Screenplay By AMIT THAKER

Based on a short essay THE BET by ANTON CHEKOV

amit0101@gmail.com

INT. DIMLY LIT LIVING ROOM - ANANDS APT. - NIGHT Crickets chirping in background. We see a back silhouette of ANAND walk toward a desk. We close in on the desk to see his right hand wearing a gem studded gold bracelet, indicating affluence, open a drawer. We see the hand rummaging through the drawer. While everything else in the drawer looks awry there is a package, neatly wrapped in newspaper and sealed with cellophane tape, sitting conspicuously on the right of the drawer. The hand ignores that package while searching. The search yields in the hand finding what seems like a set of remote lock enabled car keys and picks them up, it hovers on the newspaper wrapped package and after some deliberation picks up the package too. We pull back to the back silhouette of Anand as he starts heading toward a door. We follow his silhouette till he reaches a door and opens to exit it. FADE OUT OS - Remote car lock system sound. Beep. Indicating unlocking of car door. FADE IN INT. ANANDS CAR - FRONT PASSENGER SEAT POV - NIGHT We see the front silhouette of ANAND, against dim ambient / street light, approach us through the window on the driver seat. He reaches the door, opens it and gets in the drivers seat. The open door triggers the interior lights on. We see ANANDS face, in left profile, old and anxious, time and experiences have made this face. He is in his early 50s. Beads of sweat have formed on this face. We hear the car door being shut as the interior lights go off. OS - Sound of glove compartment open. We pan to the glove compartment and see ANANDS left hand put the newspaper package in and close the glove compartment. We pan back to ANANDS left profile. OS - Sound of car key turning in key slot. Control console lights up. We can partially see ANANDS face, dimly illuminated by the dashboard controls lights. Even in this dim light we can see his eyes lost in deep thought. OS - Sound of rustling of cigarette packet.

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2.

ANAND places a cigarette in his lips. His eyes close in profound introspection, head tilts back on the head rest as he lightly clutches his hair with his right hand. ANAND -(VO) (playing with cigarette in lips) Sab khatam ho jayega. Kyu lagaee ye fizul ki sharth. Yaad bhi nahi hai kis manhoos ghadi mein ye faisla huaa. Shayaad sharaab ka nasha tha ya jawani ka ya phir raheesi ki andhi aiyashi. (shaking head in disappointment) FADE OUT OS - Sound of car starting and moving away from us. FADE IN INT. LIVING ROOM - ANANDS APT. - LATE EVENING Superimpose : THREE DAYS SHORT OF 15 YEARS AGO There is a get together going on and Anand is seated at a lounge/sofa with a group of men. They seem to be discussing something very intently. We approach toward the sofa. There is some light music playing in the background. MAN 1 Aise politician ko to faasi de deni chahiye. MAN 2 Faasi dene se kuch nahi hoga. He should get a life term. He should suffer for all he has done. MAN 1 Arre, first of all, woh pohoch laga ke nikal jayega aur suffer kya karna, he is a politician yaar. AC, chicken, mutton, scotch, ladki sab milega. Even if he is a normal guy, life term se koi sudharta nahi hai, just kill them off yaar. Tum apne ghar ka kachra bahar phekte ho ki washing machine mein daal kar sudhaarte ho.

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3.

Anand, nods in approval as he plays with a cigarette in his lips. MAN 2 Kill them off? What about human rights, arre what kind of a punishment is that. insaaniyat naam ki cheez bhi hoti hai ek democratic judiciary mein. Man 1 tries to say something as Anand interrupts ANAND (putting down his drink and stubbing out the Cigarrette) Mere khayal se both are equally bad. Lekin my personal preference is death penalty, chat mangni pat byah type(chuckles). Life term mein toh insaan ghut ghut ke mar jaayega, it kills your essence, the will to live. Tum chup ho Vivek, what do you think? You certainly must have an opinion on this. Vivek, a younger man (mid 20s), has been standing away from the group and quietly listening to this conversation. He joins the group now after being asked the question. He puts his glass on the center table and settles in. VIVEK Hmmmm. I agree that both punishments are immoral. Lekin, mere hisaab se life imprisonment is more humane. Us mein ek umeed toh hoti hai, life khatam to nahi ho jati. I prefer life imprisonment over death penalty anyday. MAN 1 Arre yaar ye sab bolne ki baat hai, andheri kothri mein jab 10 din guzaarne padenge to sab philosophy bhool jaaoge Vivek bhai. Did you know if prisoners were not monitored, most of them who were sentenced with life terms would rather kill themselves. Ironical, isnt it? VIVEK Not all prisoners would kill themselves. There are stories of ex (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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VIVEK (contd) prisoners coming back into society and starting life again. Umeed se hi zindagi banti hai. Aur main koi cheez aise hi nahi bolta hu, I personally would prefer a life term over death penalty. Of course it is an hypothetical situation. ANAND (in a cocky tone, kind of mocking) Toh let us make it un-hypothetical. Main 2 crore ki shart lagata hu tumhare saath, tum 5 saal bhi nahi tik paoge. Vivek is startled as are all the others present there. VIVEK (in a slightly apprehensive manner) What do you mean Anand sir? You will pay me to go to prison? Main samjha nahin. ANAND Chod yaar, tere bas ki baat nahi hai, nevermind. Do char drink peeke dinge marna bohot aasan hota hai. VIVEK (slightly offended) Nahi, aap samjhao to sahi, main genuinely aapke bolne ka matlab hi nahi samjha. ANAND (hesitantly) Acha to sun, I have a bunglow in mud island. Main kabhi kabhi weekend getaway ke liye use karta hu. Us bunglow ke ek room mein tu 5 saal nikal mein tujhe 2 crore doonga. And I m dead serious. Vivek is involved in a deep thought process, the prize money is hard to ignore. ANAND (smirking) See? Maine bola tha na, bolne aur karne mein bohot fark hota hai. (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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ANAND (contd) Jaane de, drink enjoy kar and lets talk about something else. VIVEK (with conviction and resolve) I ll do it. Anand and the others are absolutely shocked. MAN 2 (laughs mockingly) Kya!?? Chad gayee hai yaar isko. VIVEK (emphasizing his resolve) Nahi, I m absolutely serious. Lekin 5 nahi main 15 saal ki baat kar raha hu. The other men walk away, dismissing this entire conversation as drunken banter. Only Anand and Vivek remain seated. ANAND (in an urgent tone) Tum jaante ho ki tum kya bol rahe ho? Arre 15 saal kya tum 1 hafta nahi tik paaoge. You think it is a joke to be confined? VIVEK Anand sir, if you want to back out of the bet, I understsand. ANAND (smiles) Arre, what back out? I m sure you will lose the bet. It is on. Dekhte hai tum kitne din andar reh paate ho? If you finish the 5 years there, main tumhe 2 crore doonga. Done? VIVEK Nahi. Apni argument life imprisonment ke baare mein thi and life term is 14 years and above. So make the bet for 15 years. ANAND (laughing hysterically) I was trying to make it easier for you. 5 saal, 15 saal kya fark padta (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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ANAND (contd) hai jab tum hafte bhar main bahar aa jaaoge. VIVEK We shall see. ANAND (regains composure) Acha shart lag hi gai hai to rules bhi sun lo. Tumhe kitab, khana, peena, cigarette yeh sab cheeze mil jayegi. Jo tumhari request ho, chitthi par likh kar darwaaze ke niche se sarka dena. Udhar ek watchman-caretaker rehta hai, woh mujhe pass on kar dega and i ll get you what you want, provided it is reasonable. Agreed? VIVEK Yes. ANAND (after some thought) Arre, kal se nahi tum parso se udhar jaaoge. VIVEK Kyun Anand sir? ANAND I have to get the door made in such a way that tumhe cheezein dene ke waqt, darwaza kholna na pade. You are not to have any human contact, remember? Aur toilet, bathroom to room main attached hi hain. Toh tumhare 15 saal parso se count karenge, 12 midnight to 12 midnight, clear? VIVEK Ji. FADE OUT OS- Sound of car coming to a halt. (please try not to use screeching tyres) FADE IN

7.

INT. ANANDS CAR - NIGHT Night Sounds. Through Anands POV we can see a lit window in the bunglow in the near distance. Anand is nervously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel with one hand and holding a cigarette in the other. ANAND (VO) (in a frustrated tone) Itne raat ko yeh kya kar raha hai? Haan, Soch raha hoga ke kal bet complete karke mere paise se apni zindagi kaise savaarega. Excitement mein neend bhi nahi aati hogi. Anand lights the cigarette. Takes a deep drag as he simultaneously closes his eyes in deep thought. ANAND (VO) (in a tone of disbelief / surprise) 15 saal? Kal raat ke barah baje 15 saal pure ho jayenge. How can a person live in confinement for 15 years? Anand rubs his brows, as if to indicate a headache. ANAND (VO) Pehle kuch saal toh...aiyashi ke samaan se kaam nikala. A montage shot of liqour, cigarettes, adult magazines, romantic novels, thriller novels etc.. being delivered to the bunglows doorstep. ANAND (VO) (admiring) Bande ne pehle teen saal nashe mein hi guzaare the. Lekin uske baad ek saal tak koi guzaarish hi nahi aati thi, tab lagaa tha ki woh shart haar jayega. Lekin main galat tha, then he wanted to learn. Montage shot of language, science books (world book / nat geo magazines) art supplies being delivered to the bunglows to the doorstep.

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ANAND (VO) (sadly) Woh seekthe gaya aur mein stock market mein paise lootate gaya. (irritated laugh). (in a mocking tone)Ab peechle kuch saal se toh dharmic ban gaye hai bhai sahab, gita, bible, qoran sab zabani yaad ho gaya hoga. Aur kal jab bahar niklenge, bet jeet kar, mujhe thanks bolega aur apni nayi zindagi mere paiso se shuru karega. Anand shakes his head and puts his head down on the steering wheel ANAND (VO) (urgent and nervous tone) Is se bachne ka ek hi raasta hai, he must die before the bet is over. Us ko 15 saal jab kisine miss nahi kiya toh, i dont think they will miss him anymore. He must die. Anand opens the glove compartment and removes the newspaper package. He has been observing the bunglows foreground for a while now. ANAND (VO) Watchman lagta hai so gaya hai, this is the right time. JUMP CUT / DISSOLVE SHOTS Anand gets out of the car with the package walks toward the bunglow. Anand enters the bunglow door. Anand climbs the stairs to the room and opens it. INT. BUNGLOWS STUDY - NIGHT Sound of fan and ticking clock. Anand is about to unwrap the newspaper package as he notices Vivek slumped on a desk. Near him is a note under a paper weight.

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ANAND (VO) (curiosly) Dekhein to sahi kya likh raha tha, must be a list of things he wants to buy with my money. Anand places the package on the desk and removes the note from under the paper weight and starts reading it. ANAND (VO) ( END DIALOGUE )