THE WEST BENGAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF JURIDICAL

SCIENCES

ENGLISH– 1

PROJECT

Submitted by:
Aditya Subarno
Id:- 219036
Section A
Therapy session

Aditya Subarno
 1.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

DR. D. Vikram walks past some doors.

DR. Vikram (V.O.)
I don't regret becoming a therapist.
he turns to his right and notices...

A SCRAWLED SIGN (in childish crayon) -- taped to the wall:

“LIES” . “YOU’RE A LIAR”

A SAD FACE can be seen beside that word. He saunters past

it.
DR. Vikram (V.O.)
I mean, okay -- I wanted to be an
astronaut when I was six. But now, I
get to explore people’s minds
instead of the cosmos.
Sometimes I find... happiness.
Another, imaginary SCRAWLED SIGN (same blue-lined paper):

“What happiness?” “Whose happiness”

he sees it -- ignores it -- moving towards...

A REAL SIGN on a door (his POV): “DR. D. Vikram.”

DR. Vikram (V.O.)

I don’t. Regret becoming a therapist.

HIS HEAD stops inches from it. he looks down at...

A FOLDER in his hand.

DR. Vikram (V.O.)

Ooh. New patient. Lets have some fun.

he forms a “V” with his index/middle fingers -- uses the

fingertips to push the corners of his mouth up into a
forced smile. Opens the door and --

INT. THERAPIST’S OFFICE - SECONDS LATER

he’s sitting at a chair now. Same forced smile.

DR. Vikram
I have only one rule. You must be
completely transparent with me.
 2.

Vetal-- a chubby, young early 20’s man -- reclines on

the couch

Vetal
I will. I’ve made up my mind to be
honest about my problems for once--
--Taking a SINGLE, GIANT, SIMULTANEOUS BITE out of both a
Snickers bar and a Mars bar -- held together in one hand.
DR. Vikram
That’s great. You should know,
there’s no such thing as embarrassment
here. I treat eating disorders all
the time.
Vetal
Oh, this is a sleeping disorder--
--says his chocolate-smothered mouth.

Dr. Vikram restrains a sigh. He fortifies his own smile.

DR. Vikram
Of course it is.
Readying his notebook and pencil.
Vetal
So. I keep having the exact same
nightmare every night...

Dr. Vikram writes. Nods.

Vetal
... that I'm a pizza.
DR. Vikram
This is... recurring?
Vetal
Yes. A pizza condemned to death...
Dr. Vikram’s eyebrows shoot up.

Vetal
So, a crowd of villagers -- you know,
the local people -- they gather to
throw toppings at me--
--Miming a throwing motion.
DR. Vikram
You don't... strike me as ever having
been to that part of the country.
Vetal
Maharashtra? No, I'm from Bandra
DR. Vikram (V.O.)
I don’t. Regret becoming a therapist. (echoes)
Deep breath.
DR. Vikram
So, you dream of being stoned... with
anchovies?
Vetal
And pepperoni. Wow! -- You get me.
I like you already!
Dr. Vikram puts his notebook down – and looks dead at
Vetal. A hint of a smile can be seen at the corner of
his mouth
DR. Vikram

Don't let me interrupt you.

Vetal
So anyway, I try to open my mouth to
catch the pepperoni -- but I realize I
can’t, because I’m a pizza, so I have
no mouth -- and they’re landing on top
of me and they smell so good and I
love pepperoni and I’m dying and now
the crowd is about to throw pineapple
too and I WAKE UP--!

--HEAVING deep breaths (like a panic attack).

Dr. Vikram can’t control his creeping anger. Looks left and
ON THE WALL: A scrawled sign (same child’s writing):
“No mercy this time”
he gathers his resolve.
DR. Vikram
Have you ever considered that your
dream is just... pathetic?
Vetal gulps.
 4.

DR. Vikram
That it’s an insensitive... definitely
ignorant -- not to mention banal
trivialization of the real horrors
people face?

The two of them lock eyes. Silence.

Vetal
You’re right.
Dr. Vikram surprised.
Vetal
I have no right to wake up in a cold
sweat.
Dr. Vikram takes a deep, cathartic breath. A breakthrough?
Vetal
I should be waking up... full of hope!
DR Vikram
What? W-why?
Vetal
It’s only a dream right?
DR. Vikram
I--
Vetal
I’m telling you I’ve got to stop
leaving the TV on while I sleep
DR. Vikram
That’s...
Vetal
I don’t understand how one moment
I’m watching Masterchef and suddenly
right before I go to sleep it goes
to the news channel
DR. Vikram
--No, this is not--
--Jumping out of the couch – Vetal exclaims.
Vetal
--Thank you so much.
(already leaving)
Fastest therapist ever!
 --This is not supposed to make
you happ--
--THE DOOR SLAMS shut behind Vetal -- he’s gone.

Dr. Vikram sits there.

ON THE WALL: The blue-lined paper:

“Sorry. Bad advice again.”

Dr. Vikram takes his pencil -- gets up -- walks over to...
THE WALL. His POV: he writes (lower down) on the paper:

“Goodbye”
Now revealed from behind his: The words “Goodbye” are on a
bare, white wall (there’s no actual paper there).
DR. Vikram (V.O.)
I don’t. Regret becoming a therapist.
CLINK! he whips around (the pencil is now gone!) and sees
--Vetal again! In a doctor’s coat, patient folder in hand.
Vetal
Hi, Vikram.. Are you ready for
today’s session--?
--Pointing at the couch. Behind his, the door now says “DR.
Vetal- Psychiatry.” The “Dr. Vikram” sign is gone.
THE END