ACT 1

Scene 1

(The scene starts in a classroom. There is a messy atmosphere in the classroom. A

professor enters.)

Professor: Arre bhai ek senior professor aap ki class mein aaya hai, khade toh ho jao. 9
semesters mein toh kisi ko izzat di nahi, 10th mein hi de do.

[Students stand up.]

Professor: Oho! Paer toh akad gaye honge. Haan bhai saalon se khade jo nahi hue. Koi
nahi, apne naazuk paeron ko aaram deejiye, baith jaaiye baith jaaiye.

Professor: Good morning all of you. So class, now that you all are in your tenth
semester, it means that after a few months you will pass out and face the real world.

[Sameer is sleeping, with Jalaj sitting by his side.]

Professor: (points to Sameer) Yeh dekho, hamari class ke honhaar student so rahe
hain. Arre bhai uthau koi usse.

[Jalaj wakes Sameer up. Sameer stands up and clumsily looks around.]

Professor: Neend poori ho gayi tumhari.

Sameer: Sorry sir, voh main...

Professor: Kya kar rahe the raat bhar?

Sameer: Nahi sir, kuch nahi.

Random: Arre bata bhi do?

Professor: Chalo chodo yeh sab, jo karne aaye the vo karte hain. So Sameer, paanch
saal khatm hone wale hain. Kya socha hai future ke baare mein?

Sameer: (hesitates) Sir um err.

Professor: Arre bhai kuch toh socha hoga.

Sameer: Sir um err, sir lawyer. Lawyer banana chahta hun sir.

Professor: (smiles sarcastically) Waah! Achcha kaun sa lawyer?

Sameer: (hesitates) Sir, criminal lawyer.

Professor: (continues smiling sarcastically) Beta pass hue the subject mein?
[Class laughs.]

Professor: Vaise lawyer kyun banana chahte ho?

Sameer: (mumbles and looks around stupidly)

Professor: Dekho... vakil banana hai inko par yeh nahi pata ki kyun banana chahte
hain. Beta jab court ke bahar chhatri ke neeche baithoge na toh client toh chhodo, jo
kabootar aayenge beet karne voh bhi tumse advice nahi lenge. Seedha kar ke jaaenge.

[Everyone laughs including the Professor. Amar face-palms.]

Professor: Baith jao baith jao.

Sameer: (to Jalaj) Saale aaj uthte hi teri shakl dekhi thi. Pata tha kuch gadbad hone
wali hai.

Jalaj: Haan saale class mein neend tum puri karo aur blame mujhpe.

Professor: Haan Jalaj tum batao.

Jalaj: Yes sir?

Professor: Arre kuch banana bhi hai ki sari zindagi Sameer ke saath hi rehna hai?

Jalaj: Nahi sir, main judge banana chahta hun.

Professor: Achcha, matlab saath hi rahoge. Tum judge ban rahe ho aur Sameer vakil
ban raha hai, toh client bhi kisi ko bana hi lo.

[Class laughs including the professor.]

Professor: Kyonki koi bewakoof bhi itna bewakoof nahi ki tum bewakoofon se salaah
le.

[Jalaj is embarrassed.]

Professor: Chaliye baithiye.

[Jalaj sits down. Professor notices that Jaanhvi is using her phone.]

Professor: Arre aap itna muskara kyun rahi hain?

Jaanhvi: Sir kuch nahi.

Professor: Chaliye phone side rakhiye aur hamare discussion mein kuch add kariye.

Jaanhvi: Sir, voh maine abhi tak kuch jyaada socha nahi, vaise..
Random: Shaadi karegi!

[Class laughs hard.]

Jhanvi:(yells) Shut up.

Professor: Arey chup mat karao use. Tumne toh kuch socha nahi. Koi toh hai jo
tumhare liye sochta hai

[Jhanvi gets embarrassed and sits down.]

Professor: Peeche walon ne toh laajawab answers diye ab zara honhaar logon se bhi
pucha jaaye. Haan Sneha, toh tum batao tum kya karna chahti ho?

Sneha: Sir main yahan se nikal ke LL.M. karungi aur fir Ph.D. kar ke aap ki hi tarah
ek Professor banungi.

Professor: (smiles) Very good. Hamare desh ko tumhare jaise hi hard-working aur
intelligent logon ki hi zarurat hai.

Sneha: Thank you sir.

[Sneha sits down.]

Professor: (looks at Amar) Aur mere Arjun, tum kya banoge?

Amar: Sir IAS.

Professor: Achcha IAS banane ka kaise socha?

Amar: Sir mujhe toh sochne ki zarurat hi nahi padi. Bachpan se hi bataya gaya hai ki
Papa ki tarah IAS banana hai. Toh main ussi pe dhyaan dunga.

[An awkward pause.]

Professor: Chalo achcha hai. Ummed hai hum aapko jald hi Mishra ji ki tarah IAS
officer banate hue dekhenge.

[Scene ends.]
Scene 2

(Jalaj’s father is paying him a visit. Both are seated on a bench in a public park.)

Jalaj’s Father: Toh barkhurdar, aap kuch hi mahino mein graduate hone wale hain,
aage ka kya socha hai?

Jalaj: Dad vaise toh jyada kuch socha nai hai par mera interest darasal...

Father: Arre bhai interest chodo aur yeh batao kaun se competitive exam ki taiyari
karoge?

Jalaj: Competitive exams ke bare mein toh socha nai, but main soch raha tha ki...

Father: Kya soch rahe the?

Jalaj: Err.. Bas yahi... err... competitive exams ke alawa bhi kafi scope hai.

Father: (sarcastically) Achcha! Zara batao kya scope hai?

Jalaj: (hesitantly) Jaise yahi ki... err... Hotel Management vagairah...

Father: Arre bhai kahin tum bawarchi banana ka toh nahi soch rahe? Kahin phir se
tumhare purane shauk zinda ho gaye hon.

Jalaj: Papa main bas yunhi soch raha tha...

Father: Beta, ek toh tumhari degree paanch saal ki. Tumhare school ke friends toh teen
char saal mein degree kar ke job bhi lag gaye. Agar aise hi sochte rahe aur kuch kara
nahi toh zindagi mein kuch nahi kar paaoge. Yaad hai na jab tumne 9th mein cooking
competitions mein part liya that oh tumhara kitna waqt barbaad hua tha. Uss saal
tumhari percentage 90 se 85 ho gayi thi. Ab agar phir se wahi cheezen karoge toh
poori life spoil ho jayegi. Aur beta aaj ki taarikh mein duniya sirf ugte hue suraj ko
salaam karti hai. Life mein mehnat nahin karoge, aage nahin badhoge toh kamyaabi ke
race mein peeche rah jaaoge. Grades tumhare itne acche hai nai ki tumhe company
mein job mil sake. Beta ab sochne ka waqt gaya, ab to karne ka waqt hai.

[Both get up. Father places a hand on Jalaj’s shoulder.]

Father: Achha toh ab apni life pe focus karo aur zindagi ko ek serious nazariye dekho.
Chalo take care, bye.

[Jalaj nods and sighs. Father exits.]

Scene 3

(Amar is on a date with his girlfriend Riya. Both are seated in a cafeteria. Both are
busy on their phones.)

Riya: (puts her phone down) So baby, how is your college going on?

Amar: Yeah, it’s going good.

Riya: So anything new coming up?

Amar: Nah, nothing new, just me and my boring life.

Riya: Why? You’re one of the toppers of your class and you are so good at extra-
curriculars and everything. So what’s the problem?

Amar: Forget it. Tum nahi samjhogi.

Riya: (offended) Kyun? Main tumhari girlfriend hun. Agar main nahi samjhungi toh
kaun samjhega?

Amar: Achcha Riya tell me, tum aur main kitne time se relationship mein hain?

Riya: Teen saal.

Amar: I’m twenty-three years old, mere parents ke saath mera relation tabse hai jabse
main paida hua hun. Toh jab woh 23 saal mein nahi samajh paye toh tum teen saal
mein kya samjhogi.

Riya: (annoyed) Dekho, I know you are a good lawyer, so please apne arguments
court ke liye rakho. Mujhe seedhi tarah batao baat kya hai.

Amar: Chalo... agar itna hi interest hai toh theek hai. I want to be a film-maker.

Riya: (shocked) Film-maker? I mean, like really?

Amar: Yes, I do but tum itni shocked kyun lag rahi ho?

Riya: (a bit defensively) Nahi, bas aise hi, I mean, tumne kabhi bataya nahi that you
want to be a film-maker.

Amar: Tumne kabhi pucha hi nahi. Tumne kya, in fact, kabhi kisi ne nahi pucha. Aur
itne strict maahol mein abhi tak bachpan bitaya hai ki khud se himmat karke apna
sapna batana seekha nahi.

Riya: (doubtfully) Err, baby vaise are you really sure you want to pursue a career in
this field?
Amar: Nahi, maine aisa kab kaha. Maine toh bas itna kaha ki film-making mera sapna
hai. Yeh career kabhi ho hi nahi sakta kyunki iss sapne ko pura karne ka decision main
khud le hi nahi sakta.

Riya: Toh fir baby karna kya chahte ho?

Amar: Abhi toh filhaal apne doston ke saath ek achcha waqt bitana chahta hun. Iss
aakhiri semester ko khul ke enjoy karna chahta hun. Aage jahaan kismet le jaaye. Abhi
uss bare mein nahi soch raha.

Riya: But baby please itna zaroor dhyaan rakhna ki tumhara aur mera future juda hua
hai. So jo bhi decision lo soch samajh ke lena.

Amar: Abhi tak toh maine decide bhi nahi kiya ki mujhe film-maker banana hai ya
nahi aur tum abhi se insecure hone lagi. Pata hai, sab logon ne abhi tak sirf doubt hi
kiya hai aur vo bhi mera kaam dekhe bina. Arre agar kisi ko judge karna hi hai toh
pehle use jaan toh lo. Ab tak saala ek banda aisa nahi mila jo mujhse kahe ki bhai
mujhe confidence hai ki tu ek successful film-maker banega. Bas sab logon ka yahi
hai ki kahin apni life barbaad mat karna, career dhyaan se chunana, aise sapno ke
peeche mat bhago jo kabhi poore na ho sake.

Riya: Baby tum galat samajh rahe ho. It’s just that I care about you.

Amar: (sarcastically) Of course you do.

Riya: Achcha listena na tum apna mood mat kharaab karo varna flight mein mera bhi
mood kharaab rahega. Lucknow jaane se pehle I just want to spend some good time
with you. So let’s talk about something else. (smiles and takes Amar’s hand in hers)
And let’s order another round of coffee. Okay?

Amar: (smiles slightly) Sure.

Scene 4

[Amar, Jalaj and Sameer are sitting on their hostel’s roof.]

Amar: Abe ghante bhar se manhooson ki tarah khade ho. Koi kuch bolega bhi?

Sameer: (facepalms) Kya boloon yaar, aaj toh subah subah hi ijjat le li Professor ne.

Jalaj: Abe teri izzat thi hi kab jo wo lega.

Amar: Abe ab tum rona band karo, kaun sa yeh tumhaare saath pehli baar hua hai.

Sameer: Chhod Amar tu nahi samjhega.

Amar: Kyun be?

Sameer: Yaar tu padhne mein achcha hai, sports mein achcha hai...

Jalaj: Aur ek understanding girlfriend bhi hai.

[Jalaj and Sameer smile at each other.]

Amar: Guys, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Jalaj: Matlab?

Amar: Yaar jab road chalta aadmi support na kare toh samajh mein aata hai, par jab
gharwale saath nahi dete to bura lagta hai.

Sameer: Bhai khul ke bata, baat kya hai.

Amar: Saala jab se paida hua hun, parents ke sapne hi poore kar raha hun, aur ek baar
jahan shaadi ho gayi toh biwi-bachchon ki zarooraten puri karne mein zindagi nikal
jaaegi. Meri apni life ka kya.

[Jalaj and Sameer nod in agreement.]

Jalaj: Uncle to kafi friendly hai yar.

Amar: Haan baahar walon ke saath. Mujhse toh kabhi nahi bani unki.

Sameer: Bhai main toh sochta tha ki aisi problems {sirf meri life mein hain / bhagwan
ne sirf mere liye hi banayi hain}.

Amar: Meri chhodo tum log ye batao ki tumhara aage ka kya plan hai?

Jalaj: Class mein Sabu ko bataya toh tha.

Amar: Abey wo toh Sabu ko bataya tha.

[All chuckle.]

Amar: Ab mujhe batao sach mein kya karna hain.

Sameer: Bhai mera interest toh humesha se painting mein tha. Class 5th se 9th tak
school ke drawing competitions mein winner raha hun; boards ke chakkar mein ek
baar brush kya chhoda phir kabhi haath hi nahi laga paaya.

Jalaj: Bachche hi theek the yaar, in jhanjhaton se door. Ab toh jisase bhi baat karun,
kuch na kuch gyaan dene lagta hai, jo ki mere kisi kaam ka nahi; sabse jyaada mera
baap, unhe toh jab mauka milta hai, demoralise hi kartein hain. Agar woh samajh
paate ki main kya karna chahta that toh shaayad main kahin aur hota.

Amar: Kahaan hote?

[An awkward pause.]

Jalaj: Yaar main hotel management karna chahta tha, chef banana chahta tha.

Amar: Oho Bawarchi!

[All chuckle.]

Jalaj: Yaar hum bolne bolne mein kitna kuch bol gaye.

Amar: Jo mann mein hai woh karne ko milta toh kitna achchca hota! Zindagi apne
terms pe ji paate toh kitna achcha hota!

Sameer: Ab kuch nahi ho sakta yaar.

Amar: Ho sakta hai yaar, par uske liye humein apne comfort zone se nikalna hoga,
struggle karna hoga.

Jalaj: Bhai humare parents ne humein itna dependent bana diya hai ki ab khud se kuch
karne ka confidence hi nahi raha.

Sameer: Toh karein kya?

Amar: Dekho.. Do raaste hain. Apne parents ko ek baar fir manane ki koshish karte
hain.. Ya fir..

Jalaj: Ya fir?

Amar: Ya fir.. Jaise jeete aaye hain waise jeete hain.. Ism ek fayda hai..

Jalaj: Wo kya..?
Amar: Agar wo karenge jo humare parents chahte hain toh sirf hum dukhi rahenge..
Lekin agar hum wo karenge jo hum chahte hain toh usse humare parents dukhi
rahenge.. Ab 2 insano ki khushi ek insane ke dukh se toh bada hota hai na..

Jalaj: Toh chalo fir yahi karte hain.. Apne parents ki khushi me apni khushi bhi
dhoond lete hain..

(All of the smile)

(All three put their hands on each other and walk towards the gate)

(Scene Cuts)