The Unheard Voice

Twelve November Films

8097250026

The unheard voice

A boy in his early teens, struggles to save a chicken from
people, eyeing it for its meat.
1

EXT. LEDGE OF THE CLIFF - DAY

Partly windy, sunny day. Sea shining, eagles flying. Four
boys in early teens, sitting in risky positions. Swaroop,
slim, tallest amongst all, looks at the sun. Flared sun,
brightly shining. Alok, fat ,has an open black umbrella.
ALOK
aayi
Arun, wearing a cap, holding a binocular, sitting beside
Alok.
ARUN
nahi..
OMKAR, Wearing goggles and cap , sitting beside Arun
OMKAR
aayi...
ARUN
nahi
ALOK
aayi
SWAROOP
....haan yeh tez hai
ALOK
(looking at Arun)
bol re
OMKAR
Count kar na
ARUN
Theek hai
They pick up something kept aside, their fist closed. They
aim at sky, ready to throw.
ARUN
1.... 2... 3
They throw together. Small
parachutes are flying in the air.

2.

Chorus noise.
OMKAR/SWAROOP/ARUN/ALOK
Mera wala sabse upar hai
nahi nahi mera wala sabse upar
hai..
wooooo, weeeeeeeee
Music treatment. Parachutes give the joy of flying to the
boys.
They look at the sky, bright blue, parachutes go a little
far now.
(Time lapse shot, clouds traveling in speed.)
Arun softly throws a stone down the cliff, carefully watches
it falling, sea water hitting the rocks below.
ARUN
(trying to pick up the
binocular, to see through it)
hum log toh bahut unchai par hain..
Looks at swaroop through the binocular.
(Binocular view starts..)
SWAROOP
Haan.. Ramesh isi pahadi se gira
tha...
ALOK
sach me?
SWAROOP
Haan
ARUN
Woh bichara aise hi mar gaya...
SWAROOP
...Uski aatma yahaan bhatakti hogi.
Aruns P.O.V - Omkar enters a freezed frame, Swaroop and
Alok already present.
OMKAR
Mujhe aatma se darr lagta hai..

3.
SWAROOP
Chup kar, darpok kahin ka
(...)
OMKAR
Maine suna hai ke jo accident me
marta hai uski aatma bhatakti hai.
SWAROOP
Paka mat.. kuch bhi bolta hai..
Moving binocular randomly at the sky. Spots an eagle. Lowers
down to the ground, sees a mysterious, distant boy running
towards them..
ARUN
Woh dekho ramesh ki aatma?
OMKAR
Kidhar...?
After watching Jatin coming towards them..
OMKAR
(Runs, exits frame)
Bhago.. woh pakadlega humko..
(Binocular view ends.)
SWAROOP
Arey yeh aatma nahi hai..
(Jatin , running, comes a little closer.)
ARUN
Yeh toh apna jatin hai
Omkar looks at jatin.
ALOK
(throwing a stone at omkar)
Idhar aa omkar...darpok
SWAROOP
(stands, throws a stone at
omkar.)(close up)
Maar isko
Swaroop and Alok , both throw some stones at omkar. Omkar
dodges these stones like an opera dancer. His elegant
movements will make anyone start admiring him. Jatin is
coming closer with every second.

4.

ARUN
Kya hua jatin tu itna bhaag bhag ke
kyun aa raha hai?
All the friends gather. Jatin stops.
JATIN
(breathing heavily)
Arun, ... tere papa
ARUN
kya..
JATIN
...teri murgi kaatne wale hain
Arun runs as soon as he hears this, leaving the four
confused. After Arun reaches at a distance from them, they
start running.
2

EXT. RUNNING DOWN THE CLIFF - DAY

[CONTINUOUS]
Arun is heading down the cliff.
ALOK
(Cupping his hands around his
mouth, shouts)
Arooooooooooooooon....
His voice resonates through the cliff.
Aloks voice is audible to arun while running, doesnt
respond. We see a parachute lying close to arun on a plant.
He notices it but doesnt pick.
Swaroop runs like a beast behind arun, faster among all, no
one can beat him.
Arun picks up a cycle out of the four cycles parked. As he
leaves , we see swaroop picking his cycle.
Rest of the friends also run down the cliff, parachute lying
close to them. They notice the parachute but dont pick.
Alok is last, umbrella is open backwards while he runs.
Arun is cycling , very fast, stunts like a professional in
the muddy, dusty path.
Eyes wet, remembers him and chicken in good times. Cycling
on the road. The sound of vehicles horn approaching him is
very high. Arun about to hit it, dodges it. Peddles the

5.

cycle with a lot of force. The cycle chain falls off.

Quickly, blinks his watery eyes. Gasping for breath, dried
lips. Gets off it , leaves it to fall on the ground near his
home. Runs as if his life is in danger.
3

EXT./INT. OUTSIDE MAIN GATE/ARUNS HOME - DAY

[CONTINUOUS]
Arun is exhausted, enters the veranda of his house,a typical
village red tiled roof house. His chicken is tied to a thin
nylon rope, hanging upside down from a hook. It is alive and
a silver ring is seen shining on its one of the legs. There
is a knife kept alongside, washed, shiny and ready to use.
Bhaskar,middle aged, alcoholic, bearded, speaks hindi in a
semi marathi accent, father of arun, is in the toilet,
singing.
BHASKAR(O.S)
komdi padali tangadi dharun langadi
ghalaya lagli...(2)
ARUN
(interrupts)
Yeh kya lagake rakha hai aapne...
BHASKAR(O.S)
Arey...kya bol raha hai tu?
ARUN
(takes a long breath)
..Mera murgi mat maaro
BHASKAR(O.S)
Raja.. ghar par kuch khaane ko nahi
thaaa, iskeliye...main
ARUN
(interrupting, raising his
voice)
Main baar baar aapko ek hi cheez
bol bolke thak gaya hun, aapko
jaanwar log ki koi bhi kadar
nahi..pehle bhi aapne mera murgi
khaya tha..daaru ke saath kuch aur
nahi kha sakte..
(More louder, takes a deep
breath)
aap kuch bhi karlo iss baar main
usko marne nahi dunga..

6.

BHASKAR(O.S)
(Shouts)
chyaaiilaa.. daaru ko beech me kyun
la ra aee? ruk tereko batata main..
Sound of tap opening, water coming out and splashing of
water is audible from inside the toilet.
BHASKAR(O.S)
(whispering)
sala murgi ke liye lad raha hai
merese....
Arun waits for a second, biting his lips, looks at the
chicken hanging. Locks the toilet door. Rushes inside the
room, finds a small size cage.
BHASKAR(O.S)
(angry, banging the toilet
door)
mala lock kela...khol...aai
zhavadya tuzya... khol..tera murgi
khata hun abhi
Arun frees the chicken, puts it in the cage.
BHASKAR(O.S)
(constantly banging the door,
holding his anger)
acha khol apan baat karte hain....
khol...
Arun approaching towards the main gate exit. Bhaskar is
still shouting from inside the toilet. Arun runs out of the
house with the cage. Swaroop, on his cycle, has just
reached, stops.
ARUN
Utar utar..
SWAROOP
(getting off the cycle)
Par kya hua
Arun tries to attach the cage on the rear rack of swaroops
cycle.
ARUN
Murgi ko bacha ke rahega main..
He again rushes inside the house. Swaroop properly fixes the
cage. The chicken is resting.

7.

SWAROOP
(looking at chicken, smiling)
Hum log tereko kuch nahi hone denge
Sound of breaking of a glass bottle is audible.
BHASKAR(O.S)
(shouting on top of his
vocals)
abhi tereko teri murgi ke saath
khaunga, madarchod.. tu ruk abhi
aaya main
Arun running, comes out of the house. Sits on the cycle.
ARUN
mere peeche aa..
Gives a hi-5 to swaroop, starts cycling..
Bhaskar about to break the door,making the sound thak thak
thak
SWAROOP
Teri cycle leke aaun
Arun just about to disappear from the scene, raises his
hand, gives a thumbs up.
BHASKAR(O.S)
Tere ko nahi chhodunga..kuttee
Swaroop looks at the house, afraid of bhaskar, quickly
starts running towards aruns cycle. Bhaskar manages to come
out of the toilet.
BHASKAR
Gaya yeh abhi..
Disappointed, kneels down, tastes the liquor drops from some
glass pieces on the floor.
BHASKAR
(shouts)
madarchoooooood
Picks up the scooter key, mobile. Adjusts his pyjama while
running towards the gate.
BHASKAR
(while running)
kidhar gaya yeh...kidhar gaya

8.

Looks at swaroop a little far away fixing the chain of

aruns cycle. Sits on his scooter, starts it. Smells his
hand, doesnt like the smell. Rides in swaroops direction.
BHASKAR
Kidhar gaya arun ?
Swaroop partially hides behind the cycle, only eyes are
visible. Points his index finger in the direction where arun
went. Bhaskar turns the scooter in that direction, he gives
a stern look to swaroop, about to burn the world. Swaroop is
scared. Chicken and aruns drawing on a paper inside his
home near the door is visible, bhaskar riding the scooter
crosses the main gate in aruns direction.
4

EXT. SOME ROAD - DAY

4
[CONTINUOUS]

Arun cycles with all the power that he has, constantly

looking back. He finds two ways. Takes one of them. He is a
little uneasy at cycling now. Chicken is resting. Sun is
brightly shining. Arun is tired, sweating heavily, stops
under a tree.
Watches a fish in the water puddle near by, washes his feet
in other water puddle, runs to the cycle as he cannot waste
more time. Looks at chicken, smiles. Again starts cycling.
We see that the water he washes his feet in, is partially
red. He stands and pedals, speeds up, looks at salt pans,
mountains nearby.
(satisfaction music starts)
A little smile appears on his face. Sound of wind blowing.
Closes his sleepy eyes and opens, closes eyes for a longer
time now, opens. Again closes for a much longer time. (P.O.V
- Arun).
CUT TO:BLACK SCREEN.
Wind sound is audible. Build up sound, with a ssssat sound,
scooter sound.
ARUN
aaahhhhhh
BHASKAR
Ab kahaan jaayegaa tu?... idhar
aa..
Arun with the cycle falls on the ground.

9.

CHICKEN
(O.S)
pak pak pak pak .......
Arun is in pain, gets up with the cycle,dusty face,dirty
clothes, checks the chicken (not necessary to show the
chicken), bhaskar parking the scooter, coming after him.
Arun tries to take off the cage but it is taking time.
Bhaskar has a wicked smile.
BHASKAR
Gayi teri murgi abhi..
Arun tries hard but efforts go in vain. Bhaskar crosses the
road, coming closer.
BHASKAR
..usko aise khaunga... abhi kidhar
jaayega tu...haan....(smiles)...
kidhar jaayega..
Bhaskar is about to catch him but arun manages to pull out
the cage from the cycle rack in the last minute and manages
to run. Bhaskar is chasing him.
5

EXT. SALT PAN - DAY

[CONTINUOUS]
They run through/on the salt pans.
Distance between them is
decreasing. Bhaskar catches him.
Arun loses the cage. Bhaskar holds
his shirt, slaps him, he falls on
the ground,
BHASKAR
Do hajaar ka nuksaan karaya..
Kicks him.
BHASKAR
haan....bahut bada ho gaya hai tu
...aaizavadya.. mere se panga
lega.. kya
Again kicks him.
ARUN
Papa aap jo bologe main karunga par
mera murgi mat kaato

10.
BHASKAR
Sab khate hain murgi
ARUN
(angry, shouts)
Aap ko dikhta nahi hai kya.. usko
dard hota hai
Bhaskar kicks him again.
BHASKAR
Mera baap ban raha hai kya.. Yeh
sab mereko mat sikha.... chal abhi
.. tereko ghar saaf karna padega..
Tries to pick him up. Arun closes his eyes, is in no mood to
stand.
BHASKAR
Chal..?
Seeing no reaction, bhaskar holds his collar and drags him
on the salt pan from his right hand, aruns shirt is almost
getting off . We can see blood on the white ground coming
out from aruns left slipper. Bhaskar picks up the cage from
his left hand.
Arun looks and smiles at the chicken in the cage while
bhaskar drags him.
BHASKAR
Tere dada aur par dada sab murgi
khate the.. Sirf tu aur teri aai
nahi khate.. yeh hamara khana
hai..Main marte dam tak murgi
khaunga, bahut tahshty hoti hai..
tere ko bhi khake acha lagega....
tera gullak kidhar hai?
6

EXT. RAILWAY TRACK - DAY

Camera follows arun, without shirt running effortlessly with

the cage on the railway track. Bhaskar is holding his shirt,
running after him.
Bhaskar
thamb rajaaaa..... thamb...
Arun is in no mood to stop. He looks back, bhaskar slowing
down, tired. Arun slows down, stops. Both are at some
distance, sitting on the track looking at each other,
breathing heavily.

11.
BHASKAR
Aaj tune mereko bahut dukh diya
hai..
Arun is breathing heavily.
BHASKAR
Tereko khoon aa raha hai phir bhi
murgi ke liye itna mehnat kar raha
hai
Bhaskar tries to move his legs and body a bit in aruns
direction, trying to bluff him emotionally. Arun is staring
at bhaskar like a hawk, holding the cage in his hands ready
to run.
ARUN
Murgi khana chhod do na phir..
BHASKAR
Eekade ye ..tere ko samjhata hun
raja..
Arun staring, disagreeing him by moving his head, knows all
his games. Bhaskar looks in the opposite direction of the
track, looks at arun and starts running after him.
BHASKAR
eedhar aa bhosadikeeee..
Arun seeing him in no time starts running. Trains hooting is
audible but train is not visible. Arun tries to run outside
the track. In no time he stops with pain as his slipper gets
off the foot, stuck somewhere in the railway track . Bhaskar
is coming closer. Train sound is audible.
Bhaskar tries to snatch the cage. Arun is not letting him
take it. They are in a tug of war position. Train hoots.
Arun picks up mud and throws it on bhaskars face. Bhaskar
cannot see anything, struggling hard to open eyes. Arun
snatches the cage from him, picks up his shirt lying nearby,
puts on the blooded slipper, crosses tracks, runs in the
opposite direction to bhaskar. Train passes by.Bhaskar
struggling to see, throws some stones over the train in
aruns direction.
BHASKAR
Abhi ek murgi bacha lega, duniya me
karodon murgiyaan kaise
bachaega?...
Throws a stone..

12.

BHASKAR
(shouting)
Madarchod.....
A stone appears to hit the ground but arun is very far
running with cage and his shirt on his shoulder. Bhaskar
goes mad in the sound of the fast moving goods train.
7

EXT. SOME SAME ROAD - DAY

Arun closing the first button of his shirt , pees on

bhaskars scooter. Arun starts riding his cycle again.
Watches bhaskar coming , very far, smiles. Bhaskar looks at
the road, calling someone from a mobile phone, sits on his
scooter .
BHASKAR
Hello, shirke?
Amol Shirke, mid thirties, a strong man, runs a grocery
shop.
SHIRKE
(V.O)
ha bola
BHASKAR
(to be converted in marathi)
Arun bhaga hai yahaan se, tere
raste se hi nikalega, usko pakadke
ghar leke aa ..khane me tereko
murgi khilata hoon..
SHIRKE
(V.O)
Ho..Tumhi tenson nako ghya
I/C
Shirke sits on a chair outside his shop, reading a
newspaper, looking at the road far away.
I/C
Bhaskar touches urine on the scooter, smells.
BHASKAR
(shouts)
Arooooooooooooooooooooooooon
His voice echoes, some birds resting on a near by tree start
to fly.

13.

EXT. SOME ROAD - DAY

(same satisfaction music starts)

We see the key of bhaskars scooter hanging from the rack of
the cycle. Blood coming out of aruns toe while he pedals.
Blood is coming from his forearm. Sun is shining bright.
Arun is smiling, chicken is resting. (Flashback) He
remembers a small chick growing overtime in front of him.
Eats food and gives food to the chicken under the tree. His
injured toe finger is clothed. They are resting near water,
near some shadowy place, watches a snake, chicken is free
from cage. He travels. Beautiful scenery.
9

EXT. NEAR SHIRKES SHOP - DAY

Arun is on the cycle, notices shirke reading newspaper

sitting outside. Shirke not clearly visible to arun. In
front of shirke, in a recognizable posture, he hids behind a
tree, just in time as shirke checks the road. Arun is
scared, looks at shirke, in a hiding position, takes out
binocular, again watching him. A hand appears on aruns
shoulder. Arun cowardly looks back.
SWAROOP
Tu idhar hai, maine sab jagah
dhoond liya tujhe
Arun heavs a sigh of relief. He aligns swaroop in the angle
according to the angle of shirkes position.
ARUN
Cycle aise laga... jaldi
In front of Shirke reading newspaper, Swaroop corrects the
cycles position. As soon as this happens , shirke checks
the road, all clear.
ARUN
Woh aadmi mere papa ka dost hai,
woh mereko pakad lega, papa ne usko
phone kiya hoga
SWAROOP
Toh abhi kya karen
ARUN
Thodi der rukte hain
SWAROOP
Murgi theek toh hai na

14.

ARUN
Haan
Arun checks out shirke from the binocular.
...
SWAROOP
Murgi ko mere ghar rakh de, mere
ghar woh safe rahegi
Seeing arun busy, swaroop joins arun.
SWAROOP
Door been de
Arun passes the binocular to swaroop, while shirke is
immersed in the paper. Shirke watches them. They pull back,
hiding, scared behind the tree. Shirke senses something
fishy. Again arun and swaroop show their faces and see a
standing shirke looking at them. He gets up leaves the paper
on the chair, starts walking towards them.
As he reaches the tree he finds no one. Cycles hidden behind
the bush, handle visible, shirke observes it but cannot make
out if it is a cycle.
SHIRKE
Kaun aahe eetha?...
They hide behind a bush near the tree. Shirke is very near
to them, about to see the cage. Arun hides it, adjusts the
cage, just in time, shirke puzzled. Shirke is seen going
again to his shop, a little far now from the boys. Swaroop
relaxes a bit. Arun looking at shirke with his binoculars.
SWAROOP
Woh toh bahut daravna aadmi hai,
bach gaye hum log
Arun smiles, turns to swaroop, gives him a hi5.
ARUN
Haan, chal ab tere ghar murgi ko
rakh dete hain..
SWAROOP
Haan.. main teri cycle chalata hun
ARUN
tu sach bol..Meri cycle teri cycle
se achi hai na?

15.

SWAROOP
(waits,hesitatingly)
haan
Both laugh. Shirke is very far, blurred , turning back to
see them talking.
10

EXT. THE BUTCHERS SHOP - DAY

10

(Marathi conversation)
(Close up, Camera zooming out.)
BHASKAR
Murgi bilkul nahi khani chahiye..
jab bird flu ho.. warna apan seedha
upar jaayenge
SHIRKE
Haan sahi kaha..
BHASKAR
Waise boiler ka 5 rs bhav bad gaya
hai na?
BUTCHER
Haan..
BHASKAR
Ande kitne ke hai?
BUTCHER
pachas rupaya dozen
The butcher gives the chicken in a black, thin polythene
bag.
SHIRKE
Waise mujhe butter chicken pasandh
hai..
BHASKAR
(giving money to butcher)
Wahi toh bana raha hun.. / hum
butter chicken hi khayenge
We see arun weeping and his friends sitting with him in the
background as camera follows shirke and bhaskar.
I/C:
The same fish is suffocating to death in open air as water
puddle has dried up.

16.

FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
11

EXT./INT. - RESTAURANT - DAY

11

Arun is sitting with his mom, gayatri and bhaskar with lassi
and cold drinks at a table. Bhaskar all shaven up and looks
smart.
BHASKAR
Arun tujhe ice cream chahiye
ARUN
Nahi papa, bas pet bhar gaya hai
GAYATRI
Kitne baje pahuchna hai?
BHASKAR
Bas, time ho gaya hai, chalo chalte
hain
Bhaskar gets up. Gayatri gets up.
GAYATRI(O.S)
Chal babu..late ho raha hai
ARUN
(sipping the left drink)
Haan aaya
Watches a family next to his table holding leg pieces in
their hands, eating , arun carefully observes the silver
ring in his hand.
Imagines how the butcher must have slit his chickens
throat. (blurred) And how it vibrates in the bucket of blood
and feathers. Sound similar to the bengali females creating
in a bengali wedding, rustic, irritating. The vibration
sound of chicken dying in the bucket is audible.
SMALL YOUNG GIRL, 8 YEARS OLD
Chicken tasty hai na?..
HER DAD
....haan bahut acha hai
Her dad bites the chicken piece like a hungry lion eating
its prey.
We see arun getting out of the restaurant, looking at the
goat mutton hanging in a shop.

17.

Parents and arun sit on the scooter.

Camera zooms out to see chicken bones eaten by dogs on the
street. Scooter leaves and disappears.
FADE OUT
CUT TO: BLACK SCREEN
Text appears : The unheard voice
(Chickens vibrating sound is still audible)
Cast and Credits
The End.
***