17 Aug 2013

EXPERIMENTAL SCREENPLAYS: ‘How a small action creates a change in the universe’

To,
Human

After a human asked me something regarding one of my earlier posts ‘How a small action (a hug by Shah Rukh Khan & Salman Khan – to be precise) creates a change in the universe’, and after I witnessed some real life incidents at different timings, I decided to conduct a written experiment with 2 screenplays.
Who asked me?
Just a human with nerves, blood and arteries.
Asked what?
So the smallest of actions creates a change in the universe, eh? (followed by laughter which sounded like snorting)
I decided to experimentally stalk how the smallest of actions can create bigger twists and turns.  

APPARATUS:

My Mind

My creativity

Observing a few real life incidences at different timings on one quiet, partially-rainy morning

I couldn’t really get SRK or Salman Khan to participate because if I would have got them, it wouldn’t be a quiet morning anymore.



EXPERIMENT:

 SCREENPLAY #1
FADE IN:

INT. STREET/ SOUTH MUMBAI  – DAY

Abundant greenery is evident on this street which is lined by buildings on both of its sides. The street is empty with two cars parked on one side. The street is wet, and few droplets drip from the trees. The screech of a truck passing by is heard. A hamster is pecking into the ground. The MELODIOUS shankh being blown is heard. The innocent LAUGH of a child from a near distance.... the hamster stops pecking. Running legs of a child... wearing scuba diving shoes with a button that lights with every quick step the leg takes. We notice a hint of an oxygen cylinder-shaped sling bag that is swaying as the legs run. The hamster rapidly crosses the street... hides into the trees. The MELODIOUS sound of the shankh. Running legs of an adult wearing black converse shoes. We notice a hint of rugged grey track pants. The legs fade into a distance.
A suit clad MAN, talking on his phone is taking fast paced steps towards the car...

MAN
(laughs)
Bingo. Didn’t expect Valkesh to sign it this soon?

Man gets into car.
MAN (CONT’D)
Whatever, the ball is in our court. Yes, yes. Ask Khushboo to remove the contract papers.

MAN (CONT’D)
(starts the car)
On my way!

He hangs up. A FRAIL LOOKING MAN, wearing rugged clothes comes upto him. Man rolls down his window.

FRAIL MAN
(smiles)
Gadi saaf hai na (The car is clean right)

MAN
(smiles back, searching in car)
Kaka, sorry.... lagta hai bhatuwa ghar pe bhool aya. (Sorry uncle, I guess I left my wallet at home.)

FRAIL MAN
Kya saab...  Apki gadi ko extra force se dhota hoon. (Sir... I put in extra efforts/ force to wash your car.)

MAN
(laughs)
Are, gharpe jhakar pasie lelo na. (Go to my home and take the money)

FRAIL MAN
Abh wapis peeche jaana padega. (Now I’ll have to again walk back)

Frail man begins walking back. The car drives away in the opposite direction.

FRAIL MAN
(murmuring)
Aj phirse woh khadoos parsi bolega ‘derse aveeche, ghadera’ (imitating). (Today the irritating parsi will again tell me ‘You’re late, you donkey’)

Frail man trips over something.

FRAIL MAN
Kya kachra... kachra sab jagah. (What now... there’s garbage everywhere)

He picks up a thin brown wallet. He opens it and sees a lot of cash and cards in it.
Legs of an adult wearing black converse shoes come in from a distance. We notice a hint of rugged grey track pants. The feet with the scuba diving shoes follow. The frail man is staring at the money. A lady pulls his collar from behind (she is the one wearing the converse shoes and tracks).

LADY
(hitting the frail man)
Robber. How swiftly you people flick things?

FRAIL MAN
Are, memsaab... (Madam..)

LADY
What are? Haan... what are?

FRAIL MAN
                                                     Woh...that... paise... no give

LADY
                                                                    No give?           

LADY (CONT’D)
So if somebody doesn’t give you money, you flick haan?
I’ll hand you over to the cops. Come with me, COME (dragging him)

FRAIL MAN
Baapre Bhagwan...aurat... (Oh my God, lady)

LADY
(turns to look at kid – she is wearing a scuba diving suit)
What are you waiting there for?

The kid runs towards her mom.

KID
Mummy, leave him. I’ll be late for the fancy dress competition.

LADY
Sapna, these people need to be taught a lesson. I’m hanging him over to the cops.

The three of them fade into a distance, as the hamster crosses the street.








 SCREENPLAY #2
FADE IN:

INT. STREET/ SOUTH MUMBAI  – DAY

Abundant greenery is evident on this street which is lined by buildings on both of its sides. The street is empty with two cars parked on one side. The street is wet, and few droplets drip from the trees. The screech of a truck passing by is heard. A hamster is pecking into the ground. The MELODIOUS shankh being blown is heard. The innocent LAUGH of a child from a near distance.... the hamster stops pecking. Running legs of a child... wearing scuba diving shoes with a button that lights with every quick step the leg takes. We notice a hint of an oxygen cylinder-shaped sling bag that is swaying as the legs run. The hamster rapidly crosses the street... hides into the trees. The MELODIOUS sound of the shankh. Running legs of an adult wearing black converse shoes. We notice a hint of rugged grey track pants. The legs fade into a distance.
A suit clad MAN, talking on his phone is taking fast paced steps towards the car...

MAN
(agitated)
Why is Valkesh creating such a fuss and not signing it?

He gets into his car. He hangs up. A FRAIL LOOKING MAN, wearing rugged clothes comes upto him. Man rolls down his window.
FRAIL MAN
(smiles)
Gadi saaf hai na (The car is clean right)

MAN
(searching in car, removes his wallet, hands frail man a note)
Thank you

Frail man analyses the note as the car drives away. The hamster runs in the direction in which the car drove. The frail man walks in the same direction. The hamster takes a turn, swiftly paces around... climbs onto a brown wallet fallen on the street and pushes it. The wallet falls into a drain. From a far off distance, the legs in the track pants and the small legs in scuba diving shoes come, passing across the frail man who is merrily singing.

FRAIL MAN
(singing)
Mein apke kaam me aata.... (I would have been of help to you...)

SMALL GIRL WEARING SCUBA DIVING SHOES
(to her mum wearing tracks)
Mamma, I don’t think you are finding that wallet here.

FRAIL MAN
(singing)
Par aj nahi... (But not today...)


So whose small act lead to what followed?
The hamster who made the small girl run after it? 
The small girl who was running making her mother run after her? 
Valkesh signing or not? 
The suit clad man forgetting his wallet or remembering to carry it? 
The lady dropping her wallet? 
The day? 
The wallet?

All did what they felt like, and like everyday the day shaped itself up based on their small doings.
We may not realise it, but much bigger changes in the world are all because of our doings itself.

(*So kudos to you if Chennai Express is a hit. And un-kudos to you if it isn't! Anyways, now, it is. Hah!) 

4 comments:

  1. it is like a web. the ultimate form the web takes is because of us...upto us..

    ReplyDelete
  2. all life forms, inanimate as well, have a say

    ReplyDelete
  3. the first screenplay can be dramatised, and wrapped with humour way more than the first one. Cool one

    ReplyDelete
  4. With reference to your last line:

    Despite really gruesome reviews, Chennai Express made it big and acquired double the amount of love. Thanks to reviewers like Deboshee Ghosh, Khalid Mohammed and many more who slayed the film with their words. We now know a film's good when you say its damn bad.

    ReplyDelete

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