)
CLOSE SHOT: A-MOTHER looks very concerned.
CLOSE SHOT: Anika is TRYING TO SAY something.
MEDIUM SHOT: Anika and her mother.
Anika
Maa… mai bahut pareshaan hu…
(tearfully HUGS her mother)
A-Mother’s face. She pats Anika.
Anika CRYING.
Mother separates Anika from her. WIPES her tears.
A-MOTHER
Kya hua, beta?
MEDIUM SHOT.
ANIKA
Maa… Raja ko mai… wo sab kuch de chuki hu,
jo mujhe shaadi ke baad hi dena chahiye thha…
MUSIC. A-Mother shakes her head in DISAPPROVAL.
ANIKA
Aur wo de dene ke baad…
A-MOTHER waiting to hear more.
ANIKA
Mujhe pataa chalaa ki…
A-MOTHER waiting to hear more.
ANIKA
Raja Mussalman hai…
CLOSE-UP of A-Mother. Stunned. Music.
ANIKA
Uska naam Raja Patel NAHI hai…
Uska naam hai… Razaa Ahmed Patel.
A-Mother, SHOCKED… puts her hand on her mouth…
DISSOLVE TO:
DRAWING ROOM.
SHOT: (close-up). Anika’s FATHER
ZOOM OUT to show Anika(in TEARS) and her Mother in the frame.
Father is in the MIDDLE.
SILENCE.
A-FATHER
“Sarva Dharma Sam-bhava” – arthaat… har ek dharm/mazhab ka
manzil ek hi hai… Hamari sanskriti humay yahi sikhaati hai…
Hum itne chhote nahi hai… jo… insaan ko uske
dharm/mazhab,jaat-paat se pehchaanege…
(wiping Anika’s tears)

Beti, agar tum aur Raja ek doosre ko sachche dil se chahte ho…
… ek saath zindagi bitaana chahte ho… toh aage bado… Shaadi
kar lo… Uske Musalman honay se, farak nahi padta hai…
Anikawipes her tears (as is she wanted to hear this)….
SUPRESSES A SMILE on her face.
A-Mother shows RESTRAINED, gradual joy.
Anika hugs both.
DOOR BELL rings.
A-Father walks to open the door.
SHOT FROM OUTSIDE. A-Father’s face.
SHOT FROM INSIDE. Raja is at the door.
RAJA
Namaste Uncle. Mai Raja Patel hu.
A-FATHER
(confused yet stern) (thoughtful)
Ha.. Namaste…
(MAKES WAY for Raja to come in).
CLOSE SHOT of Anika. SLIGHT HAPPINESS on her face, but

restrained.
ANIKA
(somewhat coy)
Aane ke pehle, phone kyo nahi kiye?
RAJA
(walking deeper into the rooom)
Agar phone kiya hota, tum kya mujhe aane ki izajat deti?
CLOSE SHOT: A-Mother.
MEDIUM SHOT: All FOUR in frame.
RAJA
(to A-Mother)
Namaste Maa ji…
A-MOTHER
Namaste…
RAJA
Anika toh sab kuch bol di hogi…
ANIKA
Ha, boli hu…
RAJA
Mai sharminda hu… maine Anika ko pehle se nahi bataya thha ki
mai… Mussalman hu. Aisa mat sochiye… mai mera mazhab chhupaya
thha… Allah gawaah hai, mai chhupaya nahi…
All three are looking at Raja.
RAJA
(continuing)
Anika aur mai kariban doh saal se ek doosre ko kaafi achchi
tarah jaante hai… Hum bahot achche friends they… aur hai… Isme
mazhab ki baat ‘seriously’ kabhi utthi nahi…
Shaadi ki baat hum pehli baar… doh-teen din pehle hi kiye… Mai
bataaney wala thha ki mai Mussalman hu… lekin… mai bhitar se
dar gaya… mazhab hamare beech kahi deewar na ban jaaye. Mujhe
apne aap ko ‘psychologically’ tayyar karna thha.
Kal mai… bataana chaahta thha… Anika ko bola bhi mai… mujhe
kuch zaroori baat karna hai… Lekin baat ho nahi sakaa.
Phir… kal hi, mera Aadhar card Anika ke haath aaya… aur… mai
bolne se pehle hi… wo jaan gayi ki mera ‘official’ aur pura
naam Raja Patel nahi, Razaa Ahmed Patel hai.
Mere mein koi fareb nahi hai. Ye love jihad nahi hai. Mai
Anika ko sachche dil se chahta hu…
PAUSE
A-FATHER
Tum dono mein se koi baalig (minor) nahi ho. Mai aurAnika ki
Maa srif apne raai de sakte hai, faisla tum dono hi karoge.
Tum aane se pehle hi, mai Anika ko mera rai de chukka hu.
A-MOTHER
Anika, tum jo bhi faisla karoge, hum tumhare saath hai.
Anika and Raja are both PLEASED.
A-FATHER
(to her Mother)
Kuch der inn dono ko akele chhod doh.
A-MOTHER
Ha.
A-Father and Mother walk out of frame.

MEDIUM SHOT. Anika and Raja in room.
ANIKA
(coyly pulls Raja’s collar)
Mere jihadi yaar… Jab hum srif friends thhe, tab bhi ek baar
mazhab ka baat uttha thha na… jab mai tumhe boli mere Pita
Hindu aur Maa Yahudi. Tab kyu nahi soojha…keh dene ko ki tum
Mussalman ho? Tab boleyhotey toh… aaj ye sandeh nahi hota.
RAJA
Bas soojha nahi. ‘I am sincerely sorry’.
ANIKA
Thhik hai, ‘no issue’.
RAJA
Mujhe tumse… ek ‘request’ hai. Meri Maa thodi si conservative
hai. Wo chahti hai… hamaari shaadi Islami tarike se ho. Tumhe
agar thoda compromise karna pade, toh kar logi na? Naam ke
waastey?
ANIKA
Naam ke waastey nahi. Tumhare waastey karugi.
Both LAUGH.
Sound of ‘COUGH COUGH’.
ANIKA
(turning at the appropriate spot in the room)
Ma… Baba…
A-Mother and Father walk in.
SHOT (MEDIUM):
ANIKA
Hum log mein ‘patch-up’ ho gaya… Koi problem nahi hai…
A-FATHER
(philosophically)
‘Patch-up’ ek tarah ka silaai hai. Isseyattoot rishta NAHI
banta hai, bachho. Tumhe aisa rishta bana-na hai… jisse
bhavishya mein aur koi silaai ki zaroorat na pade.
RAJA
Ha, Baba, ye mazhab ka dhikkat sulajh gaya hai… toh baaki sab
thik rahega… Isha’llah.
Pleasant MUSIC.
RAJA
(very pleasingly)
Mere gharwalo ko sab maloom hai aur manzoor hai… Aap sab mere
ghar kab aa sakte hai…
ANIKA
Jab tum bolo…
RAJA
Kal dopahar?
CUT TO SCENE 8.1:

SCENE 8.1
EXT: ROADS. TRAFFIC. TAXI SPEEDING. LATE MORNING.
SHOT: Same as above. In taxi are: Anika, her mother and

father. Taxi comes to a halt.
SHOT: Waiting there are: Raja’s father (R-FATHER) (wearing

skull cap), Raja’s mother (R-MOTHER) (wearing black attire
covering her head, but face is not covered) and Raja. From the
taxi, emerge Anika, her mother and father.
SHOT: The men hug each other, and the women too hug each
other. Anika bends and tries to touch R-Mother’s feet. R-
Mother stops her from doing so.
DISSOLVE TO SCENE 8.2

SCENE 8.2
(In this scene, Anika and GUDDI will be wearing SALWAR KAMEEZ
with DUPATTA. Raja’s MOTHER will be wearing ‘abaya’ (burqa
WITHOUT the head and face cover). A-Mother will be wearing
SARI. Raja’s FATHER will be wearing a skull cap)
INT. RAJA’S HOUSE. LATE MORNING/NOON.
SHOT (close): R-Mother with Hijab (NOT burqa).
SHOT (close): R-Father. Wearing SKULL CAP(he will be wearing

the skull cap throughout the script except when specifically
mentioned).
SHOT (close): A-Mother.
SHOT (close): A-Father.
SHOT (close): Raja.
SHOT (close): Anika.
SHOT (MEDIUM): All of them in frame. Seated. (KEEP SPACE FOR

SOMEONE TO ENTER THE FRAME and SIT). Keep EMPTY seat for
someone to sit LATER).
R-MOTHER
(looking at Anika)
Mash’alla… Meri hone waali bahu kitni smart hai…
SHOT: Anika, happy.

R-MOTHER
(continuing)
Lekin beta… ek baat bolu… Tum bahar mera pair chhuna chaahti
thhi. Hum Muslim kisika pair nahi chootay… Pair choonay ke
liye jhukna padta hai. Aur… hum srif Allah ke saamne jhuktey
hai.
SHOT(s): Each face is embarrassed, except R-Mother’s.
R-MOTHER
(diverting)
Lekin ha… Raja ki pasand ka daad nahi…
GUDDI (Raja’s sister) in early 20s, WALKS IN.
R-FATHER
(introducing)
Yeh meri beti, Jamila. Pyar se hum isse Guddi boltey hai.
GUDDI
(goes to hug Anika)
Hi Anika, ab teen din se Raja tumhare baare mein baat kar raha
hai. Doh saal baat bilkul gupt rakhaa thaa.
(Anika STANDS up; they HUG each other)
RAJA
Jis tarah Jamila ko hum pyar se Guddi naam se pukarte hai,
ussi tarah mai, Razaa, Raja naam se pukara jaata hu.
ANIKA
Kyo? Razaa naam… pyar se pukara nahi jaa sakta?
Everybody LAUGHS.
Guddi takes a seat.
R-MOTHER
Guddi… B.A. final year kar rahi hai. Bas B.A. pass kar le,
phir uski bhi nikaah karwana hai… Phir…
(toR-Father)
… hum ek baar wapas Hajj kar lage.
Doorbell rings.
R-MOTHER
(gets up)
Maulviji aaye hogey.
GUDDI
(stops her mother)
(talks in hushed tone)
Ammi… AapMaulviji ko bulaaye thhe kya?
R-MOTHER
(hushed tone)
Ha…
GUDDI
(hushed tone)
Kyu?
R-Mother COVERS her head, WALKS to the door.
SHOT (CLOSE): Guddi (disappointed that her question was not

answered). She too COVERS her head with dupatta.
R-MOTHER
Adab, Maulviji
MAULVI walks in. BEARDED. Wearing Arabian dress, with TURBAN.
Has a stick (like ‘police ka danda’) though he does not seem
to need it.
MAULVIJI
Adab
R-MOTHER
(to others)
Maulviji ke waaleed mujhe bachpan se hi Islam sikhaya karte
thhe. Unke intakaal ke baad, mai Maulviji se bhi Islam sikhti
aayi hu. Raja aur Guddi bhi…
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: All seated or, may be, some standing, some seated.
MAULVI
(to Anika)
Beti, Allah-talla tum par bada mehrbaan hai…Tumhe Islam mein
laya hai… zaraa hijab toh od lo…
ANIKA
(confused)
Hijab?
SHOT: Raja (uncomfortable)
MAULVI
Jisse tum Hinduo mein ghungat bolte ho.
SHOT: Guddi (uncomfortable)
ANIKA
Maulviji… Mai aisi hi thhik hu…
R-MOTHER
Ab usko hijab ka aadat nahi hai…aadat pad jayegi…
MAULVI
(playing with stick)
Koyi baat nahi… Dheere dheere duniya mein ek din…har insaan
Islami tehzeeb(or ‘taur tarikey’?)seekh lega…seekhna padega…
(Take alternative shot: replace ‘Islami’ with ‘hamari’)
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father LOOK at each other.
SHOT: Anika (as if saying ‘huh’; not actually saying it)
MAULVI
(continuing; to R-Mother)
Chaliye… kaam nipta le.Quran-e-Sharif zaraa le aaiye…
R-MOTHER
Ha
R-Mother gets up and goes inside.
RAJA
Kya kaam niptana hai, Maulviji?
MAULVI
(playing with stick)
Anika ko Islam qabool karwana hai na.
MUSIC (suspenseful).
ANIKA
(nervously)
Mujhe Islam qabool karna padega?
(looks at her parents and Raja)
Raja is CONFUSED.
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Mother.
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Father.
SHOT (CLOSE): Guddi.
SHOT (CLOSE): R-Father.
MAULVI
(playing with his stick)
Dekho… Anika, Islam hi Allah ka diya hua sahi mazhab hai… Har
insaan janm se Mussalman hi hota hai… Islam himaanav jaati ka
pehla mazhab thha… aur aakhri hai…
(coming close to Anika; as if trying to hypnotise)

Ha, Anika… tum Mussalman ho… Qabool kar lo… Sahi raaste mein
kariban aa gayi ho… ab puraaa jao… Allah ka diya hua raasta…
zannat ka raasta… jahannam ke raaste se nikal aao…
SHOT: Maulvi
SHOT: R-Mother
ANIKA
Maulviji, aapne kaha Islam manushya ka pehla mazhab thha. Agar
ye sach hai, to Islam duniya ka sabse praachin jiveet mazhab
ya dharm hona chahiye, na? Lekin, itihaas kehta hai ki manav
jaati ki sabse praachin jiveet dharm Hindu dharm hai… Islam
nahi…
RAJA
(lightening up the atmosphere)
Maulviji, Anika college ki debating champion thhi… Iske saath
tarq karna aasan nahi hai…
BEFORE Maulvi can answer, R-Mother walks in with Quran VERY

RESPECTFULLY.
R-MOTHER
(handing over the Quran to Maulvi)
Yeh lijiye, Maulviji, Quran-e-Sharif.
Maulvi gets up, keeps his stick aside, and takes the Quran.
Touches it to his EYES, KISSES it…
MAULVI
Anika, aao, shahada le lo…
ANIKA
(stands up)
Shahada? Shahada kya hai?
MAULVI
(kindly)
Beti, Islam qabool karne ke liye jo shabd bolna padta hai…
gawaho ke saamne… ussay Shahada bolte hai… Mussalmano ko bhi
Shahada dena zaroori hai…
ANIKA
Maulviji, aap toh abhi kah rahe thhe har insaan janm se
Mussalman hota hai… Agar ye sach hai, to zabaan se Islam
qabool karne ki kya zaroorat hai?... Wo bhi gawaaho ke saamne?
SHOT & MUSIC: Music of defiance. Some close-up shots of the

other characters.
SHOT: Maulvi looks at his stick, which he had kept aside.
MAULVI
(firmly; to Anika)
Dekho, beti, gawaaho ke saamne nahi bhi ho, toh thhik hai.
Lekin, mai tumhare jaise debating champion nahi hu… Bas itna
bol sakta hu ki ye Quran-e-Sharif hai… Allah ka bheja hua
aakhri kitaab… (replace??)…
(as if trying to entice her)

Maaloom hai… is kitaab ka karishma kya hai…? Isme aisi kuch
vaigyanik baaten hai… so saatvi shatabdi mein koi nahi jaanta
thha… Jaise ki… Bhrun-vigyaan… angrezi mein bolte hai… kya
bolte hai…‘ambrala’?
R-FATHER
Embryology
MAULVI
Ha… ambralaaaji… aurat ki garbh mein bachcha kis tarah nirmaan
hota hai… Saatvi shatabdi mein yeghorrahasya kisiko maaloom
nahi thha… Lekin Quran mein likha hua hai…
Kya ye saboot nahi hai ki Quran koi insaan se nahi, Allah se

hiaaya hai? Phir bhi tum Quran mein nahi maanti?
R-FATHER
(to Maulvi)
Lekin, Maulviji… aapne jo kaha Embryology ke baare mein… Ha…
iss wishai par kuch gyan Quran mein hai. Lekin… ye galat hai
ki Embryology ka gyan uss zamaane mein kisiko nahi thha.
Humarey Bharat mein toh thha…..
MAULVI
(defiantly)
Kya saboot hai…
R-FATHER
Saboot hai… Maharshi Vyas ka likha hua ‘Shreemad
Bhagvatam’…jisme Embryology ka varnan aur bhi zyada gehrai se
kiya gaya hai… aur kaafi hadd tak sahi bi saabit hua hai… Aur
‘Shreemad Bhagvatam’ Quran se kayi hazaro saal pehle likha
gaya thha…
MAULVI
(sarcastically; interrupting R-Father)
Hindu kitabey kaafi padey hai aap, Ahmed bhai…
R-FATHER
Ha, Maulviji, kyu nahi… Hamari viraasat hai.
R-MOTHER
Ab aap log kaam ki baat karege?Anikase shahada lena(or
‘dena’?) nahi hai?
SHOTS: Separately: A-Father, A-Mother, Guddi, R-Mother, R-

Father
MAULVI
Ha… beti… Allah ke iss pak kitab par (Maulvi extends the Quran
towards Anika)haath rakh-ke bolo… jaisa mai bolta hu…
SHOT (PULL From Quran to Anika’s face…)She EXTENDS HER HAND
towards the Quran(does NOT yet touch it). Pulled-back frame
includes her PARENTS AND OTHERS (if possible)
CONTINUOUS SHOT: Camera moves into Anika’s face.(use slider;

don’t zoom)
DISSOLVE TO:
INSERT
INT: PUJA ROOM AT ANIKA’S HOME. DAY.
SHOT: Anikawith devotional music. Camera slowly pulls back to

include THREE more people – viz. A-Father, A-Mother and
ANOTHER YOUNG MAN. They are all chanting:
BHAJAN
Raam bolo, Raam bolo, Raam bolo Raam,
Jai Siyaram bolo, Jai Siyaram.
Raam bolo, Raam bolo, Raam bolo Raam,
BACK TO SCENE:
SUSPENSE building up… (indicating: Will Anika touch the Quran

or not?)
SHOT: Anika’s hand has NOT touched the Quran yet.
SHOT: Maulvi watching her hand. Quran in FOCUS.
SHOT: R-Mother watching her hand.
SHOT: Raja watching.
SHOT: R-Father watching.
SHOT: Guddi (confused) watching.
INSERT
(Anika, her parents and THAT young male (stranger to
audience), in kind-ofTRANCE)
CHANT CONTINUES
Raam Raam Raam Raam, Bolo Raam Raam,
Hari bol, Hari bol; bol Hari bol…
Bol Hari bol Hari, Hari Hari bol.

FAST CHANT
Jai Siyaram bolo, Jai Siyaram,
BACK TO SCENE: Anika has not YET touched the Quran. Suspense
music builds up.
SHOTS like before (Suspense: Will Anika touch the Quran or

not?)
INSERT
CHANT (continues)
Radhekrishna Radhekrishna, Radhekrishna bol,
Bol Radhe bol Radhe, Krishna Krishna bol.

FAST CHANT
Chant FADES out.
BACK TO SCENE:
Anika stretches her hand closer to the Quran. Not yet touched.
FINALLY, she touches it.
SHOTS of RELIEF. Anika’s parents seem confused.
MAULVI
Ha… beti, bolo mere saath…
ANIKA
Kya bolu?
MAULVI
(voice only)
Bolo… La…
ANIKA
La…
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Father (gulps)
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Mother (painful look)
SHOT (MEDIUM): Anika and others in frame. Her hand is still on

the Quran.
MAULVI
(voice only; in frame is above shot)
… ila-ha …
ANIKA
(hand STILL on Quran)
(to Maulvi)
Ye kaunsi bhaasha hai?
R-Mother ANGRY.
R-MOTHER
(or MAULVI; will depend on framing)
Ye Arabi hai…
ANIKA
(pulls back her hand from Quran; MUSIC)
SHOT: Maulvi; surprise and anger on face. His stick is in

frame.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Lekin mai Arabi… nahi samajhti… Bina samjhe mai kaise yeh
pavitra Kitab par… haath rakhke kuch bol sakti hu?
R-Mother MORE ANGRY.
MAULVI
Duniya mein karodo karodo log isse boley hai… Tum kyu nahi bol
sakti?
ANIKA
Binaa samjhe bol dete hai, Quran par haath rakh-ke??
MAULVI
Unko samjhaya jaata hai…
SHOT: Maulvi’s Stick.
SHOT (CLOSE): R-Mother very angry.

SHOT (CLOSE): Maulvi (angry)
SHOT (Close): Raja (concerned)
SHOT (CLOSE): Guddi (concerned)
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Mother (worried)
SHOT (CLOSE): A-Father (worried)
R-FATHER
Maulviji, pehle Hindi mein samjha dijiye ye kya bolne waali
hai…
MAULVI
Wo toh mai samjhane wala hi thha …
(to Anika)
Beti… Iska matlab hai…
ANIKA
(interrupting)
Aap ko Arabi aata hai?
SHOT: R-Mother very angry. MUSIC suggesting tension.Stick.
MAULVI
(defensivelY
Ha… ha… Pad leta hu.
ANIKA
Maulviji, jo koi bhi Urdu pad sakta hai, wo Arabi bhi kaafi
pad leta hai… kyuki dono bhashao ki lipi, yaani script,
KARIBAN ek hi hai…
Some ANGRY / CONCERNED close-ups.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Jaise… jo koi Hindi pad sakta hai, wo Sanskrit bhi pad leta
hai… kyuki…dono ki lipi KARIBAN ek hi hai…
(pause)
Lekin padna aur samajhna doh alag baat hai na? Maulviji, kya
aap Arabi samajhte hai?
MAULVI
Thoda bahut samajh leta hu, aur seekh bhi raha hu…
ANIKA
Toh… jab aap khud Arab abhi bhi seekh rahe hai…, toh aap Arabi
se Hindi anuwaad kaise karege…
SHOTS (CLOSE)… Raja (confused), Guddi, R-Father, R-Mother,

Another man with Maulvi
MAULVI
Aise to Arabi jaan-ne waale maulvi-mufti-imamBHI hamare paas
hai… Bolo toh, mai unme se kisiko le aaoo…
ANIKA
Agarwo Arabi mein maahir bhi ho… toh bhi,mai toh nahi hu na?
RAJA
(concerned)
Anika, zaraa sun to loh Shahada ka Hindi anuvaad…
ANIKA
(‘softens up’ to Raja)
Raja… tum bolte ho… toh thik hai…
(to Maulvi)
Thik hai… Maulvi ji, Shahada ka Hindi mein anuvaad karke
boliye (keeps her hand back on Quran)
MAULVI
Shahada mein tum gawahi deti ho ki…
ANIKA
Ab mujhe gawahi dena hai? Kis baat ki?
R-MOTHER
(impatiently)
Sun toh lo, (adds as an arterthought), beti…
MAULVIJI
Shahada mein tum gawahi dogi ki Allah ke siwa aur koyi Ishwar
nahi hai(check!)… aur Paigambar Muhammad uss Allah ka…
ANIKA
(lifts her hand from Quran; interrupts)
Thehriye Maulviji… Mere ilaake mein kal kya hua… wo mai suni
hu… lekin gawah nahi hu…
Aur agar mere ilake mein kal kya hua, uski gawahi mai nahi de
sakti, toh Allah ke baare mein kya gawahi dene ki kya aukaad
hai meri? Aur… Allah ko meri gawahi ki zaroorat bhi kyu hai?
Stunned silence. R-Mother shows HATRED on her face.

SHOT:Maulvi (very anrily) TAKES the Quran back towards him in.
Keeps it somewhere. Darts at his Stick.
MAULVI
(furious; showing his stick menacingly)
Sun ai Kaafir-e-Khaatoon… Mai teri bakwaasab tak bardaasht kar
raha thha… Ye jaanle…
(raising his stick at her)

…mai teri marammat bhi kar sakta hu…
ANIKA
(defiantly)
Aap meri marammat karege… Aap mujhe dhamki diye?
Mai aapke khilaaf kaanooni karwaahi kar sakti hu.
SHOTS: Everybody. Shocked. Shock music.
MAULVI
(sarcastically)
Kaunsa kaanoon? Iss duniya ka kaanoon? Huh… Aisi kaanoon kitne
din hampar laagu rahega? Humay toh seena taan ke jeetey hai,
aur seena taan ke marte hai… aur srif Allah ka kaanoon se
darte hai…
RAJA
(to Maulvi)
Maulviji… Aapne kuch zyada hi harkat kar li… Aap please yaha
see chale jaaiye…
R-FATHER
Chaliye, Maulviji… Aap maryada paar kar chukey hai…
R-Father ESCORTS an unwilling Maulvi, swinging his stick.
MAULVI
(as he is being escorted out by R-Father)
Mai koi maryada paar nahi kiya hu… Mai to srif danda dikhaya
hu; Itihaas mein talwar bhi chalaya gaya hai…
LOUD MUSIC.
SHOTS: Everybody’s face one by one. Background voices:

“Talwar”?
A-FATHER
Talwar?
A-MOTHER
Talwar?
GUDDI
Talwar?
RAJA
Talwar?
R-FATHER
Talwar?
R-MOTHER
Talwar?
CUT TO SCENE 9:
SCENE 9
FADE IN:
INT. ANIKA’S HOUSE. DAY.

(Note: Anika’s father has his MOBILE PHONE in hand throughout
this scene)
SHOT: A-Father… Camera zooms out to include Anika and her

mother in frame. Ambience: Serious.
A-FATHER
(to Anika)
Anika, agar tumhe lag raha hai… ki… tumne galti ki… toh… ab
bhi… waqt hai… Ab bhi… tum Raja ko bhool kar… ek nayi zindagi
ke baare mein sochna shuru kar sakti ho…
SHOTS:
ANIKA
(thoughtfully)
Baba… Raja se mujhe koyi shikayat nahi hai… Mujhe vishwas hai…
ki usne uski mazhab… mujhe dhokha dene ke liye nahi chhupaya
thha…
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father look at each other; they seem sad.
SHOT: Anika
ANIKA
(continuing)
Uss maulvi ka galti Raja ka galti nahi hai… Usne bhi toh
Maulvi ko nikal jaane kaha… Mai Raja se hi shaadi karugi…
Mujhe yakeen hai… ye mazhabi musibat(?)hal ho jaayega…
A-MOTHER
Achchi baat hai, Anika. Ma-baap ke aashirwaad bachho ke saath
hamesha rehta hai…
A-FATHER
Ha, Anika, har situation mey… hum tumhare saath hai… Agar mai
Raja ke ghar mein zyada kuch bolta nahi hu… wo iss liye… ki
mai aisa kuch bolna du… jissey koi galat faimi ho jaaye…
ANIKA
Baba… Mai samajhti hu… Aap dono mere saath rahiye… ye
situationmai khud handle karugi.
A-FATHER
Thhik hai… Raja ke pitaaji ka phone aaya thha. Unohone koi
doosra gyani ko bulaaya jai, salah ke liye… kis tarah Muslim
ladka aur Hindu ladki ki shaadi ho sakta hai, Shariat ke
anusaar…
Kal subah… dus/saade-dus baje… Raja ke ghar mein… wapas…
A-MOTHER
Ajeeb sa lagta hai… unke ghar wapas jaana…
ANIKA
Maa… chalo… mere liye.
FADE OUT TO SCENE 10:

SCENE: 10
INT. RAJA’S HOUSE. DAY.

(Characters: All, toal 7 + 1 =8)
Guddi and her mother are wearing hijab, Anika is NOT.
SHOT (close): DOCTORSAHEB (50 year old; suited, booted; skull

cap; bearded; COMICKY-VILLAINISH character).R-Father is
escorting Doctorsaheb from the door.
R-FATHER
(introducing)
Doctor Fakir Badshah.
DOCTORSAHEB
MBBS.
R-FATHER
O ha… Doctor Fakir Badshah, MBBS.
SHOT: Anika, very surprised.
ANIKA’s VOICE ONLY

Ye cartoon… yaha… ???
ANIKA
Dr. Fakir Badshah? Aap khud yaha?
(looks at Raja)
Anika GETS UP and WALKS towards Doctorsaheb.
ANIKA
Doctor Fakir Badshah, mai aapke baare mein akhbaro mein padi
hu… aapko TV mein dekhi hu… Aapke kayi videos bhi YouTube mein
dekhi hu… Aapse milkar…
Anika STRETCHES her hand to shake with Doctorsaheb.
DOCTORSAHEB
(looking at Anika’s extended hand)
Nahi nahi nahi… sister… Aapne hijab toh pehni hi nahi hai…
uppar se mujhe chhoona chahti hai… Ye jaahiliyat ki pehchaan
hai…
SHOT: Anika, embarrassed.
DOCTORSAHEB
(continuing)
Hum koi bhi paraayikhatoon(?) ko chhootey nahi hai… Ye hamari
tehzeeb hai… Hum adaab karte hai. (does adaab)
ANIKA
(doing ‘adaab’)
Adaab, Doctorsaheb, adaab… Lekin, agar aap ne mujhe sister
kaha, to aap mere brother huay na? Aur sister-brother haath
milaaye… toh… kya… ussay “chhoona” kehte hai?
DOCTORSAHEB
Sister-Brother kya; ladki jawaan honay ke baad… Father-
Daughter mein bhi ek purdah rahna chahiye. Pataa nahi, mard ki
niyat kab bigad jaaye…
SHOTS: Guddi, A-Mother, A-Father look down.
SHOT: R-Father shakes his head.
DOCTORSAHEB
(continuing)
Aur aapko mujhse haath milana hai? Mai MBBS doctor hu… Mai
science aur logic se sochta hu… Chhooay bina haath kaisa
milaya jaa sakta hai?… Koshish kijiye…
(extending his hand)

Haath milaaiye, mujhe chooey bina… Milaiyye?
SHOT: Anika is partly amused, partly surprised.
DOCTORSAHEB
(continuing)
Nahi mila sakte na? Toh, maine jo kaha wo scientific hai ki
nahi?
Anikais amused; shakes her head, and looks at Raja.
ANIKA
Aapka sabse badi khaasiyat hai… gair-Mussalmano ko Islam
qabool karwana, na…? Woh bhi camera ke saamne… taaki saari
duniya dekhe… aur shayad aapko paisa de…
(Alt: Aaap toh gair-Mussalmano ka dharmantar karwane mein
maahir ho, na…)
SHOT: Doctorsaheb is very embarrassed (or PLEASED?).
ANIKA
(continuing)
Kitne gair-Mussalmano ko Mussalman banaya aapne ab tak?
(or ‘Kitne logo ka dharmantar karwaaya aapne ab tak?’)
DOCTORSAHEB
(proudly)
Ek hazaar se uppar…
R-MOTHER
Masha’lah, Masha’lah
ANIKA
Khair, aapka paigaam Aman hai na, Shaanti, Peace. Hai na,
brother?
DOCTORSAHEB
Ha… Mai shaanti ka farishta hu. Aur Islam hi ek mazhab hai jo
shaanti laa sakta hai… Islam ka matlab hai Shaanti, Aman,
Peace.
ANIKA
Toh, Brother aap kyu India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Dubai … jaha koi jung nahi hai… aap kyu aise mulko mein aman
ka paigaam dete hai?
Kyu nahi jaate un mulko mein jaha sach muuch mazhabi jung hota
hai…?
DOCTORSAHEB
Unmulko ka visa milna mushkil hota hai…
ANIKA
Aapka paigaam toh zyada tar video se pahuchta hai, na? Aapka
aisa koi video hai jisme… aapne aatanki sangatthano ko koi
Aman ka paigaam bheja ho?
SHOT: Doctorsaheb in utter discomfiture.
DOCTORSAHEB
(sternly)
Dekhiye, mai yaha interview dene ko nahi aaya hu. Jis kaam se
aaya hu, uss kaam ki baat karey.
ANIKA
Zaroor.
R-MOTHER
Wo hi achcha hoga.
SHOT: Doctorsaheb seems relieved.
DOCTORSAHEB
(to R-Father)
Ha…, mujhe kaha gaya hai ki, sister aur aap ka beta niqah
karne waale hai… lekin sister shahada nahi di kyuki shahada
Arabi mein dena padta hai aur wo Arabi samjhti nahi…
Ky ye sahi hai?
R-MOTHER
Bilkul sahi hai… Ab, Doctorsaheb, aap hi bataaiye iss masla
kahal kaise kiya jaai… Mai nahi chahti ki hum koi aisa galti
kare jis-say Allah ko gussa aa jaaye aur humay jahnnam bhej
de…
DOCTORSAHEB
Jahnnam jaaye humare dushman… Lekin ye gaur karne ki baat hai,
ki, sister Quran nahi padi hai, phir bhi… wo jo boli… wo…
Quran se bilkul milta hai.
R-MOTHER
Kaise, Doctorsaheb?
DOCTORSAHEB
Quran Surah 14:4, Sura 12:2, Surah ???mein Allah ne Islam
samajhne ke liye Arabi zabaan par, Arabi bhasha par zor diya
hai.
SHOTS: Of others; attentive
DOCTORSAHEB
(continuing)
Iss liye, jab Sister bol rahi hai… wo Shahada samajhne ke
kaabil nahi hai… uska ye bolna bilkul Islam ke daaire mein hi
hai…
ANIKA
(thoughtfully)
Toh phir, jab Allah khud Quran samajhne ke liye Arabi zabaan
par zor diya hai, tohaap Quran kaise samajh gaye, Doctorsaheb?
MUSIC
DOCTORSAHEB
Tum log internet se Islam seekhte ho… iss liye aise bedhangi
sawaal puchte ho.
ANIKA
Hum logo ko Islam sikhna chahiye aapke paas-se, na? Jaise ki…
aap ek school chalaate hai… jaha nadaan bachcho ko sikhaya
jaata hai ki… Islam ke waaste marnaa bhi padey, toh marna.
SHOT: Doctorsaheb takes a deep breath.
DOCTORSAHEB
Sarkar ki objection aaney ke baad, hum wo sikhaana band kar
diye hai…
ANIKA
Sarkar ki objection ka intezaar thha aapko?
SHOT: Doctorsaheb seems very uncomfortable.
GUDDI
Mai bhi aapke baare mein padi hu. Aapkaschool bachcho ke maa-
baap ko salah deta hai ki wey apne bachcho ko gair-Mussalman
bachcho se dosti karne na de… kyuki hamare bachche ‘confused’
ho jayege. Ye hai aapka Islam, Doctorsaheb?
ANIKA
Aur inhonay yeh bhi kah diya hai 9/11 ka America par aatanki
hamla Osama bin Laden nahi, balki uss waqt ke Amriki
Rahtrapati George Bush ka kaarnama thha… Aur inkey laakhon
chhahne waale maan gaye…
Inhonay Mussalmano ko salah diya hai ki… wey… Hindu,

Christian, ityadi logo ko unki tewhaar par badhaiya nahi de.
Diwali ya Christmas ki misaal le, toh… Mussalmano ko agar kuch

bolna hi hai, toh, bolna chahiye… “Happy Diwali to YOU” …
“Happy ChristmasTO YOU…” Tumhe Mubarak, hum usme shaamil nahi
hai…
Desh ki kitne tukde karna chhahte hai, Brother?
DOCTORSAHEB
(very angry)
Zyada hoshiyar ban-ne ki koshish mat kar…
ANIKA
(defiantly)
Yehi hai aapka jawab?
DOCTORSAHEB
Khaamosh! Agar ye wo hamari sunehra zamaana hota, tujh jaisi
Laundi ki toh bazaar mein nangi(?) numaish karke nilaam kar
diya jaata…
SHOT: Guddi opens her MOUTH in utter SHOCK.
RAJA
(springs up and yells)
Doctorsaheb… Muh par lagaam rakhiye!
SHOT: Anika is visibly encouraged by Raja’s words.
SHOT: A-Motheris visibly agitated. A-Father SIGNALS at her to

control herself.
SHOTS: Raja, his father and mother are CONFUSED.

ANIKA
(insult is visible on her face)
(Raja and Guddi STAND up)
Achcha, toh aapki Sister ab ek Laundi ban gayi?
SHOT: Doctorsaheb is seething in ANGER.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Khair, Laundi bhi kisi ki sister hoti hai… Aapne mujhe Sister
kaha, matlab aapki sister Laundi hai. Phir hi, aap, apne
Sister ki nangi(?) numaaish honay dete?
DOCTORSAHEB
Huh…
Doctorsaheb REACHES the exit door. FIDDLES with the door knob.
Opens it, walks out, SHUTS the door behind him with a BANG.
SHOT: R-Mother throws a disapproving look at Anika.
SHOTS: Of remaining persons in room; one by one.
Room is QUIET for a few moments.
R-FATHER
(woefully)
Aise hi kuch log… hamare kaum par dhabba hai…Aur hum aam
Mussalman aise logo ko baddawa dete hai. Inke kehne par, hum
kabhi kabhi hazaaro-laakhon ki sankjhya mein jamaa hokey, tod
phod phi shuru kar dete hai. Aur jo khud tod-phod nahi karte,
wo un tod-phod ka samarthan karte hai.
R-MOTHER
Wo alag baat hai. Humay Raja aur Anika ka nikaah karwana hai.
Aur Anika Islam qabool nahi kar rahi hai. Toh aagey ka raasta
kya hai?
(to her husband)
Aap Shafiq bhai se baat kijiye… Unka jamaat mein uthna-baithna

hai… wo koi achchi tarah se baat karne waala gyani ko bhej
sakta hai.
R-FATHER
Thik hai.

SCENE 11
INT. RAJA’S HOUSE. MORNING (around 10AM).
SHOT: Everybody in drawing room. Focus on QAZI.
QAZI
(to Anika’s parents)
Mai maan raha hu ki aap log Hindu hai. Aur aapki beti ko agar
Islam qabool nahi karna hai…toh ye nikaah naa-mumkin hai. Mai
yehi salaah duga ki wey ek doosre ko bhool jaaye.
SHOT: Anika (disapproving look)

SHOT: A-Father (confused)
SHOT: A-Mother (confused)
SHOT: Raja (confused)
SHOT: Guddi (confused)
SHOT: R-Mother (proud look)
SHOT: R-Father (confused)
ANIKA
Aisa kyu, Qaziji?
QAZI
Kyoki Hindu “Ahl-e-Kitab” nahi hai.
ANIKA
Matlab?
QAZI
Quran ke alaawa, Taurat aur Injeel mein maan-ne waale log
“Ahl-e-Kitab” hai. Matlab, Mussalman, Yahudi aur Christian –
ye teen qaum Ahl-e-Kitaab hai. Iss liye Mussalman ladka Yahudi
ya Christian ladki se nikah kar sakta hai. Aur kisi bhi mazhab
ya dharm ki ladki se nahi.
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father look at each other; they seem

happy. Anika also glances at them.
A-MOTHER
(optimistic)
Mujhe kuch kehna hai…
ANIKA
Maa, mujhe maaloom hai tum kya kahne waali ho… Uske pehle,
mujhe kuch jaan-ne doh… Mai Islam seekhne ki koshish rahi hu,
na.
Qazi ji, mai suni hu Islam mein insaano ke beech koi bhed-
bhaaw nahi hai, koi “jaatiwaad” nahi hai. Toh, ye Yahudi,
Christian, Hindu… ye ‘mazhabwaad’ kyu hai?
SHOT: Raja shakes in head, in disapproval of Anika’s question.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Agar Yahudiyo ko Allah ne Taurat naam ka kitab bheja thha… aur
Issaio ko Injeel… aur Mussalmano ko Quran…
…Toh Hinduo ke liye Allah ne Bhagwad Gita diya hai… Bhagwad

Gita ko Allah ka kitaab kyo nahi maante hai aap?
QAZI
Mai wahi bol raha hu…. jo Quran(check, Quran aur Hadeeth?)
mein likha hua hai.
ANIKA
Kya Quran mein ye likha hua hai ki… Hindu Ahle-Kitaab nahi
hai?
QAZI
Nahi, aisa kuch nahi likha hai Quran mein. Quran toh kahta hai
Allah ne bahut saare kitaab bheje hai.
ANIKA
Toh aap kis ‘basis’ mein Vedaur Bhagwad Gita ko Allah ka Kitab
nahi maante hai? Ye doh Kitab to maanaw-jaati ka sabse
pracheen jiveet kitaab hai… toh inn kitabo ke logo ko Ahle
Kitaab kyo nahi maana jaata?
QAZI
Ye toh mujhe Doctorsaheb se puchchna padega. Lekin aaj kal wo
laapata hai.
A-MOTHER
Anika, mujhe bolne doh.
Qaziji, jaha takAnika aur Raja ki shaadi ki baat rahi, aap
Anika ko Ahl-e-Kitaab maan sakte hai.
QAZI
Kaise?
A-MOTHER
Anika Yahudi hai.
QAZI TAIMUR
Yahudi?
R-MOTHER
Yahudi?
GUDDI
Yahudi?
R-FATHER
Yahudi?
RAJA
Ha, Anika Yahudi bhi hai.
R-MOTHER
Yahudi bhi hai? Raja, tum jaante thhe Anika Yahudi bhi hai?
RAJA
Ha Ammi… Mai ye aapko bolne ki zaroorat nahi samjha…
A-MOTHER
Mera janm Yahudi parivar mein hua thha… iss liye mai Yahudi
hu. Mera shaadi Hindu se hui hai… Aur Yahudio mein, maa ka
mazhab bachco ko milta hai.
R-MOTHER
(disturbed look)
Ye toh pura bhel puri ban raha hai…
R-FATHER
Ha… dharm-mazhabo ka… jaat-paat ka… kaafir-momin ka… goray-
kaale ka… jitna bhel puri ho, utna hi insaaniyat majboot hota
hai…
SHOT: R-Mother (disturbed)
SHOT: Qazi Taimur (disturbed)
R-MOTHER
Toh… Anika, tum kaunsa dharm-mazhab apna maanti ho?
ANIKA
Mai maanti hu: “Sarva Dharma Sam-bhava”. Yahi mera dharm hai,
yehi mera mazhab hai. Lekin Raja ko paaney ke liye agar mujhe
Yahudi dharm ka sahara lena padey, toh mai loogi.
MUSIC. People lost in thought.
GUDDI
(enthusiastic)
Ye toh kitni achchi baat hai… Raja se Shariat ke anusaar
shaadi karne ke liye, ye kaafi hai ki Anika Yahudi hai. Bhalle
hi wo Islam qabool na karey…
(delightfuly)
Ab shaadi ka taariq pakka kar le…
R-MOTHER
Thehro… Baat itni seedhi nahi hai…
(to Qazi Taimur)

Qazi Taimure ji, Yahudi toh hamare dushman hai na?
A-FATHER
Dekho bibi… Ye dushmani us zamaane meinthha… jab… Arabstan
mein… jung ka mahaul thha… jokoi bhi Muhammad ko Paigambar
maan-ne se inkar karta, usay Mussalmano ka dushman maana jaata
thha…
Lekin ab zamaana badal gaya hai… Soch badal gaya hai… Aam
Mussalman aura am Yahudi mein koi dushmani nahi hai. Israel ke
bees percent abaadi Muslim hai.
QAZI
Ye sab siyasati baaten hai… Humay kyo siyasati baaton mein
ulajhna hai? Jab Quran se ye saaf zaahir hai ki Mussalman
ladka Yahudi ladki se nikah kar sakta hai, toh hamaare liye
itna hi kaafi hai.
R-MOTHER
Ha, Qazi Taimurji, aapne thhik kaha.
(smiling)
Mai Anika ko apne bahu ke roop mein dekhna shuru kar di hu…
GUDDI
(rushes to hug her mother)
Ye hui na baat, Ammi… Tum kitni achchi ho…
QAZI
(pleased)
Chalo, Samasya sulajh gaya hai…
SHOTS: Everyone happy.

GUDDI
Toh… ho jaaye… chatt mangni, patt byah?
R-MOTHER
Islam bhi qabool nahi ki… Toh… mangni ki bhi zaroorat kya hai…
Seedha nikah hi kar de…
SHOTS: Everybody is happy, though R-Mother is restrained.
R-FATHER
Mujhe dus din lagega, nikah ki tayyari karne ke liye… Toh… aaj
se dus din bad…
(looking at mobile phone)

15 November…
RAJA
Ha… 15 November…
SHOT: Anika is pleased.
SHOT: A-Father and A-Mother are also pleased, though RESIGNED.
QAZI
Ha… toh mehr ki baat ho jaaye…
RAJA
(innocently)
Mera tankha… haath mein chhappan hazar aata hai… Usme se
(thinking) mera kharcha dus hazaar… baaki ka chauppan hazaar
mehr de dooga… kaafi hai na?
ANIKA
(confused)
Lekin… ye… paise ki baat kyu ho raha hai?
MUSIC (as if another problem is coming)
QAZI
Socho… bahot practical systemhai hamara…
Maano agar Raja tumhe talaq de diya, to wo chhiyalis (46)
hazar rupye ka mehr(correct language?)toh tumhare kaam aayega
na?
ANIKA
Ab tak shaadi honay mein itne dhikkate aa rahi hai, aur, Qazi
ji, aap talaq ki intezaam kar rahe hai…?
R-MOTHER
Ye ek riwaaz hai, Anika.
R-FATHER
Ha, ek formality hai… Chalo, chhiyalis (46) hazaar thoda kam
hai; mai apne taraf se aur chhauppan (54) hazaar jod duga, toh
ek laakh ho jaayega…
QAZI
Toh, mehr ek laakh… pakka?
ANIKA
(disapprovingly
Mera sauda ho gaya? Mai bik gayi? Ek laakh rupye mein?
QAZI TAIMUR
Beta, ye sauda nahi hai… Jaise Hinduo mein dahej hota hai…
ladki waale dete hai… waise Mussalmano mein mehr hota hai;
ladke waale dete hai. Ek jaisa hi baat hai…
R-FATHER
Ek jaisa baat nahi hai, Qazi ji… Dahej dena zaroori nahi hai…
QAZI TAIMUR
Koi baat nahi… Nikah toh hum Shariat ke hisaab se kar rahe
hai… Mehr zaroori hai…
ANIKA
(after a long suspenseful pause)
Thik hai… Meri keemat ek lakh… Manzoor hai.
R-FATHER
Toh mehr hoga… ek laakh…
QAZI TAIMUR
Sab baat pakki?
RAJA and ANIKA

(together; Anika shyly)
Pakki.
QAZI TAIMUR, R-FATHER, R-MOTHER

Maasha’lah, Maasha’lah, Maasha’lah
GUDDI
Chalo… party ho jaaye…
(starts dancing{??})
QAZI
Party haraam hai. Khana khaa lo.
GUDDI
Thik hai, thik hai…
(to Anika & her parents)

Aap log bas aatey hai, drawing room mein baithte hai aur
chaley jaate hai. Aaiye humara ghar toh dekhiye…
SHOT: Anika and her parents follow Guddi into the inside of
their house. Raja and his father too join them. Only Qazi and
R-Mother are on screen now.
R-MOTHER
Qazi ji… Sab kuch Shariat ke barabar hi hua na? Allah humay
jahannam toh nahi bhejega?
QAZI TAIMUR
(in cunning, hushed,tone)
Moahtarma, Allah jo karta hai, achche ke liye karta hai…
(cunningly; in hushed tone)

Zaraa sochiye…ye ladki aapki bahu banke aapke kabje mein aa
jaayegi. Phir aap ussay Islam ki tarah kheechte rahna.
Pehle… narmi se pesh aana. Uski bahot taarif karna.…Line pe

nahi aayi, toh… sakhti se pesh aana. Aankhen badi karke, usmay
mein khauf-sa paida karna.
Zaroorat pade toh… thodi si zyaadti bhi karna…
R-MOTHER
Zyadti bhi?
QAZI
Kyo nahi? Hum Allah ke fauji hai… Fauj ko bada karna hai…
Qayamat ke pehle aaney waali jung ke liye tayyari karna hai…
R-MOTHER
Kaunsi jung?
QAZI
Shhh…
(whispers)
Ghazwa-e-Hind…
FADE OUT TO SCENE 12…

SCENE 12
INT. WEDDING HALL. DECORATED. DAY or EVENING.
Muslim marriage MUSIC in background.
Many GUESTS.
ROOM: Anika being DECKED-UP by Guddi and some other LADIES.
MALE VOICE
(amateur singing)
Meri pyaari beheniya… banegi dulhaniya…
Anika looks at the door to the room. Pleasantly surprised.
PRAKASH is at the door. He is the same man, in 20s, who was

singing ‘Hari bol, Hari bol’ earlier in chorus with Anika and
her parents)
ANIKA
Prakash !!!!!!
Anika RUSHES to Prakash.
They HUG.
SHOT: Guddi
ANIKA
Bas, shaadi ke din hi aana thha? Do din pehle nahi aa sakta
thha?
PRAKASH
Tu doh saal se romance kar rahi hai, aur shaadi ka notice srif
dus din ki di?
ANIKA
Prakash, tuaa gaya hai, wahi Bhagwan ka shukar hai… Mujhe toh
dar thha tu gusse mein aigaa hi nahi…
PRAKASH
Gussa kis liye?
ANIKA
Bhool gaya… Bachpan mein, hum log patang udaa rahey thhe… kuch
jhagda hua… aur mai tujhe ek thappar maari thhi…
Both LAUGH.
ANIKA
Aur mein tujhe EK AUR thappar maarugi… agar…
PRAKASH
Agar…
ANIKA
Agar… ek saal ke andar… TU shaadi nahi kiya toh…
PRAKASH
Koi ladki nazar mein hai toh… pehchaan kara de.
SHOT: Prakash’s POV: Guddi
SHOT: Guddi(shy look)
ANIKA
Dekhoogi… Tu koi gori ko toh nahi pattaaliya London mein…
PRAKASH
(stealing a glance at Guddi)
Arre… goro ke desh mein toh paise kamane ke liye gaya hu… Dil
tohdesi hi hai…
SHOT: Guddi (shy look)
ANIKA
Chal abhi bahar jaa… Ladies kamre mein ghus aaya…
Prakash goes out GLANCING at Guddi.
ANIKA
(calling out)
Arre Prakash, mere hone waali devraani(?)se mil. Guddi urf
Jamila… ya… Jamila urf Guddi…?
Guddi giggles.
Prakash looks at Guddi.
Guddi looks at Prakash.
PRAKASH
(to Guddi)
Namaste…
GUDDI
Adaab…
uh… matlab… Namaste
PRAKASH
Matlab… Adaab.
Prakash goes away.

SHOT: Guddi (shy)
Anika returns to make-up. Women resume her make-up.
CUT TO:
WEDDING HALL. WEDDING ATMOSPHERE. WEDDING MUSIC.(???)
CLOSE SHOT: Anika in bridal finery
ANIKA
Qabool hai, Qabool hai, Qabool hai…
CLOSE SHOT: Raja in wedding dress
RAJA
Qabool hai, Qabool hai, Qabool hai…
Joyous atmosphere. Many people hugging each other.
VOICES
Mubarak ho… Mubarak ho…
Masha’lah… Mash’alah…
(Qabool hai song (??)in background)
R-Father HUGS A-Father.

Their mothers hug.
Prakash (kinda DANCING) is hugging people all around.
Goes to hug Guddi, who MOVES AWAY.
Prakash dances away from her.
Guddi looks amused, coy, kinda IMPRESSED.
CUT TO SCENE 13:

SCENE 13
INT. RAJA’S HOUSE. MORNING.
Raja is tying his shoe lace. Anika is watching.

Gets up, takes his office bag. Walks to the exit door.
Anika goes to the door.
SHOT: Anika… Says ‘Tata’ kind of thing.
SHOT: Raja turns back at the door; romantic gesture at Anika,

and proceeds into lift (or staircase).
SHOT: Dining table: Guddi is having breakfast. Anika joins

her.(Keep a door in frame for someone to enter and sit at the
dining table)
R-Mother WALKS into the frame and SITS at the dining table.
R-MOTHER
Guddi, tu neend se thoda jaldi utha kar…taaki Raja ke saath hi
nikal sakti. Rickshaa bhaada bachega.
GUDDI
(in daughterly confidence)
Arre ammi, itna paisapaisamat sochiye…
(looking at Anika; jokingly)

Ghar mein ab jo Anikanaam ki Laxmi aa gayi hai…
AnikaLAUGHS.
R-MOTHER
(not at all amused)
Hum log Laxmi mein maante nahi hai. Humey jo milna hai, Allah
hi dega.
SHOT: Guddi (looks with EMBARRASSMENT, at Anika)

SHOT: Anika (looks a bit insulted)
Dorbell RINGS. R-Mother COVERS her head and goes to open it.
SHOT: COURIER BOY outside the door.
COURIER BOY
Mr. Ahmed Iqbal Patel hai?
SHOT: R-Mother (inside the house)
R-MOTHER
Ha… Kuch courier hai kya?
COURIER
Ek chitthi hai.
CUT TO:
SHOT (close to medium): R-Fatherreading the letter.
SHOT: (GUDDI’S POV): Camera ZOOMS into R-Father. JOY slowly

emerges on his face. Looks upward, suggesting that he is
THANKING God.
SHOT: Guddi and others.
GUDDI
Kaha se courier aaya hai, Abbu?
SHOT: EVERYBODY in frame.
R-FATHER
Mai aksar sochta thhaki wakaalati se retire karne ka waqt aa
raha hai… Zindagi mein koi bada case nahi mila… Lekin, ab mila
hai… wo bhi Supreme Court mein…
SHOT: Everybody in the frame is pleased.
ANIKA
Arre waah… Mubarak ho, Abbu… Kya case hai…
R-FATHER
High profile case. Client Dubai mein hai… Aur case ki sunwaayi
Supreme Court of India mein hogi…
GUDDI
Koi talaaq ka case hai kya?
R-FATHER
(amused)
Nahi… corporate case hai. Mujhe ab Delhi aur Dubai aana jaana
padega… Delhi mein rehna padega… Kal hi nikalna hai…
R-MOTHER
Matlab… ab aap iss shahar mein nahi rahege?
R-FATHER
Aata jaata rahuga… lekin zyada tar Delhi mein rehna padega…
aur kabhi kabhi Dubai jaana padega…
R-MOTHER
Paisa bahut hai kya iss case mein?
R-FATHER
Client bada hai, case bada hai… Court bhi Supreme hai… aur ha…
paisa bhi behtreen hai.
GUDDI
(looking at Anika)
Aur mai boli na… ghar mein ab Anikanaam ki Laxmi aa gayi hai.
R-Fatherhas an APPRECIATIVE look.

R-Mother throws a DISAPPROVING look.
R-MOTHER
(to Guddi)
Guddi, kaafiro ki tarah baat mat kar.Allah ko gussa aa gaya
toh?

SCENE 14
INT. AIRPORT. R-FATHER WITH WHEELED BAG. DAY. (CHROMA)
Aircraft taking off.(stock video)

SCENE 15
INT. Raja’s house. MORNING.
Guddi, Anika and R-Mother in frame. Guddi is ready to leave

home and is on her mobile phone. Hastily leaves home.
GUDDI
Bye…
R-MOTHER & ANIKA

Bye. Take care.
R-Mothersits on sofa (puts TV on if TV is there; if no TV,

show her doing something casual, e.g knitting. Anika joins
her.
ANIKA
(hesitantly)
Ammi, aap Guddi ki shaadi ka zikr kar rahe thhe na?
SHOT: R-Mother
R-MOTHER
Ha… Yeh ek jimmedari baaki hai…
Agar tumhare nazar mein Guddi ke layak koi kaabil ladka hai…
toh beshaq bolo… Ye tumhara farz hai…
ANIKA
(fondly)
Ek ladka hai…
R-MOTHER
(keenly
Kaun?
ANIKA
(hesitantly)
Prakash.
R-MOTHER
Prakash? Kaun Prakash?
ANIKA
(feeling unimportant)
Er… mera bhai…
R-MOTHER
(with contempt)
Tumhara bhai? Jo London mein hai?
ANIKA
Ha…
R-MOTHER
Mussalman banney ko raazi hoga?
SHOT. Anika (her face shows she feels INSULTED)
ANIKA
Kya zaroorat hai? Jaise aap mujhe Yahudi maan liye, Prakashko
bhi Yahudi maan lijiye. Ahl-e-Kitaab…
R-MOTHER
Dekho, Anika, mai bewkoof nahi hu. Tum Yahudi ban-ne ki dhong
ki ho… mera Raja ko paane ke liye… Tum asal mein Hindu ho.
ANIKA
Mai “dhong” karne ke pehle hi… Raja mujhe paa gaya thha… Aur
mujhe maaloom bhi nahi thha ki wo Mussalman hai…
Mujhe paane ke baad… mazhab ki deewar humay alag kar raha

thha… Raja ko mere saath rakhne ke liye… mujhe mera Yahudi-pan
ka upyog kana padaa… Lekin… wo dhong nahi thha…
Meri Ma ka janm Yahudi parivar mein hua thha… aur Yahudi

riwaaz mein… bachcho ko Ma ka mazhab milta hai… Mera beech ka
naam “Dayan” hai… jo Yahudi naam hai… Iss liye, takneeki
(technical) roop se, mai Yahudi hu…
R-MOTHER
Yahudi ghar mein janm honay se hi koi sachcha Yahudi nahi ban
jaata…
ANIKA
Mussalman ghar mein janm honay se hi… kya koi sachcha
Mussalman ban jaata…??
R-MOTHER
Lekin… tum sab log… dil-o-dimaag se Hindu ho…
ANIKA
Ammi, har Hindustaani ke andhar… kahi na kahi… thodi
siHindutvatoh hai hi…
R-MOTHER
Hindutva? Bilkul nahi… Mai Hindutva ke khilaaf hu…
ANIKA
Ammi, agar aapko ‘Hindutva’ shabd pasand nahi hai,
‘Bharatiyata’ toh bol sakte hai, na. Aap kab tak “hum alag
hai, hum alag hai” sochte rahege… Bharatiyata mein seemeet ho
jaaiye…
R-MOTHER
Raja ne tumhe kaha nahi… tumhari ye debate ki aadat mere saath
nahi chalegi?
ANIKA
Debate ho ya Qawwali. Soch prakat karne ka maadhyam hi toh hai
na? Mai aapko meri soch bol rahi hu…
R-MOTHER
Aur meri soch ye hai ki… Beimaaniaaj chal sakta ha…lekin
Qayamat ke din, Allah ke saamne nahi chalega… Allah ke saamne
tum apne aap ko Yahudi saabit nahi kar paaogi…
Phir Allah tumhe jahannam bhej dega… Bhadakti hui aag mein
jalti rahogi… tumhari ungliya kaat di jayegi… Tumhara chamda
jal jaayega, toh wapas naya chamda aa jaayega, taaki tum jalti
raho… jalti rahogi… hamesha ke liye… cheekho-gi chillaao-gi…
lekin koi tumhara nahi sunega…
Behtar hai… Anika… tum Islam qabool karo lo… aur zannat mein
apna ‘luxury’ kamra book kar lo…
ANIKA
Mera soch alag hai?
R-MOTHER
Tumhari ye Kaafiri soch mujhe bilkul pasand nahi hai…
ANIKA
(firmly)
Ammi, aap Raja ki Ma hai… Aap meri Maa jaisi hai… Mai aapki
bahut izzat karti hu… Lekin aap please… mujhe Kaafir mat
kahiye…
SHOT: Anika (look of defiance).
R-MOTHER
(softening her tone)
Arre beti… Kaafir ka matlab kya hai, jaanti ho?
ANIKA
Aap boliye.
R-MOTHER
(nicely)
Kaafir ka matlab hai… ‘jo inkaar karta hai’… Tum hamare mazhab
inkaar karti ho, iss liye tum hamare liye Kaafir ho. Hum
tumhare mazhab inkaar karte hai, iss liye hum tumhare liye
Kaafir hai. Hum dono ek doosre ke liye Kaafir hai.
ANIKA
(sternly)
Ammi… Ye karela mein shakkar daalna jaisa hua. Aap jaante hai
Kaafir ek gaali jaisa shabd hai.Kaafir ko neech maana jaata
hai… Shariat mein, Kaafir ko Mussalman ke saamne dabke rahna
hai… Kaafir utna hi haq ka laayak hai, jitna uski taraf
fekaajaaega. Aur wo haq bhi kabhi bhi chheen liya jaa sakta
hai.
Mai aapse haath jodke bol rahi hu (joins her hands)… aap mujhe
phir se kabhi Kaafir nahi bolege.
Anika gets up and MARCHES out of frame.
Camera ZOOMS into R-Mother. She seems CHALLENGED.
(INTERVAL?)
SCENE 16
INT. RAJA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.
Camera pans to Raja and Anika in BED.
RAJA
(sternly)
Ammi mujhe sab bol di…
ANIKA
(sarcastic)
Bol di?
RAJA
Kyo na bolegi? Tum mazhab leke chheda-taani kar rahi ho…
ANIKA
Mai kuch chheda-taani nahi ki… Ammi ne hi Guddi ki shaadi ka
zikr ki thhi…
RAJA
Dekho Anika, tum Guddi ko apne bhai ke saath fasaane ki
saazish mat karna…
ANIKA
(shocked)
Saazish? Tum mazaak kar rahe ho kya?
RAJA
(after a pause)
Humay agar Allah ke duniya mein rehna hai, to Allah ka kaanoon
maanke rehna padega… Muslim ladki koi bhi gair-Musalman se
saath nikah nahi kar sakti hai… Woh ‘zinna’ hoga… Paap hoga…
ANIKA
(hesitantly)
Raja, humare shaadi ke pehle, hum kuch doh saal har doosre-
teesre din milte thhe, aur phone mein to roj hi baat hota
thha… lekin tumhare zabaan mein ‘Allah’ shabd kabhi nahi aya
thha…
SHOT: Raja (sharp look at her)
RAJA
Tum bolna kya chaahti ho?
ANIKA
Samjhe nahi?
Raja springs out of bed.

RAJA
(angry)
Tum yehi kehna chahti ho na… ki mai tumse chupaya thha ki mai
Mussalman hu… Yehi tumhara matlab hai, na?
Anika STARES at Raja.
ANIKA
Mera matlab kya hai… ab kya bolu… jab mai tumhare saath roj
raat sotibhirahi hu….
RAJA
Anika… mooh band… bilkul band… Yeh college ka debating group
nahi hai… Mard, momin aur tumhara shohar honay ke haisiyat se…
mein tumhe HUQM de raha hu… ki tum iss ghar mein apni AUKAAD
mein rahogi…
SHOT: Anika has a dazed look.
INTERVAL
POST-INTERVAL
SCENE 16 (continued)
Repeat the last shot before interval

RAJA
Anika… mooh band… bilkul band… Yeh college ka debating group
nahi hai… Mard, momin aur tumhara shohar honay ke haisiyat se…
mein tumhe HUQM de raha hu… ki tum iss ghar mein apni AUKAAD
mein rahogi…
SHOT: Anika has a dazed look.

End of repeat
ANIKA
(after a pause)
Mera aukaad kya hai, momin saahab?
Raja ANGRILY grabs his pillow from the bed and walks out of
the bedroom, BANGING the door shut behind him.
CAMERA zooms into Anika. She is TENSE.
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: Small passage in the house. R-Mother in the passage. She

walks into the drawing room.
SOUND: Islamic IZAAN (prayer call) in the background

THROUGHOUT this portion of the scene.
SHOT: R-Mother stops; she looks shocked.
SHOT: Raja is asleep on sofa. R-Mother walks into the frame.

Stands and watches. From behind, Guddi comes (slow motion) and
stands next to her mother.
SHOT: Raja asleep on sofa.
SHOT: R-Mother and Guddi… Now Anika slowly walks (slow motion)
into the frame. All three are watching.
SHOT: Raja asleep on sofa. The three women have their BACKS to
the camera.
SHOT: R-Mother and Guddi stare at Anika as if she is guilty.

INTERVAL
Continue from above:
Anika slowly goes (slow motion) towards the sofa where Raja is
asleep. Anika stoops down.
SHOT (CLOSE): Anika looking at the asleep Raja.
ANIKA
(softly)
Raja… Raja…
Raja slowly wakes up.
SHOT: Raja opens his eyes.
SHOT: Anika bending at Raja.
ANIKA
Raja… uttho… I am sorry… Mujhe maaf kar do…
SHOT: Raja.
RAJA
(gets up and rubs his eyes)
I too am sorry… Mujhe bhi maaf kar doh.
SHOT: R-Mother and Guddi.
SHOT: Raja stands up. Anika too stands up. We can see R-Mother
and Guddi with their backs to the camera. Raja takes the
pillow and walks past his mother and Guddi (they watch him as
he moves out of frame); Anika FOLLOWS Raja; Guddi and her
mother look at each other. (This whole shot in slow motion)
SOUND: Izaan fades out in sync with the scene.

SCENE 17
INT. Raja’s house. Drawing room. MORNING (time to leave for

office).
Raja, ready for office, is tying his shoe lace. Guddi enters
frame, ready to leave for college. They both leave together.
SHOT: Anikasheepishlyfollows them to the door.
SHOT (from outside the flat): Anika inside the flat, at the
open door.
SHOT: Guddi and Raja walking away.
SHOT: (from outside the flat): Anika still at the open door.
SHOT: (from inside the flat): Guddi and Raja walking away.
Raja DOES NOT turn back atAnika. As he goes out of the frame,
Guddi turns back and SIGNALS ‘bye’to Anika.
SHOT: Anika signals ‘bye’ at Guddi and then SLOWLY SHUTS the
door. TURNS her back to the closed door, LEANS on it, looks
upward, takes a deep breath (she looks SAD).
R-Mother WALKS into the frame.
R-MOTHER
(very kindly)
Anika… dekho… har ghar mein miya-biwi… saas-bahu… mein thodi
si (or thoda sa?)anbann hoti(or hota?) hai… Niraash mat hona…
SHOT (OTS, Anika and R-Mother’s shoulders): Anika lowers her

eyes (she was gazing upward)and looks...
SHOT: Anika and R-Mother.
R-MOTHER
(kindly)
Hum namaaz mein bolte hai… “Allah… tu humay sahi raaste mein
rakh… jaha tu (complete this sentence with Shaukat’s help)… Tu
humay uss raaste mein mat le jispar tu zulm karta hai…”
Anika, tum uss raaste mein ho, jaha Allah zulm karta hai… Uss
raaste se nikal aao… Hamari seedhi aur sahi raaste mein aa
jaao, tumhe hidayat milegi… sab thik ho jayega… Yaha bhi… aur
(looking heavenward) wahaa bhi… Allah tumpar zulm karna band
kar dega.
ANIKA
Allah mujhpar zulm kar raha hai… ya insaan?
SHOT: R-Mother throws a disapprovinglook at her.
SHOT (OTS):(Anika and R-Mother)
ANIKA
Mere raaste mein kya galat hai?
R-MOTHER
Tum ‘Tawheed’ mein nahi maanti ho… Tum Allah ko ek nahi maanti
ho.
Zaraa socho… Tum Raja ki biwi ho… Uska kamaai se tum khaati
ho…
SHOT: Anika with a protesting look; but doesn’t say anything.
R-MOTHER
(continuing)
…aur agar tum Raja ke badle koidoosremard ko… apni jawaani ka
raspeenay deti ho…
SHOT: Anika winces
R-MOTHER
(continuing)
…toh… kya Raja ko gussa nahi aayega?
Ussi tarah, tum Allah ke duniya mein rehkar bhi Allah ki

ibaadat nahi karti… kisi aur ko pujti ho… toh, Allah ko gussa
nahi aayega? Kya tum par zulm nahi karega?
ANIKA
Agar Allah aur Bhagwan ek hi hai, to aapki ye galat faimi hai
ki mai Ek Bhagwan mein nahi maanti hu… Bhagwan ek hi hai… Mai
maanti hu…Sab shaastro mein bhi yehi likha hai…
R-MOTHER
Agar ek Bhagwan mein maanti ho, toh itne saare devi devtao ki
pujakyu karte ho tum log?
ANIKA
Devi devtayen Bhagwan nahi hai… Woh bhi hum jaise hi jeev hai…
srif unka aayu aur Shakti humsay zyada hai… Aur humay unki
vardaan ki zaroorat padti hai. Iss liye hum unko prassana
karte hai… puja karke… mantra bolke… yagya karke… aarti karke.
R-MOTHER
Apne zaroorato ke liye,EK ALLAH se kyu nahi vardaan maangti
ho?
ANIKA
Ammi, aap toh Reliance Industries ka naam sune ho?
R-MOTHER
Ha, suni hu. Wo Jio phone dene waale. Ek bahut bada company
hai. Jaanti hu.
ANIKA
Uss company ka pramukh kaun hai?
R-MOTHER
Er… Ambani naam ka ek aadmi.
ANIKA
Uska naam hai Mukesh Ambani (should we name him?). Ammi, maan
lo aap Reliance Industries mein naukri karti ho…
SHOT: R-Mother waiting to hear next.
ANIKA
Aur aapko… company se kuch madad chahiye… jaise ki kucch
advance, jo aapke tankhe se ‘adjust’ hota rahega…
SHOT: R-Mother.
ANIKA
Toh… aap advance ke liye… kisko darkhaast karege? Seedha
Mukesh Ambani ko… ya aapke ‘department manager’ ko…?
SHOT:??
R-MOTHER
Aise baat ke liye toh mai mere department manager ko approach
karugi… Ambani ko nahi.
ANIKA
Kyo? Aap toh jaante hai ki company ka pramukh Mukesh Ambani
hai, jab ki… aapka department manager aap jaisa hi ek
karmachari hai… Bas, aapse thoda senior hai…
SHOT: R-Mother
ANIKA
Aap samajh gaye na? Maalik to ek hai… Lekin hamare zindagi
guzaar ne ke liye… jo madad ki zaroorat hoti hai… wo hum devi
devtao se maangte hai… unnhey prasanna karke…
Wo ek Bhagwan ne hi toh wo anek devi devataoko banaya hai…

jaise Ambani ke company mein Ambani hi anek managersko rakha
hai, alag alag zimmedaari nibhane ke liye…
R-MOTHER
(laughing)
Hahaha… tum ek aadmi ko Allah ke saath tulna karti ho… Issi
liye toh… tum log…
ANIKA
(interrupting)
Aap hi toh, kuch hi shhann pahle, Raja ko Allah ke saath tulna
kiye…
R-MOTHER
Wo toh maimisaal ki taur mein ki.
ANIKA
Mai bhi Bhagwan ka tulna ek company ke maalik se, misaal ki
taur mein ki.
R-MOTHER
Lekin… Jab Ved mein likha hai ki Bhagwan ek hai, toh itne
saare devi devtao ka puja karna… Ved ke khilaaf kyo jaati ho?
ANIKA
Ammi, aap chaaro Ved padeyhai kya?
R-MOTHER
Nahi. Chaaro Ved padne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Doctorsaheb ke
videos hi kaafi hai.
Anika
Doctorsaheb… Jo aap sabke saamne mujhe zaleel karke gaya? Huh…
Khair… Ved mai bhi nahi padi hu… Ved padna aur samajhna sabki
bas ki baat nahi hai… Lekin itna jaan-na mushkil nahi hai… ki
ssare Ved devi devtaao ko prasanna karne ke baare mai hi hai…
Kis zaroorat ke liye, kis devi devata ko prasaana kare… Kaunsa

yagya kare… Kaunsa mantra bola jaaye… ityadi… yehi sab Ved
mein hai.
Toh aap kaise kah sakte hai ki Ved devi devatao ko

prasannakarne se manaa karta hai? Kaun diya hai ye aapko ye
kachcha gyan?
R-MOTHER
Kachcha ya pakka, mujhe maaloom nahi… lekin mai Aamir Khan ka
picture ‘PK’ dekhi hu… Usme puchcha gaya hai… tum log murti
puja kyo karte ho?
ANIKA
Aamir Khan ka picture dekh ke… aap Hindu Dharm samajh gaye?
SHOT: R-Mother (gulps)
R-MOTHER
Kya ye sach nahi hai ki Ved mein kaha gaya hai ki… Bhagwan ka
koi pratima nahi hai… Toh tum bhagwan ka pratima kyo banate
ho… murti kyu banate ho?
ANIKA
Ha… Ved kahta hai ki Bhagwan ka koi pratima nahi hai… Lekin,
Ved kya ye kahta hai ki… hum Bhagwan ka ek roop kalpana nahi
kar sakte? Aur uss kalpana ko vastu se aaakar hai de sakte?
Vastu se diya gaya aakar ko hum murti kehte hai.
Aur mujhe maaloom hai… murti puja kyu kita jaata hai…
R-MOTHER
Kyo?
ANIKA
Ammi… dhyan se suniye, mai kya bol rahi hu…
(goes philosophical)
(This is a long dialogue. Must be interspersed with

appropriate shots of others listening attentively. Some stills
may be inserted to illustrate what Anika is saying. In such
case, only her voice should be audible (in background only).
ANIKA
(continuing)
Iss shrishti mein… ‘spiritual energy’… yaani adhyatmik
Shakti…faila hua hai… Jab hum puja, paatth, mantra,aarti karte
hai… shankh-naad karte hai… yeh sab awaz milkay… vatavaran
mein seemit adhyatmik Shakti thoda saa uttejeet … thoda sa
‘activate’ … hota jaata hai.
Humare sharir aur murti… iss uttejeetShakti ko thoda sa

seechta(absorb) hai… jaisa sponge paani ko seechta hai…
Iss tarah, humay aur murti, aur paas ke cheezo ko, thodi si
“extra” Shakti milta hai… Puja paatth ke baad, hum chalna
firna, baat karna, kaam karna, shuru kar dete hai… aur wo
‘extra’ Shakti humsay jald hi bichchad jaata hai… jaise sponge
hilaaney se, usme seecha hua paani bichchad jaata hai…
Lekin murti hilta nahi hai…
Murti mein jo extra adhyatmik Shakti ‘invest’ hota hai…

womurti mein hi kaafi der tak nivesh(invested) rehta hai… Har
Puja-paath ke baad usmay thodi si zyada Shakti nivesh hota
hai… Aur wo murti dheeray-dheerey Shakti ka ek bhandar-jaisa
ban jaata hai…
Phir, jab koi bhi manushya, us murti ke paas… bhakti se aaye…
ussay chhuay… to murti mein jo Shakti nivesh hai… thoda sa
wahi Shakti uss manushya ko sanchaarit hota hai… “transmit”
hota hai… Iss liye, murti puja aur murti darshankarne se…
humay ‘extra’ adhyatmik Shakti milta hai… aur murti mein jamaa
hua Shakti bhi renew hota rehta hai hai…
R-MOTHER
Hahaha… Ye tumhara “adhyatmik Shakti” kisi vaigyanik se nahi
kehna; tumpar hasega.
ANIKA
Ammi, ‘aadhyatmik shakti’ ka ‘concept’ (Hindi word?) Islam
mein bhi hai. Islam mein ussay ‘Baraakah’ bolte hai.
Toh… agar ‘adhyatmik shakti’ sunke vaigyanik hasega… toh…

Islami concept ‘Baraakah’ sunke bhi… vaigyanik utna hi hasega.
R-MOTHER
Ye Baraakah shabd mai ek-aad baar suni hu, lekin iska matlab
nahi samjhi.
ANIKA
Aap thoda ‘research’ kijiye… Barakah ke baare mein.Aap samajh
jaayege ki Baraakah wahi Shakti hai… jisay Vedic bhaasha mein
Adhyatmik Shakti kehte hai.
Rajkumar Hirani bhi ispar thoda sa research kiya hota…
R-MOTHER
Kaun hai wo?
ANIKA
Aamir Khan ka picture ‘PK’ ka director.

SCENE 18
INT. DRAWING ROOM OF R-HOUSE. DAY.
SHOT: Raja.
CAMERA PULL: Anika, R-Mother and Guddi (with mobile phone in
hand) come in frame. Raja is in the CENTRE. Atmosphere TENSE.
Give a few seconds of hard looks on Raja’s face… looks of
worry on Guddi’s face… nervousness on Anika’s face… ‘now look
what awaits you’ kind of attitude on R-Mother’s face.
RAJA
To iss ghar mein Hindutva failaya ja raha hai?
SHOT: Anika (look of guilt).
SHOT: All of them in frame.
RAJA
(continuing)
Anika ka bas chaley, to yaha gai paalna shuru kar degi.
Humaygo-mutra pinay bolegi…
SHOT: Guddi.
SHOT: Anika (shaking her head)
ANIKA
Tumne go-mutra ka zikr kiya… Toh mera ye haq banta hai… ki…
mai jawab du.
Praachin kaal se, Bharat mein go-mutra ek dawa mana jaata hai…
Aaj bhi kayi log usay dawa samajh ke peetey hai… Koi kharab
side-effect report nahi hua hai…
RAJA
(scoffing)
Hahahaha… mutra ko dawa maana jaata hai… Hahahaha…
SHOT: R-Mother too laughs, but not as loudly as Raja.
SHOT: Guddi (uncomfortable look)
ANIKA
Aap log has rahe hai? Jaante nahi… Islam mein bhi toh…
R-MOTHER
(sarcastically)
Islam mein kya? Go mutra ko dawa mana jaata hai?
ANIKA
Go-mutra nahi; ooth mutra ko.
RAJA
Bakwas band karo…
ANIKA
Aap log jaante nahi hai… Paigambar Muhammad khud kahe hai ki
ooth ka doodh aur ooth ka mutra dawa hai…
RAJA
Islammein nahi kaha gaya hai ki ooth mutra dawa hai… Tum jhoot
bol rahi ho.
ANIKA
(to Guddi)
Guddi… tum wo hadees ke number note kiye ho kya?
Guddi
(fearfully)
Ha
(searches her mobile)
Ha… yaha hai…
Sahi Bukhari, hadeeth number 2,855, aur Sahi Muslim hadeeth
number 1,671, mein Paigambar Muhammad khud kahe hai ki ooth ka
doodh aur ooth ka MUTRA dawa hai… Aap Sahi Bukhari aur Sahi
Muslim mein check kar sakteho, Bhaijaan…
MUSIC of “revelation”.
R-MOTHER
(looks angrily at Guddi)
(then addresses Anika)
Lekin tum Gai ko Mata maante ho… Ek janwar insaan ki Mata
kaise ho sakti hai?
SHOT: Guddi shaking her head.
ANIKA
Ammi, Duniya ka sabse bada bewkoof bhi jaanta hai… ki… Gai
hamari shaaririk Mata nahi hai… Lekin Gai ko Mata ka padwi
diya gaya hai… taaki hum Gai ki izzat kar re…
R-MOTHER
Hahaha… tum maanti ho Gai tumhari mata nahi hai… phir bhi Mata
ki izzat deti ho? Kya ulta-sulta bak rahi ho?
ANIKA
Gai Mata nahi hai, Mata jaisi hai…ye ehsaas karne ki baat hai…
samajhne ki baat hai, Ammi.
R-MOTHER
Isme samajhne ki kya baat hai?
ANIKA
(to R-Mother)
Mai samjha rahi hu.
(suddenly screams {almost})

Arre Ammi… aap ke pair ke talley kya hai? Jaldi dikhaiyye toh…
R-MOTHER
(gets scared; looks at her feet; feet moving up and down)
Kya hai… Kya hai?
ANIKA
(still loud voice)
Guddi… zaraa dekho toh… tumhari Ammi ke pair ke talley kya
hai? Raja… dekho toh…
Guddi and Raja act fast.
RAJA
Kya hai… aapke pair ke nichay? Baithiye toh….
(to Guddi)
Guddi… wo kursi laao toh.
Guddi rushes to get a chair.
GUDDI, ANIKA & RAJA

Ammi… baithiye… toh
ANIKA
Zaraa pair utthaiye toh…
Raja and Guddi squat on the floor and examine her underfoot.
ANIKA
(continuing; to Guddi and Raja)
Kya dekh rahe ho? Kuch khaas nahi?
(to R-Mother)
Ammi… zaraa wo paid dikhaiyye toh…
R-MOTHER
(as she shows her other feet to camera)
Kya hai?
Raja shows that he is convinced Anika is playing mischief. He

gets up from the floor with a stern face. Guddi is still
siting on floor and looks at Anika. R-Mother shows relief.
RAJA
Ye kya tamasha hai?
ANIKA
Tamasha? Tum dono ko apni Ammi ke pair ke talle kuch khaas
nahi dikha? Srif chamda dikha?
Guddi gets up from the floor. R-Mother too gets up from chair.
GUDDI
Anika… mai samjhi nahi… tum kya….
ANIKA
Ammi toh meri maa-jaisi hai, lekin tum dono ki toh… Maa hi hai
na… Phir bhi… tumhe unki pair ke talley kuch khaas nai dikhai
diya?
GUDDI
Nahi…
ANIKA
Lekin hadith(or Quran?)mein to kaha gaya hai… ki… Maa ki pair
ke talley zannat hai… Tumhe zannat nahi dikhayi di?
SHOT: Guddi amused, but suppresses her laugh.Gets up from the

floor.
GUDDI
Anika, tum kaunsi hadeeth mai ye padi ho?
ANIKA
(after fiddling on her mobile phone)
Sunaa Al-Nasai… Kitab number 25, hadeeth number 3,104.
ANIKA
Ha, Ammi, yehadith(?) ke anusaar… Maa ki pair ke talley zannat
hai… Lekin aapki khudkebachcho ko koi zannat nahi dikhaayi
diya… Kya aap unke sachmuch ke Maa nahi hai?
RAJA
(angry)
Zabaan par lagam doh, Anika.
R-MOTHER
(angrily; walks a little distance; turns at the camera)
Arre, humsay nafrat karne waali ladki, Maa ke pair ke talley
zannat hai… iska matlab nahi ki sachmuch ka zannat hai…. Iska
matlab hai:Maa ki izzat karo, Ma ki sewa karo… Aisa karne-se
Allah prasanna hota hai… Ye toh samajhne ki baat hai…
ANIKA
(opening her eyes wide)
Haaaaaa… Ussi tarah… ye bhi samajhne ki baat hai ki jab… hum
Gai ko mata kehte hai… iska matlab ye nahi ki hum Gai ki kokh
se janme hai… Iska matlab hai ki Gai ki samman karo…, Gai ki
sewa karo…. Iss-say Bhagwan Shree Krishnaprasanna hotay hai…
SHOT: Guddi very amused.
R-MOTHER
(‘winning’ tone)
Samman karu? Hum toh Gai ki maas bhi khaa sakte hai… Bolo toh
tumhay bhi khilaa de?
SHOT: Guddi; look of disapproval.
GUDDI
Ammi, ye kaisi baat kar rahi ho? Hum gaai ki maas kaha khaatey
hai?
ANIKA
Jaane doh, Guddi. Tum bholi ho.
(to R-Mother)
Ammi… Islam mein kahi bhi nahi kaha gaya hai ki… gai ki maas
khaney layak hai… ye kahi bhi nahi likha hai.
RAJA
Tum kya jaanti ho? Quran ke doosre sura mein hi ek gai ka
qurbani diya gaya hai…
ANIKA
Raja, Quran thik se pado… wo gai jiska qurbani diya gaya hai
Quran sura number doh mein… wo koi sadharan gai nahi thhi…
Uska chamda sonay jaisa thha… spotless, yaani

benishaan(?)thha… aur chamakta thha… Bahot dhoondne ke baad wo
gai mili… aur uska keemat sonay ke daam se tai hua…
Waisa koi gai duniya mein hai kya? Agar hai, toh bataao kaha
hai.
Aur wo sunahra gai ki qurbani uske maas khaane ke liye nahi

kiya gaya thha…
R-MOTHER
Toh kis liye kiya gaya thha?
ANIKA
Wo sunahra gai mein kuch rahasyawadi Shakti thhi… Uss Shakti
ka upyog karne ke liye, uski qurbani deni padi… uske maas
chabaane ke liye nahi…
R-MOTHER
Quran kehta gai ka maas haramnahihai; halal hai.
ANIKA
Halal ka matlab kya hai? Halal ka matlab hai, “anumati hai”…
permission hai, nishedh nahi hai… Har jo cheez ka anumati hai,
humay wo karna hihai kya?
Misaal ki taur mein, iss shahar ke kanoon ke anusaar, mujhe

anumati hai… ki… mai kisi bar mein jaao aur paach bottle beer
pekay ttoon ho jaau… Anumati hai, lekin mujhe ye karna hi hai
kya – is tarq par ki mujhe “anumati” (does quote signs with
fingers when she says “anumati”) hai?
Ammi… Quran Islam ki buniyad hai… lekin Quran hi kahta hai ki,
aapko Paigambar Muhammad ke sunnato par bhi chalna hai… Kehta
hai na?
R-MOTHER
Bilkul, kehta hai.
ANIKA
Toh… agar… kuch baaten Quran mein spasht nahi hai… toh aap
sunnato ki taraf kyu nahi dekhti ho?
R-MOTHER
Sunnato mein bhi aisa koi ishaara nahi hai jo gaikhane se
humay rokta hai. Maulviji kah rahe thhe… humare Paigambar khud
gai kaatey thhe aur us gai ki maas sweekar kiye thhe ki maas
kuch logo ne hamare Paigambar ko gai ka maas… unki biwiyo ke
liye… upahaar mein diye thhe…(This is to be throroughly
checked?)
ANIKA
Ha, mai wo hadeeth padi hu. Paigambar ko gai ka maas uphaar
mein mila thha… Lekin kya ye saaf hai ki wey…wo maas khaaye
thhe?… Ya unki biwiya khaai thhi? Kya ye saaf saaf likha hai?
R-MOTHER
Ye to jaahir hai ki… agar unhone woh maas sweekar kiye, toh
khaaey bhi hogay…(check?)
ANIKA
Jaahir nahi hai, Ammi… Kabhi kabhi aisa hamare saath bhi hota
hai na… ki… koi humay kuch upahaar de… aur hum sabhyata ke
liye ussay sweekar karte hai, lekin uska upyog nahi karte …
Aisa hota hai na, kabhi kabhi?
GUDDI
Ha ha.. hota hai… Ammi, aapko yaad hai na… ek-doh saal pehle…
Abbu keek dost aaye thhe, Saudi Arab se… aur mere liye ek
burqa ‘gift’ mein diye thhe… Mai wo ‘gift’ sweekar toh ki,
lekin ab tak kabhi pehni hu kya?
ANIKA
(does thumbs-up to Guddi)
Aur Ammi, Maulviji ne shayad aapko uss hadeeth ke baare mein
nahi bataya… jisme Paigambar Muhammad khud spasht… bilkul
spasht… 100% spasht… shabdo mein kehte hai ki Gai ka maas
khaaney se bimaari hoti hai…
Gai ka doodh aur doodh se baney huay padarth – jaise makkhan –
sehad ke liye achcha hai, lekin maas haanikaarak hai. Iska
matlab yahi hua na… gai ki maas mat khaao? Maulviji aapko is
hadeeth ke baare mein nahi kahey?
RAJA
Kaunsi hadeeth hai ye?
ANIKA
(after searching on her mobile phone)
“Musta-drak Al-Haakim” hadeeth collection.
RAJA
Wo Sahi hadith hai kya? Aise bahut saare hadith hai… jo sahi
nahi hai…
ANIKA
Sheikh Al Bayni(check name?) ne iss hadith ko Sahi hadith ka
darja diya hai. Phir bhi, chalo, man lo, ye sahi hadith nahi
hai. Lekin Sahi Bukhari aur Sahi Muslim toh sahi hai na?
R-MOTHER
Ha… hai… ye hamari sabse uchchi hadith hai.
ANIKA
Sahi Bukhari Kitab number 2, hadith number 45… AUR… Sahih
Muslim ke hadith number 1,599 – ya Kitab 22, hadith 133 – mein
Paigambar Muhammad khud kah rahe hai… ki…
Islam mein jo spasht halal hai, ussay maano… jo spasht haram

hai, ussay mat karo… Aur ye dono ke beech, kuch baatenaspasht
hai… Yeh aspasht baaten mat nibhao… ussay door rahne se hi
tumhari Islamiyat ki raksha hogi…
Aur… Quran aur sunnat ko milake hum ye bol sakte hai ki… gai
ka maas aapko khaana chahiye ya nahi… ye… aspasht hai.
Iss liye, aapko gaai ki maas khana nahi chahiye.
(as she starts walking away, she stops, turns back)
ANIKA
(continuing)
…Aur Raja, tumne pucha thha kya mai iss ghar mein Hindutva
failaa rahi hu? Hindutva toh saara Bharat mein failaa hua hai;
mujhe failaane ki kya zaroorat? Mai toh srif… Islami gyan de
rahi thhi… aap momino ko.
SHOTS: Angry faces of R-Mother and Raja; confused face of

Guddi.
SHOT: Anika confidently ambles out of the frame.

SCENE 19
Note: Anika must wear a saari throughout this scene.
INT. RAJA & ANIKA’S BEDROOM. Bluish-black scene (bestcolour

grading) TENSE ATMOSPHERE.
SHOT: Raja’s stern face.
SHOT: Anika’s softer face. Partly smiling.
RAJA
Tum hamare mazhab se nafrat kyu karti ho?
ANIKA
(after some silence)
Mujhe kisi ki mazhab se koi nahi hai.
Lekin… agar tum tumhare mazhab mujhpar thhopne ki koshish mein
lagey rahoge, aur mere vishwaaso ko tauheen karte rahoge, toh
mai… aagrah se virodh karti rahugi…
RAJA
Hum tumhe sahi raaste pe aane ki “dawah” de rahe hai. Qabool
karo… Isme mein tumhari bhalaai hai.
ANIKA
Tum aaj “dawah” de rahe ho… kyuki… aaj… tumhare paas siyasati
taaqat nahi hai… Kal agar tumhe siyasati taaqatmil jaaye, toh,
ye “dawah” jabardasti mein badal jaayega. Mai thodi bahot
itihaas padi hu…
RAJA
Iss ghar mein… maik akela mard hu… yaha mera raaj hai… Mai
tumpar jabardasti abhi bhi kar sakta hu…
Anika stares at him… in defiance.
RAJA
Parakhna chahti ho?
ANIKA
(after a thought)
Ha…
SHOT: Both on screen. Raja SLAPS her; hard.(slow motion)
SHOT: Anika; dazed. Touches her cheek. Wraps her saree

’aanchal’ around her waist.(slow motion)
SHOT: Both on screen. Anika raises her hand to slap Raja, but
Raja grabs her hand, so she is unable to slap him(slow motion
at start)
SHOT: Scuffle between them. We see Raja pulling Anika by her

hair. She tries to hit him, to free herself, but he overpowers
her.(mix of slow motion and normal)
ANIKA
(screaming; saari aanchal still around her waist)
Bachaao… Ammi… Guddi…
SHOT (inside the room): Anika opens the doors and runs out.
SHOT (slow motion) (outside the room): Anika running towards,

and into, the drawing room. Raja watches her from behind. R-
Mother and Guddi come out and rush to Anika. Guddi goes close
to Anika in sympathy.
ANIKA
(crying & angry; one cheek is RED; saari aanchal still around
her waist)
Ammi… Raja ne mujhe maara…
RAJA as he strides(like a monarch) into the drawing room.
R-MOTHER
Pehli baat pehle…
(to Raja)
Raja, tumne apne biwi ko maarne se pehle, ussay samjhane ki
koshish kiye thhe?
RAJA
Kayi baar.
R-MOTHER
Tumhari nahi suni, to tum ussay daattey thhe?
RAJA
Ha.
R-MOTHER
Phir bhi nahi sudri, toh tum tume ussay bistar se door rakhey
thhe?
RAJA
Ha, Ammi, us din… aap ne hi dekha na… mai iss kamre mein soya
thha… aur wo uss kamre mein thhi.
R-MOTHER
Ha… dekhi. Toh….
(turning at Anika)
…Anika, samjhane ke baad, daattne ke baad, bistar se door
rakhne ke baad bhi agar… uddand biwi nahi sudharti… toh ussay
maarne ka haq Allah ne mard ko diya hai, ye Quran mein bhi
likha hai… lekin itna zor se nahi ki ussay chot pahuche.
Tumhe, Raja ki pittaai se koi chot toh nahi aya na?
Anika’s saari aanchal still around her waist.
R-MOTHER
(continuing; looks at Anika’s cheek)
Gaal laal hua hai, lekin chot nahi lagi hai.
(casually)
Laali kuch minto mein hi nikal jaayega.
Achcha, beti, mai tumhe kayi baar boli hu… tum uss raaste
parho jaha Allah zulm hikarta hai… Galti tumhara nahi hai…
Galti uss raaste ka hai jispar tum chal rahi ho.
Akhbar nahi padti ho? Duniya mein kya ho raha hai, nahi jaanti
ho? San 2014 se 2017 tak, Iraq aur Syria ke kuch shahro mein
kya ho raha thha? Yazdi ladkiyo, aurato, bachcho aur mardo ke
saath?Tum nahi jaanti?
Doctorsaheb jab tumhari (nangi?)numaaish karne ka zikr kiye…

tum samjhe nahi… unka matlab kya thha?
ANIKA
(sobbing)
Mujhe maaloom hai, Ammi. Lekin Middle East ke kuch mulko mein
jo hua uss waqt… wo ghor apraadh thha…
R-MOTHER
Apraadh thha ya sahi thha… ye to nirbhar karta hai kaunsa
kaanoon kis waqt laagu hai.Siyasati taaqat ke saath-saath
shabdo ka matlab badalta hai… Jaise ki…
…ye shabd… “Fatwa”… Jab fatwa dene waalo ke paas siyasati

taqat nahihoti hai… toh unka Fatwa srif ek ‘raai’ hota hai… ek
‘vichar’… ek ‘opinion’.
Lekin… agar Fatwa dene waalo ko siyasati taaqat mil jaai, toh…
wahi Fatwa raato-raat ‘Huqm’ ban jaata hai…
ANIKA
Matlab… mai bharosa nahi kar sakti… kab ek ‘raai’ huqm mein
badal jaai?
(stern… killer’s look)
Bilkul nahi kar sakti.
SHOT: Anika; dazed look.
SHOT: Guddi.
GUDDI
Meri maano…
(to Anika & Raja)

Ye dharm-mazhab ke chakkar mein, hamare ghar mein kuch zahar-
sa faiil gaya hai… Raja aur Anika ke zindagi mein ab ek naya
mod ki zaroorat hai…
Suni hu… bachcha aata hai toh zindagi badal jaata hai… Miya-
biwi chhoti-moti jhagde bhool jaate hai…
Tum dono ab ma-baap ban jaao… Zindagi badal jaayegi.
R-MOTHER
Bachcha? Huh… Nikah ke gyarah mahine hog aye… ab bachcha ka
toh naam-o-nishaan nahi hai…
ANIKA
(interrupting Guddi)
Ammi… bachcha ka naam-o-nishaan ab tak nahi hai… kyuki hum
‘family planning’ kar rahe thhe… Raja ka hi faisla(mat?) thha.
SHOT: Raja, watching Anika intently.
ANIKA
(to Raja)
Raja… Tum bolo na… ye tumhara hi faisla thha ki hum ma-baap
banney ke liye tayyar nahi hai… Bolo na.
RAJA
(reluctantly)
Ha, ye sach hai.
ANIKA
(to R-Mother)
Ammi… jab hum ma-baap bann-ne ke liye tayyar hogay, aur phir
agar bachcha mere kokh mein nahi aaya… tab mai aur Raja zaroor
doctor dikhayege(is this correct phrase?)…
R-MOTHER
Raja doctor dikhayega? Mera beta ghaas-phoos khaake bada nahi
hua hai… Tumhe mere bete ki margdangi par shaq hai?
ANIKA
Ammi… Aapke bete ka mardaangi… mujhse achcha kya aapko maaloom
hai?
R-Mother looks stunned.
R-MOTHER
(approaching slowly but menacingly)
Tujh jaisi jaaheel shayad nahi samjhegi.
Hamare mein… ma-bete ka rishta paak hota hai… aur tu iss paak
rishta par kichad uchhaal rahi hai?
Neech ladki… Teri ye mazaal…
SHOT: R-Mother SLAPS Anika. Pulls her hair and pushes her.
Anika FALLS to the floor.(slow motion)
ANIKA
(crying in pain)
Ammi… ammi… mera matlab wo nahi thha… Mujhe maaro mat…
SHOT: Guddi springs into action. Rushes to protect Anika from

her mother.
RAJA
(as he tries to pull his mother away from Anika)
Ammi… jaane do… neech ko bhalle neech rehne ho…
GUDDI
(while protecting Anika)
(Guddi is SOBBING, crying like a CHILD)
Nahi… Ammi… Raja… Khuda ke liye… Allah ke liye… Bhagwan ke
liye… iss ladki par aur zulm mat karo… Issay aur zaleel mat
karo…
Anika… Ye ghar tumhare liye nark ban gaya hai… Yaha tumhari
jaan kobhi khatra hai… Tum… pleaseapne maaike chali jaao…
Please… Abhi chali jaao… Baaki ki baat baad mein dekhege…
RAJA
(yelling)
Socha thha ye gumrah jahil ko zannat ki raaste mein laauga.
Lekin ye jahannam ke hi layak hai. Ye rishta aur ttik nahi
sakta…
SHOT: Everyone looking at Raja… SILENCE.
RAJA
(still yelling)
Anika… Hamara rishta toot gaya hai. Mai iss waqt tumhe…
… talaaq de raha hu…
Talaaq
SHOT: Anika (still on floor)
RAJA
Talaaq
SHOT: Anika (still on floor)
RAJA
Talaaq
Talaaq
Talaaq
Talaaq
Doorbell rings.
SHOT: Anika, on floor; looks miserable. The words ‘Talaaq

Talaaq Talaaq’ ECHO for sometime.
SHOT: Raja walks to the door and opens it.
SHOT: One man (‘Other Man’) and one woman (‘Other Woman’).
Both have not been seen before. They have Muslim appearance.
‘OTHER MAN’
Itna shor-gul… Sab khairiyat toh hai?
RAJA
(to the new entrants)
Chahca… Chachi… Mai meri biwi to… soch samajhke… (panting; but
pretends not to be angry; but it is clear he is furious)
thande dimaag se Talaaq de raha hu.
Talaq, Talaq, Talaq
SHOT: The ‘Other Man’ and the ‘Other Woman’ stare… then look
at each other.
FADE OUTTO SCENE 20:

SCENE 20
Note: Anika should be wearing the same saree as in the

previous scene. She should look physically manhandled.
EXT. Roads. Traffic. Camera on a taxi (or autorickshaw?)

Evening.
Anika, dishevelled, is in the taxi. Sombre look.

Background audio: Prayer call.
PRAYER CALL
(in Arabic)
~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~
SHOT: Anika, sombre. We continue to hear the Arabic prayer

call in the background. Then the Arabic voice lowers and we
hear its Hindi translation superimposed over the Arabic
prayer.
BACKGROUND VOICE (MALE)

“Hey Allah… Humay uss raaste par rakh… jahaa tu sukh deta hai…
Humay uss rasste pe mat bhej jaha tu zulm karta hai…”
(Exact translation as well as the relevant Arabic prayer is
needed here)
Anika in frame. Arabic Prayer and superimposed Hindi

translation.
Taxi grinds to a halt.
SHOT: Outside of a police station.(no specific police station

will be shown)
SHOT: Anika still in taxi, peers out of the window.
SHOT: The words “Police Station” outside of the structure.
SHOT: Anika still in taxi. Goes a little dreamy.
SHOT: Anika still in taxi. Peers out of window.
SHOT: The words “Police Station” outside the structure.
SHOT: Anika; thoughtful.
SHOT: Anik’s hand touches the car door lock. Does not unlock.
SHOT: Anika; thoughtful.

SHOT: Anika moves her hand away from the car door lock.
ANIKA
(to taxi driver)
Bhaisaheb… Mujhe police station nahi jaana hai…. Matunga
chaliye.
TAXI DRIVER
Thhik hai, madam.
SHOT: Taxi starts. And proceeds.
SHOTS: Roads. Traffic. Taxi.
FADE OUT TO SCENE 21

SCENE 21
INT. ANIKA’s PARENTAL HOME. Night-ish.
SHOT: The usual establishing shot for Anika’s home. Some

general shots. Doorbell rings.
SHOT: A-Mother walks to open the door, looks through the

viewfinder.
A-MOTHER
(as she opens the door)
Anika aayi hai.
SHOT: Close-up of A-Mother. She looks up and down.
SHOT: Anika, dishevelled, outside the flat. Camera pans her

vertically. She is carrying a suitcase.
SHOT: A-Mother (shocked look). CAMERA PULLS BACK as she makes

way for Anika to enter. Anika enters. Her mother shuts the
door. Anika walks a little into the house and stops. Keeps the
suitcase on floor. Her mother walks a little ahead of where
Anika is standing.
SHOT: Anika is facing the camera. Her parents are

approximately facing her.
ANIKA
(sombre look)
Raja ne… mujhe… talaaq de diya.
SHOT: A-Father, shocked.
SHOT: A-Mother, shocked.
SHOT: Anika picks up her suitcase and walks into the flat and
goes out of the frame. Her father SIGNALS to his wife as if
saying “jaao, andhar jaao, pacify her…” A-Mother walks the
same direction in which Anika walked and goes out of the
frame.
SHOT: A-Father (medium-to-close shot). He shakes his head,

suggesting that it is not a big problem in his estimate.
SHOT: A-Mother knocking on the door of Anika’s room.
A-MOTHER
Anika… darwaza kholo…
SHOT: Anika opens the door.

SHOT:(OTS. Anika facing camera; her mother’s shoulders from
back).
ANIKA
Maa, mujhe akela chhodo… Sab bolugi baad mein…
Anika shuts the door softly; we hear the sound of it being

latched from inside.
Anika’s phone rings.
ANIKA
(into the phone)
Ha Prakash…
PRAKASH
(look of concern)
Kya ho raha hai…?
ANIKA
Bas… sab thhik hai… Mai Ma-Baba ke saath hu… Kuch din yaha
rahugi…
PRAKASH
Sab khairiyat to hai na…?
ANIKA
(gulps; defsnsively)
Ha ha… sab khairiyat hai.
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: A-Mother. Lost in thought; very concerned look. Walks

away.
SHOT: A-Father. His wife walks in. They stare at each other.
Both have worried looks.

SCENE 22
(song may be cancelled)
INT/EXT. Song (background) sequence. Special effects. Surreal.

Night / Day / Bluish dark.Good colour grading will be required
for this scene.
Character: Anika.
SHOTS: Appropriate to create a tense atmosphere.
SONG
(background)
Kya samai thham gaya…

Kya waqt ruk gaya…?
Ghadi toh chal rahi hai…

Mera jeewan kyu ruk gaya…?
==
Panchchi udd gaye…

Shahar bhi so gaya…
Meri neend bhi kya mujhe…

Talaaq de diya…?

Kya waqt ruk gaya…
===
Raat guzar gayi…

Shahar bhi jaag uttha…
Duniya toh hai wahi…

Wo kyo badal gaya…?

Kya waqt ruk gaya…
La la la la…
~~~~~

SCENE 23
INT. ANIKA’S HOUSE. MORNING.
Characters: Anika and her parents.
SHOT: A-Father and A-Mother.
A-MOTHER
Teen din beeet gaye…
A-FATHER
Hmm… Raja ke Pitaaji toh Dubai mein hai… Phir bhi wo zaroor
jaan gaye hogay… phone kar sakte thhe… lekin kiye nahi…
A-MOTHER
Ho sakta hai, kisine unko bataaya nahi…
A-FATHER
Ho sakta hai… Lekin…
A-MOTHER
Guddi toh Anika ko… roj phone kar rahi hai…
A-FATHER
(surprised)
Tumne mujhe bataya nahi…
A-MOTHER
Iss ghar mein… aaj kal… kaun kiss-say baat karta hai?
A-FATHER
Guddi kya bol rahi hai?
A-MOTHER
Boli… jis din Anika ko… maarke… ghar se nikala gaya, ussi raat
ko Raja ki Ammika blood pressure high ho gaya… aur ussey
hospital mein admit karna padaa… Doh din baad ussay discharge
kiye, lekin pehle jaisa nahi hai… Ab bahut pachchtaati hai…
aur “ashtag-firullah, ashtag-firullah” bolti rahi hai…
A-FATHER
Uska matlab kya hai?
A-MOTHER
Uska matlab hai, Allah, mujhe maaf kar…
SHOT: A-Father is quiet.
A-FATHER
Raja ka kya kehna hai?
A-MOTHER
Guddi ke anusaar… wo bhi bahut pachchtaa raha hai… Kayi baar
wo bhi “ashtag-firullah” bolta rahta hai…
(pause)
… aur chahta hai… ki Anika wapas aaye…
SHOT: A-Father, confused.
A-MOTHER
(continuing)
…Lagta hai… wo aaj kal mein Anika ko phone karega… aur yaha
aakey ussay wapas le jaayega…
A-FATHER
Anika wapas jaane ke liye raazi hai?
A-MOTHER
Maaloom nahi…
Prakash ka phone aaya thha… Anika nahi chaahti ussay ab iss

ghatna ke baare mein hum kuch bolay… Wo disturb ho jaayega…
aur kaam mein man nahi lagaa payega…
A-FATHER
Ha… Prakash ko ab kuch mat bolna.
Anika walks into the frame, speaking on mobile. She has

INTERRUPTED the conversation between her parents.
ANIKA
(standing; talking into the phone as her parents watch)
Dekho Raja, mai abhi kuch nahi kah sakti… Mai bahut confused
hu…
(pause)
Raja, shariat ke anusaar… iddat ke teen mahine haath mein hai…
sochugi… tum bhi sochna…
(disconnects)
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father are looking at Anika in

anticipation of her to talk.
ANIKA
(as she sits)
Raja ko Saudi Arabia mein naukri mil gaya hai. Pehle hi mil
gaya thha, lekin kisiko bola nahi… apne ghar mein bhi… Visa
kal aaya… Aaj sham ko uska flight hai.
SHOT: A-Mother, blank look.

SHOT: A-Father, blank look.
A-FATHER
Saudi Arabia mein kaha naukri mili hai?
ANIKA
Jeddah.
(pause)
Raja bahot maafi maanga…
Bola visa aaney mein der ho raha thha, iss liye ‘tension’ mein
thha… Aur…
(pause)
… bola… usne jo talaaq diya hai… wo kachcha talaaq hai… Teen
mahine… jissay arabi mein “iddat” bolte hai… ye teen mahiney
ke andar wo chhutti leke aayega… aur mujhe “rujju” kar lega…
matlab, mujhe waapas le lega…
A-FATHER
Tum uske paas wapas jaana chaahogi?
ANIKA
(after some silence)
Mai usaay bolina… Sochugi… aur tum bhi sochna… Teen mahine
haath mein hai.
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father(zoom in)

SCENE 24
(includes an insert)
INT/EXT. Various. Day / Night.
Characters: Anika, Raja (always on phone in this scene), A-

Mother and A-Father. There has to be the samedesk calendaras
before on the table in Anika’s room.
LOCATIONS: Anika’s house, Raja’s house, a Saudi location.
AUDIO: Background music… ‘Samai ka dhaara behta jaaye...’

(TRACK only).
SHOTS showing Anika doing different things… interspersed with

telephone talks with Raja. Nights, days, dawns, dusks, sun,
moon and other shots indicating passage of time.
In between general shots:
Anika. Her phone rings. She looks at the display and answers
the call.
INTERCUT
RAJA
(on phone; regretful tone)
Anika… mai tumhara gunehgaar hu… Mujhe maaf kar doh…
INTERCUT
Anika disconnects, without answering.
SHOTS continue. Music track continues.

INSERT
INT. Raja’s house. R-Mother in BED. Guddi walks in.
GUDDI
(giving medicine to her mother)
Ammi… dawa le lo…
R-MOTHER
(after taking the medicine, then some water).
Beti, mujhe Quran laa de na…
GUDDI
Nahaai bigar Quran padogi?
R-MOTHER
Agar srif riwaaz nibhaaney ke liye Quran padna hai, jaise mai
ab tak karti aayi hu, toh, ha, nahaana zaroori hai. Lekin… ab
mujhe Islam samajhne ke liye Quran padna hai… khullay dimaag
se… iske liye riwaaz nibhaane ki zaroorat nahi hai. La de toh
Quran…
Guddi walks away and soon returns with Quran in hand.
GUDDI
(respectfully holding Quran in both hands)
Ye lo, Ammi.
R-Mother takes the Quran, opens it, and starts reading.
END OF INSERT
BACK TO SCENE
RAJA
(on phone; regretful tone)
Anika…
ANIKA
Hmm…
RAJA
Mai teen mahine mein chutti leke aa raha hu… Hum wapas se…
ANIKA
(interrupting)
Teen mahine… kaafi time hai…
(disconnects)
SHOTS continue. Music track continues.
SHOT: Anika flips over a leaf of the desk calendar. Suggesting

one month has passed.
SHOT: Anika in bed. Background music continues. Sign of

loneliness on Anika’s face. Her phone rings. She looks at the
phone and answers.
ANIKA
(softer attitude)
Ha Raja… Kaise ho?
RAJA
Achcha nahi… Kaam mein dil nahi lag raha hai… Ye… ek… gunaah
ka ehsaas… mujhe khaaya jaa raha hai…
Anika and Raja continue talking; Anikais stiff-faced; Raja

(whenever he appears on screen) has sad, apologetic, look. We
don’t hear what they are saying. Music in the background. It
is clear that Anika, though stern, is softening her attitude.
SHOTS continue. Anika’s phone rings.
ANIKA
Ha Raja…
RAJA
Tum bolo na… Tumne mujhe maaf kar diya…
ANIKA
(sarcastic)
Momin ek kaafir se maafi maang raha hai…?
RAJA
Bas karo… Momin-Kaffir mein abse koi farak nahi dekhta hu… Mai
aaj-kal khud Islam apne dimaag se samajhne ki koshish kar raha
hu… Mujhe aisa kayi baaten maaloom ho raha hai… jo pehle
maaloom nahi thha. Sahi Islam wo nahi hai… jo mujhe sikhaya
gaya thha…
SHOT(s): Anika and Raja continue talking, but we don’t hear

what they are saying. Music in the background. It is clear
that Anika’s attitude has clearly softened. She even smiles as
she talks though we are not hearing what they are talking.
Only music is what we hear.
SHOT: Anika; her phone rings.
ANIKA
(voice only)
Ammi…?
(presses the phone)

Ammi… Namaste…
R-MOTHER
(very apologetically)
Beta… Mai tumhare saath ghor apradh ki hu… Ho sakey toh… mujhe
maaf kar doh…
ANIKA
Aisa mat boliye, Ammi. Aap mere Maa baraabar hai… Maa bachche
se maafi nahi maangti…
R-MOTHER
Mai aisi badnaseeb maa hu… mujhe maafi maangna hai…
They talk. Anika is apparently trying to assuage R-Mother’s

guilt. We don’t hear what they are saying. Only music.
SHOT: Anika in her room. Flips over a leaf of the desk

calendar.
ANIKA
Raja… Aaj doh mahine ho gaye… Ek mahina hi baaki hai… Jaldi
aao…
RAJA
Mai chhutti ke liye apply kar chukaa hu. Bas ‘approve’ ho
jayega, aur mai flight pakad luga… Seedha aauga tumhare ghar…
dulhaniya wapas le jaaney… (tries to be humorous)
ANIKA
Ticket book kar diye ho?
RAJA
Kis taariq ka karu? Chhutti toh ‘approve’ honay doh…
SHOT: Anika… concerned… doubtful look… Music (suspense type)
RAJA
(continuing)
Bahot saare flights hai… Ye rush season bhi nahi hai… Seat
kabhi bhi mil sakta hai…
SHOT(s): Time passing. Music.
SHOT: A-Father. His phone rings.
A-FATHER
Ahmed sahab…
SHOT: A-Mother. Serious look.
A-FATHER
(answering the call)
Namaste Ahmed Sahab…
R-FATHER
Namaste bhai sahab… Ye sab kya ho gaya? Kisine mujhe kuch
bataya nahi… Kal raat ko hi maaloom pada…
Lekin Allah ki mehrbaani… ab situation mein sudhar aaya hai…

Lag raha hai… Raja aur Anika dono… talaq ka wo afsos-janak
ghatna… peechay rakh-ke(better expression?)… dubaara zindagi
shuru karne ke liye raazi hai…
A-FATHER
Ha… Anika bhi boli… Lekin uski kuch shart hai…
R-FATHER
Ha, Raja ne mujhe bola… Jo hua, uske baad, Anika ko shart
rakhne ka pura haq hai… Hum sab uski shart maan liye hai… Raja
ki ammi ne bhi… Hum aisa karege…
A-FATHER
Ek minute thehriye… Mai Anika aur uski Maa ko conference call
mein laa raha hu…
R-FATHER
Zaroor…
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: A-Father, A-Mother and Anika – all with their mobile

phone at ears.
A-FATHER
Ha, Ahmed sahib…
R-FATHER
Ha… toh mai bol raha thha… Jaha tak mai samjha hu… Raja aur
Anika ke rishte meintanaao hota thha… kuch aisi baaten leke…
jo… Anika aur Raja ki Ammi ke beech hota thha… dharm-mazhab ke
baaten… Aur Raja usme jooddit ho jata thha…
ANIKA
Ha… Abbu, aisa hi kuch hai…
R-FATHER
Islami niyam ke anusaar, Raja tumhe ek talaaq de chukka hai…
Iddat pura honay ke pehle hi wo India aayega… aur tumhe
‘rujju’ karega… Phir, wo Saudi Arab laut jaayega… aur tum
tumhari maaike mein hi rehna.
Phirkuch mahino mein, Raja ko ‘family visa’ mil jaayega…

tohtum bhi uskay paas chali jaaogi…
Miya-biwi Gulf mein chain se rahege… Saal doh-saal mein ek
baar India ayege… aur sab thhik chalta rahega…Baad ki baat…
kaafi door ki baat hai… ab se sochne ki zaroorat nahi hai…
SHOTS: A-Father and A-Mother… serious but willing look.
R-FATHER
Toh… yeh mera salah hai… Mere ghar mein sab log maan gaye hai…
Ab tum bataao… Bhai sahib aur Behnji… (SHOTS) aap log
bataaiye…
A few seconds of pause.

A-MOTHER
Agar Anika raazi hai… toh hum bhi hai…
SHOT: A-Father nods.

ANIKA
Ha… Mai… raazi hu…
Nice pleasant music. Then tense music.
ANIKA
(nervously)
Lekin Abbu… Waqt bahot kam hai… Talaq pehla July ko diya thha…
Iddat pura honay ke liye srif kuch pandrah din baaki hai.
SHOT: A-Mother and A-Father, both concerned.
R-FATHER
Ha… Raja bhi utna hi pareshaan hai… jitna hum hai… Insha’alla,
wo iddat pura honay ke pehle hiaa jaayega…
SHOT: POV (audience only). Anika crosses her fingers.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
SHOT: Anika. Blackish blue shot.
ANIKA
(voice only)
Aur saat din baaki hai…
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
SHOT: A-Mother. Blackish blue shot.
A-MOTHER
(voice only)
Aur paach din baaki hai…
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
SHOT: Anika. Her mobile rings. She grabs it. Answers.
ANIKA
Ha, Raja, kab aa rahe ho?
INTERCUT
RAJA
(grim-faced)
Mujhe chhutti nahi mil raha hai…
ANIKA
(panicky)
Kyo?
RAJA
Abhi mai ‘probation’ mein hu… Chhe mahine ka ‘probation’ hai…
aur ab tak teen mahine bhi puray nahi huay hai… Probation
puraa honay ke baad hi chutti mil sakta hai… Ab nahi…
SHOT: Anika. Panicky music.

ANIKA
Toh phir… ek hi upaay hai… naukri chhod doh… India mein naukri
karna… Yaha IT waalo ke liye naukri ki koi kami nahi hai…
RAJA
Ha… wahi soch raha thha…
ANIKA
Aur socho mat… abbhi istifaa de doh… Kal subah ka flight se
yaha aa jaao…
DISSOLVE
SHOT: PULL camera to show all. Anika andher parents. All very
concerned. Same music.
A-FATHER
Aur chaar din baaki hai…
MUSIC. Anika’s phone rings. She looks at the display screen.
ANIKA
Raja… Kab aa rahe ho?
(shocked; stands up)

Kya… Aur bhi teen chaar din mein? Kyo?
She is talking animatedly on the phone. We don’t hear what she

is saying. Music.
DISSOLVE
SHOT: Same opening scene as above. All in the room.
A-MOTHER
Ab kya musibat aa padi?
ANIKA
Saudi Arab mein bahar se aaye huay ‘workers’ ka koi na koi
local Arab ‘sponsor’ hota hai. Unhey ‘Kafeel’ bolte hai. Visa
cancel karne ke liye Kafeel ka zaroorat padta hai… Aur Raja ka
kafeel ab Indonesia mein chhutti mana raha hai…
SHOTS: A-Father and A-Mother.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Jab tak Kafeel na aaye aur visa cancel na karwaye… tab tak…
Raja Saudi Arab se nikal nahi sakta hai…
A-FATHER
Ye Kafeel kab lautega?
ANIKA
Raja ko maaloom nahi…
(pause)
Parso tees September hai…
Agar tab tak nahi nahi aa paya… toh…

SCENE 25
EXT/INT: Roads. Anika’s house. MORNING.
SHOT: Camera pans from the roads… up to the balcony of Anika’s

house. Anika is at the balcony.Mobile is in her hand.
SHOT: (medium to close). Anika at the balcony. Mobile rings.
ANIKA
(worried)
Bolo, Raja…
(suddenly delightful)
Kaam ho gaya? Kab pahuch rahey ho?
Happy music. Anika turns back and rushes inside the flat.
SHOT: A-Mother (smiling)
SHOT: A-Father (smiling)
SHOT: Anika (very happy)
ANIKA
(looking at watch)
Jeddah se yaha saade-chaar ghante ka flight… Bas paach-chhe
baje tak yaha pahuch jaayega…
A-MOTHER
Khush raho beti…
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: Anika doing some make-up.
ANIKA
(loudly)
Maa… tayyar ho rahe ho, na? Raja ka aaney ka waqt ho gaya hai.
Door bell rings. Anika; pleasant expression. Rushes (to open

the door).
SHOT (close): Anika SURPRISED / SHOCKED.
ANIKA
(confused)
Tum?
SHOT (close) shot taken from inside the room: Prakash is

outside.
SHOT: Anika makes way for Prakash to enter. He is pulling a
wheeled luggage.
SHOT: A-Mother enters the frame.
A-MOTHER
Prakash!!!
(loudly)
Suno, Prakash aaya hai…
SHOT: Prakash touches his mother’s feet. His father walks into
the frame. He gleams with joy. Prakash goes to touch his
father’s feet.
A-FATHER
Achanak?
PRAKASH
Mai toh kayi dino se aane ki tayyari mein hu… Phir socha aaj
toh aana hi hai… samasya sulajh jaaney ki khushi mein.
SHOT: Anika (confused)
SHOT: PRAKASH
PRAKASH
(continuing)
Ghar mein itna bada toofaan chal raha thha… Aur kisi-ne mujhe
kuch bola hi nahi…
Prakash’s mobile phone rings. He answers.
PRAKASH
(into the phone; like a business call)
Ha… pahuch gaya hu… (pause) Kuch der baad phone kar raha hu.
SHOT: Prakash at his phone and disconnects.
ANIKA
Toh… tumhe… sab… maloom… hai…?
PRAKASH
Ha… Jis din… tum apna sasuraal chhodke aayi… ussi raat ko toh…
maine tumhe phone kiya thha… Tume kuch boley nahi…
Baad mein… ye teen mahine mein kitne baar phone kiya… kisine
kuch nahi bola…
SHOT: Anika; surprised.

PRAKASH
(continuing)
Tum sochi thhi mai disturb ho jaauga… aur kaam mein man nahi
lagaa paauga… iss liye itni badi ghatna mujhse chhupa-ke
rakhaa.
SHOT: A-Mother; surprised.
PRAKASH
(continuing)
Iss liye… phone pe… mai bhi acting karta raha… ki… mujhe kuch
maaloom nahi…
SHOT: A-Father; surprised.
ANIKA
(suspiciously)
Tumhe ye sab baaten kaise maaloom padta thha?
PRAKASH
Mai bhale ghar se door rahta hu… Lekin dil to yahi hai… Aur
dil suntaa bhi hai… dekhta bhi hai… samajhta bhi hai…
ANIKA
(intrigued)
Ye koi jawaab nahi hua…
PRAKASH
(with an air of mystery)
Ek jaasoos hai mera…
(starts laughing)
ANIKA
Saaf saaf bolo…. Bolo… jaldi…
PRAKASH
Achcha suno…
Door bell rings.
PRAKASH
(interrupted by the door bell; continues)
Baad mein bolugaa… Lagta hai… Raja aa gaya…
Prakash goes to open the door. Opens it.
SHOT: From inside the flat. It is Raja outside.
SHOT: Inside the flat. Prakash.
PRAKASH
Hi… Raja… Aao
SHOT: Anika (a bit coy). Prakash makes way for Raja to enter
the flat. Raja walks in… and towards Anika’s parents.
SHOT: Raja touches the feet of Anika’s parents.
PRAKASH
(most humbly)
Mai aap sabka gunahgaar hu… Ek aur mauka chaahta hu…
A-MOTHER
Beta, galti kis-se nahi hota…
SHOT: Prakash.
PRAKASH
(in English)
Let it pass, Raja. Life is all about learning…
Prakash and Raja hug each other. Prakash’s mobile rings. He

answers it.
PRAKASH
(into his phone; business-like tone)
Ha…
(pause)
Ha…
(impatiently)
Ha… Baad mein phone karuga.
SHOT: Anika; suspiciously looks at Prakash.
PRAKASH
(to Anika; humorously)
Jaasoos ka phone thha.
RAJA
Jaasoos?
PRAKASH
Humare aapas ki ‘code language’ hai…
RAJA
(humorously)
O achcha…
A-FATHER
(to Raja)
Tumhara saamaan kaha hai…
RAJA
Neeche taxi mein… Aap sab tayyar hai… toh… hum nikle?
ANIKA
Hum toh kab se tayyar hai… Tum tayyar nahi thhe…
RAJA
(philosophically)
Laachaar thha… Hindustan mein… Allah ka banda … Saudi Arabia
meinho jaata hai… Kafeel ka banda.
SHOT (wide): All laugh.
JUMP CUT TO SCENE 26:

SCENE 26 (4,094 words)
Requirements: File, pen,
Characters: All PLUS 1) Qazi Taimur, 2) the gentleman who was

eye witness to the talaq, and 3) his fully burqa clad wife.
EXT/INT: Eveningish.
EXT: Roads. Traffic. Camera tracks a taxi. Roads. Traffic.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT: Raja’s house.
SHOT: Extreme close-up of a fully burqa-clad lady (somewhat

unsightly; statue-like; face too is covered). Camera PULLS
BACK to include: 1) the same man who witnessed Raja giving
talaq to Anika, and 2) Qazi Taimur, and 3) everybody else
(Anika and her family, and Raja and his family). Raja’s mother
is wearing hijab, but her face is not covered.
QAZI
(opens his files, takes out pen)
(to Anika)
Raja tumhe kitnna talaaq diya? Matlab, kitna baar ‘talaq’
bola?
ANIKA
(after trying to recall)
Er…
OTHER MAN
Hamare saamne, Raja ne issay… ek saath… teen talaq diya. Aur
bola, gussay mein nahi… balki soch samajhke… thandi dimaag
se…talaq de raha hai.
QAZI
(noting down)
Teen talaq ek saath. Kis taariq ko hua?
R-MOTHER
Pehla July
QAZI TAIMUR
(fiddles on his mobile)
Pehla July 2018
Islami calendar mein… satra Shawwal, san 1439
(writes something in file)
Aur… rujju kab kar rahe ho?

Matlab, wapas kab le rahe ho?
SHOT: Anika.
RAJA
Er… aaj…
Tees September
QAZI
Tees ‘Sitambar’ 2018
Islami calendar mein, bees Muharram, san 1440
(writes something on file)
Achcha…
(to Anika)
Ye doh taariko ke darmayan, kitne haiz huay?
ANIKA
(semi-enthusiastically)
Haiz? Matlab mahinay, na? Aaj teen mahine puray ho rahe hai.
QAZI
Haiz matlab mahina nahi. Haiz matlab Maahwari… Maasik… Angrezi
mein kya bolte hai? ‘Menstrual cycle’? Periods.
Kitne maasik huay… yeh doh taariko ke darmyaan?
SHOTS: A-Father and A-Mother; disapproving look.
ANIKA
(protesting)
Maasik? Koi bhi aurat ke liye… ye atyant neeji baat hai…
SHOTs: ??
QAZI
(helpless look)
Allah ke kaanoon ke saamne, koi bhi baat neeji nahi hai.
Boliye, kitne maasik huay?
SHOT: ‘Other Man’ nods.
ANIKA
(look of suffering; reluctantly)
Ha… Raja se alag honay ke baad se, aaj tak, teen ‘maasik’ ho
chukaa hai.
(shows embarrasment as she says this)
QAZI
(shuts his file; authoritative tone)
Huh… Ab rujju nahi ho sakta hai… Tum dono ka nikah (or
talaq?)mughall-az(muffallak?)(irrevocable) ho gaya hai…
(stands up; declares; camera below him)

Tum dono ab ek doosre ke liye ajnabi ho… Nikah khallas.
SHOT: Raja. Music
SHOTS: Each person.
RAJA
Qazi-ji… hum dono sach mooch nahi jaante thhe… ki iddat teen
‘menstrual cycles’ ka hota hai… Hum sochche thhe… teen mahine
ka hota hai…
(to his mother)

Ammi… aap ne humay ye bataya nahi…
R-MOTHER
Mujhe laga tum logo ko maaloom hai…
R-FATHER
Mujhe bhi laga tumhe ye maaloom hai…
QAZI
(continuing)
…Khair… Agla kadam kya lena hai, uspar dhyan de… Zaroori hai
ki iss duniya ke doh din ki khushi ke liye… tum zannat na kho
baitho…
GUDDI
(occasionally looking at her mobile)
Qazi ji… Anika jabse hamare zindagi mein aayi, tab se mai bhi
Quran samajhne ki koshish kar rahi hu…
Toh…
(looks at her mobile)…
Quran sura number 46, ayat number 9, keh raha hai ki Paigambar
Muhammad ko bhi maaloom nahi hai… Allah unke saath kya suluk
karega.
Toh, Qazi ji… aapko kaisa maaloom… Allah hum-may se kisko

zannat bhejega, aur kisko jahannam?
SHOT: R-Mother; appreciative look.
QAZI
Mai jo bol raha hu, wo Shariat ke anusaar hai. Shariat maine
nahi likha. Ab aagey kya karna hai, wo mujhe bolne doh.
Pehle ye bolo, ye kis tarikey ka talaaq thha?

Talaq-e-Biddat, ya Talaq-e-Sunnat?
SHOT: ‘Other Man’ shows a sign of frustration.
A-MOTHER
(hesitantly)
Dono mein… farak kya hai?
QAZI
Hindustan ka kaanoon Talaq-e-Biddat ko radd kar diya hai…
Lekin, iss tarah ke kanoon ko qaum mein amal karne mein… bahot
bahot saal lag jaata hai. Aaj bhi, Talaq-e-Biddat sabse zyada
chalta hai, iss mulk mein.
(in declaratory tone; to Anika)

Agar hum Talaq-e-Biddat maanke chaley, aur agar aap dono ko
wapas saath rahna hai, toh, ab aapko Nikah-Halala karna
padega.
SHOT: All in frame. Look of fear on their faces… as the words

echo…
ECHO
Halala… Nikah Halala…
QAZI
Nikah Halala matlab… tumhe koi doosre mard se nikah karna
padega…
Sahi nikah karna padega…
Pura nikah karna padega…
Naam ke wastey nahi…
Ang se ang, badan se badan ka rishta banana padega…
Explosion of Music.
SHOT: R-Mother… shaking her head in fear.
SHOT: Everybody in stunned silence.
QAZI
(to Anika; trying to reassure)
Nikah Halala aurat ke liye bahot achcha hai…
ANIKA
Aurat ke liye achcha hai? Apni laaj, sharm, haya… kisi paraai
mard ke hawaale kar dena… ye aurat ke liye achcha hai? Kaise?
Kaise, Qaziji, kaise?
QAZI
Logic bahut seedha hai.
Biwi agar koi doosre mard ke saath ek-doh raat bitaayi…
toh be-jimmedar miya ko ek kadwi sabak milta hai.
Aisa sabak ki…
(looking at Raja)
… dubaara talaq dene ke pehle sau baar sochega.
ANIKA
Nikah Halala mard ke liye sabak hai… ya aurat ki tauheen…
yauni tauheen… ghor tauheen… ‘gross sexual abuse’ hai?
QAZI
(proudly)
Sun-ney achcha lagey ya bura, Kudrat aurat par utna mehrbaan
nahi hai… jitna mard par hai…
SHOTs: of the ladies in frame.
ANIKA
Toh aap maante hai… ye… mard ko sabak sikhane ki baat nahi
hai. Ye… aurat ki aisi tauheen karne ka tarika hai… jis-say
aurat… khauf se… zindagi bhar… miya ka har zyadti chup-chaap
bardassht karti rahe?
‘OTHER MAN’
(protesting)
Is tarah ka nikah halala Islam ke khilaaf hai…
QAZI
Janaab, ye shabd ‘halala’ ya ‘hulla’ kya maine banaya? Iska
zikr bhi kyu hai Islam mein?
‘OTHER MAN’
(to Qazi)
Maasoom logo ko galat salah deta hai? Tu jahannam jaayega.
QAZI
(to Other Man)
Tu jahannam jaayega.
‘OTHER MAN’
(to others)
Ye shaitaani Qazi hai. Sahi Islam ke anusaar… Agar inka pehla
nikah mughallaz(?) ho gaya hai, toh, ha, isko (pointing at
Anika) kisi aur ke saath sahi nikah karna padega. Ye ek
‘naarmal’ nikah hoga. Aur… jab uska naya nikah wala shohar mar
jaayega… ya issay talaq de dega… tab ye dono (pointing at Raja
and Anika) phir se nikah kar sakte hai. Pehle se talaq ka
‘agreement’ banake nikah karna haram hai… bilkul haram hai.
QAZI
Zaraa ‘practically’ soch. Beech-wala nikah mein jo iska miya
hoga… agar wo issay talaq diya hi nahi… aur assi saal ke umar
mein mar gaya, tab ye (Anika) pachchattar saal ki buddhi hogi…
aur ye (Raja) shayad assi saal ka buddha. Toh, pachchattar
saal ki buddhi aur assi saal ka buddha nikah karege?
‘OTHER MAN’
Kyu nahi? Agar assi saal ka Arabi buddha pandrah saal ki ladki
se nikaah kar sakta hai, toh assi saal ka Hindustani buddha
pachchattar saal ki Hindustani buddhi se nikah kyu nahi kar
sakta?
SHOT: Raja is amused.
QAZI
Mai practical baat karta hu. Hamari qaum ki sewa ke liye, kai
punyavaan mard hai… jo Halala service dete hai… Nikah karte
hai aur ek-doh raat mein hi talaq de dete hai…
SHOT: ‘Other Man’ thumps his head.
‘OTHER MAN’
Aise mardo punyavaan hotay hai?
QAZI
(to the Other Man)
Kyo nahi? Kisika tootta hua ghar phir se basaane mein kaam
aana… kya punya nahi hai?
(continuing; to the elders)

Lekin ha, agar aap log kisi Halala Centre mein gaye, kiraai ka
miya toh mil jaayega… lekin paisa dena padega. Ded-doh laakh
tak jaa sakta hai, ha.
Lekin… aap log paise ka fikr mat kijiye. Ghar ki baat ghar
mein rahne dijiye… Aap log ki sewa mein… mai khud (eyeing at
Anika) iske saath Nikah Halala karne to tayyar hu…
(alluding to Anika)
Yeh mere saath… bas… aaj hi aa sakti hai… aaj ki raat… kal
subah tak… ya shaam tak… issay azaad kar dooga.
SHOT: Anika nods (partly amused look)
QAZI
(to others)
Phir wapas teen maasik hon jaane tak rukna… Baad mein, Raja
aur ye nikah phir se kar lege…
SHOT: Raja springs like a tiger. Slow motion.
SHOT: Prakash stands up; agitated.
SHOT: Guddi stands up; confused.
SHOT: Anika darts at Raja, stopping him. Slow motion.

Note: Simultaneous dialogue…
ANIKA
Jaane doh, Raja… Prakash… itne ‘hyper’ mat ho…
Qaziji se mai kuch seekh rahi hu… Inhe bolne doh…
RAJA
(retreating)
Kamina… buddhha…. Mere ghar mein baithke… mere biwi ko…
End of simultaneous dialogue.
SHOT: Qazi seems taken aback.
R-FATHER
Qaziji… Raja aapka beta barabar hai… Uski biwi ke baare mein
aap aisa soch bhi kaise sakte hai…
SHOT: Raja and Prakash both restrain themselves.
QAZI
Janaab… aapko maaloom hona chahiye… hamare mein… “beta
barabar”… ya “mooh bola beta”… koi nahi hota hai… Beta wahi
hai… jiske rago mein mera khoon bah raha hai. Hum log aur
kisko bete ka haisiyat nahi de sakte hai…
GUDDI
Agar koi bachche ko ‘god’ le… ‘adopt’ karey… toh? ‘Adoption’
toh kitna bada punya hai…
QAZI
(cools down)
Islam mein bhi, besahara bachche ko sahara dena… paalna… bahut
bada punya hai. Lekin ussay hum apna bachcha nahi maan sakte.
Ye Quran Surah no. 33, Surah Al-Azhab, ayat no.4 ke anusaar
hai.
SHOT: Guddi and Prakash look at each other.
QAZI
(glancing at Anika; then to Raja)
Aur agar Talaq-e-Biddat ke hisaab se dekhoge, toh ye bibi… Ab
ye tumhari biwi kaha rahi? Ab iska srif ek khatoon ki haisiyat
hai…
Talaq-e-Biddat ke hisaab se, agar issikey saath tumhe phir se

nikah karna hai… to beech mein ek Nikah Halala zaroori hai…
aur mai tumhare saamne ek ‘option’ rakhaa hu… jissay tumhara
paisa bach jaayega.
SHOT: Anika; meaningful nod (as if she is learning).
‘OTHER MAN’
Shaitaan, Talaq-e-Biddat toh bekaanooni ho gaya hai. Kyo nahi
inko Talq-e-Sunnat ke baare mein bataata?
QAZI
(to Raja and Anika)
Mai sab ‘options’ bataaney waala hu. Sabr kijiye.
Talaq-e-Biddat ke anusaar… tum issay teen talaq de chukey ho…

iss liye Halala ka sawal utthtaa hai.
Lekin… Talaq-e-Sunnat ke anusaar… tum ek saath chaahe kitne

baar bhi talaq boley hogay… ek doh ya teen… ya teen se bhi
zyada… ussay ek talaaq hi mana jayega. Aur iddat ke darmayaan,
agar rujju nahi kiye, aur tumhe wapas ussi aurat se nikah
karna hai… aur wo raazi hai(?? Check!)… toh tum ‘directly’
nikah kar sakte ho… Naya mehr deke… Halala ki zaroorat nahi
hai…
R-MOTHER
Toh… yehi toh achaha hai. Phir se mehr deke… phir se nikah kar
lo… Raja… Anika, tum dono toh raazi ho na?
ANIKA
Phir se shaadi… ha… raazi hu…
SHOTs: R-Mother; relief look.
ANIKA
(continuing)
…lekin…
SHOTs: R-Mother, Raja, R-Father… look of anticipation.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Mujhe aur kuch jaan-na hai…
(to Qazi)
Qaziji… agar Raja aur mai phir se nikaah karey, Talaq-e-Sunnat
ke anusaar, toh bhi Raja ko mujhe talaq dene ka haq rahega?
QAZI
Ha, rahega.
RAJA
(apologetic)
Allah kasam(do they say ‘Allah kasam’? Check??)… Talaaq ka ye
hatyar ko… mai phir se kabhi… khilona nahi samjhuga.
ANIKA
(signalling to Raja to ‘hold on’)
Qaziji… Shariat mein aisa koi prabandh hai… jis-say talaq ka
hatyar aurat ko bhi mil sakta hai?
QAZI
Er… er… tum Khulla kar sakti ho…
ANIKA
Khulla? Matlab?
QAZI
Matlab… Raja ne tumhe jo paisa diya hai… mehr ke taur(?) se…
wo paisa lautake… tum talaaq maang sakti ho.
ANIKA
Mehr lautaage… talaaq maang sakti hu, lekin talaq de nahi
sakti?
QAZI
Tum… apni nayi nikah-naama mein… khulla ka ‘point’ lagaa sakti
ho…
ANIKA
Nikah-naama mein Khulla ki ‘point’ ‘add’ karne se… kya mujhe
talaq dene ka haq milega?
QAZI
Tumhe Raja ko samjhana padega tum talaq kyo chhahti ho? Agar
wo maan liya, toh talaq de dega.
ANIKA
Agar wo nahi maana toh? Wo toh mujhe talaaq nahi deke bhi,
teen aur biwi le sakta hai na? “Stranded”(Hindi?) to mai
rahugi, na?
QAZI
Tum uss-say sauda kar sakti ho… Zyada paisa deke…
ANIKA
Zyada paisa deke?
Hmm… lekin… agar Raja itna paisa maanga… jo mai de nahi sakti…
Ya, de sakti lekin denaa nahi chaahti… toh…?
QAZI
(trying to divert)
Toh… tum Dar-ul-Qaza… matlab Shariati adalat… mein apna
‘fariyad’ pesh kar sakti ho. Agar Qazi ko lagey ki tumhara
fariyad mein sachchai hai… to wey tumhara Nikah ‘faskh’ kar
dege. Tumhe Raja se azaadi mil jaayegi.
ANIKA
Azaadi mil jayegi? Lekin… kya ussay talaq maana jayega?
QAZI
Talaq jaisa-hi hoga…
ANIKA
Lekin talaq nahi hoga, na? Talaq srif mard hi de sakta hai na?
QAZI
Ha… Allah ne… aurat se thodi si zyada haq mard ko diya hai.
Quran sura ?? ayat ?? ke anusaar.
ANIKA
Lekin… mujhe samaan haq chahiye… ‘equal rights’. Mil sakta
hai, Shariat mein?
QAZI
‘Equal rights’ tumhe kaise mil sakta hai? Aurat mard se kamzor
hai…
ANIKA
Ha, aurat ka shaaririk taaqat mard se kam hai… Lekin, sabhyata
mein haq taaqat se nahi aata… balki, taaqathaq se aata hai.
Haq taaqat se aana… jungle ka niyam hai, sabhyata ka nahi…
QAZI
Srif shaaririk taaqat ki baat nahi hai. Soch aur samjah mein
bhi aurat aur mard mein farak hai. Shariati adalat mein… ek
mard ki gawahi… doh aurato ki gawahi ke barabar hai. (quote?)
Anika stands up
ANIKA
Hmmm… Nikah-Talaq ke baare mein, mujhe jo samajhna thha…
samajh gayi.
(to Raja)
Raja… Hamara pehla nikah Shariat ke anusaar hua thha… kyuki
Ammi aur tumhari yehi ichcha thhi… Talaq bhi Shariat ke
anusaar hua hai.
Mai tumhare saath dubaara nikah karne ko tayyar hu… Lekin iss
baar …
SHOTS: A-Father, A-Mother and others… in anticipation…
ANIKA
(continuing)
Iss baar… tumhe mere soch ke anusaar chalna hoga. Chaloge?
SHOT: RAJA; compliant look.
SHOTS: Some shots… Music.
ANIKA
(continuing)
Mera soch ye hai… ki… mai tumse kisi bhi tarah se… heen nahi
hu… ‘inferior’ nahi hu… Mai tumhare barabar hu…
RAJA
(pronouncing each word distinctly)
Ha, Anika, mai tumhe barabari ke sidhaant se sweekar kar raha
hu… ‘We have equal rights’.
ANIKA
(to Raja)
Hamara rishta iss baar… kagaz mein likhi hui ek contract se
bandha nahi rahega… Humara rishta ‘saat janmo’ ka hoga.
QAZI
Raja Mussalman hai… Wo jaanta hai ki nikah srif iss duniya ka
ek contract hai; ye saat janmo ka rishta nahi ho sakta.
ANIKA
Mere saath halala karne ki iraada rakhne waale Qazi ji, Islam
to kehta hai na… ki… agar aap zannat gaye… toh waha… aap ke
saath aapki biwi bhi rahegi?
(adds hurriedly)
Halala waali biwi nahi; uss biwi jisko aapne talaaq nahi di?
Islam yahi kehta hai, na?
QAZI
Ha, Quran(?) kehta hai ki… is duniya mein jo miya-biwi thhe,
wo zannat mein bhi saath hogay.
ANIKA
Aur, zanaat mein toh koi martaa nahi hai na? Zannat ki zindagi
hamesha ke liye hai, na?
QAZI
Ha
ANIKA
Toh phir, agar hum zannat pahuche, toh miya-biwi ka rishta jo
iss duniya mein hai, wo hamesha jaari rahega, na?
QAZI
Ha… er… nahi… er…
RAJA
Toh, Qazi, ye shabd “hamesha”… iss shabd ke badle, hum bol
sakte hai “saat janmon ka”… Jaise hum bolte hai “Saat samandar
paar”… matlab, bahot door. Issi tarah “Saat janmo ka rishta”
ka matlab… “bahot lamba rishta”. Ye Islam ke khilaaf kaise
hua? Zaraa sochiye… khulley dimaag se.
SHOT: Qazi; confused.
RAJA
(turning to Anika)
Anika, mazhab ke maamlo mein… ab se mai lakir ka fakir nahi
rahuga. Agar aisa koi lakir aaye… jo mere nazar mein
insaaniyat se takkraye, toh uss lakir ko andekha kar dooga.
(pause)
Ye jo soch hai na… “saat janmo ka rishta”… mere aatma ko ek
uchaahi tak le jaata hai… mujhe achcha lagta hai… Tumhare
saath aisa rishta mujhe… qabool hai… qabool hai… qabool hai.
SHOT: Raja extends his hand and Anika grabs it.
SHOTs: Others; all are pleased, except Qazi.
QAZI
Tum Islam se nikal rahe ho?
RAJA
Mai duniya ke sabse praacheen jiveet sabhyata, Bharatiya
sabhyata, mein… seemeet ho raha hu. Aur mere dimaag ko… aap
jaise qaumi thekedaaro se azaad kar raha hu.
(turns to camera)
Hamare qaum ke thekedaaro hamare dimaag ko jakad ke baithe
hai. Humarey aur doosre Qaumo ke beech tanaaw ka maahaul bana
rakkhte hai. Doosro mazhabo ka izzat karna nahi sikhake, unka
tauheen karna sikhate hai.
Mahabharata ki baat ho… toh… Bhagvad Gita ki aur nahi dekhte
hai…Lekin pareshan ho jaatey hai… Draupadi aur unke paach
shoharo ke baare mein.
Ramayana ka zikr ho… toh… nahi sochte… iss maha-kaavya se

humay kya sikhne milta hai. Arre… Ramayana humay sikhaata hai…
tum kitne bhi taaqatwar kyo na ho… tumhey kitni bhi vardaan
kyo na mile ho… agar tum hadd se zyada ghamandit ho jaaoge,
toh bandaro ka fauj bhi tumhe haraa dega. Ye uchchi baat par
gaur nahi karke, yeazhab ke thhekearo pareshaan ho jaatey hai…
Raam ka pitaa kaun thha?
Hum bhool jaatey hai… ki… aise sawaal harek dharm ya mazhab ke
baarey mein utthaya jaa sakta hai…
Humay jhooti ghamand dilate hai… Bolte hai, hamari qaum ne iss
desh par 900 saal raaj kiye. Wo jhoot bolte hai…. Saara Bharat
par Mussalmano ne srif 150-200 saal raaj kiye… Akbar se
Aurangzeb tak. Baaki ke un 900 saal, desh ke kuch bhaago mein
Mussalmano ne raaj kiye… aur kuch bhaago mein hinduo ne raaj
kiye. Hazaaro hazaaro saal ke itihaas mein, 150-200 saal kya
hai?
Ye aur bhi jhoot bolte hai. Wo Mussalmano ne jo raaj kiye, wo

hum nahi thhe. Wo baahar se aaye huay Mussalman thhe. Arre hum
toh yaha le log hai… Humare mein hindutva hai… Wo bahar se
aaye huay Mussalmano ke raaj mein, hum apna virasat thukra ke,
unke kapde pehn liye. Aisa kyo kiye, wo mai mere dada-pardadao
se puchuga… agar wo mujhe milay… zannat ya jahannam mein.
Doosre mazhabo ke saath tanaaw banaaye rakhne mein, ye

tthekedaaro aur bhi ajeeb ajeeb baaten karte hai… Koi achanak
bol deta hai… hum “Bharat Mata ki jai” nahi bolege. Kyu? Jawab
detey hai… Bharat ko hum Mata nahi maan sakte. Lekin…
…jab Quran kehta hai… Makka shahro ki Mata hai… tab ham, badi
namrata se … choombke… maan lete hai… Arre, agar Makkah shahro
ki Mata ho sakti hai, toh Bharat – jaha hum paley hai, paltey
hai… hamari Mata kyu nahi ho sakti? Aur “hamari Mata ki jai
ho!”… ye bolna Islam ke khilaaf kaise hua?
Afsos, mai bhi… bina samjhe… bina samajhne ki koshish kiye… ye

thekedaaro ki ultay-sidhay baaton ko maan letaa thhaa… lekin
aur nahi. Ab se, meri pehchaan Islam nahi hai… meri pehchaan
Bharatiyata hai… Mai Bharatiya pehle, Bharatiya akhir
mein.Mazhab mere andar rahegi; mujhe mazhab pehn-ne ki
zaroorat nahi hai.
(to Qazi)
Iss liye, Qaziji, aapka ye sawaal… mai Islam chhod raha hu ki
nahi… fuzul ka sawaal hai. Mai dharm-nirpeksh
Bharatiyaparampara mein seemeet ho raha hu.
SHOT: Qazi; lost in thought. Music.
R-MOTHER
Qaziji… Mai bhi…ab se bhedo ki jhunnd mein… ek bhed nahi rah
sakti. Apne dimaag se mazhab samajhne ki koshish kar rahi hu…
aur mai… Shariat ko Allah ka kaanoonhumnahimaan sakte hai.
(to camera)
Shariat ka paach ‘sources’ (Hindi?)hai. Quran aur Sunnah srif
ek ‘source’ hai. Baaki ‘sources’ hai: Ijma, Ijti-haad, Qiyas
aur Urf – ye chaar ‘sources’ siyasatimardon ke dimaag se aya
hai… Allah se nahi.
QAZI
Wah wah… Aap bhi apna dimaag chalana shuru kar di? Bhoot-
prasthi mein maan-na bhi shuru toh nahi kar di?
R-MOTHER
Bhoot-prasthi… matlab, murti puja… mein bahot matlab hai,
Qaziji. Anika se mai ye pehle suni… mai ussay nahi maani…
lekin research kana shuru ki… apne dimaag se. Au main iss
natijay mein pahuchi hu ki… Islami tarq se bhi murti-puja
samjha jaa sakta hai, agar hum… andho ki tarah virodh nahi
karke… samajhne ki koshish karey toh.
QAZI
Islami tarq se bhoot-prasth kaise “samjha” kiya ja sakta hai,
Bibi?
R-MOTHER
Hindu dharm mein jissay “Adhyatmik Shakti” bolte hai… jo
chaaro aur failaa hua hai… ussay Islam mein, Barakah bolte
hai. Barakah insaano mein, pashuo mein aur vastuo mein
bhivyapt(find a more common word for ‘pervade’?) hota hai.
Aur… murti vastu se banti hai. Iss liye, murti mein bhi
Barakah hota hai.
Hindu dharm bahot gehra hai. Thodi si gehraai mein, Hindu

dharm kehta hai wastuo mein seemeet Barakah, mantra se badaaya
jaa sakta hai. Aur bhakti se, hamaray andar seecha ja sakta
hai… taaki hum-may Barakah badey.
Mai jitni gehraai mein mazhabo mein jaa rahi hu… utna mujhe
ahsaas hota hai ki… humay jo Islam sikhaaya gaya hai, usme
deen kam aur siyasati vaastvikta zyada hai.
(to camera)
Galat faimiya door karo, (looking at Qazi and the Other
Man)mere Mussalman bhaaiyo aur (looking at the Other Woman)
behn. Murti-puja ka virodh karna matlab… hum, jaane anjaane
mein… ek khatarnaak saazish ko badawa dete hai.
RAJA
Kaunsi sazish?
R-MOTHER
Ghazwa-e-Hind ki saazish?
ECHO
Ghazwa-e-Hind
Ghazwa-e-Hind
Ghazwa-e-Hind
GUDDI
Ghazwa-e-Hind? Kya hai ye, Ammi?
R-MOTHER
Ghazwa-e-Hind… humarey mazhab ka koi siyasati dimaag ka banaya
hua ‘theory’(Hindi?)hai. Wo kehte hai ki jab tak duniya mein
bhoot-prasthi – matlab murti puja – hoti rahegi… tab tak…
Qayamat nahi aayega. Bhootprasthi sabse zyada Bharat me hota
hai, iss liye Bharat mein murti puja aur murti puja ki har
nishaan mitta-neki … aur humare mazhab har Bharatwaasi par
thhopne ki sazish ka naam hai… Ghazwa-e-Hind.
Ek din… mai issi Qaziji ko phone mein puchchi… agar mujhe koi
Ghazwa-e-Hind ke baare mein puchche, toh mai kya jawaab du?
INSERT
(split screen)
QAZI
(on phone)
Bol dena… srif Allah jaanta hai.
R-MOTHER
Lekin, ye koi jawaab nahi hua.
QAZI
Toh bol dena, jiss din Pakistan ban gaya, uss din Ghazwa-e-
Hind khatm ho gaya.
R-MOTHER
Lekin, Qaziji, kya ye sach hai?
QAZI
Sach toh ye hai ki… jiss din Pakistan banaa, uss din se
Ghazwa-e-Hind sahi tarah se shuru hua.
END OF INSERT
BACK TO SCENE
OTHER MAN
(approaching Qazi aggressively)
Gaddar… issi liye tere jaise log hum-may aur doosre qaumo ke
beech ek tanaaw banaye rakhte hai. Issi liye humay doosro ko
Islam qabool karne ki dawah dena sikhaata hai… kabhi kabhi
zakat ke naam se rishwat bhi deta hai… kyuki tujh jaise
gaddaro ke liye… jitni badi aabaadi, utni hi badi fauj…utna
kareeb Ghazwa-e-Hind ka manzil. Aur hum jaise aam Mussalman,
anjaane mein, aisi saazish mein shaamil ho jaatey hai…Mai
tujhe nahi chhoduga… phir bahar jaake… jitna chahey cheekh
‘Intolerance Intolerance… (Hindi?)’
‘Other Man’dashes towards Qazi.
OTHER MAN
(as he tries to attack Qazi, and others stop him)
Ghazwa-e-Hind waala… Jis sabhyata mein palaa hai…. Jis desh ki
khaata hai… ussi desh ki sabhyata ka vinaash karne ka maqsad
se jeetay hai.
Others rush to stop ‘Other Man’ from attacking Qazi.
GUDDI
(when calm returns)
Ammi, Ghazwa-e-Hind kya sahi Islam hai?
R-MOTHER
Quran mein toh nahi hai, lekin agar hadees mein hai bhi toh,
mai ussay nahi maan sakti.
R-FATHER
Aura aise bhi, Ghazwa-e-Hind Islam mein nahi nahi hai. Sahi
Muslim hadith ke anusar, Paigambar Muhammad jo mazhabi badal
laaney ki baat kiye thhe, wo Makkah-Madina ke kshetra mein
maryadit thha. Aur Bharat uss kshetra mein nahi aata hai.
Itna hi nahi, Paigambar Muhammad ye bhi bhavishya-vaani diye

thhe, ki, jaise saap ussi khadde mein laut jaata hai jahaa se
nikla thha…. Ussi tarah… Islam ek din… baaki ki duniya
chhodke… wahi doh masjido ke beech laut jaayega jaha se aaya
thha… matlab, Makkah-Madina ke kshetra mein Islam wapas laut
jaayega. Ye hadith Sahi Muslim mein hai… Kitaab no. 1, hadith
no. 270.
Toh agar Islam Makkah-Madina mein laut jaayega, toh Bharat

mein Islam failaane ki baat hi kaha se aati hai?
R-FATHER
Ghazwa-e-Hind lamba khel hai… manzil door hai… lekin hai… kuch
siyasati Mussalmano ke liye. Aur Ghazwa-e-Hind ke baad, ek aur
jihaad ka sapna dekh rahe hai… ye tthekedaaro… Wo hai… Syria
se Rome par aakraman… Europe mein Issai dharm mittaa dene ke
liye… Jung hi jung ka sapna dekhte hai ye log.
Ye jung ki tayyari ke liye… ye siyasti mazhab waale… humay

itne qaumi bana diye hai… ki… andhey ki tarah hum hamare qaum
ko hi badhaawa dete hai… ‘merit’ (Hindi?) ki taraf hum dekhte
hi nahi. Dooor ke Palestinio ke haalat par rotey hai… aur
humay ronay bolte hai… aur ha rona bhi chahiye… lekin hamare
apne Kashmiri pundit bhaiyyo ko apne gharo se bhaga diya gaya…
iske baare mein chup rahte hai. Aise siyasati mazhab ke
thekedaaro ko hum aur badhaawa nahi dege.
Mai zindagi mein kabhi ye sab baaten apna zabaan mein nahi
laaya. Mujhe dar thha… kahi ye… mazhab ke dukaandaaro mujhe
chup karane ke liye… mujhpar koi zulm karey. Lekin aaj… mein
pehli baar… ek azaad soch ki vaatavaran mahsoos kar raha hu…
Quran ka hi ek ayat(no.?) jo Mussalmano ko kehta hai, apna
akkal istamaal karo… wahi ayat paaalan karneka ka sahas agar
aaj mujme hai… who iss liye ki… Allah ne mere ghar isko bheja
hai (pointing at Anika)… Ek Kaafir Ladki.
SHOT: Anika and R-Mother in frame.
R-MOTHER
(to Anika)
Anika… mujhe maaf karna… mai anjaane mein… siyasati mazhab ki
shikaar thhi. Iss liye mai tumhe meri mazhab qabool karwaane
pe tuli hui thhi… zyadti karke bhi… Yahi Qazi ne mujhe kaha
thha… gumraah ko raah mein laaneke liye, zyadti karna padey,
toh karo. Mai mere ignorance (Hindi?) mein, tumpar jo zyaadti
ki… uske liye… ho sakey toh, mujhe maafi ka zakat de doh…
Camera tracks Anika as she (and Raja) walk to R-Mother.
ANIKA
Ammi, aap mere Maa barabar hai. Maa bachcho se maafi nahi
maangti, bachche Maa se aashirwaad maangte hai.
SHOT: Camera tilts downward. Anika bends and touches R-

Mother’s feet.
Camera tilts upward. Anika straightens up.
ANIKA
(to R-Mother)
Ammi… Sachmuch… Maa ki pairo mein zannat hai. Islam bhi kehta
hai… Hindu dharm bhi…
R-Mother and Anika hug each other; R-Mother is emotional. We

see the other youngsters touching feet of the elders.
R-FATHER
Raja aur Anika… tumhari pehla nikah toot gayi, ab pehla Vivaah
karo. Saat janmo ka rishta bana lo. Iske liye jo reeti riwaj
ityadi karni hai, uska aayojan (looking at Aniks’a parents)hum
kal se hi shuru kar dege.
GUDDI
Saat janmo ka rishta kitna sundar ‘concept’ hai… Mujhe bi aisa
hi ek rishta baandhna hai….
ANIKA
(excited)
Sach? Kiske saath?
SHOT: Guddi walks towards Prakash… holds his hands… and

snuggles to him.
SHOTS: Pleasant music. Everyone seems pleasantly surprised,

except Qazi.
ANIKA
(excitedly)
Kya… Tum aur Prakash?
SHOT(s): Everybody; pleasantly surprised.
PRAKASH
Ha… Guddi aur mai. Tum dono ke saath, hum dono bhi ‘saat janmo
ka rishta’ baandhege.
ANIKA
Lekin… ye sab kab hua… kaise hua… kya jaadoo chala?
GUDDI
Jaadoo toh ussi din chal gaya… jis din… mai tumhe sajaa rahi
thhi… aur…
FLASHBACK
ANIKA
Aur mein tumhe EK AUR thappar maarugi… agar…
PRAKASH
Agar…
ANIKA
Agar… ek saal ke andar… TUM shaadi nahi kiye toh…
PRAKASH
Koi ladki nazar mein hai toh… pehchaan kara do.
SHOT: Prakash’s POV: Guddi
ANIKA
Dekhoogi… Koi gori ko toh nahi pattaa liya London mein…
PRAKASH
(stealing a glance at Guddi)
Arre… goro ke desh mein toh paise kamane ke liye gaya hu… Dil
to desi hi hai…
ANIKA
Chalo abhi bahar jaao… Ladies kamre mein ghus gaye…
Prakash goes out GLANCING at Guddi.
ANIKA
(calling out)
Arre Prakash, mere hone waali devraani(?) se milo. Guddi urf
Jamila… ya… Jamila urf Guddi…?
Guddi giggles.
Prakash looks at Guddi.
Guddi looks at Prakash.
END OF FLASHBACK
GUDDI
Uske baad… whatsapp… facebook… messenger… video conferencing
ke zamaane mein… London toh pados mein hi aa gayaa.
RAJA
Itna kuch hota raha… aur humay ahsaas bhi nahi hua…
(to Guddi)
Kyu chhupake rakhi?
GUDDI
(Raja)
Agar do saal tak… tum Anika ke baare mein… humsay sab kuch
chhupake rakhe…, toh mai kya ye kuch mahino ke liye kuch
chhupa nahi sakti hu?
RAJA
(smilingly)
Equal rights?
GUDDI
Ha. Equal rights.
SHOT: Raja smiling, nodding.
PRAKASH
(to Anika and his parents)
Tum log jaan-na chahte thhe na… mera jaasoos kaun hai…
SHOT: Raja smiling, nodding.
SHOT: Anika and her parents, smiling in appreciation.
SHOTS: Everybody happy, except Qazi.
QAZI
(to Guddi)
Agar tum log mazhabo ka aisa bhel-puri banaaoge, to tumhare
honay-waaley bachcho ka mazhab kya hoga?
GUDDI
Hum, mazhab ke saaboon se, hamare honay-waaley bachcho ke
dimaag ki dhulaai nahi karege. Hum ussay achcha insaan aur
Bharat ka achcha naagrik bannaney ki koshish karege. Jab wo
bade ho jaayege, who khud faisla karege ussay kaunsa mazhab
apnana hai… ya koi bhi mazhab apnana hai bhi ya nahi.
QAZI
Lekin… tum Muslim ladki ho, tum gair-Mjussalman ladka se nikah
nahi kar sakti.
SHOT: A-Father and A-Mother look at R-Father, who shakes his

head.
GUDDI
(as if brushing aside Qazi’s objection)
Qaziji… hum nikah nahi karne waale hai.
Allah… Yehovah… Bhagwan … naam anek, lekin hai wahi ek Param-

Atma… Uss Param-Atma ko saakshi rakhke… hum saat janmo ka
rishta baandhe waale hai… Jo mardo ka likha hua Shariat ke
khilaaf ho sakta hai, lekin, jaise Anika ne humay samjhaaya,
Allah ka Islam ke khilaaf nahi hai…
Music, indicating dawn. (morning Raga)
QAZI
(sarcastically)
Param-Atma ko gawah rakh-ke ‘saat janmo ka rishta’ kaise
banaya jaata hai – zaraa hum bhi toh sunay?
GUDDI
Waise hi banaya jaata hai… jaise hazaaro hazaaro saal se… iss
kshetra mein hota aa raha hai…
QAZI
Kaunsa kshetra?
GUDDI
Issi kshetra… jahaa failaa hua hai…
Punjab Sindh Gujarat Maratha…
Dravida Utkal Banga…
SHOT: Qazi starts walking away (slow motion)… Reaches the

door; opens it; and walks out of the frame; leaving the door
open.
GUDDI
(continuing)
Vindhya Himachal…
Slowly, one by one, others join in; becomes a chorus of words.
GUDDI
(leading the chorus)
…Yamuna Ganga…
Ujjala jaladhi taranga…
DISSOLVE TO:
SHOT: Sunrise (time lapse)
TAGORE’s SONG
(in background; against rising sun)
Ohoroha Toba Aahbaana Prachaarita,

Suni Tab Udaar Vaani
Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain,
Parasik Musolman Christaani
Purab Pashchim Aashey,
Tab Singhaasana Paashey
Premohaara Hawye Gaanthaa
Jana Gana Oikya Vidhaayak Jaya Hey,
Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa
Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,
Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey
SCENE FADES OUT TO SAFFRON.

Words fade in:
The Beginning

Edit

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Edit

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

SCENE 1

EXT: CITY VIEWS. TRAFFIC ETC. DAY/EVENING.

SHOT(s) 1: Titles start and end with these shots.

Long shot of city. Then medium shot. Roads speeding by (camera

INT: INSIDE A WELL-FURNISHED FLAT. EVENING.

SHOT 1: PUJA ROOM

Bhargo devasya dheemahi…

ANIKA’S FATHER (A-FATHER),50-55 years old, is doing Puja.

ELDERLY FEMALE VOICE

(MANTRA CONTINUES INTO THE NEXT SHOT)

SHOT 2: DRAWING ROOM. ANIKA’S MOTHER (A-MOTHER), 52, walks to

CLOSE-UP SHOT of Anika. She looks very very happy.

Anika (very happy) enters the house. HUGS her mother.

SHOT: OTS. Anika; most happy look.

SHOT: OTS. A-Mother; happy and enquiring look. A-Father’s

SHOT: BEDROOM. We hear A-Father’s voice (faintly), chanting

BOTH in frame; are laughing.

Beti… Tumhe mera humara ashirwaad tumhare sath hai…

SHOT: Close-up of Anika and A-Mother. Anika HUGS her father.

BEDROM: Anika in bedroom. Pan camera from a desk calendar on

Tum sabko ghar bulaya hai… Kab aaoge batao?

EXT: Exterior of hotel. Showing the words “Restaurant and

INT. RESTAURANT CUM BAR.

Raja and Anika at restaurant. On table are tissue box, snacks,

SHOT: Camera PULLS BACK from two filled wine glasses to

(thinking; not saying; audience POV)

Anikadoes NOT notice him momentarily lost in thought.

SHOT(s): Both drinking and having some bites. Talking, but we

SHOT(s) of a few gulps by both.

SHOT: Anika gulps some wine from her glass.

Raja SIGNALS at the waiter. Waiter comes.

INT. Hotel room. Day.

SHOT from INSIDE the room.

Door OPENS. Raja is SLIGHTLY supporting Anika as they both

Raja TAKES her handbag and keeps it at a suitable place.

Raja HOLDS Anika in his arms.

Anika is showing signs of loss of control over herself.

Anika shows only token resistance)

Raja gently PUSHES Anika on to the bed. Then he DESCENDS on

CAMERA on Raja’s TROUSER POCKET as he falls on Anika on bed.

His WALLET FALLS out of his trouser pocket.

CLOSE SHOT: Raja’s WALLET is on the FLOOR. Some cards (e.g.

Raja and Anika intimate on bed.

BED. Anika and Raja in bed, covered with a BLANKET.

She suddenly sits. STARTLED. Her hair is DISHEVELLED. The

Anika COMES OUT of the WASHROOM. Her hair is untied. As she

She starts putting the CARDS BACK INTO the WALLET.

Her eyes FALL on ONE card.

LOUD SHOCK MUSIC.

AnikaSTARES at the card.

EXPLOSION of music (shock music).

Anika turns back at the bed.

SHOT(s): Hitchcock type montage shots.

SHOT: Anika looks shaken-up.Looks backat Raja on the bed. Then

SHOT: Raja is WAKING UP.

SHOT: Anikais leaning against the window of the room. STARES

Raja GETS UP on bed. Body is BARE. Blanket is up to HIPS.

Anika gives BLANK look at him.

SHOT: Raja walks towards the washroom.

LOUD SHOCK MUSIC.

SHOT: Raja taken aback.

JUMP CUT TO SCENE 5:

(Note: Desk calendar must be on study table in Anika’s room

EXT: ROADS. TRAFFIC. AUTORICKSHAW. EVENING.