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THE LITTLE MCINTOSH SOLDIERS

Written by GANGA RAJU GUNNAM

Original Screenplay

Published by Just Yellow Media Pvt. Ltd.


Flat 201, Kavuri Supreme Enclave, Kavuri Hills, Near Madhapur,
Hyderabad-500033, India
raju@justyellowmedia.com
EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY

Near the hilly terrain of Dehra Dun, a sprawling farm with a


cattle-shed, some paddies, and a litchi orchard surrounding a
cottage . A squat Malayali nicknamed GUN, is running
excitedly from the gate towards the house with a newspaper in
hand. He enters the house shouting.

GUN
Major General saab!

Not finding him inside, he runs out towards the cattle-shed.


There he finds MAJOR GENERAL DANIEL McINTOSH, a tall and
weatherbeaten Irishman in his late sixties, supervising the
milking done by a farmhand.

GUN (CONT’D)
Very Good, Very Early Morning sir!
Thought you’d relax in bed on your
first day of retirement .

DANIEL
Does retirement mean bed-rest? At
this age, if you stay too long in
it, people may think you are dead.
What’s all the excitement about?

GUN
It’s Errol baba! His photos are in
the paper, his childrens’ too! Your
grandchildren!

He gives the paper to Daniel. It is the stage performance


itinerary of a singing family - the ‘McIntoshes’. Daniel’s
face turns red. He folds the paper and puts it aside.

DANIEL
I’m leaving. Taking up that
contract at Sandhurst. Arrange the
tickets.

GUN is surprised.

GUN
As the counter-insurgency
consultant? But I thought you
decided to refuse that job. Why re-
locate so far away now?

DANIEL
Away from what? What’s left? I move
on, whether anyone follows me or
deserts me. ‘Old soldiers never
die; they just fade away...’
2.

INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY

The top of a fully packed suitcase is closed and snapped shut


with a finality. DANIEL McINTOSH gets up and starts to walk
out.

DANIEL
That’s it.

His orderly, GUN, is puzzled as his gaze sweeps around the


house.

It is a single-storey, spacious farmhouse with a verandah and


a tiled roof. The rooms are sparsely furnished, and the decor
shows the lack of a feminine touch. The shelves, though, are
filled with various Indian artefacts gifted to Daniel by
families of cadets passing out of the Indian Military
Academy.

GUN
Sir, but what about all this stuff?
Shall I order a container and ship
them later, sir?

DANIEL
Not necessary.

GUN
Sir, you are not taking them to
England?

DANIEL
All that I’ve gathered here, I
leave behind. All that I’ve lost
here, I leave behind.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - DAY

As Daniel goes onto the verandah, Gun follows with the


suitcase. An army car comes and stops in the porch. COLONEL
JOGRAJ SINGH gets out and salutes smartly.

JOGRAJ
Morning, sir! I’m glad I caught you
in time. This is all so sudden.

DANIEL
I wanted to leave the day my
contract was over. Never good at
goodbyes.

JOGRAJ
A pity, sir. We were planning a
splendid farewell bash.

He gives a carton to Daniel.


3.

JOGRAJ (CONT’D)
Compliments of General Chauhan.

He reads out what’s inscribed on the packet.

JOGRAJ SINGH (V.O.)


“To the best Counter-insurgency
expert we’ve had. These nine years,
what our cadets learnt from you
saved countless lives. With respect
and gratitude.”

Daniel takes the packet and shakes Jograj’s hand.

JOGRAJ SINGH
And sir, please, I’ll see you off
at the airport.

DANIEL
Thank you, Jograj.

He turns to Gun, whose eyes are starting to well up.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
Take whatever you want from the
house. Any buyer turns up for the
farm, direct him to Colonel Saab.
Take care of the livestock. And
don’t you start snivelling, for
God’s sake!

Gun rubs his eyes and comes to attention.

GUN
Sir! Godspeed, sir. Remember, Gun
and India will always welcome you.

The army car leaves with Jograj Singh and Daniel McIntosh as
a forlorn Gun looks on.

INT. AIRCRAFT - NIGHT

The aircraft lands at Heathrow. An AIR HOSTESS comes on the


intercom.

AIR HOSTESS
Please keep your seat belts buckled
till the aircraft comes to a
complete halt. You may now switch
on your mobile phones.

Daniel switches on his phone.

INSERT - PHONE

It is searching for a network.


4.

BACK TO SCENE

Daniel gets up and walks out of the plane and into the
aerobridge.

INT. AEROBRIDGE - NIGHT

As Daniel is passing through the aerobridge, the phone beeps.

INSERT - PHONE

Which reads: Jograj Singh.

BACK TO SCENE

Daniel slows down as he reads. He stops for a moment and


quickly dials JOGRAJ. Silent images of a grim-faced JOGRAJ.

DANIEL
Jograj, is this ... news
...confirmed?

JOGRAJ SINGH
I’m afraid it is sir. I’ve spoken
to the Inspector concerned. Sir, I
can’t say ... how ...

DANIEL
Thank you.

Daniel disconnects and walks in a daze to the carousel.

INT. HEATHROW AIRPORT - CAROUSEL - NIGHT

Time passes. There is only Daniel’s bag going around in a


lonely spin. He is lost in thought, sitting on a trolley. A
PORTER approaches him.

PORTER
Sir, is that your bag?

Daniel looks at it, nods and goes to pick it up. CAMERA MOVES
with him as he goes from Arrivals to Departures.

INT. HEATHROW AIRPORT - DEPARTURES COUNTER - NIGHT

DANIEL
The next available flight to India,
please.

He dials GUN.
5.

INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY

A tearful GUN answers.

GUN
Sir, sir, this is a big tragedy!
ERROL baba and his wife died in a
horrible accident. The children are
alone in Delhi. I don’t know what
to do.

DANIEL
I’m coming home.

TITLE CARD - A FEW MONTHS EARLIER

INT./EXT. CITY HOUSE (NEW DELHI) - MORNING

A single-storey house surrounded by a lawn and a compound


wall. On the name-board is printed ‘ERROL & ANITA McINTOSH.’
On the granite wall next to the board is a crayon-scribbled
addendum: ‘BUNNY & SUNNY McINTOSH.’

A black Great Dane, TRIXIE, wakes up outside the main door,


shakes itself and rushes through the door. It lopes across
the LIVING room, goes into the children’s bedroom and
performs its function of a canine alarm clock. It starts
vigorously licking the sleeping face of BUNNY, a three-year-
old girl. Bunny slaps the dog without opening her eyes.

A chastened Trixie goes to the master bedroom where Bunny’s


mother, ANITA (a thirty-year-old Indian woman, fair-
complexioned, sharp-featured and dark-haired) is at the wash
basin and moans a complaint.

ANITA
What, boss scold you?

Trixie whines in affirmation.

Anita pulls out Bunny’s toothbrush from a holder, squeezes


some paste on it and puts the handle in Trixie’s mouth. The
dog trots off with the brush towards Bunny’s bed.

It industriously attempts to put the brush into Bunny’s


mouth. Still asleep, Bunny turns her head away from the
prodding brush. But Trixie perseveres and Bunny wakes up.

Her face is smeared with toothpaste. She looks at the sticky


mess and launches herself at the dog, shouting and throwing
her slippers at it.

The dog scampers off with the three-year-old in hot pursuit.

BUNNY
You stupid monkey, donkey, dog!
6.

Trixie seeks refuge behind Anita, who grabs the fuming Bunny
by the trailing drawstrings of her night dress.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
I’ll kick you, I’ll thrash you,
I’ll...

ANITA
Will you stop your litany? Won’t
you come to the station?

Bunny, straining furiously at the drawstring ‘leash’ to get


at the cowering dog, pauses in her ranting. Anita reminds
her.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Dad is coming.

Instantly Bunny’s mood changes and her large eyes light up as


she hops up and down.

BUNNY
I will, I will.

ANITA
Then wake Sunny up and get ready
quickly.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KIDS’ ROOM - DAY

Bunny rushes off to the kids’ room. There deep asleep on a


twin bed is her nine-year-old brother, SUNNY. She gently
nudges him and croons softly.

BUNNY
Sunny, wake up, Sunny, get up.

Sunny is unmoved.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
Sunny brother, Sunny sweet boy,
Sunny dear, wake up...

Sunny opens an eye, irritated, and throws a pillow at her.

SUNNY
Stop this chanting early in the
morning.

Bunny gives him an injured look. She goes to the sink, fills
her super-sopper and comes back. She gives a beatific smile,
taps Sunny and, as soon as he opens his eyes, lets him have
it. The force of the water spout jolts him awake.

Now it’s Bunny’s turn to run from a dripping and boiling


Sunny. She goes and hides behind Anita, who’s brushing her
hair.
7.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
(to Bunny)
You’re dead today.

ANITA
OK, you both stay home and fight it
out. I’ll go to the station alone.

She waves her hairbrush with a note of finality. Now Sunny


remembers.

SUNNY
Oh! Dad is arriving today! I’ll get
dressed in two minutes.

He rushes off into his room as Bunny observes objectively.

BUNNY
Sunny’s always late.

INT./EXT. CITY HOUSE - FRONT LAWN - DAY

The family minivan is parked in the driveway, facing the


house. Anita tries to start the van but the engine doesn’t
catch.

Sunny and Bunny, seated inside, watch impatiently. Anita


makes one more failed attempt. This time as she turns the
key, the sound of a car comes from the gate. Bunny claps in
relief.

BUNNY
It’s started.

SUNNY
Idiot, that’s a car engine sound.

Anita looks in the rearview mirror.

INSERT - REARVIEW MIRROR

A cab has stopped in front of the gate and ERROL McINTOSH


gets out. He is a cheerful-looking, strapping Scotsman in his
mid-thirties.

BACK TO SCENE

ANITA
It’s your father.

Sunny jumps out of the van and rushes towards the gate.

SUNNY
Daddy!
8.

Bunny follows suit.

BUNNY
My daddy, my daddy.

Errol hugs Sunny, gives him a twirl and puts him down.

ERROL
Been up to enough mischief?

By now Bunny reaches him. He scoops her up and swirls her


over his head as she screams in delight.

ERROL (CONT’D)
Didn’t neglect harassing your
mother while I was away, did you?

Then he also makes to pick up Anita and acts as if he had


failed in the attempt.

ERROL (CONT’D)
Ouch! Separation seems to have
weighed heavily on you.

She smiles and they move towards the house.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Sunny follows Errol and Anita into the house. He wheels


Errol’s suitcase in with some effort as Bunny is astride it.

ERROL
Thought you were supposed to pick
me up. Got up late?

ANITA
It’s never early enough with these
two devils. I tried to call you,
saying we’d be late. But your
mobile was off.

ERROL
Aah. Had to switch it off. Avoiding
Ratnakar’s entreaties.

He switches his mobile on.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Anita goes into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She rolls


out poories (thin flat breads) and fries them. Errol follows
her, eager to break the news to her. While cooking, she asks
casually:

ANITA
Why are you avoiding Ratnakar?
9.

ERROL
Wondering when you’d come to that.
See, I’ve decided to stop composing
jingles for a living.

As if to soften the blow, he starts rolling out a poori to


help her.

ANITA
And do what, cook?

ERROL
No, create! Write my own songs!
Songs that are for singing, not
selling. ‘Buy this’, ‘Use that’.
‘Eat this’, ‘Drink that’. ‘Wash
with this’, ‘Rinse with that’!

Towards the end of this little ditty, he stabs the poori with
the end of the rolling pin to make a few vehement points.

ANITA
Watch out. What are you doing?

ERROL
Making a poori.

He holds it up and notices the holes he’s punched in it.

ERROL (CONT’D)
Sorry.

INT. CITY HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Sunny and Bunny are at the table. Bunny takes a well-risen


poori from the dish and puts it in her plate. Sunny takes the
next one, which is rather flat. Bunny taunts him.

BUNNY
My poori is alive. Yours is dead.

Sunny takes another one from the dish. This one is as puffed
up as Bunny’s.

SUNNY
Now mine is alive too.

Bunny gets on the table, leans across towards Sunny’s plate


and punctures his poori with a spiteful finger. It deflates.
Sunny rises and retaliates by flattening Bunny’s poori.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Errol’s phone rings. He answers it.


10.

ERROL
Yes, Ratnakar. No, Ratnakar. Sorry,
no more jingles, even if it’s the
biggest FMCG account. I have news
for you.

He looks at Anita, as it is her he’s actually breaking the


news to.

ERROL (CONT’D)
I am doing an album. Yesterday I
signed a contract with Sony. And
shortly I’m going on a tour doing
stage shows to promote it with my
family. Even my children are
singing a number! Bye, ciao,
cheerio and toots!

He disconnects and beams at Anita.

ANITA
You are serious? Singing and
touring with these monkeys?

She points towards the dining room from where the sound of
squabbling emanates.

ERROL
Of course! They are my golden
cherubs. We all will go a-singing
like the Von Trapp family of yore.

ANITA
Well, it’s certainly a trap you are
getting into...

Suddenly there’s a clanging noise from the dining room.

INT. CITY HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Anita and Errol rush in to see Bunny trying to pulverise


Sunny’s face with a table spoon and Sunny protecting himself
with a dinner plate. As soon as Bunny sees her father, she
stops the assault and complains with an injured expression.

BUNNY
Sunny is hitting me.

Errol and Anita look nonplussed at her blatant guile.

INT./EXT. CITY HOUSE - DAY

The kids are in the van as Errol offers to drop them to


school.
11.

Anita waves goodbye and the CAMERA MOVES with her into the
house. It is calm, like the wreckage after a tempest. Towels,
comics, shoe brushes, etc., are strewn everywhere. Anita,
with a sigh, starts to clean up.

CUT TO:

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

The living room is spick-and-span. Anita sits relaxed,


browsing a magazine on the couch. She looks at the clock and
hastens into the kitchen, muttering.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

ANITA
My loving tormentors will be back
any minute...

She starts mixing chocolate milk for them in two mugs.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

In the living room, a school bag comes flying in, accompanied


by Sunny’s voice.

SUNNY (O.S.)
My bag first.

Some books come flying in and land on the couch.

BUNNY (O.S.)
My books first.

This is followed by a quick rally of various items.

SUNNY (O.S.)
My water bottle first.

BUNNY (O.S.)
My shoes first.

SUNNY (O.S.)
My socks first.

Then Sunny and Bunny race in.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Bunny goes to the kitchen, rushes into Anita’s arms and


announces excitedly:

BUNNY
Mummy, I’m back!
12.

ANITA
That’s great, but what did you
leave behind?

BUNNY
Everyone. I came first in school!

ANITA
In what?

BUNNY
Came first out of the class after
the bell.

ANITA
That I never doubt.

CAMERA MOVES with Anita as she carries Bunny into the living
room. And she sees the mayhem.

ANITA (CONT’D)
My house would have been cleaner if
I had reared a couple of swine
instead of you two.

Bunny immediately raises her head from the mug, not wanting
to miss out on something.

BUNNY
Mummy, I want a swine.

ANITA
Shut up and drink up. Say anything
and you want it.

Sunny has changed into sporting whites and is going out with
a cricket bat.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Where are you off to?

SUNNY
I have a cricket match.

Bunny hastily gets down from Anita’s arms to follow Sunny.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY

The stumps are being set. SURI, a twelve-year-old, is on his


knees, checking that the stumps at both ends are in line. His
clothes are straining at the seams; not because they are
tight, but because he’s overweight. A few other boys are
waiting to begin the game.

Sunny is walking towards the stumps with Bunny and Trixie in


tow. Bunny is assailed with doubt.
13.

BUNNY
Sunny, what’s a swine?

SUNNY
Pig.

BUNNY
What?

SUNNY
Pig. ‘Swine’ means pig.

BUNNY
Oh.

After a couple of steps.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
What’s a pig?

An exasperated Sunny looks around. Then he spots Suri, who is


now on all fours with a tennis ball in his mouth, signalling
to the other end with one hand to move the stumps a wee bit.

SUNNY
There. That’s a prized pig for you.

As they come closer, Suri admonishes Sunny.

SURI
Not only do you come late, but you
cart along this appendix too.

SUNNY
You mean appendage.

BUNNY
I’ll also play.

SURI
This is cricket, not chocolate. Go
away.

BUNNY
No, I’ll play.

SUNNY
Bunny, you’ll get hurt. Go and sit
there.

As she crosses Suri and goes towards the boundary of the


ground, Bunny spits out:

BUNNY
Swine pig!
14.

Suri is startled. And very annoyed. He strides after her


menacingly. He is a few paces away from her when Trixie, who
is lying down, gets up.

After Bunny crosses the huge Great Dane, it walks towards the
approaching Suri leisurely. Suri does a swift about-turn and
hurries to play cricket.

SURI
My team won the toss and I’m
batting.

SUNNY
When did you toss the coin?

SURI
When you were not here.

Suri elaborately dons pads, abdominal guard and gloves. He


imperiously informs the scorer:

SURI (CONT’D)
You may enter a double century
against my name.

As he goes towards the batting crease, fully armoured with


protection, FIELDER 1 and FIELDER 2 look puzzled.

FIELDER 1
We are playing with a tennis ball,
aren’t we?

FIELDER 2
Yes. Not a cricket ball. He scares
everyone, but is more timid than
anyone.

Suri takes his guard at the crease.

As Sunny runs up to bowl, Suri stops him and potters around


the pitch.

When Suri’s finally satisfied, Sunny takes his run-up. Suri


again stops him and takes a sip of an energy drink.

At last, Sunny is allowed to come in and bowl. Suri takes an


almighty, cross-batted heave and looks towards the square-leg
boundary. The ball, though, had merely taken the edge of the
bat and gone straight up.

Trixie leaps up and catches it. The excited fielders appeal.

FIELDER 1
Out!

FIELDER 2
Howzatt!
15.

Bunny, seated outside the boundary, is more excited than the


fielders that Suri was bested by Trixie. She jumps up in glee
and trips but gets up and keeps clapping.

Suri turns around and sees the dog with the ball in its mouth
a couple of yards away. Nonplussed, he recovers quickly.

SURI
No way! The dog ain’t a fielder.

Sunny takes the ball from Trixie’s mouth and holds it aloft.

SUNNY
The ball didn’t touch the ground.
Now it’s a catch!

The umpire is thinking of giving it out, but Suri walks


towards the umpire and glowers at him. The umpire decides
it’s wiser to rule it not out.

Sunny goes and breaks the stumps at the batting end as Suri
is at the other end, along with the runner, intimidating the
umpire.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Now it is out! Runout!

The umpire looks at Suri, takes a few steps back and


tentatively raises his finger, signalling out. Suri throws
his bat at the stumps and walks off in a huff.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KIDS’ ROOM - DAY

Bunny is in bed with a thermometer stuck in her mouth and a


band-aid on her knee. Her eyes are closed as Errol sits
patiently at the bedside. He tries to reason with her.

ERROL
The temperature won’t get hotter
because you hold on to it longer.

When he tries to take the thermometer out, she swats his hand
away.

ERROL (CONT’D)
I’ll get exhausted before you get a
fever.

Anita calls out from the living room.

ANITA (O.S.)
It’s time for school. What’s she
doing?

Hearing her voice, Bunny screws her eyes shut even tighter.
Anita comes into the kids’ room to check it out and sees the
fever drama.
16.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Oh, trying to acquire a fever, is
she?

Errol points to Bunny’s knee.

ERROL
She hurt her leg yesterday at
cricket.

ANITA
My foot, she got hurt. She plasters
band-aids on her body like people
do stickers on bumpers.

She puts her palm to Bunny’s forehead and flinches.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Oh! It’s burning.

Errol places his palm on Anita’s and carries on the


exaggerated flinch.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Sunny! Call the doctor!

There’s a slight smile of victory on Bunny’s face, though


eyes are still screwed tight.

ANITA (CONT’D)
While coming, ask him to get his
biggest syringe. Her condition
calls for a huge injection.

Out pops the thermometer from the mouth. And Bunny from the
bed. She grabs her school bag, her shoes, her water bottle
and vanishes.

INT./EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - DOG BEDROOM - DAY

It is a palatial house in acres of landscaped grounds.


RAJESWARI DEVI, a stately widow in her early sixties, is bent
over a small form lying in bed, covered with a silk quilt.

RAJESWARI
How’s my little baby’s fever? Oh
good, it has subsided. Still
feeling weak? Come, my little one,
I’ll fix you a bowl of malt.

She picks up JULIE, a whining Pomeranian, from the bed and


goes out of the richly decorated canine bedroom. As she goes
down the steps with the sick Pom in her arms, five other Poms
follow behind like a royal retinue.
17.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Rajeswari, dressed in a rich silk-brocade saree and diamond


earrings, enters a stately dining room. She takes her place
at the head of a huge table, and the five dogs jump onto
their chairs. A BEARER enters and Rajeswari commands:

RAJESWARI
No lunch for Julie today. She’s
unwell. Give her Horlicks.

The Bearer brings a bowl of milk with Horlicks and places it


on the table. Julie dips its snout in and immediately pulls
back with a yelp. Rajeswari tests the milk with a finger and
shouts at the Bearer.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You stupid oaf! Does one give
boiling milk to a baby?

As the Bearer comes to take away the bowl, he is stopped with


a command.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Get some ice cubes immediately.

The Bearer goes as a MAID rushes in to remove the bowl. He


runs back in with some ice cubes and tries to help with the
dog. Rajeswari takes the cubes and dismisses him curtly.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You’ve done enough!

Rajeswari tenderly rubs ice on Julie’s snivelling snout. The


Maid comes back with a fresh bowl of milk. Julie tentatively
laps a bit and turns to Rajeswari with a complaining whine.
She checks the milk, sees some clotted cream on it and fumes.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
They don’t even have the sense to
strain the milk. Can’t trust anyone
with your food.

She gets up to go into the kitchen.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

MAID
(to the bearer)
Never saw anyone so much taken up
with dogs. Treats them like her own
children.

The surly Bearer, still smarting at the dressing down,


retorts.
18.

BEARER
More than her own children. She
mollycoddles cats and dogs but
throws her only daughter out of the
house! It’s ten years, and she
doesn’t even enquire how she is,
where she is, whether she’s dead or
alive. But she pampers these dumb
animals... the crazy queen.

The Maid is frozen. She points to the door, where Rajeswari


is standing, turning a shade of purple.

RAJESWARI
(hissing)
Go away.

The Bearer stares stupidly.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
(bellowing)
Just get out of this house!

CAMERA TRACKS Rajeswari, who slowly climbs the ornate


stairway to her chambers, breathing heavily. The CRUEL WORDS
of the Bearer KEEP RINGING in her head.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

Rajeswari goes to her room and takes out an old album from a
chest of drawers. She opens it and, as she’s seeing it,
collapses. The album falls open.

INSERT - ALBUM PAGE

Which shows a photograph of Anita.

CUT TO:

SAME SCENE - MOMENTS LATER

Rajeswari is lying in bed. Two men are hovering around. One


is her brother SESHA GIRI, a man in his early fifties, always
dressed in white, with hair and sandals to match. The other
is VARAHA GIRI, his thirty-year-old son (shorts, T-shirt and
baseball cap covering an un-athletic body and an
unintelligent face).

Rajeswari opens her eyes.

RAJESWARI
(mumbling)
Call the lawyer.
19.

SESHA
Doctor’s on the way, Sister.

RAJESWARI
I said lawyer, I want the lawyer.

Sesha is puzzled, but Varaha is sure.

VARAHA
Think she’s mispronouncing ‘doctor’
as ‘lawyer’ because of the stroke.

RAJESWARI
Shut up and do as I say.

She points to the bedside phone. Though weak, her voice still
has enough bite to make Sesha spring into action. He quickly
dials the lawyer.

SESHA
Mr. Prabhakar? My sister Rajeswari
Devi would like to speak to you.

He gives her the handset. She signals for them to go out.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ANTE-ROOM - SAME TIME

Sesha picks up the extension and listens in.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

RAJESWARI
Prabhakar... I’d like to change my
will. Yes, yes, ten years back I
had willed everything to my
brother. Now make my daughter the
sole heiress.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ANTE-ROOM - SAME TIME

Sesha turns pale.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

RAJESWARI
No, I don’t know her address. Come
with the documents today.

She disconnects.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ANTE-ROOM - SAME TIME

Sesha replaces his receiver in a daze.


20.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

Rajeswari rings a buzzer next to her bed. Sesha and Varaha


hurry in.

RAJESWARI
Find Anita and bring her to me. Her
husband, and her children too, if
she has any. From this moment on,
that’s your only task. Find her.

As they turn to leave dumbly...

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
One other thing. That bearer I’d
dismissed...

SESHA
Want me to call him back too?

RAJESWARI
(sharply)
He should never set foot in this
house again.
(a beat)
Give him a hundred thousand rupees
and send him away.

Sesha goes out. The son follows, reeling.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OUTSIDE RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

VARAHA
One hundred thousand for cursing
her! I too will go and give her a
volley of abuse.

SESHA
Idiot! Fool! Stupid wastrel!

VARAHA
Waste of energy. You can curse me
all day, but I don’t have a penny
to throw at you.

SESHA
Exactly, we’ll be penniless once
she signs the will.

VARAHA
What if we strangle Aunty tonight?

SESHA
We’ll be the prime suspects. The
lawyer will testify that she had
intended to change the will.
21.

VARAHA
We can make the lawyer our defense
attorney.

SESHA
Every time you think, I get sick.

VARAHA
OK, you plan, I’ll execute.

SESHA
First we must locate Anita and her
husband.

VARAHA
Then?

SESHA
We must find out if she has any
children.

VARAHA
Then?

SESHA
We wipe out the entire family.

EXT. CINEPLEX - DAY

Anita, Errol, Sunny and Bunny come out of a cinema.

ANITA
That was a lovely film, wasn’t it,
Bunny.

Bunny nods her head vigorously in agreement. Sunny’s face is


sour.

SUNNY
I don’t know why we have to always
go to children’s films for Bunny’s
sake. I can’t stand them.

BUNNY
Even I don’t like them. Mummy likes
them for me.

Errol guffaws. Before Anita can react, her phone rings. She
answers.

ANITA
Hi! ... Now? Hmm... OK.

She disconnects and turns to Errol.


22.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Chopra of UniAds. He’s got the
rough designs ready for our Album
Tour campaign.

ERROL
And like all good ad agencies, we
have to OK it today so that he can
get it ready by yesterday... Sunny,
you take Bunny home. Mama and me
will finish that job and come.

SUNNY
I’m not going anywhere with Bunny!

ANITA
What did she do?

SUNNY
Last evening she tagged along with
me to my friend’s birthday party.

BUNNY
Your friend is also my friend.

SUNNY
And now I’m no longer his friend.
She went and cut his birthday cake.

Anita is shocked. Errol raises his brows delicately.

ANITA
Why on earth did you do such a
nasty thing?

BUNNY
He took so long to blow out the
candles. I was hungry.

ERROL
Understandable, especially with
those re-igniting candles.

Anita gives Errol a glare and then turns to Bunny.

ANITA
Sunny, you take her home for now.
I’ll come back and deal with this
wild beast.

Anita and Errol leave. Sunny and Bunny walk towards the exit.
Sunny is serious. Bunny looks at him glumly. Then she looks
around.
23.

INT. CINEPLEX - TOY STORE - DAY

Bunny hops into a toy shop and picks up a plane. She pays for
it with Monopoly money and a flourish. The SHOPKEEPER does a
double-take. He calls out to her as she leaves.

SHOPKEEPER
Look, little one, this isn’t real
money!

BUNNY
Is this a real plane?

Pat comes her reply. And before he can react, she’s out of
the door.

INT. CINEPLEX - DAY

She runs to catch up with Sunny and gives him the toy plane.
He is pleasantly surprised.

BUNNY
See, I’m a good girl. I like you.

Sunny is still admiring the gift with a sense of disbelief


when he gets his ears boxed by the Shopkeeper, who grabs his
plane and goes back.

When Sunny looks at Bunny, she is staring in wide-eyed


innocence. She brings out some real money from her tiny
purse.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
I’ll buy you ice-cream. Real money,
real ice-cream. Please don’t get
real angry.

EXT. ROADS - DAY

Sunny and Bunny are walking along the pavement, licking their
cones. Someone is following them. Bunny looks at Sunny’s
flavour.

BUNNY
Sunny, give me a lick.

Sunny reluctantly holds out his cone. As Bunny bends over to


take a lick, Suri lunges forward, grabs Bunny’s hand, pulls
it to his mouth and bites off the scoop and half the cone. A
stunned Bunny looks at her hand holding the tip of an empty
cone and starts crying. Sunny is suddenly protective.

SUNNY
Rogue! Why did you eat her ice-
cream?
24.

SURI
I like it, I eat it.

SUNNY
Will you eat anything you see on
the road, like an animal?

SURI
I will. What’ll you do?

Sunny is at a loss for words with this brazen attitude. He


smashes his cone into Suri’s face.

SUNNY
Then gobble this too!

Suri wipes his face, then wipes the floor with Sunny. Sunny
screams as his knee is badly bruised.

INT. CITY HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Sunny is sitting on a dining chair, his knee flexed. Anita is


hunched over it, cleaning the bruise with cotton-wool and
water. Bunny is trying to get a grandstand view of the
operation, but with Anita’s and Sunny’s heads huddled
together, her line of sight is restricted.

ANITA
How did it happen?

SUNNY
I tripped.

ANITA
You must have gotten into a fight.

SUNNY
I didn’t.

ANITA
Did someone push you?

Just then Bunny tries to wiggle her head in from behind them.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Why are you pushing me?

BUNNY
I can’t see it.

ANITA
Want me to make the wound bigger?

Bunny almost agrees, then thinks better of it.

BUNNY
No.
25.

Anita leaves to get some after-shave lotion, and Bunny


happily settles in near Sunny’s knee. She looks at it keenly.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
(solicitously)
Is it hurting a lot?

Sunny shakes his head nonchalantly as if such injuries do not


hurt big boys. In a spirit of scientific enquiry designed to
test the hypothesis, Bunny stabs an objective finger into the
open wound. And is startled by the howl that emanates from
Sunny. Anita returns with a bottle.

ANITA
What happened?

No answer. She starts to pour the after-shave. Even before a


drop lands on the wound, Bunny lets out a scream in vicarious
pain. Sunny laughs.

SUNNY
She’s screaming when I’m the
injured -- aaah!

Now he screams as the lotion splashes generously on his


wound.

EXT. CITY HOUSE - FRONT LAWN - DAY

Sunny and Bunny are sitting on a garden bench in their yard.


His wound is neatly taped, yet he is nursing it gingerly.
Bunny is looking at him hopefully.

BUNNY
Are you going to cry now?

Sunny is not amused. To make amends, Bunny suggests


vengeance.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
Go beat up Suri Swine.

SUNNY
He’ll break my other leg too.

Bunny looks around and sees Trixie munching on some biscuits.

BUNNY
Make Trixie bite him.

Sunny stares at the snacking dog and gets an idea.

SUNNY
I’ll serve him a treat.

He gets a plate and fills it with dog biscuits.


26.

EXT. CULVERT - DAY

Sunny and Bunny are sitting on the sidewall of a culvert on


the road abutting their house. Sunny has the plate of dog
biscuits in his lap. Each of them are holding a regular
biscuit in their hand, waiting. Bunny shows signs of
impatience.

BUNNY
Shall I start eating?

SUNNY
Wait.

BUNNY
Where’s Suri?

SUNNY
He’ll come this way soon.

Bunny makes to bite on her cookie.

BUNNY
I’ll eat.

SUNNY
Hold on, will you?

Then he spies Suri sauntering along the road, approaching


them. Suri sees a small boy with a balloon, skipping along
the pavement.

As the boy crosses him, Suri takes a toothpick out of his


mouth and pricks the balloon in devilish glee. The balloon
bursts and the boy runs off crying. Suri waddles along with a
contented smirk. Which turns into a wide smile when he spots
Sunny and Bunny ahead.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Now! Start munching!

Bunny doesn’t need further invitation to crunch away at her


cookie. Suri stops in front of them, arms akimbo.

SURI
Enjoying cookies, I see!

Sunny holds the plate of dog biscuits away from Suri and
warns him.

SUNNY
Touch these and you’ll be sorry.

SURI
Looks like you need another dose of
medicine.
27.

SUNNY
I’ll give you a dose to remember!

SURI
Oh ya!

Suri lunges forward and grabs a handful of the canine cookies


and stuffs a couple into his mouth. After a bite, he pauses
doubtfully. Sunny needles him.

SUNNY
Good! Put them back on the plate
and apologise.

Bunny goads him further.

BUNNY
He got scared! He got scared.

Feeling challenged, Suri stuffs the remaining biscuits into


his mouth too and chomps industriously. As he swallows the
mass, the brother and sister start laughing gleefully.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
You ate dog food!

SUNNY
Want more? Wag your tail and I’ll
throw some more.

Suri’s face turns sickly. He leans over the sidewall and


retches furiously.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - POOJA ROOM - DAY

Sesha is praying to various idols. Varaha rings the pooja


bell impatiently. Sesha opens his eyes.

VARAHA
Did you ask God?

SESHA
About what?

VARAHA
My cousin Anita’s address. How else
can we find her?

Not having an answer, Sesha gets up in irritation and moves


to the office room.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - DAY

Varaha follows relentlessly.


28.

VARAHA
(helpfully)
Let’s give an ad in the papers.
‘Long-lost Anita! Your mother is
losing it. Inform your whereabouts
so we can mail medical reports.’

SESHA
Idiot! Advertising is the last
thing we want. She’ll land up here
the next day and our plans will be
scuttled.

VARAHA
Oh! Then maybe...

SESHA
If you stop helping, we can finish
the job before mother and daughter
meet and patch up.

The intercom buzzes. Sesha looks at it uneasily, punches the


speak button and answers with deference.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Yes, Sister.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

Rajeswari Devi is in bed, the breakfast tray lying untouched.

RAJESWARI
Images of Anita haunt me all night.
I wake up and her face flashes in
front of my eyes. But she never
thinks of me. Hasn’t written a
single letter since the day she
left.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - SAME TIME

The Giris look at each other. Varaha mimes tearing up letters


and chewing up the pieces.

SESHA
She was always adamant. A small
flaw...

RAJESWARI (V.O.)
She’s like me. Firm. Any
information about her address?

SESHA
No, Sister. But I’m searching
without respite.
29.

RAJESWARI (V.O.)
Did you give an ad in the papers?

Sesha holds his breath and mumbles.

SESHA
Not yet.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

Rajeswari is incensed.

RAJESWARI
Then how else will you locate
someone whose address you don’t
know? Comb through every street of
every town in the country?

SESHA (V.O.)
No, Sister.

RAJESWARI
You seem to be vying with your son
in stupidity. Give an ad right
away!

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - SAME TIME

Sesha glares at Varaha, who looks vindicated.

EXT. NEWSPAPER PRESS - NIGHT

Sesha takes the morning edition as paper bundles are being


dispatched.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - NIGHT

He pastes a layout of the ad for Anita over another regular


ad and rushes out.

EXT. XEROX SHOP - NIGHT

Sesha enters. He gets the total paper xeroxed.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Sesha hurries back to the house just as the day’s papers are
being delivered. He replaces the papers with his photocopied
ones carrying the fake ad and has them sent up to Rajeswari’s
chambers.
30.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

A small corner of the living room is cordoned off by a low


fence with a gate and a giant padlock. Sunny and Bunny are in
this punishment corner, faces glum.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Anita is cooking.

INT. CITY HOUSE - DOORWAY - SAME TIME

Errol enters the house excited, carrying the evening paper.

ERROL
Sunny! Bunny!

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME

Bunny rears her head animatedly, then looks towards the


kitchen and remains silent. Errol enters the living room and
looks around.

ERROL
Have I entered the wrong dwelling?
Normally our sweet but noisy home
is heard a block away.

Then he sees the kids.

ERROL (CONT’D)
What’s up, Sunny? Why so silent?
Have you started meditation
classes?

He moves towards the punishment corner and takes out two bars
of candy from his pocket.

ERROL (CONT’D)
Look what I got you...

Before he can give them the candy, Anita rushes out of the
kitchen with a ladle.

ANITA
Don’t talk to them! They are
grounded.

ERROL
No talk.

He turns away from them, faces Anita and holds the candy
behind him, offering it on the sly to the kids.
31.

ANITA
And no chocolate!

Errol takes the candy away obediently.

ERROL
No chocolate. Are you cooking or
fuming?

ANITA
Erupting! Know what Sunny did? He
fed Suri dog biscuits. The poor
fellow had the runs all week! And
his mother chewed my head off!

ERROL
A strange-appetite family! Anyway,
seeing how Suri bulges out of his
clothes, the runs should help him
fit in quicker than running can.

Anita sighs in exasperation.

ERROL (CONT’D)
Sorry. What did poor Bunny do?

ANITA
She was in on it too. And she never
does her homework. Tells the
teacher she completes it but that
the dog eats it up.

ERROL
That cannot be true. Because Bunny
got a gold medal for homework! It’s
in the papers.

He opens the evening edition he’s carrying with a flourish.

INSERT - PAPER

In it is the first ad of their tour for the music album. It


has an itinerary of all their shows in various towns, with a
photograph of the family.

BACK TO SCENE

The kids excitedly jump out of the corner and peer at the
advertisement. Anita too joins in, anger and boiling pot
forgotten.

ERROL
Tomorrow it will be in all the
national papers!
32.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - LAWNS - DAYBREAK

Sesha is sitting in the lawn, talking on his mobile. He


disconnects and lights up a cigarette, apparently disturbed.
Varaha enters bleary-eyed.

VARAHA
Why are you up so early?

SESHA
Am at a loss as to our course of
action. I contacted the white man.

VARAHA
White man? I thought you were the
only all-white person for miles.
White hair, white dress, white
footwear, white liver...

SESHA
Shut up. I mean the Major General
whose son Anita eloped with. Sent
an intermediary to find out his
son’s address. Seems he cut off all
contact with his only son since the
day he left.

VARAHA
Appears that we are the only parent-
child combo not separated.

SESHA
Yes, I feel the pain.

Varaha doesn’t feel the barb, though. He concentrates on


trying to help his father.

A newspaper boy stops at the gate and delivers the paper to


the watchman. On the lower half of the front page is the ad
about the McIntosh family’s music tour prominently displayed
with the photographs of Errol, Anita and the two kids.

VARAHA
How about lodging a missing-person
report at the police station?

Sesha’s look isn’t encouraging. Varaha is undaunted. The


watchman comes and tries to give the paper to Varaha, who is
disturbed in his train of thought.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
Can’t you see we are busy? Give it
inside.

The watchman goes and gives it to a maid who is taking a pot


of coffee to Rajeswari upstairs.
33.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
Or maybe we can hire a private
detective and...

Sesha cannot hold back any longer.

SESHA
Go! Announce to the whole world
that we are planning a murder. You
muff!

He leaves in a huff. Varaha stares after him.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

Rajeswari is sipping her coffee. Then she picks up the paper


folded on the tray. She scans the headlines and then unfolds
the paper. Before she can see the ad, Sesha enters with the
DOCTOR.

DOCTOR
Good morning! Thought I’d pay a
visit on my way to the hospital.
How are you feeling, ma’am?

Rajeswari smiles in greeting and puts the paper back on the


tray. The doctor gets ready to check her blood pressure, and
Sesha removes the coffee tray with the paper to facilitate
it.

As the arm band is being inflated, Sesha’s eyes wander onto


the paper. He sees the ad and almost pops a vein. He slithers
out of the room with the tray.

INT. GARAGE - DAY

It is a dark, grimy garage for trucks. Sesha and Varaha enter


and meet MASTHAN, a burly, bearded, unkempt mechanic. Sesha
hands over the paper ad with the itinerary and photographs of
Errol, Anita and the kids. His instructions are simple.

SESHA
Kill them all.

With one rider:

SESHA (CONT’D)
It should look like an accident.

Masthan nods and gets into a truck.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - DAY

The van is traversing a lonely, picturesque country road with


not a vehicle in sight.
34.

INT. MINIVAN - DAY

Errol is driving with Anita sitting next to him. Sunny and


Bunny are at the rear. Errol rubs his neck tiredly.

ANITA
Neck stiff?

ERROL
A bit.

ANITA
Why these long drives crisscrossing
the state? We could have happily
gone by train.

ERROL
Train? And happy? Battling the
railways’ downed servers or
serpentine queues to buy tickets,
then praying for wait-listed
tickets to get confirmed, finally
torn with doubt whether the train
will depart late or arrive late.
That’s happiness?

The kids join in a chorus from behind.

SUNNY AND BUNNY


That’s happiness?

ERROL
With a wheel in hand, you are
unbound. Go anywhere you desire,
whenever you desire. For this self-
determination, I’d take any pain.

The van halts on the shoulder of the road.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - SHOULDER - DAY

Errol and Sunny go to take a leak on the roadside. As they


are peeing, Sunny has a doubt.

SUNNY
Dad, what’s self-determination?

ERROL
This. Freedom from restrictions.
Isn’t this happier than swaying and
spraying in cramped toilets on
lurching trains.
35.

INT. MINIVAN - DAY

They return to the van, and Errol continues expanding on his


favourite topic.

ERROL
Half the problems in the world are
because people want to control
others’ lives. Governments don’t
allow freedom to citizens, wives
don’t give freedom to husbands,
fathers don’t give freedom to
children...

SUNNY
Yea.

Errol gently raps him on the head.

ERROL
What ‘yea’. Your father’s a brick.
I’m referring to my father.

BUNNY
Is he a bad boy?

ERROL
Not bad... Mm... A bit old-
fashioned.

BUNNY
He doesn’t wear jeans?

Errol chuckles.

ERROL
Jeans? He’s never out of uniform,
even in his sleep.

SUNNY
Why didn’t we ever see him?

Errol looks at Anita. She gives a little sigh. Errol starts


the van and his father’s story.

A MONTAGE of Daniel McIntosh, his move to India, Errol


meeting Anita at a tiger reserve and falling in love
accompany the narration.

ERROL (V.O.)
A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away was a planet called
Militaria. It was inhabited by
Major General Daniel McIntosh, a
counter-insurgency expert. But he
failed to handle the insurgency in
his own house. Enter the rebel
star, Errol.
(MORE)
36.

ERROL (V.O.) (CONT'D)


He dreamt of joining the Royal
College of Music, London. But his
dictatorial father marched him off
to the Royal Military Academy at
Sandhurst. Then the great dictator
moved to India to train gentlemen
cadets in countering insurgency and
terrorist acts. After a harrowing
first term at Sandhurst, during the
four-week recess, the rebel came to
India on a filial furlough. And
never went back.

SUNNY
Why?

ERROL
He just could not. One day he
visited a tiger reserve.

BUNNY
(gasping)
And the tiger ate him up?

ERROL
No. A tigress did, heart and soul.
An ad agency was shooting a tourism
commercial.

EXT. TIGER RESERVE - DAY [FLASHBACK]

Errol goes sight-seeing to a tiger reserve.

An ad-film unit there is in a problem. A worried unit member


comes out of a cottage where a Caucasian model is de-hydrated
and bedridden.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Mauled by Delhi belly. Model’s in
no shape to shoot.

ANITA
Get a replacement.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
In a game reserve? Spotting tigers
is easier.

Anita, looking through binoculars, spots Errol. He is


strolling a hundred yards away.

ANITA
Spotted! White, male, single, and
will make him willing.

She drives up to him in a jeep and screeches to a halt next


to him.
37.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Quick, hop in!

ERROL is perplexed.

ERROL
What ...

ANITA
Just jump in, a man-eater is on the
prowl!

He jumps in and is driven to where the unit is waiting to


shoot. ANITA, gets down, goes to his side, opens the door and
bows down in welcome.

ANITA (CONT’D)
Now that I’ve saved your life, it’s
your turn to save my skin. We need
you to shoot our ad film. Say yes
or I’ll shoot myself ...

ERROL sits dumb-founded, staring at her.

ANITA (CONT’D)
After shooting you!

He jumps out with alacrity.

ERROL
Dead or alive, at your service!

INT. MINIVAN - DAY [BACK TO PRESENT]

ERROL
The agency’s account executive was
Princess Anita. And rebel star
ERROL was so smitten that he could
say a fearless ‘NO’ to the army and
his father.

BUNNY
Did he punish you?

ERROL
Yes. He broke all ties with me. I
wrote him a letter once after Sunny
was born. But no reply from the
dictator.

SUNNY
So Mummy is more powerful than the
Major General!

ERROL
Now you know why we are all scared
of her. Your mummy is a tigress.
38.

He growls at Anita. The kids laugh and follow suit. While


they playfully tease Anita, the killer truck looms ahead
unnoticed.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - DAY

The truck driven by Masthan picks up speed and comes straight


at the van. Suddenly, from a path on the side, a flock of
sheep come onto the road. Masthan slams on the brakes and the
truck screeches to a halt. Errol drives past, unaware of the
near miss.

INT. STAGE - NIGHT

The family perform a song about kids wanting to be adults.


They would be better at the jobs of teaching and parenting
because they know what children want.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - DAY

The van is cruising along a road meandering across a


beautiful hilly terrain. Inside, Errol is humming the tune of
a film song. Suddenly Sunny shouts:

SUNNY
Stop! I need to go!

The van stops to the side of the road. Sunny rushes out and
disappears into the bushes abutting the road.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - ROADSIDE BUSHES - DAY

SUNNY
Bunny, bring the water!

Bunny goes after him, lugging the water can and grumbling.

BUNNY
Always bathroom, bathroom! Toilet
boy!

She sits a few feet away from him on the water can.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
(impatiently)
Over? Finished? How much will you
do?

SUNNY
Just shut up and go!

A riled Bunny starts walking away with the can. Sunny becomes
contrite.
39.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Wait. Bunny, stop.

She continues walking.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Leave the water and go!

Bunny keeps moving away. Desperation seizes Sunny.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
I’ll give you my Game Boy.

A smile lights up Bunny’s face and she turns back.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - DAY

On the roadside, Errol and Anita had opened the tailgate of


the van and are sitting on the van floor, sipping coffee.
Errol is relaxed and happy.

ERROL
It’s like a dream come true. Trip
was great, wasn’t it?

ANITA
Yes. But would have been less
taxing without your two squabbling
angels.

ERROL
If that’s how you feel, let’s leave
them behind and go.

He makes to get up when a truck crashes into them.

EXT. COUNTRY ROADS - ROADSIDE BUSHES - DAY

CAMERA MOVES with Sunny and Bunny, who come out of the bushes
and stop at the edge of the road, puzzled. The van is nowhere
in sight. A hub cap is lying on the other side.

They cross the road and peer over the low retaining wall.
They are shell-shocked at the sight that greets them. The
crumpled van is in the rock-strewn valley. And the parents’
blood-soaked bodies are lying next to the wreckage.

Presently a police Jeep arrives and a SUB-INSPECTOR gets


down. Bunny points to the body down below.

BUNNY
(plaintively)
Mama.
40.

INT./EXT. CITY HOUSE - DAY

The police Jeep comes and stops near the gate. The Sub-
Inspector and the kids get down. A constable follows with
their bags. The lawn and driveway are strewn with dried
leaves. The inspector opens the gate, then looks at the
neighbour’s gate.

SUB-INSPECTOR
You go on in. I’ll join you.

He goes towards the adjoining house. Sunny and Bunny walk


along the driveway and come to the locked main door. Sunny
opens Anita’s purse for the house keys.

As he takes out the bunch of keys, he sees Anita’s photo on


her ID card underneath. In a reflex action, he clutches the
purse to his heart and gasps.

SUNNY
Mummy!

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Sunny opens the door. As the two children enter, the SOUND OF
COOKING and the mother’s voice haunts them as the CAMERA
TRACKS them through every empty room.

ANITA (V.O.)
At last, you remember your address?
Come Sunday you forget home and
hearth, roaming like scalawags all
day!

In their parents’ bedroom, they see a framed portrait of


their mother and father.

EXT. NEIGHBOUR’S HOUSE - DAY

Outside, the SI is talking to the NEIGHBOUR.

SUB-INSPECTOR
It seems their grandfather works at
the Indian Military Academy, but
they don’t know the address. I’ll
send word through the Army
Cantonment here. Do you know the
address of Mrs. Anita’s mother?

NEIGHBOUR
No.

SUB-INSPECTOR
It seems the children have never
met her. Don’t even have a photo of
her.
41.

NEIGHBOUR
Sorry, we don’t know much about
their relatives. We shifted here
recently.

SUB-INSPECTOR
Well, I’ll announce it in the
papers. Someone may turn up. Till
then will you please keep an eye on
them?

NEIGHBOUR
Oh, I will!

The SI leaves.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

When the Neighbour goes next door, she sees the children
asleep on the floor. Bunny is lying with her head on Sunny’s
chest, clutching onto the parents’ portrait. Their eyes are
closed and cheeks are tear-stained.

The Neighbour tries to take the portrait from Bunny. But even
in her sleep, Bunny grasps it back. The Neighbour is reduced
to tears.

INT. GARAGE - NIGHT

Sesha enters furiously with a rolled-up newspaper. He looks


around for Masthan. He is startled when Masthan rolls out on
a board from under the truck he was repairing. Recovering,
Sesha shoves the paper towards him.

INSERT - PAPER

It has a notice given by the police with the photos of Sunny


and Bunny along with their address, an appeal to any
relatives to claim guardianship.

BACK TO SCENE

SESHA
The kids are still alive and
kicking. Didn’t you make sure they
were in the van?

Masthan takes the paper and stares at it.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Anyway, we still have a golden
opportunity. We have their address
now and they are unprotected,
alone. Go and complete the job.
(MORE)
42.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Remember, ‘accidental’ is the
operative word.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KIDS’ ROOM - DAY

Sunny is lying in bed, reading a comic. Bunny comes in with a


teddy in one hand and reaches for the book with the other.

BUNNY
Sunny, I too want to read.

He shoos her away.

SUNNY
Later.

BUNNY
Should only you read always?

He doesn’t even look at her.

SUNNY
(matter-of-factly)
Yes.

Bunny gets piqued. She grabs for the comic. He pulls away and
the page comes off. In a flash of anger, he slaps her.

BUNNY
Wait, I’ll tell Mummy!

Bunny runs into the living room.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME

Bunny sees the silent, empty room and it hits her. Mummy is
no longer there. She crumples to the floor, sobbing and
hugging her teddy. Sunny comes in contrite. He sits down,
hugs her and makes a promise.

SUNNY
I’ll never beat you. I’ll never
ever scold you.

EXT. KENNEL - DAY

Trixie, who had been left in the kennel while the family was
on the road trip, starts barking and jumping excitedly. The
DOG HANDLER is puzzled.

DOG HANDLER
What’s got into you? Pipe down,
Trixie!

Bunny and Sunny enter. Bunny runs to the wire enclosure.


43.

BUNNY
Trixie! Come, let’s go home.

The dog is licking her face rapturously through the fencing.

DOG HANDLER
Who are you?

SUNNY
This is our pet. We have come to
take it home.

DOG HANDLER
I can’t hand it over to you. Get
your parents.

SUNNY
We don’t have our parents.

DOG HANDLER
Do you have the receipt?

SUNNY
No.

DOG HANDLER
Then come tomorrow when the manager
is here.

Bunny goes away reluctantly with Sunny, leaving a vociferous


Trixie behind.

EXT. CITY ROAD - DAY

They are walking along the deserted road downcast when Suri
looms ahead. He stops in front of them and stares with hands
on hips. They stop and Bunny inches towards Sunny. She grasps
his hand, alarmed.

Face serious, Suri takes a couple of steps towards them and


pulls out two bars of chocolate from his pocket. He gives
them the chocolate and goes away without a word.

The two children gaze in his direction, touched by the


sympathetic gesture from an old enemy.

INT. NEIGHBOUR’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Sunny and Bunny are having dinner. The Neighbour is serving


them. After they are done, Sunny gets up to go.

SUNNY
Thank you, Aunty.

BUNNY
Good night, Aunty.
44.

NEIGHBOUR
Why sleep alone there? You can
sleep here.

SUNNY
It’s OK, Aunty.

BUNNY
Trixie is coming.

SUNNY
The inspector said he will see that
Trixie is home tomorrow.

They leave.

INT. CITY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Sunny and Bunny are watching a movie on TV. The lights go off
and the TV falls silent. Bunny moves closer to Sunny.

BUNNY
Sunny, I’m getting scared.

SUNNY
It’s just a power cut. Come, let’s
go to bed.

EXT. CITY HOUSE - NIGHT

Outside, the rest of the neighbourhood has lights. Only their


house is dark.

INT. CITY HOUSE - KIDS’ ROOM - NIGHT

The children go to bed. Bunny is scared.

BUNNY
Sunny, I’m still feeling
frightened.

SUNNY
Nothing to fear. I’m right next to
you. Close your eyes and sleep.

He puts his arm over her reassuringly. Presently, both of


them fall asleep.

EXT. CITY HOUSE - NIGHT

The gate opens and Masthan enters with a flashlight. CAMERA


MOVES with him as he opens the main door and pans the beam of
the flashlight around to get his bearings and get a fix on
the layout.
45.

He lights a candle, takes it to the kids’ room. They are


peacefully asleep. He goes to the other side of the bed and
places the candle on the bedside table.

Then he bolts all the windows and draws the curtains shut.
Next he enters the kitchen and shuts the windows. Finally he
switches on the four gas knobs on the hob.

EXT. CITY HOUSE - NIGHT

Masthan leaves the house, shutting the main door behind him.

INT. CITY HOUSE - NIGHT - TRACKING

The GAS rises from the hob in an OMINOUS HISS. It spreads out
in the kitchen and then seeps through the hallway. It then
enters the kids’ room. It floats towards the candle flame
relentlessly.

As it’s about to reach the flame, a hand appears and snuffs


out the candle.

A strapping figure in silhouette opens the windows. The light


that filters in reveals the face of Daniel McIntosh.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - DAY

A Jeep comes and stops outside Daniel’s farmhouse. Trixie


jumps out and goes in on a reconnaissance mission. Daniel
follows with Sunny and Bunny, who are looking lost.

INT. FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Daniel looks around.

DANIEL
Gun!

No response.

INT. FARMHOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

Daniel goes into the bedroom. Still no sight of Gun.

DANIEL
Gun, where the hell are you?

GUN (O.S.)
Right here, sir!

Daniel is puzzled by the muffled voice. He sees Trixie


sitting guard in front of the closed wardrobe. Daniel opens
the door of the wardrobe to find a statuesque Gun.
46.

DANIEL
What on Earth are you doing inside?

GUN
Sir, I am brushing your coats.

DANIEL
Idiot, hiding from the dog?

GUN
No, sir. I’m not scared.

He makes to step out jauntily. Trixie immediately comes to a


standing position, and Gun’s foot does a quick retreat into
the wardrobe.

DANIEL
Stop your foolery! Come out and
stand still. It will not harm you.

Gun steps out gingerly. Trixie goes to sniff him. He steps


away. Trixie follows. Gun steps in another direction. The dog
jumps ahead of him in that direction and faces him, growling.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
I said don’t move!

Forced to obey the barked order, Gun’s feet are firmly


planted on the ground. But his body sways and scurries in all
directions as Trixie gives him a thorough 360-degree
sniffing.

GUN
Sunny, call this canine giant to
heel.

DANIEL
Stop this circus and give the kids
a bath.

Daniel leaves and Sunny holds on to Trixie, much to Gun’s


relief. He takes Bunny’s arm.

GUN
Come for a nice, warm bath.

Bunny moves away.

BUNNY
No!

She goes off and sits in a corner. Gun tries to coax her.

GUN
I’ll tell you a story if you take a
bath.
47.

BUNNY
Is your name really Gun?

GUN
Yes. Because I killed enemy
soldiers like flies in the war, the
President gave me the title
‘Machine Gun’.

SUNNY
So this is the story? I thought
Grandpa said you were a cook.

Gun is taken aback. Before he can reply, Bunny fires in a


doubt.

BUNNY
Do cooks fight?

SUNNY
How did you manage to kill all
those enemies?

Gun is left turning his head dumbly from left to right at the
rapid rally from the siblings on either side of him.

BUNNY
Maybe by throwing chilli powder in
their eyes.

SUNNY
Maybe by pouring boiling oil on
them.

BUNNY
He poked them with a fork.

SUNNY
He fed them his dishes.

Gun accepts defeat to get them into the bathroom.

GUN
Alright, I killed them with tall
tales. Please come for a bath.

BUNNY
No!

EXT. CATTLE SHED - NIGHT

Daniel is overseeing the milking of the buffaloes, pipe in


mouth. Gun comes in soaked and triumphant.

DANIEL
Looks more like they gave you a
bath.
48.

Gun smiles indulgently.

GUN
They were reluctant. I cajoled them
and got splashed with water to
humour them.

DANIEL
They appear to be lacking in
discipline. They hadn’t turned off
the gas or locked the door. And
were fast asleep. If I hadn’t
reached in time...

GUN
They are little children, sir.

DANIEL
That’s why we have to teach them.
Can’t mould grown-ups.

He takes a puff from his pipe pensively.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
Look at their father. He didn’t
listen to me. And now he’s
beyond...

GUN
Sorry, sir! What happened is still
unbelievable.

DANIEL
You know, I always harboured a hope
that he would come back if I held
firm. I would have extended my
contract here one more time to wait
for him. But the day I saw his
advertisement in the paper about
his singing tour -- not only was he
completely into that music thing,
he was also taking his children
with him. That’s when I knew I had
totally lost him.

Gun intends to say something, but thinks the better of it.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - NIGHT

Sunny is sitting on the floor, leaning against a column and


reading a book. Among the night sounds of a farm, a faint
snivelling sound reaches him.

He looks up from his book and sees Bunny lying on the floor,
sobbing. He goes over to her and hugs her. She clings to him
and wails in a heart-breaking manner. Sunny’s eyes too well
up and tears stream down.
49.

Daniel and Gun come out. Daniel goes to Bunny and stands her
up.

DANIEL
Don’t cry, Bunny. Only cowards cry.
Look how frail you are. From
tomorrow you should eat well and
exercise well. Then you’ll have a
strong body and a strong mind.
Endurance is the key to courage.

Gun’s looks say how inappropriate and inadequate the old


soldier’s skills are for communicating with a three-year-old.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
Come, it’s getting late. Time to be
in bed.

INT. FARMHOUSE - GUEST ROOM - NIGHT

Daniel carries Bunny inside and puts her to bed. As he’s


leaving, Bunny calls him.

BUNNY
Grandpa!

He turns around.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
Can you sing me a song?

He is nonplussed.

DANIEL
I... don’t know any.

He leaves.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - NIGHT

Outside, Gun attempts to console Sunny, who is sitting and


crying silently, hands clasping his bunched-up knees. Gun
sees the scar tissue on Sunny’s knee, the mark of the wound
Suri inflicted. Gun puts his hand on it.

GUN
What’s this?

SUNNY
An old wound.

GUN
Is it hurting?

SUNNY
No.
50.

GUN
On the day you got injured?

SUNNY
It hurt a lot.

GUN
Your parents’ death is also like
that. It will seem unbearable now
but will heal gradually. If you
lose heart and are depressed, how
will your kid sister cope with it.
She needs your support. Be cheerful
always, even if you feel sad. Then
she’ll be cheerful too.

Gun takes Sunny inside.

INT. FARMHOUSE - DANIEL’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Daniel is smoking forlornly. He hears Gun enter.

DANIEL
It’s lonely.

GUN
Sir, children need a woman’s care.
We can provide things, but not
tenderness. Shall we ask their
grandmother to come over?

DANIEL
What, that Royal arrogant Highness?
Think she can look after children?

GUN
Sir, that was ages ago. Maybe the
children will recover faster if
they spend time with her.

Daniel thinks for a moment.

DANIEL
I’ll write her a letter tonight. We
do have a duty to intimate her of
her daughter’s death.

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Gun tries to divert the kids’ minds and cheer them up with
visits to a nearby village.

In a MONTAGE, he endears himself to them by singing about the


wonders of village life.
51.

To the city-bred children, every little thing is surprising


and wonder-filled: milking a cow, riding a bullock cart,
ducks swimming in a pond, the spinning potter’s wheel, the
giant pans that boil sugarcane juice and reduce it to hard
mounds of jaggery, a boat ride. ‘City babes, a village is
nothing but a baby city’, he tells them.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - DAY

Varaha is at his desk, seriously engrossed in the game Angry


Birds on his phone when his intercom buzzes.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

Rajeswari is calling from her chambers.

RAJESWARI
Any response for the newspaper ad
regarding Anita?

INTERCUT conversation.

VARAHA
There’s one letter, but I haven’t
opened it yet.

RAJESWARI
Get it to me right away!

VARAHA
Sure, Aunty.

He gets up with an envelope in his hand. As he crosses


Sesha’s desk, his father looks up from the accounts he’s
going through.

SESHA
Why are you taking a letter without
first opening it? Who’s it from?

VARAHA
One mister Daniel McIntosh.

Sesha almost screams.

SESHA
Daniel McIntosh!

Varaha is startled. Sesha grabs the envelope, opens it and


starts reading the letter.

VARAHA
Is my pronunciation wrong?
52.

SESHA
Idiot! You would have ruined all
our plans. The kids are with him.

VARAHA
Who’s he, an international
kidnapper?

SESHA
Their grandfather.

Varaha is bemused.

VARAHA
But I had gone personally to
investigate in Hyderabad. If the
kids had gone with their
grandfather, why didn’t the
neighbours give me this vital
information?

SESHA
With your dumb face, they wouldn’t
give you the time of day. I’m going
to Masthan to fill him in.

Sesha gets up.

VARAHA
What will I tell Aunty?

SESHA
You write a letter as if from some
institution seeking a donation. And
while at it, write one to that
McIntosh, ‘I have no daughter.
Therefore no grandchildren either.’
Signed ‘Rajeswari’. Got it, dumbo?!

Sesha leaves. Varaha mutters.

VARAHA
Angry old bird.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - GATE - DAY

Daniel picks up mail from the post box. He reads the letter
Varaha wrote in the name of Rajeswari and grimaces. He goes
to an end of the farm where a deep trench is being dug to
embed a row of big, three-foot-diameter cement pipes for
irrigation.

Gun is supervising the workers and castigating them.

GUN
Even if one dug with teaspoons, the
progress would be faster.
53.

Daniel comes in with the letter. Gun quickly stands up.

DANIEL
Rajeswari has disowned her daughter
and her progeny. True to royal
form.

Gun is rather dismayed.

GUN
No reasonable person would behave
that way, sir.

DANIEL
Expected nothing less. Forget her.
The children appear to have
recovered from the trauma. Now they
need to be put on a routine. Make
them run two rounds every morning.

GUN
Right, sir!

DANIEL
You also do four rounds after them.
Your tummy is protruding.

GUN
Oh, this isn’t fat, sir. It’s just
that I had taken a deeper-than-
usual breath and...

DANIEL
Eight rounds!

EXT. FARMHOUSE COMPOUND - MORNING

Masthan slinks in to one side of the farmhouse in the low


light of a misty morning. He is carrying a round wicker
basket, the kind snake charmers use to house their pets.

He walks slowly for reasons of stealth, not doubt. He is sure


of where he has to go, like one who has reconnoitred the
place a couple of times.

He goes to a ventilator, which has a broken glass pane. He


opens the basket and a KING COBRA slithers in.

INT. FARMHOUSE - KIDS’ BATHROOM - SAME TIME

The snake slides in through the broken ventilator and rests


on the sill.
54.

EXT. FARMHOUSE GROUNDS - MORNING

The children are manfully jogging while Gun, sitting in the


grass, goads them on with a whistle. Finally Gun is tired and
he calls it a day.

GUN
That’s great work, little soldiers!
Now disperse for a quick shower. If
you are late for breakfast, the
Major General may order us to run
four more rounds.

BUNNY
Oh, no more!

INT. FARMHOUSE - GUEST ROOM - MORNING

Sunny rushes into the bedroom, removing his sweat-drenched


clothes. Bunny, following way behind, screams.

BUNNY
Me first! Me first!

SUNNY
I’m first! I’m already here.

BUNNY
No! I want to be first!

It is more an anxiety to not be late for breakfast than to be


first in the bathroom.

SUNNY
OK, we’ll shower together. You
remove your top and come in.

INT. FARMHOUSE - KIDS’ BATHROOM - MORNING

Sunny goes into the bathroom in his briefs. He doesn’t notice


the King Cobra coiled up on the ventilator sill.

He gets into the tub and turns the knob of the shower. The
WATER HISSES OUT and the cobra rears its head.

After he is wet, Sunny turns off the shower and goes to the
other end of the tub, where the shampoo bottle is. He
shampoos himself and closes his eyes as the lather slides
down from his hair.

The King Cobra slides down and coils itself around the shower
mixer knobs. Sunny turns around and takes a couple of
tentative steps towards the shower knob.
55.

INT. FARMHOUSE - GUEST ROOM - MORNING

Outside, Bunny is struggling to get the top over her head.

INT. FARMHOUSE - KIDS’ BATHROOM - MORNING

Sunny is close to the shower knob and is groping blindly. The


snake raises its hood and sways to the movement of the
searching hand.

Sunny’s hand gets perilously close to the King Cobra and it


tenses to strike.

Just then Bunny rushes in, complaining about the top. She
sees the snake.

BUNNY
Snake! Snake!

She runs out. A startled Sunny wipes his eyes and looks.

He jumps back in horror. He falls out of the tub and goes to


the bucket near the tap. He hurriedly splashes water on his
face from the full bucket to clear his smarting eyes.

By now the snake has slid down and is crawling towards him.
It has cut off his access to the door.

Breathing heavily, he climbs onto the plastic stool, hoping


it will keep him from the snake’s striking range. The cobra
comes at him and raises its hood to the height of the stool.
Sunny flinches and steps back to the edge of the stool.

The King Cobra strikes and Sunny leaps back, toppling the
stool as he falls and slides towards the wall. The stool
careens forward, taking the serpent with it to the far side.

But Sunny cannot get up and escape. His foot is wedged


between the wall and the stand of the sink. He lies
helplessly on his stomach.

The snake slithers menacingly to attack him again.

He desperately struggles to free his foot. He can’t take his


eyes away from the approaching snake to look back at his leg
and turn it to the right angle to pull it free. Thus trapped,
he watches the snake zigzagging towards him.

Sunny wriggles towards the bucket of water and waits with


bated breath. The snake comes within striking distance and
raises its hood.

For a moment he’s transfixed by the snake’s flinty eyes. Then


Sunny swiftly upturns the bucket of water.

The snake is swept away to the opposite wall. In that brief


moment of respite, Sunny turns back and frees his foot.
56.

When he turns around, the relentless serpent comes for him


again.

Sunny, still on the floor, sees the empty bucket rolling to


and fro on its side. He slowly reaches out and drags the
bucket towards him. The cobra slithers towards its prey
again.

Sunny slides behind the bucket and keeps its open end facing
the snake. He holds his breath. As the snake comes close,
Sunny propels the bucket forward. The King Cobra is thrust
into it. The bucket comes to rest against the wall with a
thud, and the snake is trapped inside.

At this moment Daniel enters with a pistol. Bunny follows him


in.

Daniel quickly assesses the situation and puts the stool


against the bucket bottom so that it will stay tight against
the wall.

Then he pats Sunny on the head, a proud look in his eye.

DANIEL
Get dressed and come to my study. I
have a gift for you.

Gun enters, wondering what the bathroom conference is about.


Daniel points to the bucket.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
(cryptically)
Take care of it.

He goes out. So does Sunny. As Gun reaches for the stool, he


asks Bunny, who is on her way out too.

GUN
What’s in the bucket, little one?

Bunny answers with wide eyes and stretched-out hands.

BUNNY
A big snake!

She runs off.

Gun falls down in shock. In a reflex action, he flings the


stool he was about to pick up. He is down on the floor,
clutching the bucket that is pressed to the wall.

He slowly crawls to the mouth of the bucket and opens it a


sliver to peer in. He sees a flash of a slithering body and
hears the ANGRY HISS.

He immediately presses the bucket tightly against the wall


and is in a funk. He tries to crawl towards the stool.
57.

Though he keeps his feet pressed to the bucket and stretches


out fully prostrate on the floor, the stool eludes him.

He looks around for some other support. There’s nothing


within reach but a towel.

In despair, he calls out.

GUN
Bunny. My baby Bunny!

But she’s not in hearing distance. He sits there, his back


against the bucket, chanting bhajans to the snake god.

INT. FARMHOUSE - STUDY - DAY

Meanwhile, Sunny enters Daniel’s study. Daniel looks at him


proudly and pulls out a medal from its case.

DANIEL
I won this for bravery in the
Falklands War. Your father was a
little boy then, much younger than
you are now. When I came home with
the medal, he asked me for it. I
said, ‘No, I’ll not give it. This
isn’t a toy. You’ll have to earn
your own medal.’ He cried. He
didn’t eat all day. I didn’t
relent.

Daniel puts the medal around Sunny’s neck.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
Now I feel I should have given it
to him.

INT. FARMHOUSE - KIDS’ BATHROOM - DAY

In the bathroom, Gun’s religious fervour has increased. Sunny


enters and is surprised.

SUNNY
What, you didn’t throw out the
snake yet?

GUN
Is it a pail of garbage to take out
casually. It’s the king of snakes,
the cobra. If I try to move the
bucket, it’s hissing venomously.

SUNNY
I’ll show you how.

He holds the bucket.


58.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
You let go.

Gun is hardly reluctant.

Bunny reaches for the towel. Sunny drapes it around the


bucket. Then he tilts the bucket a wee bit to create a small
gap between the rim and the wall. He slowly inches in the
edge of the towel along the wall.

By alternately pulling down the left and right edges of the


towel, he manages to close the mouth of the bucket with the
towel and lets it stand on the ground, covered with the
towel. He wraps the sides of the towel around the bucket
securely.

Gun is dumbfounded.

INT. FARMHOUSE - STUDY - DAY

Daniel is on the phone to Colonel Jograj Singh.

DANIEL
Yes, Colonel. Settling the affairs
of my son will take some months.
You know the wheels of government
don’t move like the army does. At
the earliest, I’ll be able to leave
for England with my grandchildren
early next year.

Gun enters.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
In the meantime I need a favour. I
want you to get my grandson into a
Sainik School. He has the makings
of a fine soldier.

JOGRAJ
That should be no surprise, given
his lineage.

Daniel gives a happy chortle.

JOGRAJ (CONT’D)
But will you want him to continue
here when you leave for England?

DANIEL
First we’ll see how he settles in.
A boarding school is a boarding
school, whether here or in UK.

JOGRAJ
Right, sir. Will send you the forms
in two days. Bye, sir.
59.

Daniel turns to Gun with a glint in his eye. Gun looks


hesitant.

GUN
Sir. Maybe... please think again.
Separating the siblings is unfair.
They will not be able to cope...

DANIEL
Sunny can’t stay home and go to an
ordinary school to take care of his
sister. He has a brilliant future.
After schooling, I’ll put him at
Sandhurst! He will become what my
son couldn’t.

Gun could say nothing, seeing a dead dream flicker again in


Daniel’s eyes.

INT. LODGE - DAY

It is a dingy village inn. Masthan’s room is dark and dank.


Varaha enters, sniffing. He looks around disapprovingly.

VARAHA
This must be the local Tajmahal
Hotel.

Masthan, who is lying down, lifts the arm covering his eyes
to give Varaha a cursory look and covers his eyes again.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
OK, I can slum it out, but you seem
to be getting too comfortable here.
Are you committing murders with all
your heart and soul or are you just
doing it for the sake of filthy
lucre?

Masthan removes his arm and gives Varaha a baleful glare.


Varaha gets a chill and changes to a placating tone.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
This is what Dad said to ask you.
After so many attempts, the kids
are still alive and kicking. That’s
a black mark against your fair name
as a killer. From now on, you are
to follow the kids like a shadow.
And I will be the shadow’s shadow.

MASTHAN
Both of us can go home. The boy is
being put in a hostel. He will be
leaving to Sainik School, Satara,
tomorrow.
60.

EXT. RAILWAY STATION - GATE - DAY

A Jeep drives through the Railway Station gate. Daniel is


driving; Sunny is seated next to him. Bunny is sitting at the
back, her eyes red. She is staring ahead, forlorn. Sunny
looks composed.

Masthan and Varaha watch the vehicle go past and stop at the
entrance.

VARAHA
Goodbye, you little lucky buggers!
Now that they are out of reach, we
can celebrate your defeat with a
quick bite and go home.

They enter a small eatery.

EXT. RAILWAY STATION - ENTRANCE - DAY

Daniel’s Jeep stops at the station entrance, and the two kids
get down. A porter picks up the heavy bags. Sunny carries a
small knapsack.

DANIEL
You follow the porter in and wait
on the platform. I’ll park the Jeep
and join you.

He drives off to the parking lot. Bunny gazes at Sunny with a


pleading look.

BUNNY
Sunny, will you really leave me
alone?

Sunny doesn’t answer. He takes her hand and goes along with
the porter. CAMERA MOVES with them.

Once inside, Sunny holds Bunny to slow her down. As the


porter moves ahead, he pulls her behind a column. Bunny looks
at him, puzzled. He whispers with a smile:

SUNNY
I promised I’ll always be with you.
I’m not going to the hostel.

Bunny cries out in joy and hugs him.

BUNNY
Sunny! You are the best brother. I
love you.

SUNNY
Shh! Grandpa will hear us.
61.

They wait there till they see Daniel go in. Then they hurry
out of the station and go to the parking lot.

Sunny opens the boot of a car which isn’t locked. He helps


Bunny get in, puts his bag in, and gets in himself.

He closes the boot in the nick of time. Masthan and Varaha


come back from the eatery, get into this car and drive off.

EXT. STATE ROADS - DAY

The car with Masthan and Varaha is travelling on a road that


runs along a canal. It makes a turn onto a bridge across the
canal.

EXT. BRIDGE - DAY

In the middle of the bridge, the tyre blows out. The car
halts. Masthan gets out to change the wheel. Varaha follows.

When he opens the boot, Varaha too almost has a blowout. Both
of them stare in disbelief at the two dusty children. As
their quarry stare back at them innocently, the blabbermouth
recovers first.

VARAHA
What are you doing here... I mean,
who are you?

SUNNY
We are going to Indore, to our
grandmother’s house.

VARAHA
We too are heading there... I mean,
to Indore.

MASTHAN
You wait near the railing while I
change the wheel. Then we’ll take
you to Indore.

Masthan throws a conspiratorial look at Varaha, who moves


with the children to a side of the bridge. The children peer
over the railing at the flowing water 15 feet below as Varaha
prattles on.

VARAHA
Indore is a city of wonders.
Palaces, gardens, bazaars. It is a
safe and secure haven for
children...

Masthan steals in behind the kids, who are leaning over the
railing. He stoops down, grabs their legs and hurls them over
the bridge in one swift movement.
62.

The kids land in the water with a scream and a big splash.
After a few seconds under water, they come up gasping for
air. Spluttering, they look up, bewildered, at the vile duo
staring down at them with evil grins. They are stunned. They
are rattled. But they don’t drown.

To the surprise of Varaha and Masthan, they start swimming


towards the bank.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
They can swim!

Masthan tries to push Varaha into the canal.

MASTHAN
You go drown them.

VARAHA
Stop, you crazy killer! I can’t
swim.

Masthan stops his attempts to throw over Varaha, who is


clinging for dear life to the railing. A much miffed Varaha
screams at him.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
Why don’t you jump in and do the
job yourself?

Masthan looks down sheepishly.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
Oh, you too are a land animal! OK,
let’s go by road and greet them on
the bank.

They cross the bridge and go down to the bank the kids are
swimming towards.

EXT. CANAL - DAY

Standing on the edge, Varaha exhorts them.

VARAHA
Come, champions, we were just
testing your swimming abilities.

Sunny and Bunny come close to the bank and tread water.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
You won! We’ll give you a prize!
Come!

Sunny turns and swims along the canal bank, away from the
bridge. Bunny follows. Varaha and Masthan are forced to
follow.
63.

After a time, the kids stop swimming, turn on their backs and
float along effortlessly, much to the chagrin of the two
killers huffing and puffing along uneven land.

VARAHA (CONT’D)
How long will you wiggle along, my
tadpoles? Any further and you’ll
join the sea.

At last, Sunny stops and treads water. He looks back to see


the distance covered. The bridge is six or seven hundred
yards away.

He signals to Bunny, and both of them start swimming to the


other bank, which is about fifty yards away.

Masthan and Varaha are dumbfounded. By the time they scurry


along this side to the bridge, cross it and again race an
equal distance back on the other side, the children would
have disappeared. And they do.

EXT. STATE ROADS - DAY

The children flag a bus and get in.

EXT. BUS STATION - DAY

Sunny and Bunny alight from a bus at Indore Bus Station.

EXT. BUS STATION - PARKING LOT - DAY

Masthan and Varaha are parked there. Varaha is trying to make


a call from his mobile phone. It doesn’t seem to work. He
gets out and moves towards the station building.

INT. BUS STATION - DAY

Sunny goes and sits on a bench, at a loss about the next


course of action. Bunny stands impatiently in front of him.

BUNNY
Isn’t this Indore?

SUNNY
It is.

BUNNY
Then why are you sitting here?
Let’s go to Granny’s house.

SUNNY
How? The paper I wrote the address
on is in the bag. And the bag is in
the car.
64.

Both sit downcast amidst a whirl of people going to and fro.


Finally Sunny comes to a decision.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
I’ll have to phone Uncle Gun and
ask for the address. He may tell
Grandpa. But we can beg Granny to
let us stay together before he
comes for us. Stay put.

CAMERA MOVES with Sunny as he gets up and goes in search of a


phone booth. He spies one and approaches it.

INT. BUS STATION - PHONE BOOTH - DAY

Varaha is talking to his father. In the distance, Sunny is


seen walking towards the booth.

VARAHA
Don’t you worry, Dad. Though they
escaped a watery grave, they will
not elude my tentacles this time.
They will surely come by bus here
where I wait like the lord of
death!

SESHA (V.O.)
You lord of idiots! What’ll you do
there? Kidnap them in broad
daylight? If the kids see you,
they’ll raise hell and have the
whole bus station after you. Get
home now!

Varaha disconnects petulantly.

INT. BUS STATION - OUTSIDE PHONE BOOTH - DAY

Sunny, about to open the booth door, sees Varaha inside and
Masthan standing on the other side of the booth. He quickly
hides behind a column before they see him. Varaha comes out
and goes to Masthan.

VARAHA
This old man never gets my ideas.
Operation suspended. Let’s go.

EXT. BUS STATION - PARKING LOT - DAY

Varaha and Masthan go to the car. Sunny observes the number


plate as they back the car out and drive away.
65.

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY

Sunny and Bunny enter a police station. SUB-INSPECTOR 2 is


busy writing something. They go and stand before his desk.

Bunny lets out a scream. Startled, the SI looks up. Bunny


turns the scream into a wail.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
What? What’s the matter?

SUNNY
Our dog is missing.

As Sunny answers, Bunny turns down her wailing.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
We were going to the park when a
speeding car passed us. The puppy’s
chain got stuck in the rear bumper,
and it was dragged away.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
Where do you live?

Bunny ratchets up the wailing. The unsettled SI moves on to


another question.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2 (CONT’D)
Did you note the car number?

Bunny gets quiet.

SUNNY
Yes. AIX 6666.

In a bid to be rid of them, the SI scribbles it down and


pushes the pad towards Sunny.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
You write your address down and go
home now. We’ll send the dog when
we find it.

Right on cue, Bunny bawls in a continuous, sustained effort.


The rattled SI pleads.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2 (CONT’D)
Calm her, calm her down, for God’s
sake!

SUNNY
She’ll not stop till you find her
puppy.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
How can we find it this instant?
66.

SUNNY
Find out who owns that car.

The SI tells the CONSTABLE, who is standing nearby.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
Appa Rao, call the RTO office and
give this number, AIX 666... Wait,
isn’t that one from the Rani Ma’s
platoon of cars, all sixes!

By now Bunny has trailed off her histrionic burst. Sunny


pounces on the clue.

SUNNY
Give her address, we’ll go there.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
Go to Lal Bagh and ask, anyone will
guide you to her palace. I’ll call
and enquire if the dog is there.

The Constable gives a wry laugh.

CONSTABLE
It will be like finding a needle in
a haystack, with the number of dogs
she has!

Meanwhile the SI has dialled Rajeswari’s house.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
Hello, Sesha Giri, sir? I’m the
Gandhi Nagar Police Station SI.
Sir, is your car numbered AIX 6666
at home?

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - PORCH - SAME TIME

Sesha is suddenly alert.

SESHA
It is. Why are you asking?

INTERCUT phone conversation.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
Is there a dog behind it?

Sesha is taken aback.

SESHA
What do you mean?

The SI is hesitant.
67.

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
I mean... Is a puppy hanging from
your bumper...

Sesha barks at him.

SESHA
Bumper-hanging dogs? Are you in
your senses?

SUB-INSPECTOR 2
No, sir. I mean, these kids...

He turns towards them and finds them gone.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - VARAHA’S ROOM - NIGHT

Varaha comes out of his bathroom wrapped in a towel after a


shower. Sesha enters, looking worried. Not noticing his dark
demeanour, Varaha angles for sympathy.

VARAHA
I’m battle weary. The long journey
and the wild chase across hill and
dale after those brats has drained
me. I need an energy drink, a
potent pick-me-up.

Sesha spits out acid.

SESHA
Try this. Those kids will be here
any minute.

VARAHA
Oh! I’ll get dressed immediately
and wait near the gate.

SESHA
Of all the faces in Indore, yours
is the one they should not see
here. Why go and put it on display
right at the threshold?

VARAHA
Are they coming to take revenge on
me?

SESHA
Do they know this is their
Grandma’s house? If they did, why
would they go to the police station
first?

Sesha struggles with the riddle as Varaha gets dressed.


68.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Have they lodged a complaint
against you, noting the car number?
Where do these dogs come in?

He turns to Varaha.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Did they have a dog with them?

VARAHA
No. I had Masthan.

SESHA
Beats me. But these kids are sure
smart. If only you had half their
intelligence!

VARAHA
Wait till I reach my full
potential...

SESHA
Just get lost! Go someplace else
for a few days.

VARAHA
Shall I go to America?

SESHA
Go to the Antipodes for all I care!
Just stay out of their sight!

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ROAD - NIGHT

Sunny and Bunny are walking along the road running along a
high compound wall. Sunny has a small carry bag with him.
They reach the massive gate of Rajeswari’s palatial house.

SUNNY
This is the house.

BUNNY
Let’s go in and take the bag from
the car.

She moves towards the gate. Sunny sees a WATCHMAN sitting in


the security enclosure near the gate.

SUNNY
Wait! There’s a watchman.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - CULVERT - NIGHT

They sit on a culvert on the road. Bunny is restless.


69.

BUNNY
Sunny, I’m hungry.

Still staring at the gate, Sunny takes a biscuit packet out


of the carry bag and gives it to Bunny. She looks at it and
growls.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
Do you think I’m Suri?

Then Sunny realises that he’s given her a packet of dog


biscuits.

SUNNY
Oh! These are for the dogs in the
house.

He opens a packet of regular cookies and gives her a couple.


As he is about to take some himself, a grimy hand stretches
forward, asking for the biscuits.

Sunny looks up and sees a six-year-old street urchin dressed


in just an oversized T-shirt hanging to his knees, faded and
torn in a few places. Beneath his mop of tousled hair, his
eyes have an insouciant look.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Aren’t you ashamed to beg?

The urchin answers in the negative with a careless twitch of


his mouth.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
Can’t you work?

Same gesture.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
There’s a job, will you do it?

Repeat performance from the disinterested beggar. Now Sunny


pulls out a fifty-rupee note from his pocket and holds it up.
The urchin’s eyes show a spark for the first time.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - GATE - NIGHT

The Watchman is immersed in a song coming from his FM radio.


The urchin walks up to within a few yards of him, turns to
the compound wall, lifts up his T-shirt and starts peeing.

WATCHMAN
Hey! What are you doing?

The urchin keeps the flow going, unperturbed.

Angry, the Watchman gets up and walks purposefully towards


him. Undaunted, the urchin goes about his business.
70.

Just as the Watchman comes within range and raises his baton
to strike, the urchin turns around, pees on him, and scoots.

While the dismayed Watchman looks at his wet clothes and then
chases the beggar boy, Sunny and Bunny slip in through the
gate.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - LAWNS - NIGHT

As they search for the car amongst half a dozen vehicles,


Sunny and Bunny are surrounded by an equal number of canines
that start barking. The dogs are immediately silenced by
Sunny’s peace offering of biscuits.

Free of the dogs, the kids go towards the cars, see the one
they travelled in, and start opening the boot. A harsh voice
behind startles them.

SESHA
Why are you here? I mean, who are
you?

The children stand mute and frozen.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Do you know whose house this is?

The children shake their heads in the negative, giving Sesha


the first positive feeling since the evening.

SESHA (CONT’D)
Then what are you doing here?

SUNNY
We got lost.

SESHA
Don’t lie. You’ve come to steal.

As they shake their heads, the Watchman comes in fuming.

WATCHMAN
You little thieves, I’ll...

SESHA
Stop shouting! Were you dozing off?
You should be sacked! Keep a watch
on them while I call the police.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - OFFICE ROOM - NIGHT

Sesha goes inside and calls Masthan.


71.

SESHA
Those infernal kids are with me.
Come immediately and wait outside
the gate. I’ll bring them to you.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - LAWNS - NIGHT

The Watchman is still riled at the trick played on him. He


curses the kids and raises his stick to hit them.

WATCHMAN
How dare you fool me and sneak in.
Get me in trouble, will you?

Just as he’s about to strike, the dogs run in and snap at him
viciously.

WATCHMAN (CONT’D)
Lily, don’t! Julie, stop! Oh Dolly!

The dogs make him dance as they repeatedly snap at him. Sesha
comes out and is mad at the ruckus.

SESHA
What is going on?

A voice from the first floor joins in.

RAJESWARI (O.S.)
Exactly what I’d like to know!

Sesha looks up and is shocked to see Rajeswari standing in


the balcony.

SESHA
Sister! They are burglars.

RAJESWARI
Burglars?

SESHA
Yes. They stole in under the
watchman’s nose. I’ll hand them
over to the police. Nothing to
worry. You go take rest.

RAJESWARI
Looks like you need rest. Do they
look like burglars to you?

Sesha is at a loss for words. The dogs by now have quietened


down and are licking Sunny’s hands, which still smell of
biscuits.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Look at Julie and Lily. They are
more sensible than you.
72.

She comes down and beckons the children. They move


tentatively towards her.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
(tenderly)
Come here. Who are you?

BUNNY
I’m Bunny.

SUNNY
I’m Sunny.

BUNNY
Sunny got a gold medal for killing
a snake!

Rajeswari is impressed.

RAJESWARI
Oh my! Who gave him the medal?

Bunny blurts out:

BUNNY
Our grandpa...

When Sunny looks at her, she tries to correct it.

BUNNY (CONT’D)
No one.

Rajeswari smiles at their little fib.

RAJESWARI
Why did you come here?

SUNNY
To visit our grandma.

RAJESWARI
Where does she live?

SUNNY
Here.

Rajeswari is surprised.

RAJESWARI
Here?

SUNNY
Yes, in Indore. But we lost the
address.

RAJESWARI
So where are you from?
73.

By now Bunny has mastered the art of the strategic wail when
confronted with dicey questions. She lets out a howl.
Rajeswari looks concerned.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
What’s the matter?

BUNNY
I’m hungry.

RAJESWARI
Oh poor child!

Rajeswari calls the maid standing behind her.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Santha! Give them dinner and put
them to bed.

The maid leads the children into the house. A very concerned
Sesha hurries towards Rajeswari.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Looks like they have run away from
home.

SESHA
It’s not wise to shelter strangers
in the house. I’ll take them to the
police.

RAJESWARI
Why do you want to get the police
involved? How can such small
children spend a night at the
police station? Let them stay here.
Tomorrow I’ll find out the details
of their grandmother.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Sunny and Bunny are lying on a couch in the hallway. Though


exhausted from their escapades since daybreak, Bunny doesn’t
fall asleep. Her eyes are wide and searching the unfamiliar
surroundings in the dim light.

BUNNY
Sunny, I’m scared. That bad man may
come here.

SUNNY
The man who tried to drown us?

Bunny nods.
74.

SUNNY (CONT’D)
I think he doesn’t live here. If he
did, we would have seen him.

BUNNY
But his car is here.

SUNNY
Maybe he’s just a driver. Anyway,
we’ll take our bag tomorrow and
leave this house. Get up early, not
like you do when going to school.

Bunny nods and shuts her eyes dutifully.

INT. FARMHOUSE - STUDY - NIGHT

Daniel looks weary and worried. He sits in an easy chair and


picks up the phone. He dials.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE HALLWAY - SAME TIME

The land-line in the hallway of Rajeswari’s house rings.


Sunny and Bunny are sleeping on a couch nearby. After a
couple of rings, Sunny sits up.

He looks around. There’s no one. As the phone keeps ringing,


he goes to answer it. Just as he reaches it, Sesha comes in
and picks up the receiver.

SESHA
Hello...

INTERCUT phone conversation.

DANIEL
Daniel McIntosh speaking.

Sesha is startled.

SESHA
And who would that be?

DANIEL
I’m Errol’s father.

SESHA
Ah, yes. I’m Sesha Giri. To what do
we owe this rare privilege?

DANIEL
Have my grandchildren gone there?
75.

SESHA
No. No, why would they come here? I
think my sister made it clear that
she has disowned them.

Daniel sighs.

DANIEL
If they do go there...

SESHA
I’ll call you right away.

He disconnects the phone.

INT. FARMHOUSE - STUDY - NIGHT

Daniel slumps despondently.

DANIEL
(to himself)
What’s this cowardly streak in my
progeny? My son ran away from
college. My grandson runs away from
school. What’s wrong with them?

Gun has entered the room during the phone conversation.

GUN
Maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s you
who has a flaw.

Daniel looks up sharply. Gun leaves the room. Daniel stares


after him and then slowly opens a drawer and fishes out an
envelope. The paper looks faded. He opens the letter and
reads it.

ERROL (V.O.)
Dad, I’ve become a father today.
Oh, forgot to mention it, I married
Anita.

ERROL’S IMAGE APPEARS and he reads out the letter.

ERROL
I know you’ll remain angry with me
for life. Because me living my life
on my terms, you take it as your
defeat. But if everyone follows in
his father’s footsteps, who will
lay new paths?

CAMERA MOVES as Daniel gets up and walks towards the kids’


room with the letter. ERROL FOLLOWS, speaking.
76.

ERROL (CONT’D)
In your view, I’m good-for-
nothing... sorry I can’t agree. But
in my view, you... are up there, a
notch above everyone. I’m very
proud of you. I feel that a soldier
must be like you.

Daniel looks up from the letter with a wry smile.

ERROL (CONT’D)
I’ll send my son to you when he’s
old enough to understand. There’s a
lot he can learn from you --
dedication, perseverance, the
courage to face any adversity. Dad,
you’ll not turn my son away because
of me, will you?

Daniel slumps onto Sunny’s school trunk in the empty room, a


very saddened and chastened old man. He mumbles.

DANIEL
I’m sorry, my son, I’m sorry.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - LAWNS - EARLY MORNING

Sunny and Bunny come out of the house and make their way to
the car.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - CAR - EARLY MORNING

The children open the boot and are surprised that their bag
is not in there. As they stare, puzzled, Sesha enters.

SESHA
What are you snooping around for?

The kids are startled. Sunny recovers quickly.

SUNNY
Is this your car?

SESHA
Yes.

SUNNY
Do you have a driver?

SESHA
No.

Sesha realises he’s getting into a corner and hastens to


correct himself.
77.

SESHA (CONT’D)
No, I mean we used to have a
chauffeur. The thief! He stole my
car. The police found it last
evening and returned it to me.

SUNNY
Your driver is an evil man. He
threw us into the canal.

SESHA
Did he? The dastardly scoundrel!
The police would be breaking his
bones by now. Anyway, it’s
fortunate that you knew how to
swim.

Sunny gets suspicious.

SUNNY
How did you guess that we could
swim?

Sesha swallows hard. He had put his foot in his mouth. He


gives a dry smile.

SESHA
Well, isn’t it because you could
swim that you got out, got here and
are talking to me? Now what are you
searching for?

SUNNY
Our bag. I left it in the boot and
our grandma’s address is in the
bag.

Sesha pounces on this opportunity.

SESHA
Maybe it’s in the police station.
I’ll send for it and you can
happily leave for your granny’s
place. Till then don’t breathe a
word about yourselves to this old
lady here. She’s a little batty. If
you tell her, she’ll send you back
to your grandfather.

The kids are so terrified of the thought that they fail to


see that Sesha has slipped again, talking about a grandfather
he couldn’t have known about.

SUNNY
We won’t tell her.

BUNNY
We won’t.
78.

SESHA
Good, go back inside. I’ll find
your bag.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Sunny and Bunny are sitting at the dining table. Bunny has
nibbled away a hole from the centre of a slice of bread and
is peering through it around the room.

Rajeswari enters with her retinue of dogs. Bunny focuses the


bread-scope on her. Rajeswari comes towards Bunny and pokes
her finger through the hole. Bunny flinches and both laugh.
Sitting, Rajeswari gets down to business.

RAJESWARI
Right, now spill the beans. Why did
you run away from home?

SUNNY
Our grandfather wanted to send me
to a hostel, away from Bunny.

RAJESWARI
Where are your parents?

SUNNY
They are...

Sesha rushes in.

SESHA
Sister! Cheque this sign!

He puts a cheque book in front of her for her signature.

RAJESWARI
What’s the hurry?

SESHA
Just want to finish my work quickly
and take these two runaways to the
police station.

Rajeswari is cross.

RAJESWARI
You seem to have a police fixation.

She turns to the kids.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
What’s your grandfather’s name?

Sunny is silent, but Bunny blurts out:


79.

BUNNY
Dan...

Sesha almost screams.

SESHA
Baby! Eh... Baba Sing. They had
told me in the morning.

RAJESWARI
So you lost your grandma’s address.
Do you at least know her name?

Bunny, ever eager to exhibit her knowledge, says:

BUNNY
Raj...

SESHA
(desperately)
Hamsa! Raja Hamsa!

RAJESWARI
What kind of a name is that?

She gets up to go.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You find out the details from them
and try to locate the address. You
can use your precious police for
that.

As she leaves, she looks at the dogs.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Hasn’t the handler turned up? It’s
their shampoo day.

SUNNY
(excitedly)
We’ll give them a shampoo.

BUNNY
We have a big dog!

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

Rajeswari calls out from her chambers. The kids are in the
bathroom with the dogs.

RAJESWARI
Are you going to be in there all
day?
80.

There’s no response other than barking, shrieks and laughter.


She goes to the bathroom, opens the door and stands shocked.
Then her face beams with mirth.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY

The tub is filled with suds that have overflowed and cover
half the bathroom. In this ocean of lather can be seen a tail
here, a snout there and the foam-covered faces of the kids.

RAJESWARI
OK. All of you are clean enough.
Come out while the maid cleans the
bathroom. Come, come.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

Rajeswari dries each dog with a separate towel and then


concentrates on drying Bunny’s locks lovingly.

RAJESWARI
After going to your granny’s house,
will you come to visit me?

BUNNY
I’ll come every day.

RAJESWARI
And what will you do?

BUNNY
I’ll play all day.

RAJESWARI
With whom?

BUNNY
With Julie, with Dolly, with Polly,
with you.

Rajeswari laughs uproariously.

RAJESWARI
So you’ve equated me with the dogs!

Sunny comes and sits down next to them, wrapped in a towel.


Then it strikes her.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You don’t have a change of clothes.
Don’t worry, I’ll get some sent
over from the shop.

She becomes a bit pensive.


81.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Today’s my daughter’s birthday. You
wear new clothes on her behalf.

The towel-wrapped kids go down to the hallway where Sesha


accosts them with the bag. Sunny’s eyes light up upon seeing
his bag.

SESHA
Here it is! Go to your grandma’s
house. Be quick and silent.

The kids open the bag. The paper with the address is there.
Also a pair of clothes. But they are Sunny’s as this was part
of his school baggage. Bunny has to make do with a T-shirt
that hangs down beyond her knees.

EXT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - GATE - DAY

At the gate, Sesha is anxiously watching out for the kids to


come out of the house when Varaha emerges from the bushes,
startling him. He is incognito, dressed like Swami
Vivekananda.

VARAHA
Why have you given them the bag? I
go to great lengths to capture them
and you set them free. I’ve been
snooping around in disguise,
watching your every move.

SESHA
Things were just falling into place
in your absence, you deadweight.

VARAHA
They’ll go out, see the address and
come right back into their granny’s
arms, you featherweight.

Sesha exhales like a man labouring under the weight of a


mighty curse.

SESHA
I have replaced this address with
that of the abandoned ruins near
the park. There, Masthan will be
waiting to welcome them. Goodbye.
Here they come.

The kids come out of the portico with the bag. Varaha
disappears along the road, and Sesha goes away to the
backyard. The children walk to the gate. Sunny puts down the
bag.
82.

SUNNY
You wait here. I’ll go and search
for an auto-rickshaw.

He goes onto the road. Bunny is lost in her own world,


playing with the edge of the oversized T-shirt.

She fails to notice Julie. The dog sneaks in behind her,


grabs the bag and scampers off into the house. By the time
Bunny looks behind, it’s too late.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - DAY

The dog had placed the bag near Rajeswari’s feet. Sunny and
Bunny come up the stairs sheepishly. Rajeswari is perplexed.

RAJESWARI
You found your grandmother’s
address?

They nod in unison.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
I would have sent you in a car. Why
were you leaving without telling
me?

SUNNY
We thought you would send us back
to our grandfather.

Rajeswari is pained.

RAJESWARI
Do I look like a monster?

She gives the shopping bag in her hand to Sunny.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
I bought new clothes for you. Also
bought a cake, expecting my
daughter to come back today. Eat it
and go to your granny’s house.

She goes away dejectedly. Filled with remorse, Sunny and


Bunny follow her. She goes into a room.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ANITA’S ROOM - DAY

It is colourless. All the furniture are covered with white


dust sheets.

SUNNY
Doesn’t your daughter live with
you?
83.

Rajeswari is looking at a decade-old table calendar with a


date circled on it. She picks it up pensively.

RAJESWARI
She left me ten years ago. This
very day.

Sunny looks at the date and it rings a bell.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
I called the man she loved a
penniless wastrel. I forbade him to
step into this house. Then you know
what he did? He climbed that wall.

She points to the compound wall as she moves into the


balcony. The children follow her.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - BALCONY - DAY

RAJESWARI
He sat astride that wall and sang a
song, something about a silver
moon.

This monologue is accompanied by a MONTAGE of Errol singing,


then Anita’s showdown with her mother.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - ANITA’S ROOM - DAY [FLASHBACK]

Anita packs a suitcase and leaves. Rajeswari stops her.

RAJESWARI
Are you stupid? If you like
someone’s music, you ask him to
play at a party and tip him
handsomely. You don’t marry him!

ANITA
You won’t understand even if I
explain. Even if you understand,
you won’t accept it.

RAJESWARI
Is he more important to you than I?

ANITA
If you willfully create an either-
or situation, then yes, it’s him!

Rajeswari tries one last weapon, her voice breaking with the
emotion.

RAJESWARI
If you walk out now, you’ll never
enter the house again.
84.

That doesn’t stop Anita. She continues to walk out of the


room.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
I’ll bequeath all my property to my
brother.

This last gambit does stop Anita. She comes back, puts down
her suitcase, opens her purse and up-ends the contents. All
the money and change inside tumble onto the chest of drawers.
She snaps the empty purse shut and picks up the suitcase.

ANITA
I’m taking my clothes, though. They
may not fit your brother.

Anita goes out and walks away into the sunset with Errol.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - BALCONY - DAY [BACK TO PRESENT]

Rajeswari is stunned as Sunny starts humming the song. It’s


his father’s favourite tune and reverberates through their
house frequently. Sunny is unaware of Rajeswari’s stare. He’s
weeping as he sings. Rajeswari comes to him.

RAJESWARI
Your mother’s name?

BUNNY
Anita.

Rajeswari draws a sharp breath. She kneels down slowly and,


holding Bunny, asks:

RAJESWARI
Do you... do you know your
grandmother’s name?

BUNNY
Rajeswari Devi.

Rajeswari is overjoyed. She hugs them, tears streaming down


her face.

RAJESWARI
It’s me! I’m your grandma.

After a moment she pulls away and beams at them.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Where’s your mother?

BUNNY
She died.

Rajeswari’s heart stops for a minute. She looks at Bunny in


disbelief.
85.

RAJESWARI
No baby, you should never say that.
It’s wrong. She sent you ahead to
test me, right? I know her nature.

She looks at Sunny almost pleadingly. Sunny, tears streaming


down his face, looks at her and shakes his head. Rajeswari
stares at him, aghast. Bunny holds Rajeswari’s face in her
little palms.

BUNNY
She really died, Grandma.

Rajeswari hugs them and sobs heartbreakingly.

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - BALCONY - NIGHT

Bunny is in a swing, swaying back and forth in the balcony.


Rajeswari is sitting in front of her in a low chair. Sunny is
sitting on the floor, his forearms resting in her lap.
Rajeswari has a dinner plate from which she is hand-feeding
her grandchildren.

RAJESWARI
Bunny, you eat so slowly. Come, one
more morsel.

Bunny swings towards her, then away before Rajeswari’s arm


can reach her mouth. Rajeswari grabs hold of her with her
other hand and pushes the food into her mouth.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Did your mother ever talk about me?

Bunny nods her head.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Did she say I was a bad woman?

Bunny nods, then immediately shakes her head. Sunny comes to


the rescue.

SUNNY
No, Granny. She said you were a
very good woman.

Rajeswari is pensive.

RAJESWARI
I committed a mistake. A grave
mistake...

INT. GRANDMA’S HOUSE - RAJESWARI’S CHAMBERS - NIGHT

The two children are lying in Rajeswari’s bed on either side


of her. All are staring at the ceiling.
86.

Sleep eludes them as thoughts of what could have been torment


them. Rajeswari looks at Bunny and sees her wide awake.

RAJESWARI
Can’t you sleep, Bunny?

BUNNY
Granny, I want Sunny.

RAJESWARI
But he’s here, right next to me!

BUNNY
Please don’t send him to hostel.

RAJESWARI
Why will he go to hostel? He’ll
stay with us.

SUNNY
But Grandpa said he’ll send me to
Sainik School.

Rajeswari sits up, suddenly animated.

RAJESWARI
That old soldier’s lost it. Why
does he insist on putting all his
family into uniform? If he’s not
had enough, let him enlist again.

She speaks firmly, like the Rajeswari of old.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You two are not going anywhere.
This is your home. You both will
study here, in your mother’s old
school. So go to sleep now.
Tomorrow we will tell your grandpa
this final decision!

Both happily hug their granny and close their eyes.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - GATE - DAY

Daniel walks towards the gate. A car is idling a few yards


away round a bend in the road. He doesn’t notice it as he
opens the post box listlessly. Inside is a piece of paper. On
it is scribbled ‘Sorry, Grandpa’ and signed ‘Sunny’ and
‘Bunny’.

He is still for a moment. Then he looks around in


anticipation of a yearned-for miracle. Sunny and Bunny rush
in out of the adjacent bushes and hold his hands. He kneels
down and hugs them. His voice is gruff, choking with emotion.
87.

DANIEL
I am sorry, my children.

The car cruises in and stops. Rajeswari gets out. Daniel is


surprised. He stands up slowly. She comes and stands facing
him. They gaze at each other silently, at a loss for words.
Then Daniel breaks the ice.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
I guess I owe you an apology,
ma’am.

RAJESWARI
I do too. But the two people we
want to say sorry to are... not
here.

Daniel sighs and nods. Then he looks at the kids.

DANIEL
Maybe they are.

INT. FARMHOUSE - GUEST ROOM - DAY

Early morning, the kids are asleep in their room with


Rajeswari. Suddenly Gun lets off a blast from his
disciplining whistle. The kids get up with a start. Gun
enters.

GUN
Rise and shine like new! The Major
General is calling you to arms. He
has a brand-new timetable for you.

Sunny and Bunny let out a collective groan. Rajeswari gives a


weary expression.

RAJESWARI
This soldier will not change his
stripes.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY

The kids troop out into the portico. Daniel is standing near
the tailgate of the Jeep. He beckons them.

DANIEL
This is a strict timetable. You
have to destroy all these crackers
and fireworks by nightfall. Every
single one of them. Take no
hostages.

While talking, he opens the tailgate. The Jeep is packed with


all kinds of firecrackers. Sunny and Bunny let out a whoop
and dance with joy. They go and hug Daniel.
88.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
That’s not all. We have a mission:
to play war games in the nearby
jungle. All without talking; only
singing.

Gun is even more shocked than the kids that the crusty old
soldier is talking of music.

EXT. PETROL PUMP - DAY

AIX 6666 is parked there. Masthan is getting some jerry-cans


filled with petrol. Sesha is in the car. So is Varaha, who
appears to be wrestling with a brain-teaser. Finally he turns
to his father.

VARAHA
From the day I was born, you were
an enigma. First you said their
death should look like an accident.
Now you plan to shoot them dead.
You can’t have four shooting
accidents in one place.

SESHA
Once the Major General hears about
the canal incident, our game’s up.
We have to kill them to stay out of
jail.

VARAHA
The canal wasn’t my fault! The kids
wilfully stowed away in my car.

SESHA
We can still win, though. Just dump
the bodies in the house and set it
ablaze. A credible Diwali fire
accident! Bless the festival!

Varaha looks at him in awe.

VARAHA
Sometimes I wonder if you are
really my father. I am so proud of
you; never say die.

Masthan comes in and sits down, adjusting the gun in his


waistband.

EXT. JUNGLE - DAY

The kids are thrilled. They are dressed in camouflage uniform


with helmets and armed to the teeth with toy guns. Gun and
Daniel too are in uniform. They carry a colourful flag
emblazoned with the words ‘Little Soldiers’.
89.

In the jungle, Bunny’s enthusiasm evaporates when she sees a


bunch of centipedes in her path. Daniel goads her on with a
song, ‘Keep marching whatever the obstacle.’

Daniel teaches them to set up booby traps with their


firecrackers. They dig a pit and cover it with twigs and
leaves. They stow high-powered rockets on a tree. A bunch of
impact bombs are tied to a rope and hooked onto a branch so
that they swing down upon unhooking.

After a sweaty, adventurous day in the jungle, they make


their way home.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - DAY

In the farmhouse, Rajeswari is reading a book when a shadow


falls across her. She looks up and finds Sesha standing in
front of her. She is taken aback.

RAJESWARI
What are you doing here?

He remains mute.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Is it a tax problem?

Sesha’s face is mask-like. He shakes his head.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
Then why did you come here?

SESHA
To ensure that you and the infernal
kids don’t return.

Rajeswari is not amused at the riddle.

RAJESWARI
Have you taken leave of your
senses?

Sesha’s face is ashen. The die is cast and he is desperate.

SESHA
Yes! After I kill you and the kids
too, I will regain them.

Rajeswari gets up, fuming.

RAJESWARI
You are raving mad...

Then it strikes her, the horror of his implication.

RAJESWARI (CONT’D)
You mean... you killed Anita!
90.

She lunges forward and slaps him. Sesha grabs her by the
throat.

SESHA
You dare to slap me, you witch?

Before he can strangle her, Daniel comes and pulls him back
by the scruff of the neck. He gives him a tight slap. And
keeps slapping him till Sesha’s head is a swaying blur.

DANIEL
Attacking a lady, you wimp. Come
hit me. Hit me.

Sesha is helpless. Masthan enters and pulls out a gun. Daniel


looks at him and pauses. Getting a breather, Sesha squeals.

SESHA
Let go. He’s a ruthless killer.
He’ll shoot you.

Daniel fixes his eyes on Masthan and delivers Sesha another


stinging slap. And another. Sesha is ranting.

SESHA (CONT’D)
He’ll shoot you, you mad man. He
killed your son like a dog!

Daniel freezes. He looks at Sesha, then turns to Masthan, who


is pointing the gun at him.

Daniel takes a step towards Masthan, his face like granite.


Masthan is bewildered. Here’s a man who, unmindful of the
weapon, kept slapping Sesha. Now he’s walking towards a gun
pointed at him.

DANIEL
You killed my son?

Before Masthan can react, Daniel grabs the gun hand and pulls
it forward and away from his body. He grabs the off-balance
Masthan by the neck with his other hand. He then pushes him
to the wall and starts squeezing the life out of him with a
cold fury.

Masthan is unable to get out of the vice-like grip. He starts


turning blue and is almost limp when Sesha creeps up behind
Daniel with a log in hand. Sesha brings the log down on
Daniel’s head with a vicious swing. Daniel crumbles to the
floor as Gun enters.

Gun rushes to catch Daniel.

GUN
Sunny, Bunny, you run away. Go, go!

Sesha and Masthan push Rajeswari and Gun into a room and lock
them up. Daniel is left unconscious on the verandah.
91.

EXT. FARMHOUSE GROUNDS - DAY

Varaha runs after the children. As he’s about to catch up, he


finds himself running in the same place like on a treadmill.
He looks back to see the Great Dane, Trixie, holding on to
his shirt. He almost faints. Sesha and Masthan run towards
him.

SESHA
Shoot the bloody dog.

As Masthan raises his gun, Trixie suddenly collapses and


plays dead. The three of them peer down at the dog, puzzled.
Suddenly Trixie springs up, startling them, and disappears
into the undergrowth. The three villains go after the kids.

EXT. CATTLE SHED - DAY

Sunny and Bunny run to the end of the buffalo shed. There’s
no way out. They see the trio approaching from the other end.

Sunny lays a roll of crackers behind the cattle. Then he


unhitches the buffaloes. Sunny and Bunny go and stand to a
side behind the cattle, their plastic machine guns raised.

Sesha and Varaha have an evil smirk. The kids are trapped and
putting up a valiant show with toy guns. As they come near,
Bunny orders:

BUNNY
Fire!

The advancing trio hesitate, then smile at the childish ploy.


But on the command, Sunny has lit the long string of ten
thousand crackers that explode in a continuous rat-a-tat.

The startled buffaloes take off. Sesha, Varaha and Masthan,


for a moment, stand stupefied like pole-axed bulls, looking
at the galloping herd advancing on them. Then they take to
their heels.

After the thundering hooves and dust clears, Masthan is the


first to recover. He picks himself up and goes after the kids
in murderous rage. Their lead is soon narrowed by Masthan’s
giant strides.

They reach a narrow passage between thorny brush and the pump
house. Along this passage lie the cement pipes to be laid for
the drainage work. Sunny and Bunny run into this line of
pipes. Bunny can run upright and Sunny has to bend his head a
bit, so they make good pace inside the pipes.

The burly Masthan finds it hard going as he has to do a kind


of squatting crawl through it. By the time Sunny and Bunny
reach the other end and get out into the open, Masthan is
only halfway through.
92.

Sunny lights a packet of big-bang crackers and pushes it in.


It slides towards Masthan and start exploding. The sound in
the tunnel is ear-shatteringly magnified.

EXT. JUNGLE - DAY

The children make their way into the forest as Masthan is


hors de combat for the moment.

Bunny goes to the trunk of a tree and peers behind it. She
relaxes as there’s no one there.

When she turns around, Varaha enters in front of her with a


villainous laugh. Bunny holds up her gun and fires. Varaha
laughs derisively at the plastic rattle. He strides
menacingly towards her, gloating.

Bunny is frozen, her back to the huge tree trunk. Sunny


appears behind Varaha and starts cutting the hooked string of
the bunch of impact bombs in the branch.

Unhooked, the explosive sack swings down in an arc. Varaha


has cornered Bunny and is bending over her. The bombs crash
against his bottom and explode.

When the smoke clears, the children have gone and Varaha is
left clutching the tree, his dress seared at the back.

Finally the three killers regroup and chase the two soldiers.

Sunny and Bunny do a detour over some twigs and stop at the
other side, guns pointing at the advancing foe. The villains,
smarting from being outsmarted, go straight for them with a
vengeance.

And they fall into the trap. The pit is too deep to scale
easily. Sunny comes to the edge and throws them a rope.

They clutch it to pull themselves out and find that also to


be a booby trap. The rope tilts an avalanche of impact bombs
from a tree above.

The trio dance like beans on a hot pan. The kids celebrate
with a victorious jig and continue their run to escape.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - VERANDAH - DAY

Trixie goes and licks Daniel’s face. He gains consciousness


and feels his head gingerly.

DANIEL
(to Trixie)
Where are Sunny and Bunny?

Trixie leads him into the forest.


93.

EXT. JUNGLE - CLEARING - DAY

In the forest, Sunny and Bunny reach a clearing. Bunny is out


of breath and can hardly walk.

BUNNY
Sunny, I can’t fight anymore.

Sunny looks around. He points to a small rock.

SUNNY
OK. Let’s rest here. I don’t think
they’ll find us here.

They sit down and drink deeply from their water canteens.

EXT. JUNGLE - BLUFF - DAY

Masthan, Sesha and Varaha are on an escarpment, overlooking


the clearing where Sunny and Bunny are resting. The villains
intend to descend and grab the unsuspecting kids.

At that very moment, Trixie and Daniel walk into the


clearing. Sesha and Varaha are shocked to see the old soldier
fighting fit again.

EXT. JUNGLE - CLEARING - DAY

Bunny is overjoyed to see Daniel.

BUNNY
Grandpa, I thought you died.

Daniel picks her up.

DANIEL
It takes more than those flea-
bitten foxes to kill me.

Daniel has three coils of rope with him. He ties one end of
each to the trunk of a tree, then gives one coil each to
Sunny and Bunny while he holds one.

DANIEL (CONT’D)
Now follow me out of the forest. In
case you get lost, we can all find
our way back here again with the
help of the rope. Come, let’s
march, little soldiers!

They move out. After a few minutes, the trio come in.

SESHA
They have trapped themselves, the
over-smart soldiers.
(MORE)
94.

SESHA (CONT'D)
With the ropes, we can pull them in
like fish. Tie the rope firmly to
your hand.

He starts winding one rope around his wrist. Varaha takes his
end and starts winding it around his waist.

VARAHA
I have a better idea. Tie it around
your waist. It will never come
loose.

They follow his advice.

EXT. JUNGLE - BLUFF - DAY

Above, Daniel and the kids have reached the very escarpment
that the villains had occupied. They bring down the high-
powered rockets they had earlier hidden on the branches.
Sunny and Daniel securely tie a dozen rockets to the end of
each rope. Then they light the fuse.

EXT. JUNGLE - CLEARING - DAY

The trio has finished securing the ropes.

SESHA
Masthan, you go that way. I’ll go
this way.
(to Varaha)
And you stay put.

At that very minute, Varaha disappears into the sky. In quick


succession, the other two are launched. Sesha is dragged
along the ground through brambles and nettles, screaming.
Masthan is propelled for a few yards along the ground. Varaha
is in vertical ascent.

EXT. CATTLE SHED - DAY

A big cauldron is on an open-air hearth, boiling horse gram


for the evening feed. A bruised and bleeding Sesha is pulled
straight to it. Head-on collision. He roars in pain as the
steaming cauldron and its contents topple over his head.

Masthan is skimmed across a raised water tank for the cattle.


He is pulled up spluttering and wet. The rocket crosses an
electric pole on its journey to the cattle shed. The wet
Masthan is dragged along the live wires. He is roasted, and
his shrieks seem to emanate from hell.

Finally Sesha and Masthan are dumped in the cattle shed. A


rocket crashes into the roof, and Varaha falls screaming from
heaven. The shed collapses on the trio, burying them.
95.

Sunny and Bunny run in and plant their flag on the ruins.
They salute their grandfather. Daniel kneels down and salutes
his brave Little Soldiers.

THE END *

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